Wymeswold Airfield, Prestwold Lane, Prestwold
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Item No. 11 Application No: P/03/1604/2 Application Type: Full Date Valid: 29th May 2003 Applicant: Prestwold 1966 Settlement & Everyman Tangerine Proposal: Retention of use of runways etc at Wymeswold Airfield for training and vehicle demonstration for customers and staff of vehicle manufacturers and distributors use areas approved for vehicle use under planning ref: P/01/0853/2. Location: Wymeswold Airfield, Prestwold Lane, Prestwold. Parish: Hoton Ward: The Wolds Ward Case Officer: Mr P Blitz Tel No: 01509 634738 Description of the Application The application site comprises the majority of the land containing the former airfield and the proposal relates to the use of all the runways and perimeter roads, Hanger 4 at the east end of the airfield and a small area of woodland adjacent to a perimeter road on the southern edge of the airfield. The uses are for the demonstration of vehicles and the provision of training by vehicle manufacturers and distributors, for staff and customers. Access for the use is from Prestwold Lane, either by the new direct access recently formed or from the internal road system from Prestwold Hall. The proposal includes the use of access, parking and hospitality facilities established as part of the earlier permissions for the recreational use of the airfield, details of which are set out later in the report. The use contains a series of different activities, albeit all vehicle based. These are shown distributed around the site and include road training and demonstration, rally training and demonstration on gravel and tarmac, a 4x4 course and go-karting, all linked by circulation areas and parking and hospitality areas. This will be illustrated at the meeting and the site will be visited. The uses involved have some similarity of type and distribution to the recreational uses already permitted at the site. That permission is restricted to recreational use and not for the commercial nature of use hereby proposed. The use proposed has already operated on a number of occasions. The applicant indicates that he would not want this use to extend the number of permitted days or the hours of operation above those already permitted for recreational uses. As a result of the local reaction to the application and in response to strongly held concerns particularly over noise intrusion, the applicant included in his application proposals for the construction of noise bunds on the airfield at strategic locations around the runways. One would have specialist acoustic fencing on top and they are intended to improve the attenuation of noise from the site. 1 An original bunding scheme was designed in conjunction with a noise report commissioned by the applicant. The scheme would have involved the construction of some 4400 metres length of bunds varying in width from 30m.to 50m but widening in some parts to 100m and varying in height from 4m, with a 2m high fence, to 7.5m. The majority of the bunds would not have exceeded 6.5m. The inclusion of the bunds proposal followed discussion with officers about the options for controlling noise, including the imposition of conditions on a planning permission that might restrict noise outputs, limit speed, the distribution of activities etc. or the use of physical means to contain noise on site. The noise report relies on data collected from the measuring of noise generated by the present recreational use. The applicant estimated that these bunds would have contained some 500,000 cubic metres of inert material. He indicated that experience with a bund proposal at the west end of the airfield, adjacent to Hoton, suggests that this would equate to some 200 eight-wheeled lorry movements per week bringing 3,000 cubic metres. On the basis that the site was open 50 weeks a year this would mean 150,00 cubic metres per year over 3 – 4 years. The operation would have taken place only between 7am and 4.30pm on Monday to Friday and between 7.30am and 12.30 pm on Saturdays. Access for lorries would have been from Wymeswold Lane and Prestwold Lane only and control over routing of lorries could have been imposed, as it was in the case of the Hoton bunds. Lorries would be excluded from Burton on the Wolds. Consultation with the local community revealed a considerable concern about the bunds, particularly the effects of their construction in terms of noise, disturbance, traffic generation, the effect on topography and the other commercial considerations. As a result the applicant has submitted a revised scheme that reduces the extent of bunding, but retains those which were judged to be likely to have the most effect, particularly to protect Burton on the Wolds and premises on Wymeswold Road. The revised scheme would extend to some 2800 metres in length and is estimated to involve 300,000 cubic metres of material, a reduction of some 40%. This would reduce the time for construction to about two years, assuming the same hours of operation. Access would be as before. The scheme reduces the extent of loss of trees and seeks to place bunds closer to the areas where noise appears to be generated and to enclose them more. The scheme retains the proposal to plant a stand of trees along the southern edge of the airfield to compensate for the loss of trees for the construction of one of the earth bunds. Development Plan Policies and other material considerations • Development Plan Policies Leicestershire Structure Plan There are no directly relevant policies in the plan. Borough of Charnwood Local Plan (adopted 12th January 2004) 2 Policy ST/1 indicates that the Council will :- • pursue an overall strategy which generates sustainable patterns of development and remains generally compatible in scale and character with its location and is adequately supported by existing or proposed services, amenities and infrastructure; • promote the beneficial use of all vacant, derelict and underused land; • protect the character and appearance of the countryside for its own sake, especially within areas of particularly attractive countryside and other areas of local landscape value; • identify sufficient land, primarily through the retention and extension where appropriate of existing employment areas within the Borough in locations consistent with the Structure Plan to ensure the maintenance, diversification and expansion of investment and employment opportunities in the interests of sustaining a healthy local economy; • provide for the management of traffic and the extension of traffic calming measures in the interests in particular of pedestrians and cyclists; • develop and support tourist facilities and attractions appropriate in scale and character to their location for the purposes of diversifying the rural economy and bringing about environmental improvements for the benefit of both residents and visitors to the area; Policy EV/1 states that The Borough Council will seek to ensure a high standard of design in all new developments. Planning permission will be granted for new development which: • respects and enhances the local environment including the scale, location, character, form and function of existing settlements and the open and undeveloped nature of the countryside; • utilises materials appropriate to the locality; • safeguards the amenities of adjoining properties, particularly the privacy and light enjoyed by adjoining residential areas; Policy EV/20 states that Planning permission for new development will be granted where a high standard of appropriate landscaping is provided to the satisfaction of the Borough Council. Where a detailed landscaping scheme is submitted at the full planning application stage or in any reserved matters it should: • include details of structural planting and any proposed earth modelling on the periphery of the site, particularly where it adjoins areas of countryside, Green Wedge, local separation, Areas of Particularly Attractive Countryside, open space, principal transport corridors or areas where the physical separation of land uses requires reinforcement. In these sensitive locations provision should be made for the use of common locally native species. For within site landscaped areas, the use of common locally native species will be sought unless there is no such species suitable to fulfil the landscaping purpose required; Policy EV/39 states that planning permission will not be granted for new development which: 3 • because of its nature or operation, would be likely to result in a serious risk to the health or general amenities of nearby residents, the public generally or the natural environment; or, • involves residential or other development sensitive to pollution that would be likely to suffer poor environmental amenity due to excessive noise, disturbance, dust, smoke or other polluting effects arising from existing development nearby. Planning permission will only be granted in these instances where appropriate measures to overcome the potential pollution problems are proposed and implemented to the satisfaction of the local planning authority. Policy CT/1 indicates that the land lying outside the defined Limits to Development is identified on the Proposals Map as Countryside, Green Wedge and Areas of Local Separation. Development within these areas of generally open land, which includes the application site, will be strictly controlled. Planning permission will be granted for the re-use and adaptation of rural buildings for uses suitable in scale and nature, and small-scale new built development, where there would not be a significant adverse environmental