Agenda item

Report No: DEV/FH/15/044

Construction of a B2/B8, warehouse and distribution centre

Construction of a B2/B8 warehouse and distribution centre.

This application had been referred to the Development Control Committee because it was a major application and objections had been received from Newmarket Town Council and third parties. 

It was originally considered at the Committee meeting on 7 October 2015 at which a decision was made to defer the item in order to allow time for Officers to raise Members’ concerns with the applicant regarding the impact of the scheme on residents and to establish if it was possible to make changes to the application to address these concerns.

A Member site visit had been held prior to the October Committee meeting.  Officers were continuing to recommend that the application be approved as set out in Paragraph 18 of Report No DEV/FH/15/044.

The Principal Planning Officer advised that since the last meeting of the Committee amended plans had been submitted by the applicant which all parties had been consulted with.  In summary the amended plans:

·         Contained no further landscaping within the scheme;

·         The footprint of the building was unchanged in size or location;

·         The height of the building had been reduced by 0.5metres;

·         Shadow plans had been submitted for the months of March and April;

·         The applicant had confirmed that they could comply with the conditions in respect of the hours of operation;

·         The applicant stated that the building did not have to be blue in colour and would comply with any condition with regard to this; and

·         The end user of the building was still unknown by the Planning Authority.

Furthermore, the Committee was advised that since publication of the agenda 10 new objections had been received, over and above those listed previously, and the Officer summarised the points raised in these representations as part of her presentation.

Councillor Carol Lynch spoke against the application and proposed that it be refused on grounds of overdevelopment of the site and the unneighbourly/overbearing impact on neighbouring residents.

Councillor Ruth Allen, as Ward Member for the application, then spoke at length in opposition to the proposal.  She clarified that whilst she lived on the neighbouring Studlands estate she was not in close proximity to the development site and having taken advice from the Council’s Lawyer she confirmed that she was able to take part in consideration of the application.  On conclusion she duly seconded Councillor Lynch’s motion of refusal.

In order to be in a position in which to demonstrate and defend the Committee’s decision the Principal Planning Officer asked the proposer and seconder of the motion to confirm that they wished to refuse the application on the basis of:

·         The size and position of the scheme;

·         It’s proximity to residential properties and the detrimental impact on their amenity; and

·         Non compliance with Policies DM2, g. (v), (vi) and j together with the NPPF 56.

Both parties were in agreement with the detailed reasons for refusal and upon being put to the vote and with 13 voting for the motion and with 1 abstention it was resolved that:

The application be REFUSED, contrary to the Officer recommendation of approval, for the following reasons:

1.   The size and position of the scheme;

2.   It’s proximity to residential properties and the detrimental impact on their amenity; and

3.   Non compliance with Policies DM2, g. (v), (vi) and j together with the NPPF 56.

Speaker:      Mrs Gail Spoore (neighbour) spoke against the application.

Councillor Ruth Alllen left the meeting at 6.34pm on conclusion of the above item.