Agenda item

(Development Management Service Manager) To consider the attached report to demolish all existing units on site and redevelop with four new commercial warehouse units.

The Senior Planning Officer – S Dhadwar – introduced a report seeking permission to demolish all of the existing units on the site and build four new commercial warehouse units. This application was before the Committee as it was considered a ‘major’ application as defined in Article 10 of the Constitution, and the District Council was an owner of the site.

 

S Dhadwar informed the Committee that the site consisted of two areas located south of Brooker Road in Waltham Abbey, and contained a number of steel framed low-rise workshops and store buildings. The application proposed to demolish all of the units currently on the site and replace them with four new commercial warehouses – three of which would have a height of 10.8m and the fourth would have a height of 10.2m. These warehouses would be for general industrial use as well as warehousing, distribution and repositories. A total of 57 parking spaces would also be provided as part of the development.

 

S Dhadwar stated that Planning Officers had concluded the proposal would protect and enhance the use of the site to meet the employment needs of the District, as well as remediate and improve the site to make it safe for all users. Its appearance would be reflective of the area in which it was situated and there would be no excessive adverse harm to neighbouring residential amenity or highway safety. The proposal complied with national and local planning policy, and was therefore recommended for approval subject to conditions.

 

The Committee noted the summary of representations received in respect of this application, including no objection from the Town Council, and eight letters of objection from the tenants of the current units on the site who felt that the Council should have informed them of this application. There were no public speakers registered for this application so the Committee proceeded to debate the application.

 

As the ward Councillor, Cllr H Kane enquired whether the current tenants were notified of this meeting so that they were able to participate. S Dhadwar stated that all of the objectors to the application had been notified of the meeting, but objectors who had not made a representation could not be notified. The Council had met its obligations from a planning point of view. Cllr S Heap added that if the tenants had not been aware of this planning application then he wanted assurances that the current tenants would not be treated unfairly. The Service Manager for Development Management – A Marx – reminded the Committee that tenancy issues were not a material planning consideration and it was the responsibility of the Applicant to inform the existing tenants. Cllr s Heap responded that the tenants should have been informed as a matter of course and it would be a regressive step if the tenants ended up with new terms which were unfavourable.

 

Cllr J Philip reminded the Committee that planning permissions had a duration of a number of years before they expired, which would give time to deal with any tenancy issues arising from the application. The Councillor felt that the application would improve the area and there were no planning reasons to refuse it.

 

Cllr C C Pond opined that the provision of 57  parking spaces was perhaps too many when the Council was trying to combat air pollution, and enquired whether the Council could insist on a substantial proportion of the parking bays being reserved for electric vehicles only? Cllr S Heap commented that it was better to retain some flexibility as there was no guarantee that a substantial proportion of visiting vehicles would be electric, and A Marx also added that the area was currently very heavily parked with vehicles so any proposal to improve the situation would be beneficial.

 

Cllr D Dorrell highlighted the point made by the Objectors concerning the road junction with Sewardstone Road. The Councillor acknowledged that this was not a planning reason to justify refusal of the application, but as the Council was the Applicant then it should approach the County Council with a view to converting the existing junction into a box junction.

 

            Decision:

 

(1)        That permission for planning application EPF/0983/20 concerning the industrial units 10, 10a, 50, 51, 52, & 60 in Cartersfield Road, Waltham Abbey be granted, subject to the following planning 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 and retained             strictly in accordance with the approved drawings numbers:

            Design and Access statement - Rev 1

            HD19025-1001-Rev2

            HD19025-1002-Rev2

            HD19025-1003-Rev4

            HD19025-1004-Rev3

            HD19025-1005-Rev3

            HD19025-1010-Rev4

            HD19025-2001-Rev2

            HD19025-2002-Rev2

            HD19025-2003-Rev2

            HD19025-2004-Rev2

            HD19025-2005-Rev3

            HD19025-2006-Rev3

            HD19025-2007-Rev3

            HD19025-2008-Rev3

            HD19025-4000-Rev1

            Cartersfield Road SuDS Report, Ref 2728/2020, April 2020 by EAS

            Phase l Geo-Environmental Investigation   reference LS4719 V.1.0             dated 17 March 2020 by Land Science

            Transport Statement April 2020 rev A by EAS

            Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Incorporating Bat Survey Inspection             Reference MH1099 Version 1-Dated 11/03/20 by T4 Ecology ltd

 

            3…The development permitted by this planning permission shall be             carried out in accordance with the approved flood risk assessment             (Cartersfield Road SuDS Report, Ref 2728/2020, April 2020 by EAS)             and drainage strategy submitted with the application unless otherwise             agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

 

            4…No development approved by this permission shall be commenced             until details of proposed flood risk mitigation works (which shall             demonstrate that adequate flood routing will be incorporated within the             development to accommodate overland flows arising from both within             the site and externally as a result of extreme rainfall conditions) have             been submitted and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The             scheme shall be constructed and completed in accordance with the             approved details.

 

            5…No development shall commence until an assessment of the risks             posed by any contamination, carried out in accordance with British             Standard BS 10175: Investigation of potentially contaminated sites -             Code of Practice and the Environment Agency's Model Procedures for             the Management of Land Contamination (CLR 11) (or equivalent British             Standard and Model Procedures if replaced), shall have been submitted             to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. If any             contamination is found, a report specifying the measures to be taken,             including the timescale, to remediate the site to render it suitable for the             approved development shall be submitted to and approved in writing by             the local planning authority. The site shall be remediated in accordance             with the approved measures and timescale and a verification report             shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning             authority. If, during the course of development, any contamination is             found which has not been previously identified, work shall be             suspended and additional measures for its remediation shall be             submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The             remediation of the site shall incorporate the approved additional             measures and a verification report for all the remediation works shall be             submitted to the local planning authority within 21 days of the report             being completed and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

 

            6…Following completion of the 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.

 

            7…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 Phase 2 report, work shall be suspended and             additional measures for its remediation shall be submitted to and             approved in writing by the local planning authority. The remediation of             the site shall incorporate the approved additional measures and a             verification report for all the remediation works shall be submitted to the             local planning authority within 21 days of the report being completed             and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

 

            8…Prior to the removal of any existing landscape features on the site,             details of the retained landscaping (trees/hedges) and their methods of             protection (in accordance with BS5837:2012 -Trees in relation to             design, demolition and construction - Recommendations) have been             submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.             The development shall only be carried out in accordance with the             approved details unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written             consent to any variation.

 

            9…Prior to any above ground works, full details of both hard and soft             landscape works (including tree planting) and implementation             programme (linked to the development schedule) shall be submitted to             and 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.

 

            10…Details of refuse and recycling storage to serve the development             shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning             Authority prior to the commencement of the residential development.              The refuse storage facilities shall be provided in accordance with the             approved details prior to occupation and shall thereafter be retained as             such for the duration of the permitted use.

 

            11…Prior to first occupation of the development hereby approved, 1             Electric Vehicle Charging Point per every 10 spaces on industrial,             commercial or leisure developments shall be installed and retained             thereafter.

 

            12…Prior to the first occupation of the development the vehicle parking,             including cycle 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.

 

            13…The development permitted by this planning permission shall be             carried out in accordance Recommendations made in Preliminary             Ecological Appraisal Incorporating Bat Survey Inspection Reference             MH1099 Version 1-Dated 11/03/20 by T4 Ecology ltd.

 

            14…The B2 (Industrial) and B8 (Storage and Distribution) use hereby             permitted shall not be open to customers / members outside the hours             of 7:30 to 22:00 on Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturday,             and not at any time on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

 

            15…No deliveries shall be undertaken at, or despatched from the site             outside the hours of 7:30 to 22:00 on Monday to Friday and 08:00 to             13:00 on Saturday, and not at any time on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

 

            16…No refuse collection shall be carried out  from the site outside the             hours of 7:30 to 22:00 on Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 13:00 on             Saturday, and not at any time on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

 

            17…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.

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

            7. Tree protection measures.