PLANNING STATEMENT Mr R W Carr Hi Range Limited Wychnor Bridges Wychnor Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire DE13 8BZ Planning Statement 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This Planning Statement has been prepared to accompany a revised planning application submitted to East Staffordshire Borough Council on behalf of Hi Range Limited and seeks retrospective planning permission for the retention of a building and land for use in connection with the heliport, helicopter hire and training. This application is made following a meeting held with Mrs Downes and Mr Malkin of East Staffordshire Borough Council on 8th February 2012. This is a revised application which seeks to overcome the previous reasons for refusing application P/2011/00823/JPM in December 2011 (see Appendix 1). Planning History 1.2 The planning history of the application site is summarised in the table below. Application No. Description Decision Date PA/04020/04 Additional factory building Approved 4th October 1984 PA/04020/05 Use of industrial buildings as Approved 6th August 1985 stonemasons PA/04020/009 Continued use of building as Approved 6th February 1995 stonemasons without compliance with Condition 1 of planning permission PA/04020/05 dated 6th August 1985 CU/04020/011 Change of use for the repair and Approved 19th June 1995 sale of helicopter components LE/04020/014 Lawful development relating to Approved 6th March 2007 the use of the hardstanding areas for parking of up to 30 vehicles for repair, stripping and dismantling of vehicles, staff and customer parking, storage of waste oil, batteries and other vehicle parts Hi Range Limited, Wychnor Bridges, Mr R W Carr 2 Wychnor, Burton-on-Trent DE13 8BZ Planning Statement and for the renovation, sale and distribution of vehicle parts, 75% of sales by mail order. PA/04020/016/SM Retention of a part 2 storey part Approved 27th October 2007 single storey detached building P/2011/00823/JPM Retention of a building and land Refused 2nd December 2011 for use in connection with the heliport, helicopter hire and training ENF/2011/00089 Enforcement Notice in relation to Appeal 6th January 2012 the use of land as a heliport, Pending helicopter hire and training without planning permission The Application Site 1.3 Staffordshire Heliport is located immediately to the east of the A38 dual carriageway at Wychnor Bridges, Staffordshire. The application site comprises the southern half of the site of Hi Range Limited and comprises a 10 metre x 10 metre helipad to the east of the site and to the west of the site a single storey flat roofed building which is used to accommodate the administration connected with the use as a heliport. The southern boundary of the site is defined by an unnamed water course which the submitted Flood Risk Assessment states takes flows from the surrounding land and acts as overflow side weir from the Trent and Mersey Canal. The River Trent is located some 225 metres to the south of the site. The Trent and Mersey Canal is some 100 metres distant on the western side of the A38. To the north the site adjoins the premises of Hi Range Limited that undertakes a range of industrial uses relating to the repair, stripping and dismantling of vehicles and vehicle parts. 1.4 The nearest residential properties to the application site are Lock Cottage approximately 150 metres to the north and Wychnor Bridges Farm, approximately 200 metres to the northeast. The settlement of Wychnor is located to the west of the application site Hi Range Limited, Wychnor Bridges, Mr R W Carr 3 Wychnor, Burton-on-Trent DE13 8BZ Planning Statement and the A38. The dwellings at Wychnor are approximately 350 - 400 metres from the heliport at the closest point. The settlements of Efflinch and Catholme lie to the north of the site with the village of Alrewas at the south of the site. All of these settlements are in excess of 1 kilometre from the heliport. 1.5 The vehicular access to the application site is via the existing vehicular access to Hi Range Limited which is a priority junction off the A38 immediately to the north of the Hi Range premises. The Application Proposals 1.6 Planning permission is sought for the retention of a building and the retention of the use of land in connection with the heliport, helicopter hire and training at Hi Range, Wychnor. Hi Range Limited, Wychnor Bridges, Mr R W Carr 4 Wychnor, Burton-on-Trent DE13 8BZ Planning Statement 2.0 PLANNING POLICY The Development Plan 2.1 The Development Plan includes the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Joint Structure Plan 1996 - 2011 and the South Staffordshire District Local Plan. Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Joint Structure Plan 1996 - 2011 2.2 The Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Joint Structure Plan 1996 - 2011 was adopted on the 10th May 2001 and was amended in accordance with the ruling of the High Court on the 5th February 2002. 2.3 Structure Plan Policy D1 states that sustainable forms and patterns of new development will be sought which include concentrating as much new development as possible within the fabric of existing urban areas and considering all possibilities for re-use of land and buildings. Structure Plan Policy D2 relates to the design and environmental quality of development and requires that development should generally conserve and, where possible improve, the quality of life and the environment. In this respect the development should "be informed by, or sympathetic to, the character and qualities of its surroundings, in its location, scale and design". Structure Plan Policy D2 also requires development to be "designed to relate to its surrounding context whilst not excluding innovative and creative designs". 2.4 Structure Plan Policy R3 relates to recreational facilities in the countryside and indicates that proposals for the development of Hi Range Limited, Wychnor Bridges, Mr R W Carr 5 Wychnor, Burton-on-Trent DE13 8BZ Planning Statement facilities and the use of land and water resources for sport and recreation in the countryside away from the urban fringe will be permitted provided that they involve activities more suited to sites away from built up areas; they will not have unacceptable adverse impact on the environment, natural and cultural heritage areas with countryside protection, any traffic generated can be accommodated on the road system without undue adverse effect; the form, bulk and general design of the development including any necessary new buildings respect the character and the countryside. 2.5 Structure Plan Policy T19 relates to airfields and heliports and states that proposals for the development of new facilities for private business and recreational flying will be assessed in terms of the impact upon the surrounding environment, landscape and local settlements; the economic and employment advantages, access from the main population and employment centres in the city and county and neighbouring areas; and the existence of suitably located alternative flying facilities. In the explanatory memorandum to the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Structure Plan it states (paragraph 8.82) that the County and City Councils acknowledge the demand for small scale business and recreational flying. If demand cannot be met within existing facilities, new development will be considered. Such proposals “will be assessed against economic benefits and environmental considerations, such as aircraft noise, increases in road traffic, visual intrusion, energy use and air pollution”. 2.6 Structure Plan Policy E7 states that the needs of existing industry will be supported “by permitting firms to extend or expand unless unacceptable environmental conditions would result”. Hi Range Limited, Wychnor Bridges, Mr R W Carr 6 Wychnor, Burton-on-Trent DE13 8BZ Planning Statement 2.7 Structure Plan Policy T1A requires the development proposals to be located, sited and designed so that the most convenient, safe and attractive choice of transport mode is progressively (a) avoidance of unnecessary travel; (b) walking and cycling; (c) public transport, with rail preferred to road; and (d) private vehicles. 2.8 Structure Plan Policy NC1 states that the countryside will be safeguarded for its own sake and that non-renewable and natural resources will be afforded protection. New buildings in the open countryside will be strictly controlled. Development which is acceptable with respect to other Structure Plan Policies should respect the character of the countryside and maintain or improve the environment. East Staffordshire Local Plan 2.9 The East Staffordshire Local Plan was adopted in July 2006. Local Plan Policy NE1 relates to development outside of development boundaries and states that planning permission will not be granted for development in such locations unless it cannot reasonably be located within a Development Boundary and is either essential to the efficient working of the rural economy, development otherwise appropriate within the countryside or development close to an existing settlement providing facilities for the general public or local community which are reasonably accessible by bicycle or by public transport. Local Plan Policy BE1 relates to design and indicates that the Council will approve applications for development which respond positively to the context of the area surrounding the site of the application and in themselves exhibit a high quality of design which corresponds to or enhances surrounding development. Hi Range Limited, Wychnor Bridges, Mr R W Carr 7 Wychnor, Burton-on-Trent DE13 8BZ Planning Statement 2.10 Local Plan Policy T1 states that the Borough Council will not permit development where it would unacceptably harm the safety and efficient use of the highways network, or compromise the implementation of the local transport plan area strategies. Local Plan Policy T2 states that planning permission will not be granted for a development which by reason for its traffic generation or otherwise would have a significant adverse effect on the safe and expeditious movement of long distance through traffic on the trunk road network.