Site for B1(C) Light Industrial, B2 General Industry and B8 Storage and Distribution Uses, together with Motor Vehicle Showroom, Ancillary Nursery, Access and Associated Works.

Approval of the application was delegated to Officers subject to further discussions regarding potential highway improvements associated with the site.

The Principal Planning Officer gave a presentation on the application and updates / additional representations received following the publication of the agenda were provided in the update sheet.

 

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr Pudge, a local resident, spoke in objection to the application and Mr Green, the applicant’s agent, 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:

 

·         The application was generally supported although there were some concerns in respect of the access to the site.

·         The Parish Council had also expressed concern regarding the increase in industrial land outside of that designated within the Unitary Development Plan.

·         The proposed development coupled with the proposed green waste site would result in a significant increase of traffic on the A49.

·         The speed of traffic passing the junction onto the site is a concern.

·         The short turning lane also causes problems for HGV’s turning into the site.

·         The 50mph speed limit should be extended past the entrance of the site.

·         There was also an issue with vehicles turning into Upper Wellington. A slip road at this turning would address the problem.

·         A meeting had been scheduled with the Highways Agency to discuss concerns regarding this stretch of the A49.

·         Improvements should be made to the layout of the junction; a 50mph speed limit put in place; and improvements to the Moreton-on-Lugg bus stop should be made prior to the development being approved.

 

Members discussed the application and were broadly in support of it, however some concern was expressed regarding the access to the site from the A49. The improvements to the cycle network and a dedicated bus service to the site were welcomed and the biodiversity on the site was referred to.

 

The Committee thanked the case officer for arranging a site visit, which they considered had been beneficial and assisted in making a decision on the application. Mr Pudge was also thanked for attending and sharing his concerns in respect of the access to the site. Members considered that his concerns should be addressed and therefore proposed that the approval of the application be delegated to officer’s named in the scheme of delegation to officers subject to further discussions with the applicant in respect of the highway issues on the site.

 

Members also noted that the applicant was investigating the possibility of reopening the rail link to the site. This decision was welcomed and Members noted that this could reduce the number of HGV’s having to access the site by road.

 

In response to two issues raised by the Committee, the Principal Planning Officer advised that improvement works were planned for the Starting Gate roundabout in early 2014 and that there may be limitations on the highway improvements that could be achieved at the site junction as the Highways Agency were responsible for the A49.

 

Councillor Guthrie was given the opportunity to close the debate. She reiterated her opening remarks and made additional comments, including:

 

·         That she was pleased that her concerns in respect of the access to the site had been noted.

 

RESOLVED

 

That subject to further discussions with the Highways Agency, in consultation with the Chairman, Local Ward Member and neighbouring Ward Member, in respect of concerns regarding the vehicular access to the site from the A49, officers named in the Scheme of Delegation to Offices be authorised to issue planning permission subject to the following conditions and any amended or further conditions considered necessary by officers:

 

1.         Applications for approval of Reserved Matters shall be made to the local planning authority not later than the expiration of eight years from the date of this permission.

 

Reason: Required to be imposed by Section 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

2.         The development to which this permission relates shall be begun not later than the expiration of two years from the date of the approval of the last reserved matters application to be approved.

 

Reason: Required to be imposed by Section 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

3.         Prior to the commencement of the development, a phasing plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter each reserved matters application submitted shall refer to a phase, phases, or part thereof identified in the phasing plan. Any subsequent alteration to the phasing plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

Reason: To ensure adherence to the approved plans and the associated phasing of the development and secure compliance with policies DR1 and E8 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan.

 

4.         No development on any phase, or part thereof, shall be commenced until full details of the layout, scale, appearance and landscaping (hereafter referred to as reserved matters) for that phase have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter each phase of the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved reserved matters application relating to it.

 

Reason: Required to be imposed by Section 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and to enable the local planning authority to exercise proper control over these aspects of the development and to secure compliance with policy DR1 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan.

 

5.         Except where otherwise stipulated by conditions, the reserved matters applications shall be carried out in general accordance with the submitted plans drawing numbers 1674-1002c, 1674-1013 and 1674-1007G and TAs 108 Srat MP1C

 

Reason: To ensure adherence to the approved plans in the interest of a satisfactory form of development and secure compliance with policies DR1 and E8 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan.

 

6.         C01 Samples of external materials

 

7.         E01 Site investigation – archaeology

 

8.         G04 Protection of trees/hedgerows that are to be retained

 

9.         G09 Details of Boundary treatments

 

10.       G10 Landscaping scheme

 

11.       G11 Landscaping scheme – implementation

 

12.       H16 Parking/unloading provision (including car share spaces)

 

13.       H17 Junction improvement/off site works

 

14.       H18 On site roads - submission of details

 

15.       I56 BREEAM

 

16.       H29 Secure covered cycle parking provision

 

17.       H30 Travel plans

 

18.       I02 Scheme of measures for controlling noise

 

19.       I18 Scheme of foul drainage disposal

 

20.       I27 Interception of surface water run off

 

21.       I33 External lighting

 

22.       I41 Scheme of refuse storage (commercial)

 

23.       I51 Details of slab levels

 

24.       I55 Site Waste Management

 

25.       K2 Nature Conservation - site protection

 

26.       K4 Nature Conservation – Implementation

 

27.       K5 Habitat Enhancement Scheme

 

28.       L01 Foul/surface water drainage

 

29.       L02 No surface water to connect to public system

 

30.       L03 No drainage run-off to public system

 

31.       I22 No surface water to public sewer

 

32.       F06 Restriction on Use (Zone H)

 

33.       G14 Landscape management plan

 

34.       Prior to the commencement of development hereby permitted or in accordance with a timescale to be agreed prior to the commencement, details of the following shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority:

 

• Strategic landscaping and wildlife habitats

• Strategic foul and surface water drainage

• Amenity Areas

• The new cycleway through the site and alterations to the strategic road layout and design

• Design of the new culvert/bridge over Moreton Brook

• A delivery phasing plan and programme

 

The development shall be carried out in accordance with the agreed details and phasing plan.

 

Reason: To ensure the adherence to the masterplans in the interest of creating a high quality business park environment, to ensure the necessary strategic infrastructure is in place at the appropriate phase of development and to comply with policy E8 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan.

 

35.       In the case where development including demolition does not commence on each or any phase before March 2015, an updated ecological survey, together with any subsequent mitigation measures required as a result of the findings and a timescale for the implementation of the mitigation measures, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter the mitigation measures shall be carried out in full in accordance with the approved details

 

Reason: To ensure the biodiversity interest of the site is appropriately considered and any impacts mitigated and to comply with policies NC1 and NC7 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan.

 

36.       M09 Contamination

 

37.       No more than 50% of the total floorspace hereby permitted shall be Use Class B1c and/or B2 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) order 1987, or in any equivalent to that Class in any statutory instrument revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification.

 

Reason: To ensure the highway impact of the development does not exceed acceptable levels and to comply with policy T8 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan.

 

Reasons for Approval

 

The majority of the site falls within land allocated for employment within the UDP under policy E2 where the principle of the uses proposed including the vehicle showroom is supported.  Three areas of the site are beyond the UDP allocated employment zone.  These areas are primarily a mixture of agricultural grazing land and a poplar tree plantation and the approval of development on these areas will be contrary to UDP policies E2 and E15.  The NPPF, however, requires local planning authorities to be more flexible in their approach to applications for employment development to ensure landowners can adapt quickly to market demands.  The Council is achieving this requirement south of the river on the Rotherwas Enterprise Zone but no such site currently exists close to but north of the city.  

 

This development will deliver a range of unit sizes and employment use classes set within a high quality business park environment, the diversity of which is enhanced by the inclusion of the additional land.  The Councils latest employment land study (with the inclusion of the additional land) also rates the site as one of the top two employment sites within the county in terms of environmental sustainability, market attractiveness and strategic planning.  The masterplanning of the whole site also allows for the developments strategic infrastructure requirements such as foul and surface water drainage, sustainable transport links, strategic landscaping, amenity areas and biodiversity enhancement to be properly considered and achieved.  Notwithstanding the conflict UDP polices E2 and E15, for these reasons, the principle of including the additional land is also supported and moreover, is not considered to be in conflict with the NPPF.

 

In design terms, the development meets the requirements of UDP policies E8, LA2, LA6, NC1 and DR7 and the requirements of the NPPF.  More specifically, the masterplan proposes development that is harmonious with the character of the existing site in that nearly all trees of abroricultural value are being retained including large areas of grassland to be dedicated as staff amenity areas and considerable additional landscaping is proposed to mitigate the landscape and visual impact of the development.  The biodiversity value of the site has been comprehensively considered and whilst there will be some impact, this is mitigated and more than compensated for with the new wildlife habitats to be created and long term management of existing habitats.  Flood risk has also informed the masterplan in that no buildings are now proposed with the high risk floodplain.  The site can also support an entirely sustainable surface water drainage system and foul drainage capacity has been evidenced which it is considered will also ensure there is no likely significant effect on the Special Area of Conservation. 

 

The localised and wider traffic impacts of the development have been fully considered and subject to the Highways Agency response, the technical analysis demonstrates that the highway network has capacity for the full development once the improvements to the Starting Gate roundabout are in place.  The traffic impacts are also mitigated by proposed enhancements in the sustainable travel options and links with the site.  Other matters such as archaeology, contamination, amenity and Section 106 have all been fully considered and are addressed or can be addressed with the recommended conditions.

 

 

The growth of this site is a key part of the County’s employment strategy and will create an employment site that meets the development needs of business and help support an economy fit for the 21st century as required by section 3 of the NPPF.   It will also address the present spatial and qualitative imbalance of available employment land north and south of the river and will place Hereford and the county in a strong position to attract inward investment and provide new job opportunities to complement the proposed Core Strategy housing growth.

 

The NPPF requires local planning authorities to apply a presumption in favour of sustainable development and defines sustainability as encompassing an economic, social and environmental role.  The development is considered to deliver all three strands of sustainability.  New employment opportunities will be created contributing to building a strong and responsive economy, the provision of on site childcare facilities and extensive staff amenity areas will assist in supporting the social well-being of staff whilst environmentally, the development is accessible by sustainable transport modes, will protect and enhance the natural and historic environment and will mitigate the impact of climate change in terms of flood risk and energy efficient construction.  Consequently, the application will deliver sustainable economic development. 

 

The approval of the application is considered compliant with the relevant development plan policies, save for policies E2 (part) and E15, supplementary planning guidance and the NPPF.  In respect of polices E2 and E15, it is considered there are strong material planning considerations, more up to date evidence and policy guidance within the NPPF to warrant departing from these policies.

 

Informatives

 

1.         HN10 No drainage to discharge to highway

 

2.         HN28 Highways Design Guide and Specification