Agenda item

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report concerning reserved matters for the redevelopment of site for retail park with associated landscaping, car parking, ground remodelling works, retaining wall structures and two accesses off Langston Road (DEV-006-2015/16).

The Assistant Director of Governance (Development Control) presented a report concerning reserved matters for the development of a retail park with associated landscaping, car parking, ground remodelling works, retaining wall structures and two accesses off Langston Road at the Council Depot site and adjacent land off Langston road in Loughton.

The Assistant Director reported that the site comprised a Council Depot, which had three large buildings and areas of hard standing, and the adjacent site historically referred to as the ‘T11’ site. To the south of the site was an area of private land which separated it from the M11 motorway, to the east was the Loughton Seedbed Centre, with a BMW garage to the west. The rear part of the site did lay within the Metropolitan Green Belt, and the whole of the site was within an area designated for business and general industrial uses by the Local Plan.

The Assistant Director stated that four matters were reserved when outline planning permission was sought, namely: layout; scale; appearance; and landscaping. The application therefore focused on these aspects only and any new matters introduced as part of the application. The only significant new issue raised at this stage concerned advertisements and illumination. Whilst issues concerning access and deliveries to the site had been raised, these matters had already been dealt with at the outline panning stage. Whilst more units were now being provided, the gross area of retail space was unchanged.

The Assistant Director informed the Committee that Planning Officers were of the opinion that the reserved details submitted reflected those agreed at the outline planning stage. The design, appearance, scale and landscaping information provided indicated that the retail park could be successfully implemented without harm to the character and appearance of the area. The proposed development accorded with the relevant development plan objectives and, therefore, the application was recommended for approval.

The Committee noted the two representations that had been received. The Loughton Residents Association had objected to the proposed illuminated signage facing the M11 motorway, as this would pose a hazard to drivers on the motorway. Loughton Town Council expressed concerns about the impact of lorries making deliveries to the retail park and requested a condition to restrict delivery routes so that the site could only be accessed from the M11 motorway. The Town Council also objected to the illuminated signage facing the M11 motorway on the grounds of being dangerous to highway safety. The Committee also heard from a public speaker, this being the applicant’s agent.

The Committee had no objections to the application and the Assistant Director confirmed that the conditions listed for this application would be in addition to those previously agreed at the outline planning stage.

Resolved:

(1)        That planning application EPF/0294/15 at the Council Depot site and adjacent land off Langston Road in Loughton be granted permission, subject to the following conditions in addition to those agreed under outline planning permission EPF/2580/10 and the associated Section 106 legal agreement:

1.        The development hereby permitted will be completed strictly in        accordance with the approved drawings nos:

            8917 PL 001, 8917 PL 002 H, 8917 PL 003 A, 8917 PL 004 A, 8917 PL 005 C, 8917 PL 006 B, 8917 PL 007 B, 8917 PL 008 B, 8917 PL 009 A, 8917 PL 010 A, 8917 PL 020 A.

2.         The development shall be carried out and maintained thereafter in the materials identified in the application unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The permitted materials are identified on drawings 8917 PL 008 B and 8917 PL 005 C and comprise for the parking area: Brushed concrete road surface, Tarmacadam parking areas and concrete paving slabs in neutral finish. Materials permitted for the building comprise: Metal profile roof in light grey, flat panel cladding in silver and dark silver, terracotta blocks, dark grey panels.

3.         No development shall take place, including site clearance or other preparatory work, until full details of both hard and soft landscape works (including tree planting) and implementation programme (linked to the development schedule) have been submitted to an approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. These works shall be carried out as approved. The hard landscaping details shall include, as appropriate, and in addition to details of existing features to be retained: proposed finished levels or contours; means of enclosure; car parking layouts; other minor artefacts and structures, including signs and lighting and functional services above and below ground. The details of soft landscape works shall include plans for planting or establishment by any means and full written specifications and schedules of plants, including species, plant sizes and proposed numbers /densities where appropriate. If within a period of five years from the date of the planting or establishment of any tree, or shrub or plant, that tree, shrub, or plant or any replacement is removed, uprooted or destroyed or dies or becomes seriously damaged or defective another tree or shrub, or plant of the same species and size as that originally planted shall be planted at the same place, unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to any variation.

4.         Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007 and any superseding act, no signage shall be erected on the application site beyond that approved as part of this application, without the prior approval of the Local Planning Authority.

5.         Each unit hereby approved shall have no more than one fascia sign on each elevation. The size of each fascia sign for the units shall not exceed 11m in length by 3.3m in height, and the lettering and logos contained within shall not exceed 1.1m in height. The fascia signs shall not protrude above the ridge of the unit by more than 0.6m and the signage shall be downlit or internally illuminated only unless installed on the south-eastern elevation fronting the M11, where no illumination is acceptable.

6.         The maximum luminance of the fascia signage granted consent by this Notice shall not exceed 600 candelas per square metre.

7.         The maximum luminance of the totem signs granted consent by this Notice shall not exceed 1000 candelas per square metre.

8.         Any signage erected facing the south-eastern elevation facing the M11 motorway shall at no time whatsoever be illuminated unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

9.         Prior to the commencement of works the developer shall submit details of proposed lighting intended for the retail park, including position, direction of lighting and spread of any overspill lighting. The development shall then be carried out in accordance with the approved particulars unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

10.       Prior to the first occupation of the development the access arrangements, vehicle parking and turning areas as indicated on the approved plans shall be provided, hard surfaced, sealed and marked out. The access, parking and turning areas shall be retained in perpetuity for their intended purpose.