Committee and Date Item Central Planning Committee 23rd May 2013 10 Public Development Management Report Responsible Officer: Tim Rogers email: [email protected] Tel: 01743 258773 Fax: 01743 252619 Summary of Application Application Number: 13/00392/FUL Parish: Shrewsbury Town Council Proposal: Erection of public house/restaurant; lodge hotel, hot food takeaway (with drive- through facilities) and associated works Site Address: Plot 3 (part) Battlefield Road Shrewsbury Shropshire SY1 4AG Applicant: Marston's Inns And Taverns Case Officer: Dyanne Humphreys email: [email protected] Grid Ref: 351341 - 315965 © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Shropshire Council 100049049. 2011 For reference purposes only. No further copies may be made. Central Planning Committee: 23rd May 2013 Recommendation: Grant Permission subject to the conditions set out in Appendix 1. Recommended Reason for Approval The proposed development is acceptable in principle, is considered to be in accordance with the aims of the Development Plan that supports economic growth in this location and would have no significant impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre. The scale design and appearance of the proposal is considered appropriate given the context of the site and would have no adverse impact on the character and appearance of the locality. The proposal provides sufficient parking and turning space within the site and would have no adverse highway safety implications. The proposal therefore accords with Shropshire LDF policies CS1, CS2, CS6, CS13 and CS14. In arriving at this decision the Council has used its best endeavours to work with the applicant in a positive and proactive manner to secure an appropriate outcome as required in the National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 187. REPORT 1.0 THEPROPOSAL 1.1 This application is for the following: Public house/restaurant; 27-bed 2-storey lodge hotel; KFC outlet (with drive through); 114 car parking spaces across the site & 16 cycle spaces; and Associated plant and works. 1.2 The application has been accompanied by the following supporting documents: A Design & Access Statement (including details in respect of the energy and sustainability credentials of the buildings and waste minimisation); A Transport Assessment; Travel Plans; Drainage Details; Site Investigation; Mechanical and Electrical Services Energy Recovery Statement and KFC Sustainability Statement; Landscape Master Plan; External Lighting Planning Layout; and Mechanical Services Details Supply & Extract Ventilation and Mechanical Ventilation & Environmental Control Equipment. 1.3 Prior to the application being made the applicant undertook pre-application discussions with the Planning team and Highways Officer of the Council. The applicant also addressed the Shrewsbury Planning Liaison Group attended by the following parties: Contact Tim Rogers on 01743 258773 Central Planning Committee: 23rd May 2013 Shropshire Society of Architects; Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents Association; Access Group; Shrewsbury Civic Society; Shrewsbury Enterprise Partnership; Shrewsbury Police Crime Prevention Design Officer; Business Fire Safety Inspecting Officer; Shrewsbury Town Council; Shropshire Wildlife Trust; Friends of the Earth; and Shrewsbury Business Chamber. 1.4 The applicant has engaged in pre-applications discussions with the Council that have been positive. 2.0 SITE LOCATION & DESCRIPTION 2.1 The application site is located approximately 4km to the north east of Shrewsbury town centre forming part of a wider commercial and retail area. The application site measures approximately 1.09 hectares and comprises a vacant parcel of brownfield land. 2.2 The application site is accessed via an access road from Battlefield Road, the A5112, where there exists a mini roundabout serving the Tesco Extra Store, associated Petrol Filling Station (PFS) and the Harlescott Park and Ride facilities. 2.3 The application site comprises a vacant brownfield site of concrete hardstanding and scrubland within the urban limits of Shrewsbury town. The area surrounding the application site is generally commercial in nature with large retail facilities/units being predominant as well as commercial trade facilities. 2.4 Facilities in the local area and in close proximity to the application include the Harlescott Park and Ride facilities, Tesco Extra Store and PFS, car dealerships, industrial facilities including Stafford Bye Products and ABP Abattoir, McDonald’s fast food restaurant and drive through, local shops, Lidl and Aldi supermarkets, B&Q, Matalan and Staples and other retail facilities found at Sundorne Retail Park off Arlington Way. 2.5 There is a fall of 1 metre north to south across the site and there exists a raised earth mound to the front of the application site adjacent the existing access road. 3.0 REASON FOR COMMITTEE/DELEGATED DETERMINATION OF APPLICATION 3.1 The application has been called-in by the Local member because the scheme has been judged to be locally controversial. Contact Tim Rogers on 01743 258773 Central Planning Committee: 23rd May 2013 4.0 COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIONS 4.1.0 Consultee Comments 4.1.1 Shrewsbury Town Council – Comments Comment -Members have no objection to the principle of development per se. Members feel that the design of the building is not suitable for the area and that developers have not taken on board local comments made at previous meetings with the Planning Advisory Group. Second comment (received 18th April 2013) - The Council’s comments were based upon the discussions at a recent Planning Liaison Group which had expressed concern over design and layout. It was also noted that nearby ABP had expressed objections on the basis that this was a semi-residential application in the industrial heartland of the town. Comments had also been raised by the Business Chamber about the impact on an already busy junction. 4.1.2 SC Drainage – No objection Following negotiations with the applicant’s drainage engineers SC Drainage team are satisfied that the drainage arrangements can be finalised post-decision and an appropriately worded condition has been included. 4.1.3 SC Archaeology (Historic Environment) – No objection The proposed development site is located c. 500m south of the south-eastern corner of Shrewsbury Registered Battlefield (National Heritage List ref. 1000033). It is separated from it by the railway line and intervening commercial/ industrial development, and is currently occupied by hard standings and scrub on the edge of the former Shrewsbury Livestock Market site. In my opinion the impact of the proposed development on the setting of the Registered Battlefield will therefore be negligible, whilst the archaeological interest of the proposed development site itself is low- minimal. On this basis I therefore have no further comments to make on this application with respect to archaeological matters. 4.1.4 SC Trees – No objection Consulted: 13th February 2013 Reply Received : 14th February 2013 There are no protected or important amenity trees on site and a landscape scheme with new planting has been submitted. Therefore I have no objections on the grounds of trees. 4.1.5 SC Ecologist – No objection I have no ecological comments to make on this application. 4.1.6 SC Planning Policy – No objection On the basis of the merits of this stand-alone proposal the scheme would not be precluded by the current planning policy framework. The key policy considerations are: NPPF Paragraphs 23-27 Core Strategy Policy CS2: Shrewsbury Development Strategy; Contact Tim Rogers on 01743 258773 Central Planning Committee: 23rd May 2013 Core Strategy Policy CS14: Managed Release of Employment Land; Core Strategy Policy CS15: Town and Rural Centres. It is the view that the scope of the application does not conflict with these policies, although the broad thrust of Policies CS2 and CS15 are to enhance the vitality and viability of town centres. Although we would raise no policy objections to the proposal on its individual merits it would clearly be preferable for this site to have come forward as a cohesive package with adjoining uses, to ensure a suitable mix and diversity of uses as part of a co-ordinated approach for the site and neighbouring land. 4.1.7 SC Economic Development - Support The application will increase the mix of uses in the area as well as providing support services for those working in the adjacent Battlefield employment area (including meeting places/rooms) and those shoppers using the retail park and should be supported. The design of the scheme whilst acceptable reflects the retail park suburban character dominated by car parking. The option of linking the pub and the hotel could be explored to create more urban feel with a separate parking area. 4.1.8 SC Public Protection (Specialist) – No objection The site is bordered by two operations that are regulated by Environmental Permit, one by Shropshire Council and the other by the Environment Agency. Having reviewed the proposals subject to this application there do not appear to be any impacts from them that may have any adverse impact on the existing sites and the controls within the permits for the existing operations are adequate to mitigate any impact on the proposed development. I therefore have no further substantive comments to submit. 4.1.9 SC Highways DC I query service vehicles entering and leaving the site in a satisfactory manner. Apart for KFC there appears to be no provision for the Restaurant and Bed Lodge. It is not clear whether articulated vehicles can satisfactorily manoeuvre into and out of the development site off the service road. I would ask therefore that the applicant/agent clarify this issue together with swept path vehicle tracking to demonstrate the satisfactory manoeuvring of large type vehicles. How has the parking level been arrived at? (comments in response to Shrewsbury Business Chamber) Noted although I have no clue where this reference to 100 vehicles comes from? 4.2.0 Public Comments 4.2.1 The application has been advertised by Public Notice in the Shropshire Star; by site notice displayed on the application site, and 11 neighbours were sent notification letters.