Delegated Report
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Local Member’s Interest Cannock Chase Mr. G. Adamson Hednesford Ms. C. Mitchell and Rawnsley SCHEME OF DELEGATION TO OFFICERS WASTE COUNTY MATTER Application No: CH.15/10/779 W (Cannock Chase) Applicant: Severn Trent Water Ltd Description: Improvements to access Location: Brindley Heath Sewage Pumping Station, Rugeley Road, Hednesford, Cannock Summary of the Proposals Planning permission is sought to improve the access to the existing Brindley Heath Sewage Pumping Station (SPS). The access bell mouth would be widened on the north eastern side onto the grass verge and would be surfaced using bitmac surfacing. The area affected is 74 square metres. Site and Surroundings The Brindley Heath SPS is located to the north east of Hednesford Town off the A460 Rugeley Road, from which access to the SPS is gained. The surrounding environment is rural in nature lying adjacent to the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and SAC. A railway line runs to the west of the SPS. The Development Plan policies relevant to this decision: Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Joint Waste Local Plan (2010 – 2026) (adopted 22 March 2013): • Policy 3: Criteria for the location of new and enhanced waste management facilities o Policy 3.1 General requirements for new and enhanced facilities • Policy 4: Sustainable design and protection and improvement of environmental quality o Policy 4.1 Sustainable design The Cannock Chase Local Plan (adopted June 2014): 1 • Policy CP1 – Strategy • Policy CP3 – Chase Shaping - Design • Policy CP13 – Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation • Policy CP14 - Landscape Character and Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Other Material Considerations: • The National Planning Policy Framework o Section 4: Transport o Section 7: Requiring good design o Paragraphs 14 (Presumption in favour of sustainable development); 17 (Core planning principles). • Planning Practice Guidance Relevant Planning History None Screening Opinion: No Environmental Statement: No Consultation Responses Internal Transport Development Control Team (TDC) on behalf of the Highways Authority – no objections and advised that a Minor Works Agreement will be required for works within the limits of the adopted highway. Flood Risk Management Team (FRMT) – no objections. External The Environment Agency (EA) – no objections. District/Parish Council Cannock Chase Council– no comments. Brindley Heath Parish Council – no objections. Publicity and Representations Site notice: YES Press notice: YES No representations have been received. 2 The Applicant’s Case The proposals form a part of the overall ‘Asset Management Plan’ by Severn Trent Water (April 2015 to March 2020), the drivers for which are investment during the period to provide a continuous supply of quality water, dealing effectively with waste water, and promoting an effective regulatory regime. Justification for the proposals relates to the fact that the SPS has a tight turning circle at the access bell mouth which results in the rear wheels of Severn Trent Water’ tankers running over the edge of the grassed verge on the north eastern side when entering the site. This leads to damage to the grass verge. The applicant contends that the widening of the access will provide a safer and easier entrance to the site and allow vehicles to enter and exit the SPS without the need to drive over the grass verge. Key Issues This is an application to improve the access to the Brindley Heath Sewage Pumping Station, off Rugeley Road, Hednesford, Cannock. Having given careful consideration to the application and supporting information, the relevant development plan policies, the other material considerations, and the consultation responses referred to above, the key issues are considered to be: • Permitted Development rights; and, • Design Principles Permitted Development rights Severn Trent Water Ltd as a sewerage undertaker has certain permitted development rights to carry out works at their sewage pumping stations (ref. The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 – Schedule 2, Part 13, Class B). Prior to making the planning application Severn Trent Water Ltd wrote to clarify whether the proposed access improvement would be permitted development under Part 2, Class B and was advised that the proposals were not permitted development as the proposed development would affect a means of access to a highway which is …. a ‘classified road’ namely the A460 (ref: CH.15/06/779 W dated 19 May 2015). Conclusion: In this case planning permission was required for the proposals as the proposals did not constitute Permitted Development. Design Principles Waste Local Plan policy 4.1, Cannock Chase Local Plan (policy CP3), and the NPPF Section 7, seek to ensure that development is of a high quality design, appropriate to the surroundings and respects and integrates with the character and appearance of the locality. The Local Plan policies CP12 and CP13 seek to ensure protection the adjacent Cannock Chase AONB and SAC. 3 The proposed access improvements works would be at ground level and therefore only visible to vehicles travelling along or entering and exiting the SPS. The proposed improvements would widen the access by approximately 2 metres at the widest point near the entrance gates leading to nothing at the point where the access meets with the Rugeley Road. The widened access would be bitmac surfaced and would be generally unobtrusive. No objections have been received from consultees and it is not considered that any landscaping would be required to screen the development. Conclusion: Having regard to the relevant development plan policies, other material considerations and consultation responses, referred to above, it is reasonable to conclude that the proposals are acceptable in terms of design and would have no unacceptable adverse impact in terms of landscape character. Overall Conclusion Overall, as an exercise of judgement, taking the relevant development plan policies as a whole and having given careful consideration to application and supporting information, the consultation responses, and the other material considerations, referred to above, it is reasonable to conclude that planning permission should be granted, subject to the attached planning conditions. Recommendation PERMIT the proposed improvements to access at Brindley Heath Sewage Pumping Station, Rugeley Road, Hednesford, Cannock) subject to the attached conditions. SIGNED: --------------------------------------------------------- Mike Grundy Planning, Policy and Development Control Manager DATE: 19 November 2015 4 Recommended Conditions: [CH.15/10/779 W ] Definition of Consent 1. This planning permission shall only relate to the site edged red on the ‘Proposed Plan’ (dwg no. A6S/11671/PA/079 rev B), hereafter referred to as ‘the Site’ and the development hereby permitted shall only be carried out within the Site in accordance with the approved documents and plans referred to below: • Application Form dated 21 August 2015 • Planning Design and Access Statement • Location Plan (dwg no. A6S/11671/PA/077 rev B) • Proposed Plan (dwg no. A6S/11671/PA/079 rev B) except in so far as the approved documents and plans referred to above are amended by the conditions specified below. Reason: To define the permission and to ensure the permission is implemented in all respects in accordance with the submitted details. Commencement of the Development 2. The development hereby permitted shall commence within three years of the date of this permission. Reason: In order to comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990, as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, 2004. INFORMATIVES 1. Transport Development Control Team (on behalf of the Highways Authority) The works within the limits of the adopted highway will require a Minor Works Agreement with Staffordshire County Council. The applicant is therefore requested to contact Staffordshire County Council in respect of securing the agreement. The completed application forms should be sent to: Network Management Unit, c/o Staffordshire County Council, 2 Staffordshire Place, Tipping Street, Stafford. ST1 2DH or sent by email to: [email protected] 5 Background to the decision In accordance with the Scheme of Delegation to Officers a report recommending to PERMIT the application for (improvements to access at Brindley Heath Sewage Pumping Station, Rugeley Road, Hednesford, Cannock) was signed. For more details refer to the Application Details/Documents/Delegated Report. THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE)(ENGLAND) ORDER 2015 (PART 6, ARTICLE 35(2)) Statement of the Positive and Proactive steps In accordance with the above, when dealing with planning applications, the government requires local planning authorities to make a statement about how we have worked with the applicant in a positive and proactive manner based on seeking solutions to problems arising in relation to dealing with a planning application. Staffordshire County Council endeavours to work positively and proactively in order to determine planning applications in an efficient and effective manner and in accordance with the presumption in favour of sustainable development, as described in the National Planning Policy Framework. No particular problems arose in this case. 6 .