Agenda item

Report No: DEV/WS/20/010

Planning Application - Temporary construction access off Chalkstone way associated with wider work at Great Wilsey Park

Planning Application - Temporary construction access off Chalkstone Way associated with wider work at Great Wilsey Park

(Councillor John Burns declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item as he lived within the vicinity of, but not adjacent to, the application site. He remained in the meeting, took part in the debate and the voting on the item thereon.)

The North-East Haverhill Great Wilsey Park site was granted outline planning permission for a development of 2,500 homes and associated development under application DC/15/2151/OUT.

The applicants, Redrow Homes Limited, were looking to deliver the first phases of the development and the access sought in this application was proposed to facilitate the construction work associated with two of the development parcels within those phases. A main compound was proposed at the north of the site, accessed from Haverhill Road, which was approved by the Development Control Committee under application DC/19/0224/FUL.

The application had been submitted at this time to ensure that construction infrastructure was in place ready to support the delivery of the development.

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee as a result of a call-in by one of the Ward Members for Haverhill East, having considered the context of the strategic nature of the wider site.

A Member site visit was held prior to the meeting.

The Principal Planning Officer informed the Committee that in respect of proposed Condition 2 referred to an incorrect drawing number; however, the drawing itself contained in the report was correct.  The correct drawing number was 183821-002 Rev D.

Speakers:    Councillor John Burns (one of the Ward Members for Haverhill East ward) raised some concerns with the application.

Chris Gatland (applicant) spoke in support of the application.

Councillor John Burns raised a number of queries, including technical questions to which the Officers duly responded. He acknowledged that this was only a temporary construction access but wished to clarify a number of issues principally relating to the impact on the existing road infrastructure and to neighbouring residents in the locality of the proposed access route. The Committee found the local knowledge extremely useful in supporting their determination of the application. 

The debate included consideration of attaching a condition to request that when the access was no longer required for the intended purpose, it should be stopped up and the land reinstated. This was agreed.

Having considered the content of the report, including that the Highways Authority had not objected to the application (subject to conditions), the Committee considered that the proposed access from Chalkstone Way would have no significant adverse effect on the operation of the highway or on its physical structure and the non-Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) traffic movements would have no significant adverse effects on residential amenity. Members acknowledged that the routing of HGV construction traffic was to be dealt with separately under a condition attached to the outline permission and therefore, should not be considered as part of this application. 

It was moved by Councillor John Burns that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation. This was duly seconded by Councillor Jason Crooks.

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

Decision

A. Planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

1.       Time

The development hereby permitted shall be begun not later than 3 years from the date of this permission.

2.       Access details

No part of the development shall be commenced until details of the proposed access have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

These details will include:

•        The position of any gates to be erected

•        Visibility splays provided and means to maintain

•        Width/s and surface materials

•        Pedestrian access into the site and across the proposed access

•        Means to ensure there will be no Left Turn for larger vehicles out of the access onto Chalkstone

•        Way during the operation life of the access.

•        Trigger point for the removal of the access and means to reinstate the highway verge.

The approved access shall be broadly in accordance with drawing 183821-002 Rev D and be laid out and constructed in its entirety prior to any other part of the development taking place. Thereafter the access shall be retained in its approved form.

3.       Prevention of surface water and mud on to highway

Before the development is commenced details shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority showing the means to prevent the discharge of surface water and mud from the development onto the highway. The approved scheme shall be carried out in its entirety before the access is first used and shall be retained thereafter in its approved form.

4.       Construction Deliveries Management Plan - In respect of construction of the access only

All HGV and construction traffic movements to and from the site over the duration of the construction period of the access shall be subject to a Construction Deliveries Management Plan which shall be submitted to the planning authority for approval a minimum of 28 days before any deliveries of materials commence.

The Plan shall include, but not be limited to:

-        Routing and timing of construction vehicles;

-        Means to ensure construction vehicles will not park, wait, load or unload from the highway

-        Means to ensure no material, equipment or other infrastructure will be stored on the highway or in such a way that highway safety may be compromised.

-        Means to ensure no water, mud or other debris may egress onto the highway

-        Means to ensure any lighting will not cause glare that could cause an impact to users of the highway

-        No HGV or construction traffic movements shall be permitted to and from the site other than in accordance with the routes defined in the Plan.

-        The site operator shall maintain a register of complaints and record of actions taken to deal with such complaints at the site office as specified in the Plan throughout the period of occupation of the site.

5.       Surface water disposal strategy

The strategy for the disposal of surface water (dated 06/06/2019, ref: 183821-005 Rev D) shall be implemented as approved in writing by the local planning authority. The strategy shall thereafter be managed and maintained in accordance with the approved strategy.

6.       Deliveries and service vehicles during the use of the access.

All HGV traffic movements to and from the site over the duration of the use of the access shall be subject to a Deliveries Management Plan which shall be submitted to the planning authority for approval a minimum of 28 days before any deliveries of materials commence. The Plan shall include the routing of all delivery and service traffic vehicles and means to ensure all of these vehicles will not turn left (toward Green Road) out of the access onto Chalkstone Way. No HGV movements shall be permitted to and from the site other than in accordance with the routes defined in the Plan. The site operator shall maintain a register of complaints and record of actions taken to deal with such complaints at the site office as specified in the Plan throughout the period of occupation of the site.

B.       That an additional condition be attached to the planning permission requesting that when the access was no longer required for the intended purpose, it should be stopped up and the land reinstated.

(On the conclusion of this item at 2.54pm, the Chair adjourned the meeting for a short comfort break. Councillor Ian Houlder left the meeting and did not return.)