Minor Cttee: 6 December Item No. 1 2017 Application no: 16/03557/FUL For Details and Plans Click Here Site Address Lower Link Farm Lower Link St Mary Bourne Andover Proposal Erection of single storey extension on the northern elevation of the main building to provide additional floor space for the processing of salad products (rather than as a storage area as approved under BDB/69802); use of new detached building for storage (rather than as a work shop as approved and constructed under BDB/69802); erection of extension to existing plant room on the western elevation of main building and new and relocated plant and equipment; new and replacement lighting; and hard and soft landscaping improvements Registered: 26 September 2016 Expiry Date: 8 December 2017 Type of Application: Full Planning Case Officer: Nicola Williams Application 01256 845451 Applicant: Vitacress Salads Ltd Agent: Mr Andy Blaxland Ward: Whitchurch Ward Member(s): Cllr Keith Watts Cllr Chloe Ashfield Parish: HURSTBOURNE OS Grid Reference: 442965 149202 PRIORS CP Recommendation: The applicant be invited to enter into a legal agreement (in accordance with the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 and Policies CN6 and CN9 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029) between the applicant and the Borough and County Councils to secure: Heavy Goods Vehicle Route Management Strategy Delivery and Servicing Plan Staff Travel Plan Should the requirements set out above not be satisfactorily secured, then the Planning and Development Manager be delegated to REFUSE permission for appropriate reasons. On completion of the legal agreement the Planning and Development Manager be delegated to grant planning permission subject to the conditions listed at the end of this report. Reasons for Approval 1. Given the established agricultural/industrial use on the site, and the business case for the proposed development, the proposal would enable the continued sustainability of the business, thereby complying with National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) and Policy EP4 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029. 2. The proposed development is appropriate in scale, layout, materials and external appearance and would respect the local environment. The proposal would therefore comply with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policy EM10 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029 and Policies P5 and P7 of the emerging St Mary Bourne Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2029. 3. The proposed development would not result in adverse traffic impacts and would provide safe access and adequate parking provision in accordance with highway requirements, and as such would accord with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policies EP4, CN9 and EM10 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029 and Policy P5 of the emerging St Mary Bourne Neighbourhood Plan 2016- 2029. 4. The proposed development would not result in any adverse impact on the water environment, biodiversity, nature conservation and flood risk, thereby complying with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policies EP4, EM4, EM6 and EM7 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029 and Policy P5 of the emerging St Mary Bourne Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2029. 5. The proposed development would not adversely affect the significance of the adjacent Hurstbourne Priors and St Mary Bourne Conservation Areas, which are designated heritage assets, and as such would comply with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policy EM11 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011- 2029, and Policy P5 of the emerging St Mary Bourne Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2029. 6. The proposal would not result in any adverse impact on amenity in terms of noise, vibration, air quality or light pollution, and would therefore accord with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policies EM10 and EM12 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029, and Policies P5 and P7 of the emerging St Mary Bourne Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2029. 7. Given the sites location within the North Wessex Downs Area of Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the proposal would be sympathetic to the landscape character and visual amenity of the area, and as such would comply with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policy EM1 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029 and the provisions of the AONB Management Plan, and Policies P5 and P7 of the emerging St Mary Bourne Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2029. General comments This application comes to the Development Control committee as the Planning and Development Manager has chosen not to use delegated powers in this case in light of the planning history of the site. An addendum to the Environment Statement received on 8th August 2017 relating to invertebrate monitoring results of the Eastern and Western channels of the Bourne Rivulet. The Council re-consulted on the additional and revised information on 10th and 11th August 2017. Planning Policy The site is outside a Settlement Policy Boundary and in a countryside location. It is also within the North Wessex Downs Area of Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), lies within Flood Zones 2 and 3 and adjoins the St Mary Bourne Conservation Area. Along the northern boundary runs Public footpath No.2. National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (March 2012) Achieving Sustainable Development Section 1 – Building a strong, competitive economy Section 3 – Supporting a prosperous rural economy Section 4 - Promoting sustainable transport Section 7 - Requiring good design Section 10 - Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change Section 11 - Conserving and enhancing the natural environment Section 12 - Conserving and enhancing the historic environment National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 20111- 2029 Policy SD1 - Presumption on Favour of Sustainable Development Policy SS5 – Neighbourhood Planning Policy CN6 – Infrastructure Policy CN9 - Transport Policy EM1 - Landscape Policy EM4 - Biodiversity, Geodiversity and Nature Conservation Policy EM6 - Water Quality Policy EM7 - Managing Flood Risk Policy EM9 - Sustainable Water Use Policy EM10 - Delivering High Quality Design Policy EM11 – The Historic Environment Policy EM12 - Pollution Policy EP1 – Economic Growth and Investment Policy EP4 – Rural Economy St Mary Bourne Neighbourhood Plan Policy P5 – Environmental Factors Policy P7 – Design Requirements Supplementary Planning Documents and Guidance (SPD's and SPG's) and interim planning guidance Appendix 4 Design and Sustainability SPD `Conservation Areas` Appendix 5 Design and Sustainability SPD 'Construction Statements' Appendix 6 Design and Sustainability SPD 'Storage and Collection of Waste and Recycling' Appendix 6 Design and Sustainability SPD `Industrial Development` Appendix 14 Design and Sustainability SPD `Countryside Design Summary* Hampshire Parking Standards Landscape Character Assessment SPG Landscape and Biodiversity SPD S106 Planning Obligations and Community Infrastructure Interim Planning Guidance Note (July 2005, updated April 2015) St Mary Bourne Village Design Statement St Mary Bourne Conservation Area Appraisal Hurstbourne Priors Conservation Area Appraisal Other material documents The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations 2010 Department for Transport Manual for Streets BREEAM Noise Policy Statement for England HCC Minerals and Waste Plan Description of Site Vitacress is an existing watercress farm and processing and packaging plant of perishable goods that is located to the west of the B3048 that goes through the village of St Mary Bourne. To the south is a railway line and running along the western half of the site in a north/south direction, is the Bourne Rivulet. Public footpath No.2 is along the northern boundary. It is within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and adjoins the Conservation Area. The site extends to 16.94 ha, most of which is made up of watercress beds and other agricultural land. A complex of buildings with hardstanding areas (which are used for plant and equipment, the external storage of crates and pallets and for HGV circulation and parking) is centrally located, accessed from the B3048. The hardstanding also includes the existing diesel tank, compactor/skip and lorry wash. To the south east of the site the existing main building, contains the packhouse where salad leaves are received, washed, dried and packed before being loaded onto delivery vehicles. The building also contains the offices and staff amenity facilities for Vitacress staff. This packhouse building has recently been extended to the north-west to provide new despatch bays, constructed under planning permission BDB/69802. The building is also being extended to the east through the construction of new intake bays, consented under planning application BDB/69802. A workshop building has been demolished and a new workshop building erected under planning permission BDB/69802. There are other agricultural buildings on the site, together with a former salad-bunching shed now used as a staff hostel, which is located towards the eastern boundary of the site. To the south of the main building is a staff and visitor’s car park that is accessed via `Site Entrance 1` and the B3048. This access also provides the pedestrian access into the site. `Site Entrance 2` is located approximately 140 metres further north and provides access for HGVs and other operational traffic associated with the site. There is a third,