Unit 2, Hannah Close, Neasden London Borough of Brent Planning Application No
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planning report PDU/2434/01 22 December 2009 Unit 2, Hannah Close, Neasden London Borough of Brent planning application no. 09/2245 Strategic planning application stage 1 referral (new powers) Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Acts 1999 and 2007; Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 The proposal Change of use of warehouse to a materials-recovery facility (MRF), including workshops, offices and 2.5MW biomass CHP plant. The applicant The applicant is Careys Environmental Services Ltd, and the agent is RPS. Strategic issues The use of the site for recycling of construction and demolition waste is appropriate in this strategic industrial location, the design of the new buildings is appropriate, and the proposal is acceptable in terms of equal opportunities. However, the applicant needs to provide further information regarding energy, air quality and transport. Recommendation That Brent Council be advised that the application is broadly acceptable in strategic planning terms, but does not comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 90 of this report. The possible remedies set out in paragraph 92 of this report could address these deficiencies. Context 1 On 2 November 2009 the Mayor of London received documents from Brent Council notifying him of a planning application of potential strategic importance to develop the above site for the above uses. Under the provisions of The Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 the Mayor has until 23 December 2009 to provide the Council with a statement setting out whether he considers that the application complies with the London Plan, and his reasons for taking that view. The Mayor may also provide other comments. This report sets out information for the Mayor’s use in deciding what decision to make. 2 The application is referable under Category 2B of the Schedule to the Order 2008: ‘’waste development to provide an installation with capacity for a throughput of more than 50,000 tonnes per annum of waste produced outside the land in respect of which planning permission is sought”. page 1 3 Once Brent has resolved to determine the application, it is required to refer it back to the Mayor for his decision, as to whether to direct refusal or allow the Council to determine it itself, unless otherwise advised. 4 The Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 5 The site is a vacant B8 warehouse/distribution building at Unit 2, Hannah Close, Neasden within the London Borough of Brent. The site is located to the north of Great Central Way, to the east of Wembley Stadium, and adjoining the site to the north are a series of railway lines and sidings. 6 The site is triangular in shape and approximately three hectares in area including part of the rail sidings. The warehouse building is approximately 12,000 square metres in area with an eaves height of 10.9 metres. It also has an ancillary office of 320 square metres, an engine shed of 105 square metres and a small security hut. The site has rail sidings, an internal access road, hard surfacing, a car park and a landscaped area fronting Great Central Way. 7 The site was previously used as a transport and logistics distribution centre and is surrounded by industrial warehouses. 8 The site has a public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of 1b, on a scale of 1-6, where 6 is most accessible. The site is approximately 0.5km from the A406 North Circular which is part of Transport for London’s Road Network (TLRN). The nearest bus stop is 250m away located on Great Central Way, served by bus routes 92 (Brent Ikea to Ealing Hospital) and PR2 (Wembley Park to Willesden Junction). The nearest Underground station is Neasden, approximately 1km from the site. Fig 1 and 2: Site location and aerial photo (Source: Application documents) Details of the proposal 9 The applicant is proposing a change of use and conversion of the existing unit to provide a materials recovery facility (MRF). It is anticipated that the waste throughput will be up to 1.5 million tonnes per annum. 10 The MRF will deal with three main waste streams, namely: • municipal sold waste (5-10%); page 2 • commercial and industrial waste – including segregated card, paper, plastics and wood; dry recyclables; glass; and waste electrical and electronic equipment (20-30%); • construction, demolition and excavation waste – encompassing excavation soils, utility waste soils and other construction and demolition waste products (50-65%). 11 The waste streams will be sourced from Brent, the West London Waste Authority area and Greater London as a whole. Approximately three quarters of the construction waste would come from the applicant. Waste materials would be brought to the site primarily by road, but there being railway sidings within the application site, there is potential to take advantage of the rail link to import and export materials. 12 The proposal includes a biomass CHP plant which would thermally treat approximately 30,000 tonnes of waste wood, to generate both electricity and heat. 13 Physical works that are proposed included external alterations to the existing warehouse, the erection of a 35 metre high flue stack for a biomass CHP plant, and erection of a 3 storey ancillary building (1788 square metres) to provide staff welfare, office and workshop facilities. 14 The MRF would operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Fig 3: Site Layout Plan (Source: Design and Access Statement) Case history 15 The lawful use of the site is as a warehouse and distribution centre (Use Class B8) which was granted planning permission in 1986. 16 There is no planning history of a strategic nature that is relevant to this proposal, however the applicant did engage in a series of pre-application discussions with the GLA in the lead up to submission of the planning application. page 3 Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 17 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: • Waste London Plan; the Municipal Waste Management Strategy; PPS10 • Urban design London Plan; PPS1 • Access London Plan; PPS1; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment SPG; Planning and Access for Disabled People: a good practice guide (ODPM) • Equal opportunities London Plan; Planning for Equality and Diversity in Meeting the spatial needs of London’s diverse communities SPG; Diversity and Equality in Planning: A good practice guide (ODPM) • Sustainable development London Plan; PPS1, PPS Planning and Climate Change Supplement to PPS1; PPS3; PPG13; PPS22; the Mayor’s Energy Strategy; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG • Ambient noise London Plan; the Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy; PPG24 • Flooding London Plan; Mayor’s draft Water Strategy; PPS25, RPG3B • Safeguarded wharves London Plan; Safeguarded Wharves on the River Thames Implementation Report • Transport London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; • Parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; PPG13 18 For the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the development plan in force for the area are the 2004 Brent Unitary Development Plan, Brent Council’s 2003 add the London Plan (Consolidated with Alterations since 2004) 19 The ‘Destination Wembley’ supplementary planning guidance and the Brent Core Strategy and Site Allocations (informal pre-submission) and Development Control Policies (preferred options) development plan documents are also material considerations. 20 The draft replacement London Plan, which was released for consultation on 12 October 2009, is also a material consideration. Employment 21 The site lies within the Wembley Preferred Industrial Location (which is a subset of Strategic Industrial Locations) as identified in Annex 2 of the London Plan and Annex 3 of the draft replacement London Plan. 22 The London Plan and draft replacement have specific policies to protect, promote and manage the varied industrial offer contained within Strategic Industrial Locations. The London Plan also supports the establishment of green industries (policy 3B.10 of the London Plan and policy). The proposal is an appropriate use for and supports the continued operation of the identified Strategic Industrial Location. 23 Consideration should be given to initiatives for employment and training. The applicant has confirmed its agreement to the imposition of a planning obligation regarding local employment, and subject to this being confirmed, the scheme is in accordance with London plan policy 3B.11 and policy 4.12 of the draft replacement London Plan. Waste management page 4 24 The London Plan’s strategic framework for waste management is set out in policies 4A.21-29 of the London Plan and policies 5.16 to 5.19 of the draft replacement London Plan. The policies focus on minimising the level of waste generated, increasing re-use, recycling and composting of waste and promoting advanced waste conversion technologies in order to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and to support London’s environmental industries. London Plan policy 4A.21 and emerging policy 5.16 set a target to achieve recycling and re-use levels in construction, excavation and demolition waste of 95% by 2020. The London Plan also seeks to increase London’s ability to deal with its own waste (to be self-sufficient) through a range of measures, including by increasing waste management capacity. The draft London Plan makes clear that the Mayor supports self-sufficiency (Policy 5.6) and the need to increase waste processing capacity (Policy 5.17). Policy 4A.21 of the London Plan states that the Mayor will work in partnership with others to ensure that facilities with sufficient capacity to manage 75% of London’s waste are in place by 2010, rising to 80% by 2015 and 85% by 2020.