Cyclopark, the Tollgate Watling Street Gravesend Kent Description
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Application no: 20140199 Location: Cyclopark, The Tollgate Watling Street Gravesend Kent Description: Use of existing car park for commuter car parking. Upgrading of footpath to the existing bus stop. Applicant: The Kings Ferry Ltd Decision Level: Regulatory Board 28 May 2014 Recommendation: TEMPORARY PERMISSION subject to conditions 1. Description of the Site and Surroundings The Cyclopark is located on land just beyond the southern edge of the urban area and previously this was part of the line of the old A2 prior to the re-routing of the A2 to the south of the site in 2008. It forms the central core to a wider activity park with footpaths and cycle ways running from Pepper Hill in the west to Marling Cross in the east. The wider Cyclopark site is approximately 46 ha (114 acres) and the central core activity park accommodates the main pavilion building incorporating a café, bike rental/repair, changing facilities, etc. The remainder of the core site is occupied by the grounds which are predominantly in the form of cycle tracks, play grounds, and parking facilities. The car park at the Cyclopark has an existing capacity of 337 cars (170 spaces within the main car park plus an overspill car park of 167 spaces), together with space for 18 motorcycles, and 80 cycle spaces. There is also coach parking facilities in laybys next to the main car park. There are existing lighting, CCTV and Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) facilities on the site. The main car park is of a tarmac finish and is marked out with parking bays and traffic management directions. The car park is secure and can be locked out of operational hours. The current parking charges are £1 all day. The overspill car parking area is located to the south of the main car park accessed separately off the access road into the site and this also serves as a maintenance yard and compound. The Cyclopark has a dedicated entrance / exit onto the Wrotham Road on what was the former coast bound slip road onto the old A2 and which serves also as an access to a number of residential properties in Wrotham Road and to the Tollgate petrol station (BP garage) which remains in use. This road feeds on to the Wrotham Road (A227)/Coldharbour Road roundabout. A footpath runs parallel to the Cyclopark access road on its north side linking in an easterly direction the park with the Wrotham Road at a point just to the north of the old A2 bridge crossing and to the south of the Wrotham Road/Coldharbour Road roundabout junction and where there is a bus stop and shelter on the western side of the Wrotham Road. The footpath (part of the line of the former NG20 public footpath) links into the Cyclopark just to the east of the car parking area. It is not lit and is poorly maintained. It also adjoins a more recent footpath (which is wide, has lighting and a tarmac surface) that was constructed as a pedestrian/cycle access alongside the Toby Carvery linking Coldharbour Road with the Cyclopark in a north south direction. 2. Planning History 20090440 Application under Regulation 3 No objection 21.07.2010 for the A2 Activity Park scheme consisting of an outdoor Activity Park including car parking, pavilion and associated buildings, cycle tracks, footpaths, boundary treatments and landscaping on the A2 corridor and adjacent agricultural land. KCC GRANTED PERMISSION 16.9.10 (CONDITIONS) 20100463 Application under Regulation 3 No objection 24.06.2010 for the proposed external lighting of the core activity park, including the tarmac cycle track, BMX race track, multi- use games area (MUGA) and skate park. KCC GRANTED PERMISSION 10.9.10 (CONDITIONS) 20100464 Application under Regulation 3 No objection 24.06.2010 for the clarification of the usage of the Activity Park with particular reference to major events. KCC GRANTED PERMISSION 10.9.10 (CONDITIONS) 20121034 Display of 10 non-illuminated Refused 28.01.2013 banner signs attached to existing lamp posts. 20131036 Use of existing car park as a Withdrawn 04.03.2014 park and ride facility 3. Proposal This application is for the use of part of the existing customer car park at the Cyclopark as a park and ride facility for commuters using the Kings Ferry coach commuting service in North Kent into London. The proposal is for the eastern most part of the car park to be used by commuters with up to 100 spaces for the primary purpose of commuter parking (including 3 disabled bays). The operational window for commuter parking in the morning will be 6.00 – 8.00am Monday to Friday. These spaces will be reserved up until the last service leaves ensuring all morning commuters are able to park, and that if the residual Cyclopark spaces become full they remain open to non-commuters. It is not proposed that commuter coaches will enter or exit the site. It is stated that Kings Ferry already operates services in the area using the existing bus stop at Tollgate. Only the bus stop nearest the Cyclopark will be used (left of roadside as heading north) to pick up and drop off, and that this is achievable via the use of the roundabout a short distance to the north for coaches to turn round to gain access again to the A2. It is indicated that the Kings Ferry will be increasing the frequency of services at this stop from currently 12 services a day (Monday to Friday) to 22. It is stated that the vast majority of commuters who use Kings Ferry coach services are regular commuters who use season ticket passes to board. It is proposed that these commuters also have a ‘parking permit’ with their number plates on a database, recognised by Cyclopark’s Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). This will allow commuters to park all day without incurring a parking charge for overstaying the permitted 3 hour limit. It is proposed to improve the footpath that connects the car park with the Wrotham Road; the path will be trimmed back with lighting implemented and a new surface laid. The application is accompanied by: A Planning Statement Transport Note Air Quality Assessment Noise and Vibration Assessment The applicant states in the Planning Statement that: Cyclopark has a large amount of parking, they have rarely reached saturation point. Indeed on only 3 occasions has Cyclopark exceeded its car parking capacity. Fortunately, the site has an overflow parking facility with a further 167 parking spaces available if necessary. Special events such as this are firstly, rare and secondly, usually held on weekends and evenings. 4. Development Plan Policy Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires applications to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Where there are other material considerations, the development plan should be the starting point, and other material considerations should be taken into account in reaching a decision. One such consideration will be whether the plan policies are relevant and up to date. The 2004 Act provides that if there is a conflict between policies, the most recent policy will take precedence. Local planning authorities need to decide what weight should be attached to a particular material consideration, e.g. the weight to be attached to policies in emerging Development Plan Documents depends upon the stage of preparation or review. The Regional Strategy for the South East (the South East Plan) has now been partially revoked following an Order the Secretary of State laid before Parliament which came into force on 25 March 2013. The written ministerial statement is clear that from 25 March 2013, development plans across the former South East government office region will comprise local plans, and where they exist, neighbourhood plans. Central Government believes that this will enable councils to make the development choices that work for them; choices that are right for their communities and respond to the needs of the local area rather than to arbitrary top-down targets. The Development Plan for Gravesham therefore comprises:- • Saved Policies of the Gravesham Local Plan First Review (1994) • Saved Policies from the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plans. There are a number of other un-adopted planning documents (e.g. The Gravesham Local Plan Second Review) which are of some relevance and are a material consideration, together with national planning advice and guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG), supplementary planning guidance and the emerging policies in the Local Development Framework (Local Plan). Local Planning Guidance Gravesham Local Plan First Review (1994) The Gravesham Local Plan First Review was adopted in November 1994. The Gravesham Local Plan still remains as the adopted local planning document and the written statement and proposals map will continue to have effect as the development plan pending the preparation of the Local Development Framework (LDF). A substantial number of policies of the Gravesham Local Plan First Review have been saved by a Direction dated 25 September 2007 of the Secretary of State under paragraph 1 (3) of Schedule 8 to the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. In the Gravesham Local Plan First Review Proposals Map the site is shown as being partly trunk road (policy T13) and partly as Green Belt (policy GB2) and an Area of Special Significance for Agriculture (Policy C1). Wrotham Road is a primary distributor in the highway network. Policies relevant to the consideration of this application are: Policy GB1: Green Belt Definition Policy GB2: Development