Local Member’s Interest

Mrs. J. M. Eagland Rural North

SCHEME OF DELEGATION TO OFFICERS

WASTE COUNTY MATTER

Application No: L.14/01/8000 W (Lichfield)

Applicant: Severn Trent Water Limited

Description: Erection of 1 No.kiosk (MCC Kiosk)

The Motor Control Centre (MCC) kiosk would measure approximately 10 metres in length by 2.5 metres wide and 2.8 metres in height.

The kiosks would be constructed from Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) and finished in Holly Green (BS4800 14-C-39).

Location: Sewage Works, Curborough, Lichfield

The control kiosk would be sited within an existing sewage treatment works close to existing plant and equipment and adjacent to the proposed location of the MCC kiosk permitted in accordance in with planning permission L.12/08/8000 W.

Lichfield Sewage Treatment Works lies to the north of Curborough. Access is gained from the Watery Lane and the nearest residential property is ‘The White House’ which is approximately 190 metres to the south.

The site is well screened by fencing and hedgerow planting on all sides.

The Development Plan policies relevant to this decision:

Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Joint Waste Local Plan 2010 - 2026 (adopted 22 March 2013):

• Policy 1: Waste as a resource • Policy 2: Targets and broad locations for waste management facilities • Policy 3: Criteria for the location of new and enhanced waste management facilities o Policy 3.1 General requirements for new and enhanced facilities • Policy 4: Sustainable design and protection and improvement of environmental quality o Policy 4.1 Sustainable design o Policy 4.2 Protection of environmental quality

1 Local Plan saved policies:

• Policy E.6 (Development in Rural Areas).

Other Material Considerations:

• The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and its Technical Guidance (published on 27 March 2012). The following sections are relevant: o Section 1: Building a strong, competitive economy o Section 7: Requiring good design o Section 10 – Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change; o Section 11 – Conserving and enhancing the natural environment;

• Planning Policy Statement 10 (PPS10): Planning for Sustainable Waste Management • Ministerial Statement - Planning for Growth - March 2011 • The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 which came into effect on 28 September 2011 • Updated National Waste Planning Policy: Planning for Sustainable Waste Management – Consultation by DCLG July 2013. Note that the consultation ended on 23 September 2013. The intention of the consultation was to update waste policy to eventually replace existing national waste planning policy contained in Planning Policy Statement 10 referred to above, and for the updated policy to sit alongside the proposed new Waste Management Plan for England, published for consultation by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 15 July 2013.

• Proposed Submission Local Plan Strategy – ‘Lichfield District Local Plan Strategy (July 2012)’ - published on the 30th July for formal consultation. A Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications to the Local Plan: Strategy (February 2014) was approved by Full Council on 28 January 2014 and Schedule of Proposed ‘Other/Additional’ Modifications to the Local Plan: Strategy February 2014 published.

o Core Policy 3 (Delivering Sustainable Development); o Core Policy 4 (Delivering our Infrastructure); o Policy BE1 (High Quality Development);

Relevant Planning History

Planning permission was granted for the erection of 4 no. kiosks and 2 no substations (ref. L.12/08/8000 W dated 12 November 2012).

Screening Opinion: NO Environmental Statement: YES

2 Consultation Responses

Internal

The Environmental Advice Team (EAT) – no objection subject to a condition to ensure the compliance with the recommendations in the habitat survey report.

Planning Regulation Team – no response.

External

Environment Agency – no objection.

District/Parish Council

Lichfield District Council - no response.

Curborough Elmhurst Farewell and Chorley Parish Council - no response.

Publicity and Representations

Site notice: YES Press notice: NO

No neighbour notification letters were sent due to the location within a large sewage treatment works and distance from the nearest neighbours.

Applicant’s/agent’s submission

The applicant has indicated that design work has been undertaken as part of the improvement works associated with planning permission L.12/08/8000 W and it has been identified that the location of the MCC kiosk would need to be 18 metres west of the approved location.

This separate application is required due to the change in location as the new location of the MCC kiosk was not within the existing planning permission boundary.

The applicant has confirmed that the other works (Primary Settlement Tank, Sludge Plant MCC Kiosk, Final Effluent Kiosk and two substations) permitted in accordance with planning permission L.12/08/8000 W are to be constructed.

Key Issues

This is an application for the erection of a kiosk (MCC Kiosk) at Lichfield Sewage Treatment Works, Curborough, Lichfield.

Having given careful consideration to the application and supporting information, the relevant development plan policies, the other material considerations and the consultation responses referred to above, the key issue is whether the erection of a kiosk (MCC Kiosk) is appropriate in this location in terms of scale and design.

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The and Stoke-on-Trent Waste Local Plan policy 4.2, Lichfield District Local Plan saved policy E.6; and the emerging Lichfield District Local Plan Policy BE1 and Core Policy 3, all seek to ensure high quality design, protect the amenity of neighbours, protect the rural environment from any unacceptable adverse impacts.

No objections were received from consultees or as a result of the site notice. Having regard to the above policies, it is considered that the erection a kiosk located within a large Sewage Treatment Works would not be unacceptable, subject to the imposition of a condition to require the development to be carried out in accordance with the submitted details.

Overall Conclusion

Overall, as an exercise of judgement, taking the relevant development plan policies as a whole and having given careful consideration to application and supporting information, the consultation responses, and the other material considerations referred to above, it is reasonable to conclude that the application should be permitted, subject to the imposition of a planning condition to require the development to be carried out in accordance with the submitted details.

Recommendation

PERMIT subject to the attached conditions.

SIGNED: Electronic Copy – Signature Removed

Ian Benson Commissioner for Sustainable County

DATE: 7 March 2014

4 Recommended Conditions: [ref. L.12/08/8000 W]

Definition of Consent

1. This planning permission shall only relate to the site edged red on Site location plan (Dwg No. A5S01675-PA02601B), hereafter referred to as ‘the Site’. The development hereby permitted shall only be carried out within the Site in accordance with the following approved documents:

• Application Form dated 2 January 2013 • Lichfield Planning Design and Access Statement (Amendment) • Site location plan (Dwg No. A5S01675-PA02601B) • Lichfield Tertiary Treatment Plant MCC Kiosk Elevations A5SO1675- PTO2620 • Phase 1 Habitat Survey Report 2011 except in so far as the approved documents referred to above are amended by the conditions specified below.

Reason: To define the permission and to ensure the permission is implemented in all respects in accordance with the submitted details.

Commencement of the Development

2. The development hereby permitted shall be commenced within three years of the date of this permission.

Reason: In order to comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990, as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, 2004.

Ecology

3. The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the recommendations in Section 5 of the Phase 1 Habitat Survey Report 2011.

Reason: To ensure that on-site operations do not have a significant adverse visual impact upon the surrounding environment and to safeguard habitats and to ensure the long term protection, enhancement, in accordance with the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Waste Local Plan policy 4.) and National Planning Policy Framework section 11.

Background to the decision

In accordance with the Scheme of Delegation to Officers a report recommending to PERMIT the application the erection of a kiosk at Lichfield Sewage Treatment Works, Curborough, Lichfield was signed. For details refer to the Delegated Report.

5 The positive and proactive steps taken in handling the application

In dealing with planning applications, the government require local planning authorities to make a statement about how we have worked with the applicant in a positive and proactive manner based on seeking solutions to problems arising in relation to dealing with a planning application. [ref. The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) (Amendment No. 2) Order 2012 – Part 4, Article 31(1)(cc)]

Staffordshire County Council endeavours to work positively and proactively in order to determine planning applications in an efficient and effective manner and in accordance with the presumption in favour of sustainable development, as described in the National Planning Policy Framework.

No notable problems arose in dealing with this application.

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