Agenda item

Report No: DEV/SE/17/046

Reserved Matters Application - Submission of details under DC/16/2825/OUT - the means of appearance, layout, scale and landscaping for 2no. industrial/logistics buildings (B8 with ancillary B1a offices), together with associated car parking, service yard and landscaping as amended by plans and details received

Reserved Matters Application – Submission of details under DC/16/2825/OUT – the means of appearance, layout, scale and landscaping for 2no. industrial/logistics buildings (B8 with ancillary B1a offices), together with associated car parking, service yard and landscaping as amended by plans and details received.

The application had been referred to the Development Control Committee because the Council had a financial interest in the land.

The Reserved Matters application sought consent for layout, scale and appearance and on plot landscaping. The application also sought consent for two large storage and distribution buildings (B8) that would have ancillary B1 offices to serve the principle B8 use, with car parking, cycle storage, yard space and Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) parking, turning and unloading areas. The description of the two buildings were listed in paragraph 2 and 3 of the report.

The two proposed units would operate in isolation from each other and would be served by separate accesses which were approved as part of the new internal road that was being constructed. Each unit would have an entrance for the main car park and pedestrian access and there would be a separate entrance for HGV vehicles.

The application had been amended since submission as outlined in paragraph 5 of the report.

Representations had been received from Bury St Edmunds Town Council and Rushbrooke with Rougham Parish Council who were both in support of the application.

Speakers:    Mr Neil Osborne (Agent) spoke in support of the application.

Members commended the Case Officer for producing a clear and high quality report.

Given that the application was considered a signature development along the A14 that would showcase the entire business park, it was suggested that Members would have liked to have seen elevations that would be visible from the A14 in order to obtain an understanding of what it would look like from the view of travelling down the highway.

Whilst Members’ were generally in support of the application, the following concerns were raised:

·         The applicant had submitted a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) statement and achieved a standard of ‘Very Good’, however Members would have liked to have seen a standard of ‘Excellent’ achieved.

·         The amount of light pollution that was generally produced from industrial estates.

·         The amount of on-site parking available to manage the loading and unloading of multiple HGVs to ensure that they do not have to park off-site.

The case officer responded to the comments and concerns raised:

·         The achievement of ‘Excellent’ for the BREEAM statement was deemed as unrealistic by the applicant due to the speculative nature of the proposal and other factors outside of their control. The developer had proposed that they would include other enhancements included in the BREEAM statement.

·         An environmental statement was submitted at the application’s outline stage that included conditions that future occupiers of the site would have to comply with to reduce the impact of light pollution.

·         A sufficient amount of on-site parking had been provided for HGVs as well as electrical charging points that would allow the vehicles to be loaded and unloaded without having to have the engine switched on.

·         A 30 metre landscape buffer had been included in the application to soften the visual impact of the development from the A14.

One Member queried whether there would be a sufficient amount of on-site facilities available for HGV drivers to which the Case Officer explained that the internal layout was yet to be confirmed, however they would raise the point with the developer in an effort to ensure that these would be provided.

Councillor Peter Stevens proposed that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation, and this was duly seconded by Councillor David Nettleton.

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

Decision

Planning permission be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1.   List of approved plans

2.   Building SP205 to be limited to a gross floor area of 19,122m²

3.   Building SP150 to be limited to a gross floor area of 13,617m²

4.   Details of the internal layout for building SP205 to be submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) before the building is first brought into operation. The approved details shall be implemented.

5.   Details of the internal layout for building SP150 to be submitted and approved in writing by the LPA before the building is first brought into operation. The approved details shall be implemented.

6.   No storage of materials or waste shall occur on land north of the front elevation (car park) of either building hereby approved unless otherwise agreed in writing with the LPA.

7.   Details of the finished floor level of the yard area, including the gradients for the docking areas shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA before building SP205 is first brought into operation. The approved details shall be implemented.

8.   Details of the finished floor level of the yard area including the gradients for the docking areas shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA before building SP150 is first brought into operation.

9.   Details of all fences, gates and walls as shown on the submitted details shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA before the building SP205 is first brought into operation. The agreed details shall be implemented.

10.                Details of all fences, gates and walls as shown on the submitted details shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA before the building SP150 is first brought into operation. The agreed details shall be implemented.

11.                Prior to either building being first brought into use, details of two cycle stands that will serve each unit hereby approved (four in total) that will be available to visitors shall be submitted to and approved in writing. The agreed details shall be implemented before the building they serve is first brought into use.

12.                Details of the external materials to be used on building SP150 shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA prior to development commencing on site. The approved details shall be implemented.

13.                Details of the external materials to be used on building SP205 shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA prior to development commencing on site. The approved details shall be implemented.

14.                A certificate of demonstrating that building SP150 has gained a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ status to be submitted.

15.                A certificate of demonstrating that building SP205 has gained a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ status to be submitted.

16.                Landscape details hereby approved to be implemented within the first planting season after building SP205 is first brought into use.

17.                Landscape details hereby approved to be implemented within the first planting season after building SP150 is first brought into use.

18.                The hereby approved tree protection fencing shall be implemented prior to construction starting on either building hereby approved or at such time that shall be previously approved in writing by the LPA.

19.                The measures detailed in section 4 of the Biodiversity Survey, James Blake November 2017, JBA16_181 ECO 13, shall be implemented in their entirety.

20.                The aftercare and management plan, which includes management prescription for the landscaping, shall be implemented.

21.                Parking, manoeuvring and unloading areas to be made available for building SP205 before the building is first brought into use.

22.                Parking, manoeuvring and unloading areas to be made available for building SP150 before the building is first brought into use.