Agenda item

Minutes:

NOTE:           Councillor J. Ellis stepped down from the Committee for the duration of this item and left the Council Chamber at 7.37pm

 

The Chairman introduced planning application number 142598, for proposed change of use from agricultural to B8 – storage, at 3 Southmoor Road, Newton On Trent, Lincoln. The Officer explained there were no updates to the application and presented the details of the application to the Committee. The Chairman stated there was one registered speaker, Mr George Machin, agent for the applicant. He invited Mr Machin to address the Committee and he made the following statement.

 

“Chair, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the application this evening.

 

The application has been recommended for approval by Planning Officers, subject to a number of conditions. These include that within 6 months, a scheme of landscaping is submitted detailing any proposed new planting. Also, in the interests of visual amenity, conditions are attached that would restrict the Storage of materials within the site to a maximum height of 2.5 metres, and also that there shall be no storage of any plant, machinery or materials or any vehicular parking within root protection areas of existing trees.

 

Not a single local resident has objected to this application.

 

The Parish Council simply request that all relevant paperwork in terms of any other permits or certificates are also put in place.

 

It is also worth highlighting that individual letters from businesses based locally who regularly use and employ the applicant, P&M Pavers, on jobs in the area have written into the Council to fully SUPPORT this application. All of these businesses are based in Central Lincolnshire and close to the application site. 

 

Extracts taken from these letters are as follows:

 

‘Just to confirm that we as a company work with P&M Pavers on a regular basis and because they utilize a local workforce, we encourage our customers to make the most of this when carrying out landscape alterations to their properties. They have all the necessary plant and a comprehensive experienced work force that deliver a high quality standard of workmanship.’

 

‘We are a local building company carrying out various construction works in the local area. We use P & M Pavers (Lincoln) Ltd for all plant and groundwork labour and materials supplies.’

 

We are a small civil engineering company which rely on local businesses for labour, plant and materials, we use P&M Pavers for most of the time as on a phone call we can hire in suitable labour and any plant we require, because their local they are very easy to access and their rates are very favourable’

 

In terms of relevant planning policy, significant weight must be given to the fact that the proposal accords with paragraph 80 of the National Planning Policy Framework in placing significant weight on the need to support economic growth and productivity, paragraph 82 in recognising the specific locational requirements of different sectors, and paragraph 83 which requires decisions to enable the sustainable growth and expansion of all types of businesses in rural areas.

 

The business includes 5 no. full time employees who work from the site, and the business employs approximately 50 – 70 staff members that work off-site.

 

Approval of this application would support economic growth and productivity, as well as enabling the sustainable growth of existing business in West Lindsey.

 

The existing hedges around the site assist in screening the Site and further planting is required by a landscaping condition. Consequently, the proposal does not conflict with adopted LP policy which requires employment development to not harm the character of the locality and which also seeks for non-residential developments to be of a size and scale commensurate with the proposed use and the rural character of the location. 

 

It is clear to see that the proposed development would not result in any significant harm to the character and appearance of the area. Furthermore, there has been no suggestion of conflict with neighbouring land uses, harm to amenities of neighbouring occupiers nor any unacceptable impact on the highway network. Consequently, therefore, it is our view that the proposal is in an appropriate location for employment development.

 

Looking through the Council’s core objectives, the Council recognise that rural diversification proposals (such as this current application) will come forward and that they should be fully supported where it can be shown that they can contribute to the local economy.  Local Plan policy says that schemes should be accommodated in existing buildings wherever possible and that support will be given to any scheme that would bring about a more beneficial use. 

 

As the Committee Report states, the Government recognise through new Permitted Development Rights that there is great potential for some properties that do not have a viable future in their lawful use (such as this application building in Newton on Trent) to be converted to commercial use.  These rights were introduced to provide wider opportunities to support rural economic growth by making better and more sustainable use of existing buildings to adapt to changing circumstances and, in doing so, provide viable uses.  It is in the broad context of the above legislation that this application should be considered.

 

The Site is sustainably located on the edge of Newton on Trent and alongside the A57, a key transport artery into Lincoln and is perfectly located for the Applicant’s business to serve the local catchment area. The visual impact on the countryside is minimal given that there are no new buildings proposed as part of this application or any changes whatsoever necessary to the design of the building or even the yard itself. 

 

Overall, it is considered that the proposal complies with the key aims and objectives of national and local planning policy and we regard there to be no development control issues that would warrant planning permission being withheld. On this basis we hope you will support the application.”

 

With no further comments from the Officer, the Chairman invited comments from Members of the Committee. There was widespread support for the application, with Members recognising the benefits of the proposed use for the site. With no further comments, and having been proposed and seconded, it was unanimously agreed that planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions.

 

Conditions stating the time by which the development must be commenced:

 

None.

 

Conditions which apply or require matters to be agreed before the development commenced:

 

None.

 

Conditions which apply or are to be observed during the course of the development:

 

1. Within six months of the date of this permission a scheme of landscaping to include which existing trees are to be retained and details of the size, species, position and density of all trees, shrubs and hedging to be planted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

Reason: In the interest of the visual amenity in accordance with the National

Planning Policy Framework and policies LP17 and LP26 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.

 

2. All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping approved by condition 1 shall be carried within one year of the date of this permission; and any trees or plants which within a period of 5 years from the completion of their planting die, are removed, or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the Local Planning Authority gives written consent to any variation.

 

Reason: To ensure that an approved landscaping scheme is implemented in a speedy and diligent way and that initial plant losses are overcome, in the interests of the visual amenities of the locality and occupiers of adjacent buildings and in accordance with Central Lincolnshire Local Plan Policy LP17 and Policy LP26.

 

3. No trees or hedges shall be removed from the site without the prior written agreement of the Local Planning Authority.

 

Reason: In the interests of amenity and protection of habitats, in accordance with the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework and policy LP21 and LP26 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.

 

4. Storage of materials within the site shall not exceed a height of 2.5 metres above existing ground levels unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning Authority.

 

Reason: In the interest of visual amenity, in accordance with the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework and policies LP17 and LP26 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.

 

5. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the submitted flood risk assessment (ref: 2896) dated April 2021 and the following mitigation measures it details:

- Storage provisions for water vulnerable items and equipment shall be provided and set no lower than 6.18 metres above Ordnance Datum to mitigate against the risk of damage to property.

 

Reason: To reduce the risk of damage to property during a flood event, in accordance with the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework and policy LP14 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.

 

6. There shall be no storage of any plant, machinery or materials or any vehicular parking within the root protection areas as shown hatched on the ‘Tree Protection Plan’ dated 14th June 2021.

 

Reason: In the interest of visual amenity, in accordance with the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework and policies LP17 and LP26 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.

 

7. With the exception of the detailed matters referred to by the conditions of this consent, the development hereby approved shall be carried out in accordance with the following drawings:

Site Location Plan

Site Layout/Block Plan

Proposed Floor Plans and Elevations

Tree Protection Plan

Flood Risk Assessment 2896 / Apr 2021

 

The works shall be carried out in accordance with the details shown on the approved plans and in any other approved documents forming part of the application.

 

Reason: To ensure the development proceeds in accordance with the approved plans and to accord with the National Planning Policy Framework and policy LP17 and LP26 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.

 

Conditions which apply or relate to matters which are to be observed following completion of the development:

 

None.

 

 

Note:              Councillor J Ellis returned at 7.52pm

 

Supporting documents: