Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 18 July 2012 ___________________________________________________________________ Application Number 12/00630/AS Location Car Park at Hothfield Common, Cades Road, Hothfield, Kent Grid Reference 97175/45879 Parish Council Hothfield Ward Downs West Application Extension to existing car park Description Applicant Head of Cultural and Project Services, Ashford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Tannery Lane, Ashford, Kent TN23 1PL Agent Mr Gary Vince, Project Office, Ashford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Tannery Lane, Ashford, Kent TN2 1PL Site Area 0.06ha (a) 4/6(r) (b) - (c) NE: X Introduction 1. This application is reported to the Planning Committee as the applicant is Ashford Borough Council Site and Surroundings 2. The application site is an existing unmade up car parking area and adjoining land situated adjacent to and accessed directly from Cades Road. The northern side of the site is currently covered by trees and shrubs and fenced off from the road by low level post and rail fencing; there is also a toilet block directly to the east of the site. The application site is located adjacent to Hothfield Common Site of Special Scientific Interest and Local Wildlife Area. 3. A Site plan is attached as Annex 1 6.1 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 18 July 2012 ___________________________________________________________________ Proposal 4. Full planning permission is sought for an extension to the existing car park at Hothfield Common. The development would mean the laying of approximately 570m² of self-binding gravel hard surfacing to the northern side of the existing car parking area. This seeks a first step towards a longer term goal of improving road safety, reducing the need for users of the common to park in an informal parking area to the side of the highway and eventually allowing for the redevelopment of the toilet block. 5. The extent of the car parking area is shown below: Planning History 83/01472/AS - Permission granted for improvements to the Hothfield Lay-By’s including the installation of public conveniences, pathways and bbq’s. 6.2 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 18 July 2012 ___________________________________________________________________ Consultations Ward Member: No representations received Parish Council: No representations received Natural England: Raise no objections but suggest biodiversity enhancements could be incorporated into the development. Neighbours: 4 consulted; 6 letters of objection received raising the following issues: (i) I would disagree that it primarily serves visitors to Hothfield Heathlands Nature Reserve; it primarily serves a much shadier section of society. The majority of nature lovers, including dog walkers and parents with small children prefer the safer option of what is referred to as the unofficial car park. (ii) The majority of visitors use the informal car park not because of the poor condition of the official car park because actually the access dirt track is in a much worse condition, it is purely for safety reasons. (iii) It would make more sense if the access track was properly resurfaced and not just fill in the holes as happened last winter which was a complete waste of time and money. Leave the official car park as it is until such a time as you can afford all the longer term aspirations. (iv) “I find it disconcerting that the final paragraph of the design and access statement is worded in such a way as to doubt any longer term aspirations will actually happen.” (v) Concern that the proposed works are a complete waste of Council time and money. (vi) If the road to the car park next to the playing field was made up properly with good quality material, it would not be necessary of the Council to be spending money on a car park that is totally unsuitable owing to litter that is left behind from unsavoury characters that use the car park after dark. (vii) Are the Council closing the car park to satisfy the needs of people who live next to the car park, which has been there longer than them, and is a parking area for the football field and playing area? (viii) The car park to be refurbished is not suitable for the needs of dog walkers as “I do not want my dog jumping from our car onto a hypodermic syringe left lying about by these people.” 6.3 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 18 July 2012 ___________________________________________________________________ (ix) Something should be done about the haphazard way some trucks are parking in the area before there is a serious injury or death on the junction of Cades Road and the A20. (x) Closing the unofficial car park would mean having to cross the fast Cades Road. For elderly people this it is difficult to cross quickly enough. (xi) Surely it would be cheaper to fix the access road to the unofficial car park rather than spend lots of money improving an impractical one. (xii) “I sometimes take my nephew to the common to walk my dog, if he falls asleep on the journey there, I can leave him in the car and stand in the old football field throwing a ball for my dog and keeping an eye on him in the car.” (xiii) The car park is neither a safe, clean or practical place to park a vehicle whilst visiting Hothfield Heathland and has a reputation for numerous unsavoury activity. (xiv) Carrying out the proposed repairs will not change the use of the car park for unsavoury purposes. (xv) Although it is appreciated that efforts have been made to mark out an identified area for crossing into the Heathland, it is felt that this is a very basic attempt and one which could lead to a serious road traffic accident. (xvi) Traffic approaching from either direction is known to be fast and it is felt that the crossing would not be adequate to slow down traffic in necessary time. (xvii) For many vulnerable groups such as children, disabled people and the elderly the unofficial car park offers a direct, easy and safe access to the Heathland. (xviii) The unofficial car park has been the main car park for visitors to the Heathland and is the preferred option, giving a safe environment for parking. (xix) Repairs to the access road to the unofficial car park have been unsuccessful to date due to their temporary nature and not being a longer term solution. (xx) It would cost less to carry out permanent repairs to the unofficial car park than the suggested proposals to Cades Road. (xxi) If the Council’s objective is to make access to the Heathland accessible and safer for users then the resource would be better spent of carrying out more permanent repairs to the unofficial car park and upgrading its status to official. 6.4 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 18 July 2012 ___________________________________________________________________ (xxii) As an absolute minimum the traffic calming measures should be added to Cades Road before the new car park is created. (xxiii) The only way to slow down traffic to a safe level at the crossing would be to add speed bumps. Planning Policy 6. The Development Plan comprises the Regional Spatial Strategy (The South East Plan, May 2009), the saved policies in the adopted Ashford Borough Local Plan 2000, the adopted LDF Core Strategy 2008, the adopted Ashford Town Centre Action Area Plan 2010 and the Tenterden & Rural Sites DPD 2010. Following the passage of the Localism Act and the publication of environmental assessments, it is anticipated that the South East Plan will be revoked later this year. 7. The relevant policies from the Development Plan relating to this application are as follows:- South East Plan 2009 CC1 - Sustainable Development C4 - Landscape and Countryside Management Ashford Borough Local Plan 2000 GP12 - Protecting the Countryside and Managing Change EN31 - Important Habitats EN32 - Important Trees and Woodland Local Development Framework Core Strategy 2008 CS1 - Guiding Principles CS9 - Design Quality Tenterden & Rural Sites DPD TRS17 - Landscape Character and Design 8. The following are also material to the determination of this application:- 6.5 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 18 July 2012 ___________________________________________________________________ Supplementary Planning Guidance/Documents Landscape Character Area SPD Government Advice National Planning Policy Framework 2012 9. Members should note that the determination must be made in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. A significant material consideration is the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF guidance is that relevant policies in the Development Plan adopted since 2004 and referred to in this report are up to date and may be given full weight in any decision even if there is a limited degree of conflict with the NPPF. The saved policies of the Ashford Borough Local Plan 2000, and post 2004 policies with more than a limited degree of conflict with the NPPF, should be given weight commensurate with how consistent they are with the NPPF. (paragraphs 214 and 215 of the NPPF) Assessment 10. The existing car parking area is an uneven and unsurfaced area situated directly adjacent to Hothfield Common. In the winter time and in wet periods the car park becomes largely unusable due to waterlogging which encourages visitors to park in an informal parking area which is accessed by way of an access track to the western side of Cades Road, which also serves 3 dwellings. 11. The proposed development seeks to extend and resurface the existing parking area in order to encourage visitors to use the Council run car parking area rather than parking in the informal parking area.