Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, – TH/05/0746

A report by Head of Planning Applications Unit to Planning Applications Committee on 16 August 2005.

An application for the siting of portable construction workers accommodation units, welfare facilities and associated lighting, power generators with acoustic screening and car parking for a temporary period until 31 December 2007, as part of the and Urban Wastewater Treatment Scheme at the former go- kart track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate by Black and Veatch Costain Joint Venture

Recommendation: Planning Permission BE GRANTED.

Local Member: Mr C Hibberd Unrestricted

Introduction

1. This proposal is integral to the construction of the Margate and Broadstairs Urban Wastewater Treatment Scheme (UWWTS). An application for that development was granted planning permission by this authority in March this year. The proposed development is intended to provide temporary accommodation for those construction workers employed on the scheme.

2. The proposed development site was included within the assessed area for the Margate and Broadstairs UWWTS Environmental Statement (June 2004) which accompanied the four planning applications. Detailed considerations carried out as part of that ES have been carried forward into this application.

The Site and Surroundings

3. It is proposed to locate the temporary construction workers accommodation on previously developed land at the former go-kart track site. The site is located approximately 1.1km north east of Weatherlees Wastewater Treatment Works, which is the main administrative centre for the construction of the permitted scheme. The site which measures 0.86hectares and is bounded to the north by the Sandwich/Ramsgate railway and footpath TE37, to the west by Ebbsfleet Lane, with open agricultural land to the south and east. The nearest residential property is located approximately 120m north of the site, beyond the railway, in Sevenscore.

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

4. The existing site is largely surfaced with hardcore and concrete, which is in a poor state of repair, the site also has areas of rough grassland/scrub and is surrounded by a landscape bund. The existing unfinished and derelict building on site will be demolished as part of this proposal.

5. The site is accessed off Ebbsfleet Lane via a concrete track at the south- western corner of the site. From the entrance, the access follows a northerly route between two landscape bunds, in parallel with Ebbsfleet Lane, for approx. 12 metres before entering the main site. The double landscape bund fully screens views from Ebbsfleet Lane and nearby footpaths.

Proposal

6. The layout of the proposed temporary construction workers accommodation site is shown on the following plan and comprises:-

• 25 touring caravans coloured beige (each 10m x 3m) • 10 static units coloured beige (each 12m x 3m) • Welfare facilities (9 interconnected units each 12m x 3m) • Power generator with acoustic screen • Lighting located on 3m high poles • Car parking for 20 vehicles • Demolition of existing derelict buildings on site

7. The site would use the existing vehicular access off Ebbsfleet Lane, signs would be erected to warn other road users of the access. Twenty car parking spaces would be provided on site. However vehicle movements would be limited as construction workers would be collected daily by minibus from the site and transported to their work areas.

8. The site has existing surface drainage; the proposed development would be connected to the existing infrastructure. Foul drainage would be connected to a cesspit, which would be emptied as necessary.

9. Construction of the Margate and Broadstairs UWWTS is timetabled to be completed by the end of 2007. The proposed temporary accommodation site would be vacated on or before 31 December 2007, all of the accommodation units and associated works would be removed and the site would be restored to its current condition.

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

Policy Context

9. The statutory development plan for the site comprises of the Structure Plan (1996), the Local Plan (1998) and the Kent Waste Local Plan, March 1998. All of these adopted plans are currently under review.

Kent Structure Plan 1996

S1 - Seeks to promote sustainable forms of development. S2 - Seeks to conserve and enhance the quality of Kent’s environment. S9 - Highlights the need for co-ordinated implementation, and the relationship between infrastructure provision and land availability. ENV1- Seeks protection of the countryside for its own sake. ENV2 - Seeks to conserve and enhance Kent’s landscape and wildlife (flora and fauna) habitats. ENV20 - Seeks to ensure that development is planned and designed so as to avoid or minimise any potential pollution impacts. ENV22 - Need in relation to environmental and other material interests RS1 - Preservation and enhancement of the countryside and rural settlements. RS5 - Requires specific justification for development in rural areas other than at villages and small towns.

Isle of Thanet Local Plan 1998

CL1 - seeks to protect the countryside from intrusive development (in accordance with ENV1 and RS5 of the Structure Plan) CL2 - seeks to protect the environmental quality of major approaches to the Thanet Towns, and other main gateways and transit routes in the district. CL4 - states within Areas of High Landscape Value long term protection shall be given to the area’s rural, open and historic character, long views of Pegwell Bay and the perception of Thanet as an island, whilst having regard to the economic well- being of the area.

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

Emerging Planning Policy

Kent & Medway Structure Plan – Deposit Plan September 2003

E1 - seeks to protect, conserve and enhance the countryside SS7 - development in the countryside justified by need for a rural location

Thanet Local Plan March 2003

CC1 - need for development must override need to protect countryside CC2 - protection of the Wantsum Channel, and long range views of Pegwell Bay, the Wantsum Channel, the adjacent marshes and the sea. CC4 - protection of environmental quality of major approaches to the Thanet Towns, and other main gateways and transit routes in the district.`

Consultees

10. Council – Views awaited

11. Minster Parish Council – No objections but would like to see the site restored to a better level than at present and want to see the cesspit removed. The access is close to the railway line and also there is a question about how many people would be involved.

12. English Nature – Is satisfied with the approach to nature conservation interests as set out in the application and confirmed in writing by the Applicant.

13. Environment Agency – No objection offers advice to the applicant regarding surface water drainage, fuel, oil and chemical storage and foul drainage.

14. English Heritage – no comments.

15. KCC Traffic Planning – from a highway point of view the site is not in a sustainable location, whether temporary of permanent, concern that unconditional support for the proposal could provide a precedent for accommodation use of the site. If the planning committee is minded to overlook the unsustainability of the site in transport terms, a suitable condition

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

should be employed to restrict the use to the temporary nature that it is intended for.

16. Jacobs Babtie (Noise, Dust and Odour) – No objection

17. Jacobs Babtie (Landscaping) – views awaited

18. Public Rights of Way – views awaited

19. County Archaeologist – no objection subject to a condition requiring the implementation of a programme of archaeological work in accordance with a written specification and timetable.

Local Member

20. The Local Member Mr C Hibberd was notified of the application on 9 June 2005.

Representations

21. A neighbour notification exercise was undertaken with the nearest residential properties. Two site notices were displayed, at the entrance to the site and adjacent to the public footpath. One letter of objection has been received. Objections are raised to a large number of people 150 metres from a very small community, the site was never operated as a go-kart track and in the original application it was stated that the go-kart works would not prevent the land from being returned to agricultural use.

Discussion

22. Section 54A of the 1990 Act requires that applications are determined in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. This proposal will need to be considered in the light of the adopted and the emerging development plan policies relating to this type of development. These must then be balanced against the environmental and amenity impacts such a proposal may have, and in the light of the relevant policies of the Thanet Local Plan. Consideration will also need to be given to the temporary nature of the proposed development.

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

Landscape Policy Considerations

23. The site lies within open countryside and as such is not one which would normally be developed for any kind of residential use. However it is a previously developed and now redundant brownfield site and the accommodation proposed is only temporary until 31 December 2007. As set out in the policy section of my report, the site lies within as Area of High Landscape Value and the Wantsum North Shore Landscape Character Area. The site is very well screened by the landscaped bund that surrounds the site to the extent that it prevents any view into it. Furthermore the railway along the site’s northern boundary is identified as an Island Approach Route but is within a cutting and there are therefore no views into the site. I do not consider there would therefore be any detriment in the short term upon the landscape designations on the site and that as such it meets policies CL1 and CC2 of the local plan.

Ecology

24. There are no ecological designations on or adjacent to the site and investigations have conclude that the site is not of any ecological importance. Following discussion with English Nature as a precautionary approach the caravan site would be strimmed down to ground level and the vegetation removed and a search supervised by the Ecological Clerk of Works during site preparation works would be undertaken. Any reptiles that are seen would be caught and moved to the embankments which surround the site where suitable habitats exist and would not be affected by the proposals.

Other environmental impacts

25. The nearest residential properties are situated approximately 120 metres north of the site beyond the railway line. As the Applicants propose to screen the generators with an acoustic enclosure the County Council’s noise advisors do not consider there would be any detriment to residential amenity. There are not considered to be any impacts upon archaeological and cultural heritage or recreation and tourism.

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

Residential Amenity

26. The proposal is for the temporary use of this former go-kart track as a construction workers accommodation site for those personnel to be employed on the Margate and Broadstairs Urban Wastewater Treatment Scheme. The approved wastewater scheme covers an extensive geographic area, from the Margate and Broadstairs Headworks in the north of Thanet down to Weatherlees Treatment works in the south with a connecting twin pipeline in between. It is proposed that the site would accommodate approximately 30 workers only, there would be no families or children on site. The workers would be collected by minibus from the site and taken to their place of work and returned to the site on a daily basis. This could mean transport to the headworks’ sites in the north, the nearby Weatherlees site, or some point along the pipeline in between.

27. Concerns have been raised about the impact of the large number of people on the very small existing community. The site would be operated in accordance with a Considerate Constructors Scheme Code that commits contractors to be considerate and good neighbours, as well as clean, respectful, safe, environmentally conscious, responsible and accountable. Strict management of this code on site along with careful management of vehicle movements as referred to above would minimise any significant impacts upon those residential properties which lie beyond the railway line. The Applicants have confirmed that any workers who fail to meet the requirements of the Considerate Constructors Scheme would be removed from the site. Furthermore senior management would be present on site to ensure that the requirements of the Code are met.

Sustainability

28. It is acknowledged that the long term use of this site for residential accommodation would not be in accordance with Kent Structure Plan Policy RS5 (or SS7 of Kent and Medway Structure Plan) which seeks specific justification for development within the rural locations. However in considering the proposals one should bear in mind the permitted uses of the site and the temporary nature of the use proposed.

29. The site I understand was originally granted planning permission for a change of use from agricultural land to use as a golf course in 1990. Subsequently an application to use the site as a go-kart track was granted permission by the District Council in 1999, both of these were supported as they provided a useful recreation facility within the District. Neither of these uses has ever been

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

operational although the latter permission was implemented resulting in the sites current condition. The use now proposed would be temporary until 31 December 2007, a period of 18 months after which time the land would be returned to its former condition thus in no way preventing its permitted use. The level of activity generated by the workers accommodation would in my opinion not be any more intrusive in this rural location then either of the previously permitted uses. The alternative to locating all the workers together on this well screened site would be to have them all accommodated within the local guesthouses (competing for spaces with holidaymakers), the majority of which would be some distance from large parts of the construction project. Even if a minibus were used to transport the workers to site the number of addresses it would have to visit would result in a significant number of journeys.

30. This brownfield site and buildings are currently in a derelict state. As part of this proposal, the derelict structures would be removed and the overall long term appearance of the site would be enhanced, in accordance with policy ENV1 of the Kent Structure Plan.

Conclusion

31. It is proposed to use this former go-kart track as a temporary accommodation site for the construction workers employed on the Margate and Broadstairs Urban Wastewater Treatment Scheme. The largest element of the construction project is at Weatherlees Treatment Works just to the south of the site, although workers would also be taken by minibus to the other parts of the scheme at Margate and Broadstairs Headworks as well as the pipeline route in between. The site itself is extremely well screened from any public view and is surrounded by a good landscape bund which would contain activities within the site. Further acoustic screening is proposed for the generators that would operate on site. The nearest residential properties lie approximately 120 metres to the north of the site on the other side of the Sandwich/Ramsgate railway line. With appropriate management of the site and the occupants as set out above the level of disturbance would be kept to minimum.

32. I am satisfied that the proposed use of this site is acceptable given its temporary nature and its requirement to service a specific strategic construction project which has been permitted and acknowledged as being of significant economic and regeneration benefits to the Thanet area as a whole.

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Item C2 Siting of portable construction workers accommodation units for a temporary period until 31 December 2007 at Former Go-kart Track, Ebbsfleet Lane, Ramsgate – TH/05/0746

Recommendation

33. I RECOMMEND THAT PLANNING PERMISSION be GRANTED subject to conditions covering amongst other matters, the removal of all caravans, plant and associated equipment form the site, and its return to its present state by 31 December 2007, development to be carried out in accordance with the details submitted, implementation of the detailed acoustic screen.

34. An informative be added requiring the Applicants to submit a copy of the registration of the site as part of the Considerate Constructors Scheme.

Case Officer: Andrea Hopkins 01622 221056

Background Documents - see section heading

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