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Planning Services COMMITTEE REPORT APPLICATION DETAILS APPLICATION NO: CE/13/01542/FPA Redevelopment of main entrance building to provide new glass lobby and double heighted atrium. Erection of FULL APPLICATION DESCRIPTION : animal care centre, animal sheds, equine centre, feed store and associated facilities NAME OF APPLICANT : East Durham College East Durham College, Houghall Campus, Houghall, ADDRESS : Durham, DH1 3SG ELECTORAL DIVISION : Durham South Ann Rawlinson, Senior Planning Officer CASE OFFICER : 03000 261393, [email protected] DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE AND PROPOSALS The Site 1. The application site relates to East Durham College’s Houghall campus which is an agricultural teaching college. It is situated approximately one mile to the south east of Durham city centre. The overall site is approximately 380 hectares in size. The main campus buildings are sited to the north of the site and accessed from the main A177 road. They comprise reception, dining room and classrooms. The building is largely single storey with a 2 storey element to the centre. Other buildings comprise of workshops and storage buildings. Directly to the south of the buildings is a car park and area laid out for tractor driving. There is an arboretum to the northern edge of the site. The campus boundary to the north is formed by the edge of the Durham (City Centre) Conservation Area with its southern boundary defined by the River Wear which forms the western edge of Shincliffe Village Conservation Area. The site is low lying and predominantly flat. The site is essentially a patchwork of green open fields defined by hedgerows and trees with denser areas of woodland within the site and enveloping it, most notably Great High Wood ancient woodland) and Houghall, Maiden Castle & Little Woods Local Wildlife Site forming a scenic green backcloth to the west. 2. To the north of the site is the Durham University Sport campus. Sports pitches also lie to the east and west of the college buildings. To the east of the site is a plant centre and café, and approximately 750m to the south west of the main buildings is Houghall College Farm and an outdoor ménage. The farm is accessed from a separate road (Farm Road) off the A177, further east of the main access and is also connected to the main college campus by a track extending northwards. To the south east of the ménage is a residential property, which is no longer associated with the college. 3. The site as a whole is located within the Durham City Green Belt, with the main group of buildings being designated as a major developed site in the Green Belt. The site is within an Area of High Landscape Value (AHLV). A blanket tree preservation order also covers the site. The medieval barns to the rear of Houghall Farm are Grade II listed. The Proposal 4. The proposals form part of an overall master plan to create a “state of the art” learning centre for theoretical and practical land-based skills. Firstly, the proposals entail the redevelopment of the main entrance building incorporating a new glass entrance lobby with 2 storey glass atrium to the rear which would house the reception, social space, classrooms, laboratories and computer space/enhanced IT infrastructure. Alterations would be made to the front entrance, including removal of the doors and surround to widen the access and incorporate a glass portico, as well as removal and replacement of windows. 5. As well as refurbishment, the College is seeking to extend its built form on land adjoining the southern and western boundary of the main campus. It is proposed to construct new agricultural buildings which intend to replace existing buildings at Houghall Farm, comprising of cattle shed and forage store incorporating workshops, sheep shed, pig shed, feed store, organic waste store and associated external works. Some of the buildings incorporate teaching space. The size of the four buildings would range from 70m by 30m and 6.7m in height (cattle shed and feed store) to the sheep shed which is 45m by 16m and 5m in height. They would extend around the back of the existing buildings, largely running parallel to the existing site and extending for a short way along an internal road. The feed store would be sited within the edge of the main developed site and replace an existing area of conifer trees. The buildings would be of typical agricultural style and design comprising red brickwork and Yorkshire timber boarding. 6. To the north west of these, following the line of the proposed new buildings, a new animal care facility is proposed comprising a single storey building of 56m in width, 6m in height and 24m in length. This would include housing for small mammals, dog grooming areas, workshops and staff facilities. It would be constructed of slate roof, natural stone walling, render panels and Yorkshire timber boarding. The roof to the north east elevation would be a ‘sedum’ green curved roof with the south eastern roof slope incorporating photovoltaic cells. This would be sited on a grassed area at the edge of a football pitch. The existing overflow car park, which can accommodate up to approximately 40 cars between the farm buildings and the animal care centre would remain. A dog agility area and kennels were previously proposed but have now been removed from the plans, after concerns were raised regarding their siting. Hedgerow planting around the farm buildings and tree planting around the animal care centre is proposed, as well as abutting the ancient woodland. Access for staff, students and deliveries, including lorries, would be taken from the main entrance to the college off the A177. 7. Originally it was proposed to wedge the proposed new buildings in an area of open space in between the main buildings and the ancient woodland. However, concerns were raised by officers regarding the impact of the buildings on the openness on the Green Belt and the visual amenity of the ancient woodland. Revised plans show a reduction in number of the buildings, one of the buildings being relocated within the existing major developed site designation and the rest of the buildings extending round the edge of the existing built development. This leaves a swath of open land between the woodland and the proposed buildings. 8. To the north east of the existing Houghall agricultural teaching farm, approximately 0.4 miles to the south of the main buildings it is proposed to create a new equine centre. This would be sited on an existing field in between woodland, directly to the south of the existing outdoor ménage. The field is currently used for horse jumping. The building would incorporate 36 stables, isolation area, arena, tack room, muck store, store areas, toilets, lockers etc. Car parking accommodating 30 spaces would be sited to the western frontage of the site with access taken from the south western corner off Farm Road which extends northwards onto the main A177. Access would also be provided from the existing farm from the south extending around the eastern perimeter to the existing ménage. Additionally this would provide access into fields to the east. The structure would be 10m in height (at the highest point), 84m in length and 60m in width. A yard area and covered walkway would link the two elements of the stables and arena. Significant landscaping and hedgerow planting would be proposed around the equestrian facility. The existing outdoor ménage would be retained and to the east of this an existing relocated horse walker would be sited. The equestrian centre layout has also been revised after concerns were raised by the nearest residential property regarding their amenity. 9. The application is reported to County Planning Committee as it represents a large scale major development. PLANNING HISTORY 10. There have been 20 previous planning applications in the last 18 years at the College which have largely been for advertisement consent, works to trees and temporary buildings. 11. Outline planning permission was granted in 2002 for additional residential and administration blocks, sports pitches, car park and an indoor tennis centre. This permission was never implemented. 12. Planning permission was granted in 2006 for the erection of a wooden cabin for use as a café. PLANNING POLICY NATIONAL POLICY : 13. The Government has consolidated all planning policy statements, guidance notes and many circulars into a single policy statement, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), although the majority of supporting Annexes to the planning policy statements are retained. The overriding message is that new development that is sustainable should go ahead without delay. It defines the role of planning in achieving sustainable development under three topic headings – economic, social and environmental, each mutually dependant. 14. The presumption in favour of sustainable development set out in the NPPF requires local planning authorities to approach development management decisions positively, utilising twelve ‘core planning principles’. The following elements of the NPPF are considered relevant to this proposal. 15. Part 1 – Building a strong, competitive economy . The Government is committed to securing economic growth in order to create jobs and prosperity, building on the country’s inherent strengths, and to meeting the twin challenges of global competition and a low carbon future. 16. Part 4 – Promoting sustainable transport. Transport policies have an important role to play in facilitating sustainable development but also in contributing to wider sustainability and health objectives. Smarter use of technologies can reduce the need to travel. The transport system should be balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes. Encouragement should be given to solutions which support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and reduce congestion. 17.