Agenda item

(Means of access to be considered)

Parking facility for approximately 100 Heavy Goods Vehicles with refuelling station, shop and facilities for drivers at Proposed Truck Stop, adjacent to the road from A14 to C629, Risby ( within the parish of The Saxhams) for George J Gittus and Sons.

Report    DEV/SE/17/12

Outline Planning Application (Means of Access to be considered) – Parking facility for approximately 100 no. HGV’s with refuelling station, shop and facilities for drivers.

This application had been referred to the Development Control Committee because it was a major application and the Parish Council objected, contrary to the Officer recommendation of approval as set out in Paragraph 54 of Report No: DEV/SE/17/012.

Furthermore, when the agenda was published the recommendation was provisional in view of Highways England having issued a Holding Direction in respect of the application.

A Member site visit was held prior to the meeting.

As part of his presentation the Principal Planning Officer drew attention to the following updates:

·         Highways England had now formally removed their Holding Notice and confirmed that they had no objection to the application subject to mitigating conditions; and

·         Two further conditions were to be added to those listed in the report’s recommendation in respect of: badger sets and silage details.

The Officer went through each of the issues considered in determining the application; in order to explain to the Committee how Officers came to their balanced recommendation of approval.

Speakers:    Councillor Susan Glossop (Ward Member*) spoke on the application.  She also stressed that she would keep an open mind and listen to the debate prior to voting on the item.

(*whilst the application fell within the Ward of Barrow it was considered to impact more on the Ward of Risby, accordingly Councillor Ian Houlder had sacrificed his speaking slot to Councillor Glossop as the Ward Member for Risby)

                   Edward Keymer (agent) spoke in support of the application

During Councillor Glossop’s speech to the Committee she asked if it would be possible to include signage, as part of the development, to direct lorries on the A14 eastbound to continue to the Westley roundabout in order to turn around and re-join the A14, therefore enabling them to leave the dual carriageway on the westbound side and reducing the amount of HGVs travelling through Risby village.

The Committee as a whole supported this proposal.  The agent for the application was invited to respond to this request by the Chairman and he indicated that his applicant would be happy to work with the Planning Authority on this.

The Acting Head of Planning explained that if Members granted her Delegated Authority, in consultation with the Committee Chairman and relevant Ward Members, she could pursue this Suffolk County Council Highways via formal re-consultation on the proposal.

A number of other comments were made in respect of mitigating light pollution and litter, the Acting Head of Planning explained that these elements could be managed by additional conditions.

It was proposed by Councillor Peter Stevens that the application be granted, as per the Officer recommendation, inclusive of the additional conditions and Delegated Authority in respect of signage.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Robert Everitt.

Upon being put to the vote and with the vote being unanimous, it was resolved that

Decision

Outline planning permission be GRANTED subject to:

1.   Confirmation from Highways England that an agreed signage improvement scheme for Junction 41 is in place;

2.   Delegated Authority being given to the Acting Head of Planning, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee and relevant Ward Members, to re-consult with Suffolk County Council Highways with regard to the proposed A14 eastbound signage to direct HGVs along the westbound carriageway to the development site; and

3.   The following conditions:

1.   Outline permission time limit

2.   Reserved matters (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale)

3.   Contamination remediation strategy

4.   Surface water drainage (details to be submitted and agreed)

5.   Ecological mitigation (in accordance with Habitat Survey)

6.   Off-site highway works

7.   Visibility splays (provision in accordance with approved plans)

8.   Badger set mitigation

9.   Silage details

10.        Waste management

11.        Lighting details