Agenda item

Report No: DEV/WS/23/002

Planning application - agricultural storage building

Planning application - agricultural storage building

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee following consideration by the Delegation Panel, having been referred to the Panel due to the objection received from Lakenheath Parish Council.

As part of her presentation to the meeting, the Planning Officer advised that during the course of the application three consultations had taken place with statutory consultees and neighbouring properties due to a number of amendments having been received, including the revision of the red outline of the site detailing access from Maids Cross Hill, an alteration to the orientation of the proposed building, as well as a change to the proposed external colour of the building.

Since publication of the agenda two late representations had been received objecting to the scheme, the content of which was summarised verbally to the meeting.

A Member site visit was held prior to the meeting. The Planning Officer also showed videos of the site by way of a virtual ‘site visit’.

Officers were recommending that the application be approved subject to conditions as set out in Paragraph 82 of Report No DEV/WS/23/002.

Speakers:    Andrew Rought (neighbouring objector) spoke against the application

                   Judith Squires (resident objector) spoke against the application

                   (Ms Squires was not in attendance to personally address the Committee and, instead, the Democratic Services Officer read out a pre-prepared statement on their behalf.)

During the debate questions were posed in respect of mitigating the visual impact and attention was drawn to the proposed condition (No 3) which set out the requirement for a soft landscaping scheme.

In response to queries in relation to the ongoing enforcement case in connection with the site, the Service Manager (Planning – Development) explained that this was not pertinent to the application seeking determination as it did not relate to the use of the site for agricultural purposes. She also pointed out that the use of the land for agricultural purposes did not require planning permission.

A number of comments were made in relation to the management of noise and light pollution. The Committee was advised that due to the nature of the application, in that it concerned an agricultural operation on agricultural land, Public Health & Housing had not deemed it necessary to restrict the hours of operation and had therefore not made any comments.

Members were advised that condition No 4 could be amended to strengthen the wording used to ensure that the building applied for was solely used for agricultural storage. Similarly, the reason for the condition in relation to lighting (No 5) could also be amended to include protection of the landscape character.

In view of the amendments proposed to condition Nos 4 and 5, Councillor Brian Harvey proposed that the application be approved, and this was duly seconded by Councillor Peter Stevens.

Upon being put to the vote and with 11 voting for the motion and with 2 against, 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 three 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, unless otherwise stated.

 3       No development above ground level shall take place until a scheme of soft landscaping for the site drawn to a scale of not less than 1:200, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall include accurate indications of the position, species, girth, canopy spread and height of all existing trees and hedgerows on and adjacent to the site and details of any to be retained, together with measures for their protection during the course of development. Any retained trees removed, dying or becoming seriously damaged or diseased within five years of commencement 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.  The works shall be completed in accordance with the approved plans and in accordance with a timetable to be agreed with the Local Planning Authority.

 4       The agricultural building hereby approved shall be solely used for agricultural storage. It shall not be used for, or otherwise in connection with, any other agricultural or non agricultural machinery/plant hire, sale or repair use.

 5       No external lighting shall be installed on the application site without prior written consent from the Local Planning Authority.

 6       Prior to occupation details of biodiversity enhancement measures to be installed at the site, including details of the timescale for installation, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Any such measures as may be agreed shall be installed in accordance with the agreed timescales and thereafter retained as so installed. There shall be no occupation unless and until details of the biodiversity enhancement measures to be installed have been agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.