EEC/06/106/HQ Development Control Committee 6 September 2006

County Council Development District: Proposed Provision of Galvanized Steel Palisade Fence and Gates at Pedestrian and Vehicle Access to Artificial Turf Pitch at Community College, Balkwill Road, Kingsbridge Application No: 09/00782/2006 Date Application received by County Council - 7 April 2006

Report of the Director of Environment, Economy and Culture

Please note that the following recommendation is subject to consideration and determination by the Committee before taking effect.

Recommendation: It is recommended that pursuant to the provisions of Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992, planning permission be granted subject to conditions relating to, inter alia, commencement within 3 years; accordance with submitted plans, submission of details of landscaping; maintenance and retention of landscaping and restriction over hours that gates are open.

1. Summary

This report relates to the provision of a section of security fencing and gates at the entrance to the artificial turf sports pitch at Kingsbridge Community College, Balkwill Road, Kingsbridge.

2. The Proposal/Background

Perforated ‘Pallisade’ galvanised steel fencing is proposed to run a length of approximately 12 metres between a hedgerow that forms the boundary to 85 Kingsway Park Road and the existing bank and fence which forms the south-eastern boundary of the college site. The vertical pallisades that would make up the 2 metre high fencing would be spaced at 200mm centres and would be shaped in a ‘W’ profile with a single pointed head. This section of fencing is proposed to incorporate a 1.2 metre wide pedestrian gate and a 4 metre wide vehicular access gate. Current plans are to paint the fencing black to reflect the other fencing used at the pitch. It is proposed that after the fencing has been erected Berberis (darwini) hedging will be planting at the base of the fence either side of the gates.

The proposal described above has been developed from an original application for a non painted or perforated galvanised steel palisade fence. Standing at a height of 2.4 metres this fencing was spaced at 150mm centres and included a triple –pointed ‘D’ section head to the uprights. This original proposal did not include planting. Full detailed plans will be displayed at the Committee.

This access is currently enclosed by a timber gate and timber post and rail fencing.

Kingsbridge Community College is located to the south-west of Kingsbridge town centre and is accessed from the A381 road that leads to and towards . The school site is linear in its form and the proposed section of fencing would be located at the south-eastern end of the school site adjacent to the recently constructed artificial turf pitch.

The site lies within the South Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), at the top of the valley above the Kingsbridge Estuary. The estuary is designated as Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Planning permission was granted by the Committee in September 2005 for the full size artificial turf pitch and associated access, (Application No, 09/1001/2005, Report ED/05/156/HQ & ED/05/181/HQ refer). Conditions of this permission included a limit to the use of the pitch between 0900 and 2100 hours Monday to Friday and between 0900 and 1800 hours on Saturday and Sunday.

3. Consultations

South Hams District Council - Response to original proposal - Raises no objection in principle to the retention of a fence and gates but express concern about the height and design as proposed. It is suggested that consideration be consideration be given to a reduction in height to 2.0 metres and change in the design to reduce the visual impact. (Views on amended scheme awaited - consulted 7 August 2006).

Kingsbridge Town Council – No Objection.

South Devon AONB Partnership – No comments.

4. Advertisement/Representations

This application has been advertised in accordance with the statutory publicity requirements and as a result of these procedures two letters of objection from residents of Kingsway Park and Badgers Green, have been received on the revised proposal (and two received by the same objectors on the original proposal). Copies of all letters of representation received will be displayed at the Committee meeting.

The first objection relates to the height of the fencing of the revised scheme and it is recommended that this is reduced by a further 400mm (to 1.60m). The objector states that this height would still act as a deterrent for those attempting to climb over the fence.

The second objection is to the design which is still considered to be too dominant within a residential area. A more in-keeping style of gate is requested.

5. Planning Policy Considerations

In considering this application the County Planning Authority is required to have regard to the provisions of the Development Plan insofar as they are material to the application, and to any other material considerations. Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that where regard is to be had to the Development Plan, the determination shall be in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

In this case the most relevant Development Plan policies are as follows:

Devon County Structure Plan 2001-2016 (Adopted October 2004) : Policies ST1 (Sustainable Development); ST3 (Self Sufficiency of Devon's Communities); ST5 (Development Priority 2001 to 2016); ST16 (Local Centres and Rural Areas); CO3 (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty); and CO6 (Quality of New Development).

South Hams Local Plan 1989 - 2001 (1996) : Policies SHDC1 (Development Boundaries); SHDC11 (Roads and Footpaths in New Development); and SHDV13 (Landscaping New Development).

Emerging planning policy and other policy documents, which may be regarded as a material consideration include:

Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South-West - 2006-2026 : Policies SD3 (The Environment and Natural Resources); and CS1 (Providing Community Services).

South Hams Local Plan Review - First Deposit, 1995-2011 : Policies DS1 (Area Centres); DS3 (Development Boundaries); DEV1 (Sustainable Development); DEV5 (Infrastructure); DEV17 (Safeguarding Amenity); DEV18 (Access for All); DEV23 (Protecting Landscape Character); DEV26 (Landscaping - General); ENV1 (Landscape Character); and ENV2 (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

In preparing this report regard has been had of relevant National Planning Policy Guidance and Statements, in particular: PPS1 (Delivering Sustainable Development); PPS7 (Sustainable Development in Rural Areas); and PPG17 (Sport and Recreation).

6. Highway Considerations

The development which is the subject of this application for planning permission has no direct implication to highways or transport issues, as it involves only the replacement of existing gates and fencing at an existing access.

7. Sustainability Considerations

There are no significant sustainability considerations in relation to this proposal.

8. Comments/Issues

The visual impact of the fencing upon the local environment must be weighed up against the need for the proposed section of fencing to help prevent unwanted access to the new artificial sports pitch.

The scale of the proposed fencing would result in a limited impact upon views in and out of the South Hams Area of Outstanding Beauty. In terms of local impact the revised designs to use perforated steel, reduce the overall height by 0.4 metres and increase the distance between the uprights has helped to reduce the visual impact of the fencing. Painting the fencing black and using a single point head profile also helps to further reduce the urban and utilitarian appearance of the original designs for the fencing. The intention to plant Berberis (darwini) species alongside the fencing will help to provide a natural barrier that will partially mask the metal fencing that less reflects its direct surroundings. This will help to assimilate the development with its surroundings in line with emerging Local Plan Policy Dev 26 (Landscaping General) South Hams Local Plan Review 1995-2001 (2002).

The fencing is proposed in order to help prevent unwanted access to the artificial sports pitch outside the agreed hours of use. It is hoped that this will help prevent vandalism and inappropriate use of the pitch as well as restricting access to tarmac roads/paths within the site currently being used by skateboarders to the annoyance of local residents. To ensure that this is the case it is recommended that a planning condition is imposed to limit the hours that the gates are unlocked to reflect opening hours already agreed for the artificial pitch.

9. Reasons for Recommendation/Alternative Options Considered

The Committee has the option of approving, deferring or refusing this planning application. Taking all the above material considerations into account it is considered that with the imposition of appropriate planning conditions to mitigate the impact of the fencing on the local landscape, conditional planning permission should be granted.

Electoral Division: Thurlestone, Salcombe and Allington

Edward Chorlton

Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 and Local Government Act 1972

List of background Papers

Contact for enquiries: Malcolm West

Tel No: 01392 382867

Background Paper Date File Ref Committee reports September & July 2005 ED/05/181/HQ & ED/05/156/HQ

hs170806dca sn/Kingsbridge community college 4 hq 290806