Planning and Retail Statement Demolition of Existing Buildings And

Planning and Retail Statement Demolition of existing buildings and the erection of a Class E limited assortment discount foodstore with associated car parking, access, landscaping and associated engineering works Former Harvey’s Warehouse, Lodge Way / Hill Close, Northampton December 2020 Client: Lidl Great Britain Ltd Report Title: Planning and Retail Statement Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 2. The Lidl Operational Model .................................................................................................................................. 5 3. The Development Plan & Other Material Considerations ................................................................................. 8 4. Planning Assessment – Retail and Centres Policy .............................................................................................14 5. Planning Assessment – Other Matters.................................................................................................................35 6. Community Infrastructure Levy ...........................................................................................................................41 7. Summary and Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................42 Prepared By: Bart Shirm (Graduate Planner) / Miles Drew (Associate Director) / Matt Morris (Director) Status: FINAL Draft Date: December 2020 For and on behalf of Avison Young (UK) Limited Date: November 2020 Client: Lidl Great Britain Ltd Report Title: Planning and Retail Statement 1. Introduction 1.1 Avison Young is instructed by Lidl Great Britain Limited (Lidl) to submit an application for full planning permission for the demolition of existing buildings and construction of a limited assortment discount foodstore, car parking and associated works on a site located at Lodge Way / Hill Close in Northampton. 1.2 The description of the proposed development is as follows: “Demolition of existing buildings and the erection of a Class E limited assortment discount foodstore with associated car parking, access, landscaping and associated engineering works.” The Application Site and Surroundings 1.3 The site extends to some 1.4 hectares and is located the junction of Lodge Way and Harlestone Road, Northampton. The site is currently owned by Travis Perkins and comprises of a warehouse building and attached office block. The site sits below grade of the surrounding roads. It slopes down from the roadside, with a relatively flat plateau lying at the bottom of the ‘bowl’, on which the existing building is placed. 1.4 Travis Perkins has declared the site surplus to its requirements and has relocated the activities that were carried out from this site onto other sites / properties within its portfolio in Northampton. Although the site, including the warehouse building, is currently used as an ancillary vehicle parking facility by Travis Perkins, it does not form part of Travis Perkins’ core operation. 1.5 The existing building is served by two car parks: one on its northern side, accessed from Hill Close, and one on its southern side, facing Harlestone Road, which is also accessed from Hill Close and an access road that runs along the eastern side of the building. 1.6 On its southern and western sides, the site sits behind two areas of grass verge, which separate the building from footpaths on Harlestone Road and Lodge Way. We understand that these verges form part of the adopted highway. 1.7 The land uses immediately surrounding the site are mixed. The site is located on the edge of an industrial estate, and to the north and west, land uses are characterised by industrial / commercial uses, and the adjoining site to the east is also occupied for Class B uses. However, to the south, and further east, the land use is predominantly residential, save for a former car dealership on the southern side of Harlestone Road, which we understand is now vacant and occupied as a ‘hand car wash’. The Development Proposals 1.8 Lidl proposes to demolish the existing building and redevelop the site to provide a new discount foodstore. Specifically, the proposals comprise the delivery of: • a foodstore of 2,175sqm (GIA) and 1,414sqm (net sales area); • the formation of a vehicular access into the site from Lodge Way; • the formation of a ramped pedestrian access into the site from Lodge Way; Date: December 2020 Page: 1 Client: Lidl Great Britain Ltd Report Title: Planning and Retail Statement • a car park of 129 spaces, of which 8 would be dedicated for disabled users, 7 would be marked as ‘parent and child’ spaces, and 2 would include electric vehicle charging points; • hard and soft landscaping; and • the formation of retaining walls. 1.9 The Proposed Site Layout Plan shows that the store, car park and landscaping can be accommodated within an area that is smaller than the footprint of the existing building. It is for this reason that Lidl is not acquiring the totality of the Travis Perkins ownership and the boundary of the acquisition bisects the existing building. However, as it is not permissible to apply for the demolition of only part of the existing building, the red line of the planning application encompasses all of the Travis Perkins ownership. However, the Site Layout Plan demarcates the extent of Lidl’s acquisition. It also confirms that land inside the application red line, but outside the area of acquisition, will be made good following demolition. However, as it is not controlled by Lidl, no development is proposed on that part of the site by this application. 1.10 The proposed store is orientated so that it is placed in the centre of the site. A Proposed Elevations drawing is also submitted with the application. Read together, the drawings show that the elevation facing Harlestone Road will be of a largely glazed finish. The entrance to the store is located on the corner of the building where the glazed elevation returns on to the elevation that faces the car park. 1.11 At the north-eastern end of the building is a service ramp, into which delivery lorries will reverse in order to service the store, and a slab on which external plant associated with the building will be placed. 1.12 The elevations drawing confirms that the building will have a pitched roof, which will slope down from west to east. That drawing also shows that the store will be finished in a range of modern materials, including composite cladding, render and aluminium frames. The drawing also indicates the provision of photovoltaic panels on the roof of the building. 1.13 The layout drawing shows that the existing site access from Hill Close, within the boundary of the area Lidl will acquire, will be closed up. The access from Hill Close that is outside the area Lidl will acquire, but inside the application red line, is shown as retained. Relevant Planning History 1.14 In 2015, planning application N/2015/0438 was submitted by Travis Perkins to the Council. It proposed the demolition of existing buildings on the site and on land to the north and north-west (i.e. on land not being acquired by Lidl) and the development of a new HQ facility, with ancillary retail and commercial uses. The application was presented to Committee in July 2015, where Members resolved to grant planning permission subject to a S.106 agreement. However, delivery of the scheme was dependent on planning permission being granted for another scheme elsewhere, which would have unlocked the Lodge Farm sites for development. We understand that the other scheme, at Milton Ham, was refused planning permission, preventing delivery of the Lodge Farm scheme, and so a S.106 agreement was not signed. The application was finally disposed of by the Council in May 2019. 1.15 We believe it is important to note that application though, because the Planning Statement prepared in support of it by Blue Sky confirms that, as far back as 2015, the existing buildings were not suitable for Travis Date: December 2020 Page: 2 Client: Lidl Great Britain Ltd Report Title: Planning and Retail Statement Perkins’ operations. That leads us to make the observation that the site has been surplus to Travis Perkins’ requirements for some time. 1.16 Subsequently, in May 2019, Travis Perkins submitted an application under Part 11 of Schedule 2 to The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (as amended), for a determination as to whether the prior approval was required for the demolition of the building on the land that Lidl is seeking to acquire. That application was assigned reference number N/2019/0711 and on 26 July 2019, the Council confirmed that prior approval was granted and was given. To-date, though, the buildings have not been demolished. However, the Order confirms that, where prior approval is given, demolition may be carried out within five years of the date of the approval. In this case, the building on site could be demolished at any time before 26 July 2024. We consider the relevance of this in later sections. Submission Documents 1.17 Having regard to the nature of the development that is proposed, the location of the site, and the policy issues that are raised, this planning application is supported by the following documents, in addition to this Planning and Retail Statement: • Architectural Plans prepared by Whittam Cox; • Design and Access

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