Agenda item

Report No: DEV/WS/20/015

 

Planning Application - Construction of (i) office building (ii) ancillary buildings (iii) amended vehicular access via Sow Lane (iv) extended estate access road, footways and cycleway (v) vehicle parking (vi) landscaping (vii) boundary treatments and associated infrastructure

Planning Application - Construction of (i) office building (ii) ancillary buildings (iii) amended vehicular access via Sow Lane (iv) extended estate access road, footways and cycleway (v) vehicle parking (vi) landscaping (vii) boundary treatments and associated infrastructure

 

The Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that the application site straddled three Local Plan allocations; these being 1.) Rougham Airfield, 2.) Eastern Relief Road (ERR) and 3.) the Suffolk Business Park Extension with the remainder of the application site falling within the countryside.

 

Owing to the ERR now coming forward in a more northernly alignment this plot of land had now been split away from the Rougham Airfield, was no longer required for the ERR and was now associated with the Suffolk Business Park Extension.

 

The application was therefore before the Development Control Committee as the Officers’ recommendation was for approval, which was not wholly consistent with the Development Plan; noting the designation of part of the site being within the Suffolk Business Park Extension/Rougham Airfield/ERR and countryside and the, largely technical, conflict arising as a consequence of this.

 

Attention was drawn to an amended ‘red line’ plan which had been received by the Authority just prior to the Committee meeting.  Members were advised that the new plan would be subject to consultation and would be returned to the Development Control Committee if deemed necessary as a result of any representations made.

 

The Principal Planning Officer made reference to Paragraph 42 of Report No DEV/WS/20/015 and explained that, since publication of the report, Suffolk County Council’s Flood and Surface Water Engineer had confirmed that they raised no objections to the application subject to inclusion of the relevant conditions.

 

Lastly, Committee Members were directed to the ‘late papers’ which had been issued supplementary to the agenda.  Officers were recommending that the application be approved, subject to the conditions in the late papers but with the deletion of condition 25 (which was a duplicate of condition 22) and amendment to the wording of condition 33.

 

Delegated authority was also sought to agree landscaping details prior to a decision being issued; to be implemented under condition 27, therefore meaning that condition 28 may not be necessary. 

 

Speakers:    Councillor Sara Mildmay-White (Ward Member for Rougham) spoke on the application on behalf of Rushbrook with Rougham Parish Council

                   Simon Bryan (of Hopkins Homes, applicant) spoke in support of the application

 

A number of Members made reference to Paragraph 31 of the report which explained that despite Policy BV13 requiring a Travel Plan to be implemented in respect of the scheme, in order to reduce dependency on the motor vehicle, Suffolk County Council (who oversee Public Transport Operations) had agreed that the requirement for a Travel Plan and contributions towards a bus service would not be sought unless in exceptional circumstances and, having considered various factors, it was not considered appropriate to seek such an approach or contributions to amend/provide a bus service in connection with the scheme.

 

Councillor Mildmay-White had voiced concern on this matter on behalf of the Parish Council and this concern was shared by some Members of the Committee who asked if it was possible to make a Travel Plan/contributions a condition of the approval.

 

In response, the Principal Planning Officer explained that any conditions attached to a planning permission needed to be reasonable and proportionate to the scale of the proposal, and the scheme before Members formed one small part of the whole Suffolk Business Park development.

 

Councillor Rachel Hood mooted proposing an additional condition to include a Travel Plan/sustainable travel contribution.  In response, the Solicitor voiced strong caution to this proposal, highlighting that the inclusion of a condition of this nature failed to meet the required tests and policy compliance.  The Committee was further advised that financial contributions could not be secured by condition.

 

Councillor Hood asked if it would be possible to defer the application in order to consider the matter further, however, the Solicitor again advised against this way forward in view of it being a long-term strategic issue that needed to be addressed in consultation with the County Council and via the Local Plan, and not as part of the determination of the application before the Committee.

 

Further comments were made on the 5% electric charging provision to be provided as part of the scheme; some Members considered this to be inadequate in light of the Government’s long-term aims with electric vehicles.

 

The Chair invited the applicant to respond to the meeting on this matter.  Simon Bryan explained that 5% was the maximum that could be delivered at present due to the constraints around electrical supply to the site.  However, he had specifically asked for the condition to be worded to say a “minimum” provision so that if it was found during construction that it could be increased this could be accommodated.

 

Councillor John Burns proposed that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation and inclusive of the amendments as outlined during the Officer’s presentation.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Peter Stevens who commended the design of the scheme.

 

Upon being put to the vote and with 15 voting for the motion and with 1 abstention, it was resolved that

 

Decision

 

Planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

 

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

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

3.   The new vehicular access and amended cycle path shall be laid out and completed broadly in accordance with Drawing 1711-127_SK010 Rev D and be made available for use prior to the building hereby approved being first into operation. Thereafter the access shall be retained in the specified form.

4.   The proposed cycle/ bin store shall be provided for storage of Refuse/ Recycling bins and cycle storage as shown on drawing number

17120-LSI-HHS-ZZ-DR-A-1176 Rev P02 and 17120-LSI-03-ZZ-DR-A-1330 Rev P02 shall be provided in its entirety prior to the building hereby approved being first into operation and shall be retained thereafter for no other purpose.

5.   Before the development is commenced details shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority showing the means to prevent the discharge of surface water 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.

6.   All HGV and construction traffic movements to and from the site over the duration of the construction period shall be subject to a Construction and 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 for HGV and delivery traffic.

·         Access between the site and the highway.

·         Means to ensure no mud, water or other debris can egress onto the highway.

·         Means to ensure no lighting from the construction site will be visible from any part of the highway.

·         Means to ensure sufficient space is provided on-site for the parking and turning of construction staff, visitors and delivery vehicles.

·         Means to ensure sufficient space is provided on-site for the storage of materials and equipment.

 

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.

7.   Prior to the hereby approved building first being brought into use the area(s) within the site shown on 17120-L-SI-HHS-ZZ-DR-A-1176 Rev P02, for the purposes of loading, unloading, manoeuvring and parking of vehicles has been provided and thereafter that area(s) shall be retained and used for no other purposes.

8.   Before the hereby approved building is first brought into use the visibility splays for the hereby amended access shall be provided in accordance with the details shown on drawing 1711-127_SK010 REV D and thereafter shall be retained in the approved form. Notwithstanding the provisions of Part 2 Class A of the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 no obstruction over 0.6 metres high shall be erected, constructed, planted or permitted to grow within the areas of the visibility splays.

9.   The road shown on drawing number 669760-MLM-ZZ-XX-DR-C-2000 S2 P04 shall be constructed in its entirety prior to any of the accesses that the road would serve being first brought into use. The road shall be retained thereafter and used for no other purpose.

10.Prior to the installation of any external fixed plant or equipment, full details of the specific plant and equipment to be installed shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval. The submission shall include noise assessments to confirm that the combined operation of the proposed building  services plant will not exceed 67 dB LAeq,T during the day and 62 dB LAeq,T  during the night-time at 3m, as stated in Section 7.3, Table 9 of the BREEAM Pol05 and planning report, Document reference: REP-1011098-5A-GV-  20190211-BREEAMPol05Planning-Rev1.docx, dated 15 April 2019.

11.Before any development hereby permitted is commenced, a comprehensive construction and site management programme shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The programme shall include the following details:-

a. site set-up and general arrangements for storing plant (including cranes), materials, machinery and equipment, offices and other facilities and contractors vehicle parking, loading, unloading and vehicle turning areas;

b. noise method statements and noise levels for each construction activity

including any piling and excavation operations;

c. dust, dirt and vibration method statements and        arrangements;

d. site lighting.

12.The site preparation and construction works, including road works, shall be carried out only between the hours set out below without the prior written consent of the Local Planning Authority:

08:00 to 18:00 Mondays to Fridays;

08:00 - 13.30 Saturdays;

No times during Sundays or Bank Holidays;

13.No generators shall be used in external areas on the site outside the hours set out below of:

08:00 to 18:00 Mondays to Fridays

08:00 - 13.30 Saturdays

No times during Sundays or Bank Holidays

14.Any waste material arising from site, preparation and construction works shall not be burnt on site but shall be kept securely in containers for removal to prevent escape into the environment.

15.All lighting installations to be provided at the site, including those within the car parking areas, shall be positioned so as not to cause any glare to the residential properties in the vicinity of the site.

16.Prior to development commencing on the building hereby approved an Energy Strategy for the building shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The submitted information shall demonstrate at least a 20% reduction in emissions against the Part L notional building as set out in the BRUKL document.

17.No later than 6 months after the building hereby approved is first brought into use, a certificate demonstrating that building has gained at least BREAAM Very Good status shall be submitted in writing to the Local Planning Authority.

18.Within three months of the hereby approved office building being commenced an Electrical Vehicle charging strategy shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The strategy shall provide for a minimum of nine EV charging points and shall include details of the location of the EV charging points, with one of the EV charging points serving one of the accessible spaces. The approved details shall be installed and available before the hereby approved office building is first brought into use and shall be retained thereafter unless otherwise approved in writing with the Local Planning Authority. 

19.No development shall take place within the site until the implementation of a programme of archaeological work has been secured, in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation which has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme of investigation shall include an assessment of significance and research questions; and:

a. The programme and methodology of site investigation and recording

b. The programme for post investigation assessment

c. Provision to be made for analysis of the site investigation and recording

d. Provision to be made for publication and dissemination of the analysis and records of the site investigation

e. Provision to be made for archive deposition of the analysis and records of the site investigation

f. Nomination of a competent person or persons/organisation to undertake the works set out within the Written Scheme of Investigation.

g. The site investigation shall be completed prior to development, or in such other phased arrangement, as agreed and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

20.No building shall be occupied until the site investigation and post investigation assessment has been completed, submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, in accordance with the programme set out in the Written Scheme of Investigation approved under Condition 19 and the provision made for analysis, publication and dissemination of results and archive deposition.

21.No development shall commence on the hereby approved office plot until a detailed surface water drainage scheme for the site, based on the agreed Flood Risk Assessment [Ref:- 181278 by Rossi Long and dated 19.07.2019] and Drainage Strategy [Rossi Long, drawing ref:- RLC-00-XX-DR C-001 P4 by Rossi Long and dated 19.07.2019] has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority and will demonstrate that surface water run-off generated up to and including the critical 100 year +CC storm will not exceed the run-off from the existing site following the corresponding rainfall event. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed. Infiltration systems shall only be used where it can be demonstrated that they will not pose a risk to groundwater quality. Details of which will include:

Details of further infiltration testing on site in accordance with BRE 365 to verify the permeability of the site (trial pits to be located where soakaways are proposed and repeated runs for each trial hole). Borehole records should also be submitted in support of soakage testing.

22.Details of a Construction Surface Water Management Plan (CSWMP) detailing how surface water and storm water will be managed on the office plot during construction (including demolition and site clearance operations) shall be submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The CSWMP shall be implemented and thereafter managed and maintained in accordance with the approved plan for the duration of construction. The approved CSWMP shall include:

                                         i.    Method statements, scaled and dimensioned plans and drawings detailing surface water management proposals to include :-

1.   Temporary drainage systems

2.   Measures for managing pollution / water quality and protecting controlled waters and watercourses

3.   Measures for managing any on or offsite flood risk associated with construction

23.The hereby approved office building shall not be first brought into use until details of all Sustainable Urban Drainage System components and piped networks have been submitted, in an approved form, to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority for inclusion on the Lead Local Flood Authority’s Flood Risk Asset Register.

24.No development shall commence on the hereby approved internal access road until a detailed surface water drainage scheme, based on the agreed Drainage Strategy [Drawing(s) ref:- 669760 MLM ZZ XX DR C 2251 P1, 669760 MLM ZZ XX DR C 2252 P1 and 669760 MLM ZZ XX DR C 2253 P1 by MLM and dated 12.02.2020] has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority and will demonstrate that surface water run-off generated up to and including the critical 100 year +CC storm will not exceed the run-off from the existing site following the corresponding rainfall event. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed. Infiltration systems shall only be used where it can be demonstrated that they will not pose a risk to groundwater quality. Details of which will include:

1.   Details of further infiltration testing on site in accordance with BRE 365 to verify the permeability of the site (trial pits to be located where soakaways are proposed and repeated runs for each trial hole). Borehole records should also be submitted in support of soakage testing.

25.The internal access road hereby permitted shall not be made publicly available until details of all Sustainable Urban Drainage System components and piped networks have been submitted, in an approved form, to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority for inclusion on the Lead Local Flood Authority’s Flood Risk Asset Register.

26.Delegated Authority be granted to agree landscaping details prior to a decision being issued in respect of all planting comprised in the approved details of landscaping for the office plot hereby approved shall be carried out in the first planting season following the office building first being brought into use (or within such extended period as may first be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority). 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.

27.Within three months of development starting on the hereby approved road a scheme of soft landscaping for the road drawn to a scale of not less than 1:200 shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The soft landscaping details shall include planting plans; written specifications (including cultivation and other operations associated with plant and grass establishment); schedules of plants noting species, plant sizes and proposed numbers/ densities, shown alongside the proposed piped network, trenches and easements. The approved scheme of soft landscaping works shall be implemented not later than the first planting season following the road first becoming available for public use (or within such extended period as may first be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority). 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. 

28.The recommendations as set out in the MLM letter dated 17^th April 2019 Reference MB/776909/RWS shall be followed during the construction phase of the development hereby approved.

29.Prior to occupation, a "lighting design strategy for biodiversity" shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The strategy shall:

i)   Identify those areas/features on site that are particularly sensitive for bats; and that are likely to be disturbed by lighting;

ii)  Show how and where external lighting will be installed (through the provision of appropriate lighting contour plans and technical specifications) to demonstrate that areas to be lit will not disturb or prevent the above species using their territory or having access to their breeding sites and resting places.

All external lighting shall be installed in accordance with the specifications and locations set out in the strategy, and these shall be maintained thereafter in accordance with the strategy. No other external lighting be installed without prior consent from the Local Planning Authority.

30.Prior to commencement of development a scheme for the provision of fire hydrants to serve the application site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. No part of the development shall be occupied or brought into use until the fire hydrants have been provided in accordance with the approved scheme. Thereafter the hydrants shall be retained in their approved form unless the prior written consent of the Local Planning Authority is obtained for any variation.

31.No development above slab level of any of the buildings hereby approved shall take place until the details of the roofing and facing materials of the office building and the storage building have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

32.No development above ground level shall take place until details of the treatment of the boundaries of the site, including the position of the new gate onto Woodlands Road, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The details shall specify the siting, design, height and materials of the screen walls/fences and gates to be constructed or erected. The works shall be completed prior to the hereby approved office building first being brought into use in accordance with the approved details.