New vehicle access to field.

New vehicle access to field.

The Principal Planning Officer gave a presentation on the application and updates / additional representations received following the publication of the agenda were provided; the schedule of committee updates is appended to these minutes.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking Mr Winnell, representing Sutton St. Nicholas Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application and Mr Rogers, the applicant, spoke in support.

In accordance with paragraph 4.8.2.2 of the Council’s Constitution, Councillor KS Guthrie, the local ward member, commented on a number of issues, including;

• There was a proposed music festival due to take place on the site, the access would be used for this.
• The new access was on a stretch of road with a 60mph speed limit.
• There had been a number of accidents within the proximity of the new access.
• The Parish Council object to the application on highway safety grounds.
• The proposed access was substandard and should be refused.

In response to a question regarding the proposed access, the Principal Planning Officer confirmed that the new gate would be set back 8 metres from the road and the visibility splay would be 2.4 metres from the road.

Members felt that the existing gateway was too close to the bridge which therefore impaired visibility. They added that the new access enabled a tractor to pull off the highway before opening the gate and was a vast improvement on the previous access.

Councillor Guthrie was given the opportunity to close the debate in accordance with the Council’s Constitution. She reiterated the issues raised in her opening statement and added the following;

• Could a condition be added to restrict the use of the access to agricultural use only.

In response the Head of Development Control advised that the applicant was permitted to use the land for alternate uses for a certain number of days per year (depending on use) so the access could not be restricted. He also said that this was subject to obtaining a licence.

RESOLVED

That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

1          A01 Time limit for commencement (full permission)

2          B01 Development in accordance with the approved plans

3          No development shall take place until a scheme detailing the measures to be undertaken to close the existing access has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.  Such scheme shall include the provision of a hedgerow, comprising a mix of native species, to the highway boundary.  The scheme shall include a timetable for the completion of the work with the new hedgerow to be planted no later than the first planting season following the first use of the access.

Reason: To define the terms by which planning permission is granted in order to ensure that the development does not prejudice the free flow of traffic or the conditions of general safety along the adjoining highway to comply with Policy DR2 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan.

4          H05 Access gates (8 metres)

5          H06 Vehicle access construction

Informatives:

1          HN01 Mud on highway

2          N11C General

3          N15 Reason(s) for the Grant of PP/LBC/CAC