Agenda item

Report No: DEV/SE/17/028

Acoustic Fencing along the North-West and South-West boundaries of the Northern Way employment area in connection with Hybrid Planning Permission - DC/13/0932/HYB

Acoustic Fencing along the North-West and South-West boundaries of the Northern Way employment area in connection with Hybrid Planning Permission - DC/13/0932/HYB

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee because the application site was owned by the Council.

Officers were recommending that the application be approved, subject to conditions, as set out in Paragraph 27 of Report No DEV/SE/17/028.

The Principal Planning Officer explained that the proposal before the Committee had been submitted following the approval of DC/13/0932/HYB which granted, inter alia, outline consent for residential development.  A requirement of the Section 106 agreement of this permission was to provide a noise attenuation fence, hence, the application was in direct response to this Section 106 requirement.

Members were advised that the proposal would require the removal of 131 trees and the pruning of a further 35 trees to make space to construct the fence.  This would be compensated by way of mitigation planting, as outlined in Condition No 1.

Attention was drawn to Paragraph 25 of the report which made reference to the applicants having commenced construction of the fence, which was subsequently ceased when the Council became aware of the work.

Councillor John Burns sought clarity with regard to the timings of the tree removal that had already been undertaken on site.  The Officer reminded the meeting that the trees in question were not protected by way of a Tree Preservation Order meaning the removal did not represent a breach of planning legislation.  However, he would clarify the dates involved and would respond to all Members of the Committee directly with the answer.

Councillor David Roach proposed that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation, and this was duly seconded by Councillor Ian Houlder.

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

Decision

Planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

1.   3 year time limit condition

2.   Within three months of the date of this planning permission, a scheme for the mitigation planting (the location of which is indicated on approved drawing 180604/URB/SK/AFMP/001)), to comprise a 4m-deep strip of native species woodland, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The mitigation planting shall be provided during the first planting season following the grant of planning permission, except for that between Points B and C as indicated on the approved drawing where it shall be provided during the first planting season after three years from the grant of planning permission. Any planting removed, dying or becoming seriously damaged or diseased within five years of planting shall be replaced within the first available planting season thereafter with planting of similar size and species unless the Local Planning Authority gives written consent for any variation.

3.   Prior to the completion of the acoustic fence, a scheme for the provision of bat boxes shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The bat boxes shall be provided in accordance with the approved scheme.

4.   The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out except in complete accordance with the details shown on the approved plans and documents.