Agenda item

(Director of Planning and Economic Development) To consider the attached report.

The Committee considered an application referred to it by Area Plans Sub-Committee West with a recommendation to grant planning permission  following their meeting on 12 September 2012 The Committee concurred with the view of the Area Plans Sub-Committee that, in this case, very special circumstances existed sufficient to outweigh the usual policy of restraint in the Metropolitan Green Belt.  The Committee were of the view that these circumstances were:

(a)        the applicant was the Scout Association and therefore the proposed development was to aid the activities of a national registered charity;

(b)        the proposed development would ensure that the site remained in operation for the benefit of the local community and further afield;  and

(c)        the proposed development would help to ensure that the majority of the site remained open thus limiting impact on the urban character of the Metropolitan Green Belt.

The Committee agreed that the application should be granted subject to the conditions recommended by the Sub-Committee and to an additional condition restricting the use of the residential building to persons engaged in activities at the site.  The Committee noted that the application would also be required to be referred to the National Planning Casework Unit for consideration.

            RESOLVED:

That, subject to the views of the Secretary of State following referral to the Planning Casework Unit, planning application EPF/0899/12 be granted 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.

Reason: To comply with the requirements of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

(2)        The development hereby permitted will be completed strictly in accordance with the approved drawings nos: FO-001, FO-002 ex, FO-002 pro, FO-100, HO -001, A3-101, A3-102, TCP_01, TPP_01.

Reason: To ensure the proposal is built in accordance with the approved drawings.

(3)        Materials to be used for the external finishes of the proposed development, shall be as detailed on the submitted plans and particulars, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason:- To safeguard the visual amenities of the locality.

(4)        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 works to the proposed mound) and implementation programme (linked to the development schedule) have been 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 (including planting details included at section 5.3 of the submitted Ecological Survey). 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.

Reason:- To comply with the duties indicated in Section 197 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 so as to ensure that the details of the development of the landscaping are complementary, and to ensure a satisfactory appearance to the development.

(5)        No development, including works of demolition or site clearance, shall take place until a Tree Protection Plan, Arboricultural Method Statement and site monitoring schedule in accordance with BS 5837:2012 (Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction - Recommendations) has been submitted to the Local Planning Authority and approved in writing. The development shall be carried out only in accordance with the approved documents unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to any variation.

Reason:- To comply with the duties indicated in Section 197 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 so as to ensure that the amenity value of the existing trees are safeguarded.

(6)        No development shall take place until details of foul and surface water disposal have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be implemented in accordance with such agreed details.

Reason:- To ensure satisfactory provision and disposal of foul and surface water in the interests of public health.

(7)        Prior to commencement of development details of bird and bat boxes shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval. The proposed boxes shall be installed on trees within the site prior to the site clearance.

Reason:- In the interests of providing alternative roosting options for birds and bats within the site.

(8)        No development shall take place until details of further bat and reptile survey works, as stated in para.5.1. of the Ecological Scoping Survey Report by Greenlink Ecology Ltd, accompanying this application, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  If these surveys reveal that these protected species are likely to be affected, then before the development proposal commences on site, appropriate mitigation proposed shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, including any timetable for mitigation to be carried out.

Reason:  To minimise the impact on biodiversity at and within the vicinity of the proposed building.

(9)     The development hereby permitted shall not be used for any permanent residential use or commercial hotel, boarding or guest house use, independent of the main recreational use of the site by the Scout Association.

Reason:  To justify the very special circumstances that outweigh the in principle harm of the development on the Metropolitan Green Belt.