13 Sutton Cycle Track Path Sutton Road Shrewsbury.Pdf
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Committee and Date Item Central Planning Committee 31st May 2012 13 Public Development Management Report Responsible Officer: Stuart Thomas email: [email protected] Tel: 01743 252665 Fax: 01743 252619 Summary of Application Application Number: 12/01858/TEL Parish: Shrewsbury Town Council Proposal: Erection of a 17.5 metre high column with cabinets and ancillary development Site Address: Sutton Cycle Track Path Sutton Road Shrewsbury Shropshire Applicant: Telefonica UK Ltd Case Officer: Steve Drury email: [email protected] Grid Ref: 350567 - 310924 © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Shropshire Council 100049049. 2011 For reference purposes only. No further copies may be made. Central Planning Committee – 31st May 2012 Recommendation: Prior Approval Not Required. Recommended Reason for Approval The proposed mast and equipment cabinet will be sited in a location which will not adversely affect the appearance of the street scene or the character of the area and will not be detrimental to residential amenity. The proposal is therefore considered to accord with policies CS6 and CS8 of the Shropshire Core Strategy, Policy INF17 of the Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Shropshire Council therefore consider that PRIOR APPROVAL IS NOT REQUIRED for the proposed development received on the 30th April 2012. REPORT 1.0 THEPROPOSAL 1.1 This application relates to determination as to whether prior approval is required for the siting and appearance of a 17.5m high dual user column supporting 6 antennas in shroud with associated ground based equipment cabinet. The mast will be galvanised steel and the equipment housing will be a fir green steel cabinet. 1.2 The top of the mast will contain a 4.5m tall shroud which will measure 500mm in diameter and will accommodate the 6 antennae. On the ground, the metal cabinet will be 1.5m high, 1.8m wide and 0.55m deep. 1.3 The equipment will be sited on a grass verge alongside a public footpath to the East of Sutton Road. It will be situated approximately 15 metres South East of the pedestrian crossing on Sutton Road. 2.0 SITE LOCATION/DESCRIPTION 2.1 The site is situated in the Sutton Farm area of Shrewsbury, which is located approximately 1 mile South of the Town Centre. It is a predominantly residential area containing a mixture of detached and semi-detached properties served by Sutton Road which runs North to South through the area. A public footpath following the route of a disused railway line crosses the highway, by way of a zebra crossing located to the North of the Sutton Farm Shopping Centre. The proposed column and equipment cabinet will be sited on the grass verge to the South of the footpath and the East of the highway. The footpath is lined by tall, mature trees on either side. 2.2 A number of residential properties are located within close proximity to the site. A recently erected two storey development (Sutton Court) contains No’s 99, 101. 103 and 105 Sutton Road and is located approximately 12 metres to the South. No. 97 Sutton Road is located to the North of the footpath and site. No 84 Sutton road is located across the highway to the West of the site. 2.3 Sutton Farm Shopping Centre is located to the South of the site and contains a supermarket, pharmacy, chip shop, motability centre and childrens nursery. The childrens nursery is located approximately 110 metres from the site and is on the far (South East) facing side of the shopping centre. Contact Stuart Thomas on 01743 252665 Central Planning Committee – 31st May 2012 3.0 REASON FOR COMMITTEE DETERMINATION OF APPLICATION 3.1 The application is on Council owned land and not in line with a statutory function. 4.0 COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIONS 4.1 Consultee Comments 4.1.1 SC Highways - I do not raise any highway objections in principle to permission being granted for this application. 4.1.2 SC Public Protection - Following a review of the information provided and given the location of the mast, I have no objection to the proposals. 4.2 Public Comments 36 local residents were notified about the application and a site notice was erected at the front of the site. At the time of writing, 7 letters of objection have been received from local residents citing concerns summarised as follows: - - HealthandSafetyimpact - Detrimental visual impact - Proximity housing, nursery facilities and local shops - Devaluation of properties - Plenty of telephone masts in area already - Potential Health Risks - Proximity to Nursery 5.0 THEMAINISSUES It is considered that the main issues affecting this application are as follows: - - Principle of Development - Site History - Siting and Appearance - Impact Upon Residential Amenity - Highway Safety - Health Issues - Trees Issues 6.0 OFFICER APPRAISAL 6.1 Principle of Development 6.1.1 Whilst Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG)8 has now been superseded by the National Planning Policy Framework, the recommendations with regard to the telecommunications masts remains the same. This emphasises the need to meet the requirements of the national network of telecommunications, it encourages mast sharing, pre-application consultation and publicity and states the need for unobtrusive design and siting of masts. Contact Stuart Thomas on 01743 252665 Central Planning Committee – 31st May 2012 6.1.2 Saved Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Local Plan Policy INF17 seeks siting of masts to minimise their visual impact. The new Draft Core Strategy in policies CS6 and CS8, does not refer to masts specifically, but refers to protecting residential amenity and the character and appearance of the locality balanced with the need to meet infrastructure requirements. 6.2 SiteHistory 6.2.1 The proposal has a fairly lengthy and complex history. An application for a 12.5m high column with 2 equipment cabinets was refused on land to the North of the pedestrian crossing in 2004 under SA/04/1680/MAS. The reason for refusal was as: 6.2.2 ‘In the opinion of the LPA, the installation of a 12.5 metre high column mast and its associated equipment in this prominent roadside location, would result in a form of development that would project significantly above surrounding dwellings and be visually obtrusive and detrimental to both the amenities of this residential area and the visual amenities of the occupiers of adjacent dwellings, contrary to Policy INF 17 of the Borough Local Plan’. 6.2.3 A subsequent application for a 12.5m high mast and equipment cabinet was submitted for a site approximately 150m to the South of the proposed site at Sutton Farm Shopping Centre. This application was refused on the grounds of the likely unacceptable impact upon the amenities of neighbouring properties, the visual impact in a prominent location and reduction in the width of the footpath. 6.2.4 A further application was submitted under 11/02392/TEL for the erection of an 11.8 metre high dual user column immediately to the South of the pedestrian crossing. This application was refused for the following reason: 6.2.5 “The proposed development would be sited in an open and prominent roadside location where as a result of its height and appearance, it would form an unsympathetic addition to the streetscene which would be harmful to the character and appearance of the area and the amenities of nearby residents. Accordingly, the proposal is considered contrary to saved Policy INF17 of the Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Local Plan and Policies CS6 and CS8 of the Shropshire Core Strategy”. 6.3 SitingandAppearance 6.3.1 The proposal will involve the erection of a 17.5m high column with associated 1.5m high equipment cabinet to the South side of the public footpath to the East of Sutton Road. It will be set 2 metres back from the edge of the footpath and 5.5 metres from the side of Sutton Road. The column will include a 4.5m tall shroud which will measure 500mm in diameter and will accommodate the 6 antennae. On the ground, the equipment cabinet will be 1.5m high, 1.8m wide and 0.55m deep. Both structures will be painted in a fir green colour. Contact Stuart Thomas on 01743 252665 Central Planning Committee – 31st May 2012 6.3.2 The part of Sutton Road within the vicinity of the application site is relatively open, on flat terrain with relatively low rise, two storey buildings. As a result, the tallest features in the area are the trees which line the South side of the footpath. These rise to a height of approximately 16 metres. 6.3.3 The siting of the column has been selected in attempt to overcome concerns raised during previous refusals at the site, most notably its prominence within the street scene and visual impact within the wider area. 6.3.4 It is considered that the setting back of the proposed column from the edge of the carriageway will reduce its prominence within the street scene and will reduce its visual impact when viewed from distance along Sutton Road. Furthermore, the setting of the column back allows the column to benefit from the natural screening afforded by the line of trees along the footpath. 6.3.5 The column will be painted a fir green colour and will be provided in the CU Phosco MK3 style which has an appearance of a typical street column such as a lamppost. It will be situated 9 metres to the North West of the tree line immediately alongside the footpath, but is required to rise to a height of 17.5 metres in order to clear the trees.