To the Chairman and Members of the PLANNING REGULATORY BOARD Date 4th April 2014

Report of the Director of Planning and Regeneration Service

ITEM NO. SUBJECT

1 Ref: RB2014/0271

Page No. Courtesy Consultation for use of land for staff, contractor and 96 coach parking accommodation including ancillary uses and provisions of a security cabin and barriers to the coach park site at Alsing Road, for MSC Property Intermediate Holdings Limited.

ROTHERHAM METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING REGULATORY BOARD

PLANNING AND REGENERATION SERVICE REPORT TO COMMITTEE 3rd APRIL 2014

File Ref: RB2014/0271

Courtesy Consultation for use of land for staff, contractor and coach parking accommodation including ancillary uses and provisions of a security cabin and barriers to the coach park site at Alsing Road, Sheffield for MSC Property Intermediate Holdings Limited

Recommendation :

That Sheffield City Council be informed that the Council has no objections to the proposals.

Background

Rotherham MBC has been consulted on the above planning application submitted to Sheffield City Council. This is a ‘courtesy’ consultation as required due to the close proximity of Rotherham Borough to the application site. RMBC are invited to provide SCC with comments on the application and the impact of the proposal on Rotherham in terms of such planning related issues as the environment, flooding, traffic and the vitality / viability of Rotherham town centre.

Site Description & Location

The site is located to the north of Meadowhall Shopping Centre and is bounded by the railway line to the west, the M1 (Tinsley Viaduct) to the east and the River Don to the south. The site is bisected by Alsing Road.

To the north of Alsing Road is a temporary staff car park (Staff Car Park B) and a coach park and temporary staff car park is located to the south.

The site is relatively flat and is located within close proximity to the , located to the far south west of the site.

The application is located less than 300 metres from the western boundary of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough’s administrative boundary which is on the north western side of the (Tinsley Viaduct).

Proposal

The proposal seeks the use of the existing temporary staff and Coach Park for permanent staff, contractor and coach parking with a security hut, and safety barriers on the Coach Park.

A Certificate of Lawful Development has already been approved which allows for the lawful use of coach parking spaces on this site. 33 coach parking spaces are currently laid out and are to be retained as part of the application.

A total of 1,405 car parking spaces (including those already at the site) are to be provided across the site.

The security hut and barrier gate will be located at the access to the Coach Park on the south-western boundary of the site.

A Travel Plan, Transport Assessment and Flood Risk Assessment have all been submitted to Sheffield City Council for consideration.

Consultations

Streetpride (Transportation and Highways): Although they envisage there would be no significant impact on Rotherham’s highway network they have indicated that Sheffield City Council should address the following:

• Re-routing of traffic to the site, anyone travelling from Rotherham might be tempted to use Meadowbank Road rather than Sheffield Road to access the new site. With the Tinsley Link due to be built, what effect will this parking have on traffic on the new road, will it interfere with Bus Rapid Transit? • Overall provision of parking, near to the centre will be increased by moving staff to the car park which only has overspill permission for 60 days a year.

In addition they indicate the submitted Travel Plan and Transport Assessment do not consider the effect of relocating staff car parking to a location which will concentrate vehicle movements.

Streetpride (Drainage): Consider there will be minimal impact on Rotherham in terms of flooding and drainage issues.

Appraisal

The main issues with the proposal affecting Rotherham would include the impact on traffic levels within the Borough and the impact on the general environment of the Borough’s residents.

In terms of impact on the Borough’s highway network it is unlikely the proposed change of use would have a significant impact on Rotherham’s highway network.

However, the Council’s Transportation and Highway department have raised some concerns about the potential impact the proposal will have on the Tinsley Link and the proposed Bus Rapid Transit route and it does not appear the submitted Travel Plan and Transport Assessment consider the effect of relocating the staff car park to a location which will concentrate vehicle movements.

The above are issues which the Highways Engineer at Sheffield City Council will be assessing as part of the development.

Therefore whilst the Council’s Transportation and Highway department have raised some concerns / issues, these are likely to be considered by their counterparts in Sheffield during the determination of the application and would not affect Rotherham’s highway network should the application be approved by Sheffield City Council.

In view of the above despite the concerns raised it is considered that the proposed development is unlikely to have a material adverse impact on Rotherham’s highways.

The nearest residential properties within the administrative boundary of Rotherham to the proposed site are approximately 400 metres to the north- east on Meadowbank Road. These properties are on the northern side of the busy Meadowbank Road and there is the dual-carriageway section of Meadowbank Road and the M1 motorway and Tinsley Viaduct between the site and these properties. Given the distance, land levels and presence of large road structures will ensure that these properties within Rotherham and their occupants are not adversely affected by the visual appearance of the site.

The application site is located within Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3 and the development is classed as “Less vulnerable” development which is appropriate for Flood Zones 2 and 3. The site is located within the Flood Warning area for Meadowhall and a fully developed Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan exists for the Shopping Centre.

In terms of any additional impact on the environment of Rotherham, it is considered that as there is no proposal to alter levels or increase flows there would be minimal impact on Rotherham in terms of flooding.

Conclusion

Having regard to the above it is concluded that the impact of the development on Rotherham will be minimal given the nature of the work and the proposed use of the site. As such it is considered that RMBC should raise no objections to the proposals.