PURPOSE of REPORT Since the Comhairle Has an Interest, As
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ENVIRONMENT AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE: 5 FEBRUARY 2013 APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISSION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF 8 BED POLICE HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION INCLUDING PARKING AREA AND NEW ACCESS AT RAVEN’S LANE, LAXDALE, ISLE OF LEWIS (REF NO 12/00681/PPD) Report by Director of Development PURPOSE OF REPORT Since the Comhairle has an interest, as landowner, in the land and is the applicant and agent to which the application relates, the planning application cannot be dealt with under delegated powers and is presented to Committee for a decision. COMPETENCE 1.1 There are no legal, financial or other constraints to the recommendation being implemented. SUMMARY 2.1 This is a planning application by the Director of Technical Services, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, on behalf of the Northern Constabulary, Old Perth Road, Inverness for the construction of an eight bed police hostel including parking and access at Raven’s Lane, Laxdale, Isle of Lewis. The proposed development will be sited to the east of the Nurses’ Flats at Laxdale Court. 2.2 The site is a rectangular shape and 0.128ha in area. The access to the site is to be via Raven’s Lane, located to the northwest of the site. The proposed development will be served by mains electricity, public water and the public sewer. A soakaway for surface water drainage is proposed to be located in the southwest corner of the site. The site is not within an area of natural heritage designation. 2.3 Two representations have been received regarding the proposal. The details of the representations cite increased traffic congestion and road safety problems on Raven’s Lane, flood risk, potential impacts on natural heritage, unsuitability of the site, insufficient foul drainage provision, loss of greenfield land, the availability of alternative sites, and the high cost of development. 2.4 The Comhairle is required to determine planning applications in accordance with the provisions of its Development Plan unless material planning considerations indicate otherwise. The assessment against the Development Plan has determined that the proposal is in accordance with its provisions. An assessment of the material planning considerations, including the issues raised in representation, has not identified any matter that carries such weight that it indicates that the Development Plan should not be accorded priority. The proposal is therefore recommended for approval subject to the application of conditions. RECOMMENDATION 3.1 It is recommended that the application be APPROVED, subject to the conditions in Appendix 1 to the Report. Contact Officer Eric Wojchik Telephone: 01851 822690 Email: [email protected] Appendix 1 Schedule of Proposed Conditions 2 Location, Site, Elevation and Floor Plans Background Papers None REPORT DETAILS DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL 4.1 This is a planning application to erect an eight bed police hostel including parking and access at Raven’s Lane, Laxdale, Isle of Lewis. 4.2 The site is a rectangular shape, running lengthwise west to east, and 0.128ha. The site falls away from the main road by approximately 1.7m over a distance of 32 metres. The site is to the east of the Nurses’ Flats at Laxdale Court. The access to the site is to be via Raven’s Lane, located to the northwest of the site. 4.3 The new police hostel will be sited to the centre and north of the site; it will consist of eight bedrooms spread over two floors, 296 sq metres in area. The proposed building is 7 metres high, 18.5 metres in length, and 8 metres wide. 4.4 The building is of a 1.5 storey form, with pitched roof and pitched dormer windows. The building is proposed to be finished in white roughcast render with timber effect cladding panels to the external walls, grey concrete tiles for the roof finish, brown uPVC windows and doors, and rylock fencing to the boundaries. 4.5 A car park for six parking bays and one disabled bay will be created on the south portion of the site. The Director of Technical Services has requested minor changes to accommodate an additional parking bay and widening of the access. The parking area includes an area for the turning of vehicles and bin storage. 4.6 The site is not within an area of natural heritage designation. 4.7 The proposed development will be served by mains electricity, public water and the public sewer. A SuDS system for surface water drainage is proposed to be located in the southwest corner of the site. 4.8 The proposal is within the class of Local Development within the Planning Hierarchy. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES 5.1 The planning application by the Director of Technical Services, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Council Offices, Sandwick Road, Stornoway HS1 2BW on behalf of the Northern Constabulary, Police Headquarters, Old Perth Road, Inverness IV2 3SY was registered on 16 November 2012. 5.2 The planning application was advertised for public comment in the public notices section of the Stornoway Gazette in the publication dated 22 November 2012, as required by regulations. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2011 6.1 The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 are not applicable to the proposal. PREVIOUS PLANNING DECISIONS RELATING TO THE SITE 7.1 There are no previous planning decisions relating to the site. However, the site forms part of what was a housing proposal site allocation (in the previous Western Isles Local Plan 2008 and in the earlier stages of the new Outer Hebrides Local Development Plan). The larger housing allocation site was discounted from the current adopted Outer Hebrides Local Development Plan 2012 on unit cost grounds for housing allocation following a flood risk assessment, which cited requirements for extensive engineering and site raising works to enable development. The current proposed development site layout is within one corner of that site and is the portion outwith the identified flood risk area. RESPONSES TO CONSULTATION 8.1 The full terms of the responses to statutory and other consultation by the Planning Authority can be read on file at the Development Department. The following is a summary of those relevant to the determination of the application. TECHNICAL SERVICES (ROADS) 8.2 ‘There should be 8 parking bays provided for the hostel within the site boundary. It must be possible for 2 cars to pass at the bellmouth of the access. The access should be constructed in accordance with the conditions set out in Drawing 12/00681.’ SCOTTISH WATER 8.3 ‘Scottish Water has no objection to this planning application. Stornoway Water Treatment Works may have capacity to service this proposed development. The water network that serves the proposed development may be able to supply the new demand. Stornoway Waste Water Treatment Works may have capacity to service this proposed development. The waste water network that serves the proposed development may be able to accommodate the new demand. A totally separate drainage system will be required with the surface water discharging to a suitable outlet. Scottish Water requires a sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) as detailed in Sewers for Scotland 2 if the system is to be considered for adoption. Scottish Water's current minimum level of service for water pressure is 1.0 bar or 10m head at the customer's boundary internal outlet. Any property which cannot be adequately serviced from the available pressure may require private pumping arrangements installed, subject to compliance with the current water byelaws. If the developer wishes to enquire about Scottish Water's procedure for checking the water pressure in the area then they should write to the Customer Connections department at the above address. An appropriate water storage system Water storage equivalent to 24 hours usage is recommended for commercial premises. Details of such storage installations must be forwarded can be discussed to Scottish Water's Customers Connections department at the above address.’ BUILDING STANDARDS 8.4 ‘There are several issues relating to the internals regarding compliance of the standards which will be picked up at plan check stage. The disabled car parking area should have a 1.2m access zone on both sides and end of the disabled parking bay. The soakaway will require percolation tests and should be located at least 5m away from any boundary. The location of the fire hydrant should be marked on the site plan.’ MINISTRY OF DEFENCE 8.5 ‘The MOD has no safeguarding objections to this proposal.’ HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS AIRPORTS LTD 8.6 No response from this consultee at the time of writing. SCOTTISH NATURAL HERITAGE 8.7 ‘SNH has no comment to make on this proposal. There are no natural heritage interests of national importance on the site, which is placed within a residential area out-with any designated sites. We currently have no records of breeding Corncrake, Heron or Otter on or near the site, therefore we have no comments to make on the proposed development at this time.’ REPRESENTATIONS 9.1 Representations have been received from the following: Mr Norman Maclean, 16 Labost, Laxdale, Isle of Lewis HS2 0DS; Mr Stuart and Mrs Lesley Bagshaw, SBA Architects Ltd, Marybank Lodge, Lews Castle Grounds, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis HS2 0DD. 9.2 The full terms of the Representations can be read on the file at the Development Department. However, they can be summarised as follows: The development will cause traffic congestion and road safety issues; The site is at risk of flooding; The foul drainage connection is difficult, and the sewer will require to be pumped, which is costly and complicated; There are otters, corncrakes, and herons which use and are in vicinity of the site; The site is unsuitable for development; The site is a greenfield site and should be preserved because there are better alternative brownfield sites; There are better, alternative sites available for development; The cost of developing the site is prohibitive.