PART 2 SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY SECTION 1 SCHEDULE OF APPLICATION RECOMMENDATIONS

Transcription

1 42

2 PART 2 SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT OF THE SERVICE MANAGER PLANNING DEVELOPMENT Applications to be determined by the council on behalf of the South Downs National Park Authority SECTION 1 SCHEDULE OF APPLICATION RECOMMENDATIONS PS.359/ February 2012 Item No.: 01 The information, recommendations and advice contained in this report are correct as at the date of preparation, which is more than one week in advance of the Committee meeting. Because of the time constraints some reports may have been prepared in advance of the final date given for consultee responses or neighbour comments. Any changes or necessary updates to the report will be made orally at the Committee meeting. PROPOSAL LOCATION: DETACHED BUILDING COMPRISING THREE SMALL STARTER UNITS Brickyards Industrial Estate, Rockpits Lane, Steep Marsh, Petersfield, GU32 2BN REFERENCE : SDNP/21242/031 PARISH: Steep APPLICANT: CONSULTATION EXPIRY : Mr M Neal 19 November 2011 APPLICATION EXPIRY : 18 January 2012 COUNCILLOR(S): Cllr N Drew SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: REFUSAL This application is included on the agenda at the discretion of the Service Manager Planning Development. 43

3 Site and Development The Brickyard is a small industrial estate, comprising 4 former chicken sheds, now in Class B1 light industrial and Class B8 storage use and a detached building in Class B1 light industrial use. The site is accessed off Rockpits Lane, with large areas of hardstanding adjacent the units, provide parking, turning and unloading areas. Land to the west of the site continues to be used for poultry production, with open fields to the north. The eastern side of the site has residential development fronting onto Rockpits Lane, with woodland on the southern boundary of the site. Between the commercial units and the agricultural poultry houses is a woodland area, protected by a preservation order. The open land between the units and the houses to the east has groups of protected trees. A pubic footpath runs through the site, to the north of the units. Permission is sought for a building, running along the southern boundary of the site, to provide 3 started units, with Class B1 light industrial use. The building would measure 30.5 x 10 m (305 sq m) and would stand 2.5 m off the boundary. The metal and timber-clad building would have a ridge height of 4.64 m and eaves at 3.24 m, with three each of roller shutter and personnel doors in the northern elevation. There would be a window in each of the end elevations and none to the rear. The front elevation would also have 6 rooflights. Nine parking spaces are shown to the north-west of the proposed units. Relevant Planning History 21242/017 - Change of use from chicken sheds to industrial and storage use (AONB). Permission 13/10/ /018 - Change of use from light industrial to training centre for assistance dogs, unit E2 (AONB). Refused 24/04/ /025 - Retrospective application for mobile office and porta-loo and associated storage for temporary period. 15/01/1999 SDNP/21242/026 - Single-storey office/workshop. Permission 24/08/2011 SDNP/21242/029 - Prune one (1) Oak and one (1) Ash tree, subject to Tree Preservation Order (EH66) 1978 and part of A1 of that order, situated on the northern boundary of the estate. Permitted works to consist of the reduction of lateral branches of the two trees to give 3m clearance to the adjacent power supply, with a further 1m allowing for re-growth. Consent 16/05/2011 SDNP/21242/030 - Fell one ash (Fraxinus excelsior), identified as part of G8 of TPO (EH692) 2006 and situated south west of the existing industrial unit occupied by 'inkjet', at the Brickyards Industrial Estate, Steep Marsh; and, fell one goat willow (Salix caprea), identified as T1 of TPO (EH692) 2006 and situated west of Rose Cottage, Rockpits Lane, Steep Marsh. Consent 28/07/

4 Development Plan Policies and Proposals East Hampshire District Local Plan: Second Review GS3 - Protecting the Countryside IB3 - Industrial or Business Development in the Countryside HE1 - Design C4 - Nature Conservation P7 - Contaminated Land T9 - Highway Issues - Access T12 - Parking Standards Planning Policy Constraints and Guidance South Downs National Park The application site falls within the National Park boundary. The two statutory purposes of the National Parks' designation are: To conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of their areas; and To promote opportunities for the public understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of their areas. If there is a conflict between the two, conservation takes precedence. The provisions of government policy relating to National Parks (currently including PPS7, English National Parks and the Broads circular dated March 2010) apply. Consultations and Town/Parish Council comments County Highway Officer - The application is for three small starter units to the south of the existing. The site is accessed via narrow single track unclassified roads with very few passing places. Access to the site is via the centre of the residential area of the hamlet where there are numerous instances of "on street" parking. The roads have no footways resulting in residents having no option but to walk in the carriageway. The area does not benefit from street lighting. An inspection of the roads leading to and from the site shows numerous instances of vehicles over running the verges often to the detriment of the roadside ditches. It is also noted that there are several instances of haunching and kerbing having been carried out in an attempt to strengthen the edges of the carriageway due to damage being caused by heavy goods vehicles and agricultural machinery. 45

5 As a result of the above I find that the roads leading to and from the site do not have the capacity, width and alignment to accommodate safely the additional traffic which the proposal would generate. Visibility at the junction of the access with Rockpits Lane has restricted visibility and it has not been shown that this can be improved to an acceptable standard as the land appears to be outside the applicants control. Within the site it would appear that adequate parking provision could be made, however, there are no swept path plots to show that satisfactory access and manoeuvring can be achieved by articulated lorries serving the site. Refused for the following reason set out in the report Environmental Health - Pollution - Have no adverse comments subject to a condition being attached limiting the hours of operation of the units to 07:00 to 19:00 hours Monday to Friday and 07:00 to 13:00 hours Saturdays with no working on Sunday or Public Holidays. Reason - to protect the amenities of the area outside reasonable working hours. Environmental Health - Contamination - No objection subject to condition and informative being imposed on any approval. County Ecologist - No objection subject to condition requiring additional tree planting. Steep Parish Council - Objection - the hamlet cannot handle any more traffic. This development would inevitably increase traffic volumes over which the leaseholders would have no control. Existing permission granted for an, as yet, unconstructed building exacerbates this situation. Representations Six letters have been received objecting on the grounds of: a) increased levels of traffic in village; b) single track lanes already very busy and damaged by traffic; c) horse riders and dog walkers affected by increased traffic; d) no pavements in village and roads in poor condition; e) road safety already poor with existing levels and speeds of traffic; f) light pollution from the site; and g) noise and disturbance. 46

6 Determining Issues 1. Principle of the development 2. Design 3. Impact on neighbouring properties 4. Impact on the South Downs National Park 5. Nature conservation and trees 6. Parking 7. Traffic generation Planning Considerations 1. Principle of the development The site is in countryside but forms part of an established industrial estate. Policy IB3 allows for the reasonable expansion or intensification of an established industrial or business use within an existing site in the countryside, subject to various criteria: a) would not result in an over-intensification of use on the site. The proposal is for three modest starter units in an established site, with a large floor area of some 1546 sq m and a further 108 sq m permitted. It is not considered that the proposal, together with that already permitted for the single unit on the site, would be an overintensification of the use. b) harm the character or appearance of the site or the countryside. The building would stand behind the existing buildings and would not be readily visible from any public vantage point. The buildings would be of similar scale to part of the former poultry sheds, which have profile metal sheet roofs and a mixture of metal and timber-clad walls. The site is relatively well-screened by vegetation, which would be retained as part of the proposal. The building would not cause harm to the appearance of the site or the countryside. c) generate traffic of a type or amount inappropriate to rural roads or, requires improvements which would harm the character or rural roads in the area, particularly sunken lanes. The County Highway Officer has raised objection to the proposal on the grounds that the access to the site is inadequate and that the local road network is not capable of taking the additional traffic that would be generated by the scheme. 47

7 Since this view was taken, there has been a further exchange of correspondence between the Highway Officer and the applicant regarding highway considerations. The units would be occupied by businesses already operating in the area and would not have large vehicles visiting the site on a regular basis. One of the proposed occupiers is already present on the site. The Highway Authority did not raise any objection to the expansion of the business in the single unit on the site, application SDNP/21242/026 refers, when it had a significant increase in floor area approved in The Highway Officer considers there has already been damage to the edges of the highway locally and that the local road network is inadequate to accommodate traffic from 3 new units. In addition to these concerns, the access to and from the site has inadequate visibility and design. d) harm the amenity enjoyed by occupants of nearby properties. There is a distance of some 65 m to the nearest dwellings, 1 & 2 Brickyard Cottages, to the east. Class B1 use in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order is a use that is capable of being carried on in a residential area. Given the distances involved and the proposed use, which could be controlled by condition, the proposal is considered not to result in material harm to the amenity of nearby residential properties The proposal is, therefore, considered to fail the requirements of Policy IB3 due to the adverse impact of additional traffic on the local road network 2. Design The proposed building is in-keeping with the general design and scale of the buildings on the site and would be appropriate to this location. 3. Impact on neighbouring properties As set out above, the nearest neighbours are some distance from the proposed building and it is considered that there would be no material harm to the amenity of neighbouring properties. 4. Impact on the South Downs National Park The site is well-screened from wider views and from the footpath that runs along the northern side of the industrial site. This is an established industrial site within the park, and a modest expansion of the buildings, such as proposed, would not cause harm to national park purposes. 48

8 5. Nature conservation and trees The site was identified as possibly having slow worms present but, following further investigation, this was shown not to be the case. The County Ecologist is satisfied with the findings, but has suggested, that some additional tree-planting take place, to strengthen the woodland edges of the site. This planting could be secured by condition. 6. Parking The proposal would generate a requirement for 7 additional parking spaces. The proposal shows 9 spaces, which exceeds the required level. The proposal includes adequate areas for turning, loading and unloading of vehicles, within the site. 7. Traffic generation The additional traffic generated by the new units has been considered in point 1 above. Hampshire County Highways did not raise an objection to the expansion of one unit on the site, by 108 sq m. However, objection has been raised to three additional small units of 305 sq m, a 205 sq m increase in the total floor space on the site. The applicant has also supplied details of the proposed occupiers of the units, who are local to the area or already based on the site. It is considered that, on balance, the additional traffic would possibly cause some harm to the local road network. Some of this harm could be to be further erosion of the road verges, which visually, would be incompatible with the purposes of the national park. Conclusion The principle of small starter units on an established industrial estate would normally be welcomed. However, in this instance, the proposal would result in additional traffic generation which would harm the character of the local roads, contrary to policies contained in the Local Plan and National Park purposes. RECOMMENDATION REFUSAL for the following reasons: 1 Inadequate visibility splays are proposed at the junction of the access with the highway and this would cause danger and inconvenience to users of the adjoining highway. The proposal is, therefore, contrary to Policy T9 of the East Hampshire District Local Plan: Second Review. 49

9 2 The proposal would result in an unacceptable increase in vehicular traffic using this sub-standard access resulting in undue interference with the safety and convenience of other highway users. The proposal is, therefore, contrary to Policy T9 of the East Hampshire District Local Plan: Second Review. 3 The roads leading to and from the site are of inadequate capacity/width/alignment to accommodate safely the additional traffic which the proposed development would generate. The proposal is, therefore, contrary to Policy T9 of the East Hampshire District Local Plan: Second Review. CASE OFFICER: Julia Mansi

10 SECTION 1 Item 01 Brickyards Industrial Estate, Rockpits Lane, Steep Marsh, Petersfield, GU32 2BN Block plan 51

11 SECTION 1 Item 01 Brickyards Industrial Estate, Rockpits Lane, Steep Marsh, Petersfield, GU32 2BN Floor and elevation plans 52

12 53