Issue - meetings

Recommended for Approval

The Head of Planning and Building Control recommended that in respect of application 3/21/1756/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report and subject to a Section 106 legal agreement.

It was also recommended that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning and Building Control to finalise the detail of the Section 106 legal agreement and the conditions and, in the event that a legal agreement (to the satisfaction of the LPA) was not completed within 3 months of the committee’s decision, to refuse the scheme due to an unacceptable impact from unsustainable modes of transport and a detrimental impact on local employment.

The Development Management Team Leader summarised the details of the application. He explained that the existing use was an employment generated sui generis use and provided details of the access and the proposed landscaping and parking arrangements. Members were advised that the site was located within a designated employment area in the local plan.

The Development Management Team Leader said that the application proposed 12 cycle spaces, and this was increased to 19 by the conditions to ensure policy compliance. He said that 2 electric vehicle charging spaces were proposed and this would be increased to 6 by the proposed conditions and then up to 13 spaces to secure greater use of electric vehicle charging.

The Development Management Team Leader said that the increase in soft landscaping would contribute towards a 1000% increase in biodiversity and the proposed landscaping would be secured by condition. He summarised the relevant highways considerations and detailed the proposed sustainable transport measures and spoke at length about the relevant material planning considerations.

The Development Management Team Leader referred to the late representations and advised that the application included a package of sustainable transport measures and Section 106 controls. He talked about the relevant planning policies, especially regarding employment and retail and commented on the impact of the application on the viability of local and district centres.

The Development Management Team Leader explained that the proposal was contrary to a key policy regarding employment land uses and that the report set out what weight should be given to this issue. Officers however considered that there were material considerations to outweigh the policy and recommended that the scheme was acceptable on this basis. He said that the relationship to the boundary of the residential property immediately to the south would be improved due to soft landscaping and there being pedestrian infrastructure immediately adjacent to the access as opposed to parking.

Members were advised that an hours of use condition was proposed, and further conditions were proposed to cover floodlighting, deliveries and other matters. The application was recommended for approval subject to conditions and Section 106 agreement.

Cheryl Sauvery addressed the Committee in objection to the application. Laura Beech spoke for the application. Councillor Goldspink addressed the Committee as a local ward Member.

The Development Management Team Leader responded to the points that had been raised by the speakers.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 265