More than 200 Waterside homes approved

Two Waterside planning applications for 206 social homes combined have been given the green light by Derry City and Strabane District councillors, contrary to the advice of Council Officers.

The applications for adjoining residential developments in the Corrody Road area were discussed at Wednesday’s Planning Committee meeting.

The first application (LA11/2022/0377/O) was for residential development on lands at the rear and immediately adjacent and south west of 120, Corrody Road.

The application stated this would involve the demolition of existing buildings for the provision of new housing with open space, and infrastructural improvements to the Corrody Road to facilitate road widening; the inclusion of a pedestrian footpath; and a bus turning area.

The second application (LA11/2022/0683/O) was for outline planning permission for a social housing development on land 50 metres east of 70, Corrody Road.

This application stated the housing would have associated open space, access, parking and landscaping. The proposed attendant infrastructure improvement works outlined included: road widening along Corrody Road; an extension of the footpath along Corrody Road; and the provision of a bus route, turning area and stop.

In her presentation to the Planning Committee on the first application, agent Gemma Jobling said the scheme was “supported by APEX and will provide 86 much-needed social housing homes”.

Opening the discussion on this application, Sinn Féin councillor Christopher Jackson said the “huge social housing need” in Waterside could not be overstated.

“The picture painted to us in the officer’s report, and I have the utmost respect for our council officers, does not reflect what we are seeing on the ground. I wish it did. I wish we did have swathes of land and I wish we did have dozens of applications in the pipeline to address the need but the reality is far from that,” Cllr Jackson said.

“There are people languishing on social housing waiting lists that have no prospect of getting housed anytime soon.

“The pressure is imminent and it has been well rehearsed. Waterside 1 is not unique right across the city and district. It's not unique right across the North. The need is acute and it can't be overemphasised.

“There was considerable discussion around the road infrastructure and the need for significant infrastructure improvements if this application goes ahead. I would argue there is a need for significant infrastructure improvements regardless of [whether or not] this application goes ahead.

“The [road] improvements in this application bring significant community benefits, in addition to the benefit of going some way to meet the social housing need.

“So, I am prepared to make a proposal that we overturn the officer's recommendation and we approve um the application in front of us.”

His proposal was seconded by party colleague, Cllr Caroline Devine.

Arguing against one of the refusal reasons, namely the application would undermine sustainable development and create an undesirable precedent, Cllr Jackson said exceptions were permitted for “applications that will address the social housing need”.

He added: “[There is] acute social housing need in that particular area.”

Before passing the proposal, the Planning Committee accepted a recommendation from council officers that two conditions put on the application by NI Water be observed.

In addition, councillors accepted the further condition on the application specifying the end user must be a social housing provider.

The council planning team officer said: “I would be recommending that we would be going towards Section 76 planning agreement prior to the final approval of any permission of the outline stage to deal with the occupancy to deal with the roads issues and the other issues in terms of open space that that may arise through the final determination.”

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Planning Committee chairperson, Cllr John Boyle informed members “the next stage of the process is to refer the application to the Department of Infrastructure under the notifications procedures that Council is minded to approve major applications significantly contrary to the area plan”.

Councillors were informed that the second Corrody Road application (LA11/2022/0683/O) for 120 APEX social homes, had 15 objections.

These were based on green belt, transport, infrastructure impact; inappropriate build, area unsuitable for housing; cumulative impact with LA11/2022/0683/O; contrary to the area plan; does not benefit the community; and noise, nuisance and anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Christopher Jackson said it would be “very very difficult to argue” the proposed site was in a “rural setting”.

“This gives me enough comfort that this application would not have any demonstrable impact on the rural character of the area because there has been development at that site. At the southern end, adjacent to the application site, it is substantially built up,” he added.

Cllr Jackson’s proposal to have the council's planning team recommendation of refusal overturned was seconded by Cllr Devine.
The same conditions and the issue around the Section 76 planning agreement, the NI water issue condition, were also applied to the proposal.

“Council will now notify the Department of Infrastructure the planning application was passed and await its deliberations.”