Agenda item

EPF/2197/15 - 15 Oakwood Hill Industrial Estate, Oakwood Hill, Loughton

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report for the installation of 2-storey business units – part single & part 2-storey café – together with associated welfare facilities and parking (DEV-017-2015/16).

Minutes:

The Principal Planning Officer presented a report for the installation of 2-storey business units, together with associated welfare facilities and parking, at Unit 15 Oakwood Hill Industrial Estate in Loughton. This application was before the Committee as it was considered a Major planning application with the development of commercial floor space in excess of 1000m2. The Council owned the freehold of the site.

 

The Principal Planning Officer reported that the application site was located within the Oakwood Hill Industrial Estate and included the ground floor of unit 15A. The site backed on to the London Underground railway line and was visible from Oakwood Hill as it was directly opposite the entrance road to the estate. The Estate was designated as an employment area and was not within either the metropolitan Green Belt or a Conservation Area.

 

The Principal Planning Officer stated that the proposal sought permission for the installation of two storey business units – part single-storey and part two-storey café – which would be formed from shipping containers creating 34 individual business incubator units. The first floor units would be accessed by an external stairway and walkway. The café would also be housed within the shipping containers with one of the containers creating a new undercroft vehicle and link the existing business units 15A and 15B at first floor level. The existing ground floor of unit 15A would serve as a communal area providing toilets, kitchen facilities, board room, waste area and a cycle store. The proposal also included 14 additional car parking spaces within the site.

 

The Principal Planning Officer informed the Committee Officers had concluded that, although unusual, the proposal would add to the vitality and promotion of a designated employment area and the wider District; there were no amenity issues to consider. There was an existing parking problem in the area, but a number of new parking spaces were proposed and the application was considered acceptable given the sustainable location of the site. Therefore, the application was recommended for approval.

 

The Committee noted the Summary of Representations. Three objections had been received, predominantly concerned with parking issues in the local area. Loughton Town Council had no objection to the revised application, and the Loughton Residents Association had withdrawn their objection following the undertaking of an additional parking survey during school term time.

 

Resolved:

 

(1)        That planning application EPF/2197/15 at Unit 15 Oakwood Hill Industrial Estate in Loughton be granted permission, subject to the following conditions:

 

            1.

The development hereby permitted must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this notice.

 

            2.

The development hereby permitted will be completed strictly in accordance with the approved drawings nos: 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 1.04, 1.05, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.21 and 1.22 all dated 11/12/2015

 

            3.

No construction works above ground level shall take place until documentary and photographic details of the types and colours of the external finishes have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority, in writing. The development shall be implemented in accordance with such approved details.

 

            4.

A flood risk assessment and management and maintenance plan shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority prior to commencement of development. The assessment shall include calculations of increased run-off and associated volume of storm detention using WinDes or other similar best practice tools. The approved measures shall be carried out prior to the substantial completion of the development and shall be adequately maintained in accordance with the management and maintenance plan.

 

            5.

No development shall take place until a Phase 1 Land Contamination investigation has been carried out. A protocol for the investigation shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before commencement of the Phase 1 investigation. The completed Phase 1 report shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the commencement of any necessary Phase 2 investigation. The report shall assess potential risks to present and proposed humans, property including buildings, crops, livestock, pets, woodland and service lines and pipes, adjoining land, ground waters and surface waters, ecological systems, archaeological sites and ancient monuments and the investigation must be conducted in accordance with DEFRA and the Environment Agency's "Model Procedures for the Management of Land Contamination, CLR 11", or any subsequent version or additional regulatory guidance.

 

[Note: This condition must be formally discharged by the Local Planning Authority before the submission of details pursuant to the Phase 2 site investigation condition that follows]

 

            6.

Should the Phase 1 Land Contamination preliminary risk assessment carried out under the above condition identify the presence of potentially unacceptable risks, no development shall take place until a Phase 2 site investigation has been carried out. A protocol for the investigation shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority before commencement of the Phase 2 investigation. The completed Phase 2 investigation report, together with any necessary outline remediation options, shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority prior to any redevelopment or remediation works being carried out. The report shall assess potential risks to present and proposed humans, property including buildings, crops, livestock, pets, woodland and service lines and pipes, adjoining land, ground waters and surface waters, ecological systems, archaeological sites and ancient monuments and the investigation must be conducted in accordance with DEFRA and the Environment Agency's "Model Procedures for the Management of Land Contamination, CLR 11", or any subsequent version or additional regulatory guidance.

 

[Note: This condition must be formally discharged by the Local Planning Authority before the submission of details pursuant to the remediation scheme condition that follows]

 

            7.

Should Land Contamination Remediation Works be identified as necessary under the above condition, no development shall take place until a detailed remediation scheme to bring the site to a condition suitable for the intended use has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved remediation scheme unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The remediation scheme must include all works to be undertaken, proposed remediation objectives and remediation criteria, timetable of works and site management procedures and any necessary long term maintenance and monitoring programme. The scheme must ensure that the site will not qualify as contaminated land under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or any subsequent version, in relation to the intended use of the land after remediation.

 

[Note: This condition must be formally discharged by the Local Planning Authority before the submission of details pursuant to the verification report condition that follows]

 

            8.

Following completion of measures identified in the approved remediation scheme and prior to the first use or occupation of the development, a verification report that demonstrates the effectiveness of the remediation carried out must be produced together with any necessary monitoring and maintenance programme and copies of any waste transfer notes relating to exported and imported soils shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval. The approved monitoring and maintenance programme shall be implemented. 

 

            9.

In the event that any evidence of potential contamination is found at any time when carrying out the approved development that was not previously identified in the approved Phase 2 report, it must be reported in writing immediately to the Local Planning Authority. An investigation and risk assessment must be undertaken in accordance with a methodology previously approved by the Local Planning Authority. Following completion of measures identified in the approved remediation scheme, a verification report must be prepared, which is subject to the approval in writing of the Local Planning Authority in accordance with the immediately above condition. 

 

            10.

The development hereby permitted shall not be commenced until detailed design and method statements (in consultation with London Underground), have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority which:

 

1.         provide details on the use of scaffolding or tall plant;             and

2.         provide details on the installation of shipping containers.

 

            11.

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

 

            12.

No development shall take place, including any works of demolition, until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The approved Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Statement shall provide for:

 

1.         the parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors;

2.         loading and unloading of plant and materials;

3.         storage of plant and materials used in constructing the             development;

4.         the erection and maintenance of security hoarding including             decorative displays and facilities for public viewing, where             appropriate;

5.         measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during             construction, including wheel washing; and

6.         a scheme for recycling/disposing of waste resulting   from demolition and construction works.

 

            13.

All construction/demolition works and ancillary operations, including vehicle movement on site which are audible at the boundary of noise sensitive premises, shall only take place between the hours of 07.30 to 18.30 Monday to Friday and 08.00 to 13.00 hours on Saturday, and at no time during Sundays and Public/Bank Holidays unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

            14.

There shall be no open storage.

 

Supporting documents: