Test Valley Borough Council – Northern Area Planning Committee – 17 February 2011 ITEM 9 APPLICATION NO. 10/02729/OUTN APPLICATION TYPE OUTLINE APPLICATION - NORTH REGISTERED 26.11.2010 APPLICANT Stannah Management Services Ltd SITE Plot 3 Andover Commercial Park (Former Andover Airfield), Monxton Road, Andover PENTON MEWSEY / ANDOVER TOWN (MILLWAY) PROPOSAL Outline - Erection of building for B2 use, with associated B8 and B1 uses (Revision to Plot 3 approved 09/02392/OUTN) AMENDMENTS None CASE OFFICER Mr Jason Owen Background paper (Local Government Act 1972 Section 100D) 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The application is presented to NAPC as it represents development the Head of Planning and Building considers to be of significant local interest. 2.0 SITE LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION 2.1 The application site (4.85Ha) is located to the west of Andover, south of the A303 and north west of Monxton Road. The site was previously part of an airfield, but is no longer in use as such. Indeed recent engineering and construction activity at the site has begun to transform the land into a Business Park. The current application site (which represents a smaller parcel of the approved Business Park) has been re-engineered to achieve a level site. The site is currently exposed chalk/earth. 2.2 The application site is visible (to varying degrees) from a number of locations around the site - in particular A303(T), A343, Red Post Lane and Monxton Road. The existing landscape features and change in levels, particularly where the A303(T) is in a cutting, limit the extent of views into the site. 2.3 The land is allocated in the Test Valley Borough Local Plan for Class B1, B2 and B8 uses. (Policy AND04.1) 2.4 Planning Permission for the redevelopment of circa 50 Ha of land has been granted (see Para 4.1 below). 3.0 PROPOSAL 3.1 The proposed development is to erect a building for occupation by an identified end-user (Stannah). The proposed operations at the site would comprise uses falling within Class B2 (general industrial) with ancillary B1 (offices), and B8 (storage and distribution) – as defined in the Use Classes Order. 16 Page 1 of 22 Test Valley Borough Council – Northern Area Planning Committee – 17 February 2011 3.2 The application is in Outline form with only “access” being a matter of detail to be considered at this stage. All other matters (Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale) are Reserved for later approval should Outline permission be granted. The application is submitted with plans and details in relation to anticipated elevations, appearance, site layout and areas for landscaping, parking etc. However for the purposes of determining the application these are purely illustrative. 3.3 Although the application is in Outline form it is a requirement that the applicant sets out what the development parameters are of the proposed building. These are as follows: The total floor space provision for the proposed development is 24,034 sq.m. Office elements to be arranged across 2 storeys on the northern elevation of the building (facing the A303) Industrial floor space would have a generally clear internal height of 7m The main body of the building would be approximately 12m high The building measures approximately 290m long and 88m wide A separate facility to allow for the testing of lifts is provided for. Option 1 of the illustrative scheme provides for a feature 23.3m high which Option 2 is 26.9m high. See plans attached. Plant and equipment would be installed within the building A curved roof to the building is anticipated. The accompanying supporting information has been formed on the basis of these parameters. 3.4 It is anticipated that the proposal would provide employment to approximately 700 employees. Access to the plot would be via the new Hundred Acre/Monxton Road gyratory that leads into the Airfield site and onto its own internal road network. 3.5 The planning application is accompanied by a full Environmental Statement (ES) that has assessed the following matters in detail: Alternatives Economics Landscape and visual impact Transport and access Air Quality Noise Water resources Ecology Ground conditions Archaeology and Cultural heritage Soils resources. External lighting. 17 Page 2 of 22 Test Valley Borough Council – Northern Area Planning Committee – 17 February 2011 Technical Appendices and a Non-Technical Summary supporting the ES has also been included. 3.6 The application also includes Design, Access and Planning Statement Transport Statement. 4.0 HISTORY 4.1 There have been a number of proposals for the site since 1991. The most relevant history is set out below (reverse chronological order). 4.2 10/01918/SCRN - Screening opinion in accordance with Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 1999 - Proposed Outline Planning permission for B1, B2 and B8 uses in relation to Plot 3 as defined by 09/02392/OUTN. Response issued in September 2010. 4.3 10/01919/SCON - Scoping opinion under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 1999 - Proposed Outline Planning permission for B1, B2 and B8 uses in relation to Plot 3 as defined by 09/02392/OUTN. Response issued in December 2010. 4.4 09/02392/OUTN - Erection of business park with both outline and full details comprising: Outline - Plots 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 for uses comprising business (Class B1), storage and distribution (Class B8), hotel (Class C1) and community building (class A1/D1), biomass plant and associated works and Full Permission for Plot 4 for uses comprising storage and distribution (class B8), access roads, vehicle maintenance building, car and lorry parking, landscaping and associated works. Permission granted in March 2010. 4.5 09/01912/SCON - Scoping opinion under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 1999 - Business Park, in November 2009. 4.6 09/01911/SCRN - Screening opinion in accordance with Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 1999 - Business Park, in October 2009. 4.7 07/01951/OUTN - Erection of Business Park with both Outline and Full details comprising : Outline - Plots 1, 2, 3 and 5 for uses comprising business (Class B1), storage and distribution (Class B8), hotel (Class C1) and community building (Class A1/D1), biomass plant and associated works, and Full - Unit 4 for uses comprising storage and distribution (Class B8), access roads, vehicle maintenance building, car and lorry parking, landscaping, fuel island, vehicle wash, weigh axle reader and associated works (Amended description). Permission subject to conditions in October 2009. 4.8 06/03567/CLPN - Certificate of Lawfulness for proposed works - improvement of the A303/Monxton Road intersection, Hundred Acre Corner Roundabout and Monxton Roundabout to provide access to Andover Airfield, comprising road and footway realignments and the construction of two bridges. Certificate Issued in February 2007. 18 Page 3 of 22 Test Valley Borough Council – Northern Area Planning Committee – 17 February 2011 4.9 06/03181/SCON - Scoping opinion under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 1999 - Erection of business development (Class B1, B2 and B8 uses) and hotel conference facilities, in December 2006. 4.10 06/03172/SCON - Scoping opinion under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 1999 - Erection of business development (Class B1, B2 and B8 uses) and hotel/conference facilities, in December 2006. 4.11 Planning permission 09/02392/OUTN This planning permission established both detailed (plot 4) and more general principles for the development of the 50Ha site. Reference to this planning permission and the accompanying Framework Plan also established how the site could be sub-divided into a number of smaller plots - of which Plot 3 (current application) is one. Each plot would cater for a particular type of occupier. The application also established thresholds of building sizes. Building sizes and uses for each of the plots under this permission are set out below. 4.12 Plot Use Max. Height Plot level (AOD) (Building) 1 Hotel & 16m 84.150 Comm. 10m 2 B8 13.5m 83.20 3 B1 12m 83.20 4 B8 18.1m (off FFL) 77.85 (internal FFL 79.050) 5 B1/B8 16m 75.850 6 B8 16m 78.50 7 Biomass 16m (28m flue) 78.50 4.13 Para 3.8 of the NAPC report for application 09/02392/OUTN (dated 28.01.10) sets out what was intended for Plot 3. Plot 3 This Plot is located along the northern part of the site and, with the exception of the service road to Plot 4, shares a common boundary with the A303. This plot extends to 4.83Ha and is intended to be brought forward within the second Phase of development. The uses envisaged for this plot are Class B1 offices (3 storey – approx 10,405 sq.m) and smaller “office starter units” (approx. 6,781 sq.m). Details submitted for this plot are in Outline form. An indicative FFL of the buildings are stated as being 83.20(AOD). Indicative height is stated as: Offices – 12m. 19 Page 4 of 22 Test Valley Borough Council – Northern Area Planning Committee – 17 February 2011 5.0 CONSULTATIONS 5.1 Policy No objections. The site has been allocated as a business Park (AND04.1) that permits a range of uses including B1, B2 and B8. 5.2 Landscape Whilst I have no objection to a development of this scale on the Airfield site, it is unfortunate that the plot selected is too close to the perimeter of the site and the resulting visual impact on the A303 and views from the north is too great. It would be better sited on plot 2 which was proposed for the B8 uses in the outline permission and masterplan. 5.3 AND 04.1b The landscape infrastructure requirements for the Airfield site are set out in the AND 04 policies.