0900265S73 (Renewal of Consent/Vary Conditions)
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AGENDA ITEM NO. DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PANEL 15 JUN 09 Case No: 0900265S73 (RENEWAL OF CONSENT/VARY CONDITIONS) Proposal: VARIATION OF CONDITION 16 OF PLANNING PERMISSION 0213092OUT TO STATE AS FOLLOWS:' THE USE HEREBY PERMITTED SHALL BE CARRIED ON ONLY BY COLLMART GROWERS LTD AND QUALITY FRUIT AND VEG LTD Location: COLLMART GROWERS LTD THE DROVE PONDERSBRIDGE Applicant: COLLMART GROWERS LTD Grid Ref: 525914 292082 Date of Registration: 10.03.2009 Parish: FARCET RECOMMENDATION - REFUSE 1. DESCRIPTION OF SITE AND APPLICATION 1.1 This application has been referred to Panel at the request of a local Member. 1.2 The proposal is to vary condition 16 of outline planning permission 0213092OUT for the erection of buildings for packing, grading, preparation and distribution of vegetables. A copy of the Panel report and decision notice for that application are attached. The condition states "The use hereby permitted shall be carried on only by Collmart Growers Ltd". This application is to vary the condition to also allow Quality Fruit and Veg Ltd (QFAVL) to use the land and buildings. 1.3 The site is in the countryside approximately 11km south-east of Peterborough and 20 km north of Huntingdon. The applicant’s existing operation includes a 1.47ha site which fronts onto The Drove with a building, yard and weighbridge used in association with grading, washing, bagging and distributing vegetables, particularly onions but also other root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips and swede. 1.4 The outline permission is for the erection of buildings with a floor space of 10,000sqm on a site of 8.2ha to the north of the existing premises. It also entails associated hardstandings, the relocation of the existing site access to the north, the provision of a new junction with the B1095 and landscaping. The site adjoins agricultural land to the north-west and south-east but there are dwellings on the east side of The Drove. 1.5 The applicants advise that Collmart currently: * process approximately 100,000 tonnes of vegetables at the site each year; * the vegetables are predominantly English root vegetables, of which 90% are from East Anglia and 10% are from Nottinghamshire; * onions are also imported to the site to fill a seasonal gap in local supplies for approximately 3 weeks each year from New Zealand and Spain; * limited storage capacity means that vegetables are sometimes taken from the farms for storage at sites in Bedfordshire and Lincolnshire, prior to being taken to the site at Pondersbridge; * some of the applicant’s produce is sold directly to customers such as supermarkets and QFAVL from the stores as well as from Pondersbridge; * after processing at Pondersbridge, a proportion of the produce is taken to Collmart’s operation at Outwell, near Wisbech for preparation including slice/dice/bagging and distribution. 1.6 The applicants advise that Quality Fruit and Veg Ltd currently: * pre-pack fruit and vegetables, particularly for restaurants and small retail outlets; * are currently based at Hardwick Road, Peterborough; * buy/collect some of the applicant’s produce directly from their store Bedfordshire for processing at Peterborough; * use Collmart to supply over 75% of their produce, much of which originates from the Pondersbridge site; * use other suppliers to supply less than 25% of produce such as tomatoes and mushrooms, which the applicants do not deal with at present and which are largely imported from abroad. 1.7 The applicant has confirmed that QFAVL would occupy the ground floor of part of one of the two buildings (approximately 1570m2) and part of the yard (approximately 1260m2) the subject of the outline permission. 1.8 The site appears to be in a zone 2 (medium risk) flood area according to the Huntingdonshire Strategic Flood Risk Assessment or in zones 2/3 (medium/high risk) according to the Environment Agency information. No Flood Risk Assessment has been submitted. 2. NATIONAL GUIDANCE 2.1 PPS1: “Delivering Sustainable Development” (2005) contains advice on the operation of the plan-led system. 2.2 PPS7: “Sustainable Development in Rural Areas” (2004) sets out the Government's planning policies for rural areas, including country towns and villages and the wider, largely undeveloped countryside up to the fringes of larger urban areas. 2.3 PPG4: “Industrial and Commercial Development and Small Firms” (1992) contains advice on the role of the planning system in relation to industrial and commercial development. 2.4 PPG13: “Transport” (2001) provides guidance in relation to transport and particularly the integration of planning and transport. 2.5 PPS25: “Development and Flood Risk” (2006 ) sets out Government policy on development and flood risk. Its aims are to 2 ensure that flood risk is taken into account at all stages in the planning process to avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding, and to direct development away from areas of highest risk. Where new development is, exceptionally, necessary in such areas, policy aims to make it safe, without increasing flood risk elsewhere, and, where possible, reducing flood risk overall. 2.6 Circular 11/95 Use of conditions in planning permission For full details visit the government website http://www.communities.gov.uk and follow the links to planning, Building and Environment, Planning, Planning Policy. 3. PLANNING POLICIES Further information on the role of planning policies in deciding planning applications can also be found at the following website: http://www.communities.gov.uk then follow links Planning, Building and Environment, Planning, Planning Information and Guidance, Planning Guidance and Advice and then Creating and Better Place to Live 3.1 East of England Plan - Revision to the Regional Spatial Strategy (May 2008) Policies viewable at http://www.go-east.gov.uk then follow links to Planning, Regional Planning then Related Documents • ENG1 : “Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Energy Performance” – new development should be located to reduce carbon emissions. • SS1 : “Achieving Sustainable Development” – the strategy seeks to bring about sustainable development by applying: the guiding principles of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy 2005 and the elements contributing to the creation of sustainable communities described in Sustainable Communities: Homes for All. SS1.(2)-5 seeks sustainable developments which are well connected in terms of good transport services. 3.2 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan (2003) Saved policies from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003 are relevant and viewable at http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk follow the links to environment, planning, planning policy and Structure Plan 2003. • None relevant. 3.3 Huntingdonshire Local Plan (1995) Saved policies from the Huntingdonshire Local Plan 1995 are relevant and viewable at www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/localplan95 • En17: "Development in the Countryside" - development in the countryside is restricted to that which is essential to the effective operation of local agriculture, horticulture, forestry, permitted mineral extraction, outdoor recreation or public utility services. • E13 : “Industry, Warehousing or high technology and office developments” – will not be permitted where it would cause serious traffic noise or pollution problems or other damage to the environment. 3 • CS9 :’’Flood Water Management’’ – normally refuse prejudicial schemes. 3.4 Huntingdonshire Local Plan Alterations (2002) Saved policies from the Huntingdon Local Plan Alterations 2002 are relevant and viewable at www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/localplan - Then click on "Local Plan Alteration (2002). • None relevant. 3.5 Policies from the Huntingdonshire Interim Planning Policy Statement 2007 are relevant and viewable at http://www.huntsdc.gov.uk click on Environment and Planning, then Planning then Planning+Policy then Informal policy statements where there is a link to Interim Planning Policy Statement 2007 • P8 – Development in the Countryside – Outside the existing built framework of the Smaller Settlements development will be restricted to: that which is essential to the efficient operation of agriculture, horticulture or forestry, or required for the purposes of outdoor recreation; the alteration, replacement or change of use of existing buildings in accordance with other policies; limited and specific forms of housing, business and tourism development, as provided for within the Local Development Framework; or land allocated for particular purposes. • E2 – Location of Industrial and Warehouse Development – A proposal for a large industrial or warehouse development on unallocated land should be limited to: iii) situations where an existing firm requires additional space to expand; the conversion or redevelopment of suitable existing buildings in the countryside, as provided for elsewhere in the core strategy. • P10 – Flood Risk – development should: not take place in areas at risk from flooding, unless suitable mitigation/flood protection measures are agreed; not increase the risk of flooding to properties elsewhere; make use of sustainable drainage systems where feasible; be informed by a flood risk assessment where appropriate. 3.6 Policies from the Huntingdonshire Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy Incorporating Proposed Changes 2009 are relevant and viewable at http://www.huntsdc.gov.uk click on Environment and Planning then click on Planning and then click on Planning Policy where there is a link to the Local Development Framework Core Strategy.