Application 18/00959/FUL Details of Application: Full Planning Application Change of Use from Agricultural to D2 Assembly & Leisure use and install a cricket net practice facility thereon Date Registered 18 April 2018 (Subject to three year condition) Location: Address: Land At Stratfield Turgis And Hartley Wespall Cricket Club Turgis Green Hook Hampshire RG27 0AE Ward: Pamber And Silchester Parish: HARTLEY WESPALL CP OS: 469738 159292 Applicant: Stratfield Turgis & Hartley Wespall Cricket Club Case Officer: Trevor Campbell-Smith 01256 845661 RECOMMENDATION: It is RECOMMENDED that the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions listed at the end of this report. Planning Policy The site is located outside any settlement policy boundary and is located within the countryside. National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (March 2012) Section 8 - Promoting healthy communities Section 11- Conserving and enhancing the natural environment Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029 Policy CN8: Community, Leisure and Cultural Facilities Policy CN9: Transport Policy EM1: Landscape Policy EM4: Biodiversity Policy EM10: Delivering High Quality Development Policy EM12 Pollution Description of Site The application site is an area of recently cleared scrubland adjacent to the existing cricket club and pavilion structure which located down a long access track from the A33. The area of land is level and now has low growing grass upon it. There is a wooded area of land to the south of the site and the existing cricket ground lies to the west of the site with surrounding agricultural fields to the north and east of the site Proposal This application seeks permission for the change of use of an area of land measuring 3967.5 square metres in area to a D2 Assembly and leisure use in association with the existing cricket club. The proposal would incorporate the erection of a two lane cricket practice net measuring 7.3 metres by 33 metres with netting enclosure to a total height of 4 metres. The practice net would be surfaced with a carpeted surface laid upon an aggregate and granular sub surface. The nets would be orientated on a north south alignment. Consultations Hartley Wespall Parish Council: No objection. Cllr Gardiner: "as ward councillor, I support the application." Biodiversity: Objection requires preliminary biodiversity assessment Trees: No objection Landscape: No objection in principle, further information required. Open Space Officer: No objection. Sport England: Sport England does not wish to raise an objection. Public Observations None Relevant Planning History None Assessment Principle of development The application site is within the countryside on land that was previously low scrubland but which was cleared prior to the submission of this application and is now grassed. The proposed development would replace the existing cricket nets at the site which are no longer fit for purpose and are not orientated in accordance with English Cricket Board recommendations. The proposed development would therefore lead to an enhancement of a community, leisure facility which would be in accordance with Policy CN8 of the Local Plan. This, however must be weighed against the impacts of the proposal in terms of landscape character and quality, biodiversity and trees as well as neighbour impact and any highway impacts. This assessment is carried out in the report below. Landscape Impacts The Landscape Officer has no in principle objection to the proposal but considers that additional information would be needed in order to assess the impact of the development upon the wider landscape. The only operational development proposed on the land would be the proposed cricket nets. The ground surface of the proposed nets would be largely surfaced with green carpet flooring although it is acknowledged that the granular surface below (and visible to each side of the carpet 'runway') would be a bright blue colour, given that this element of the development would be at ground level it is not considered that the surface of the nets would be widely discernible from public viewpoints, and whilst it would be visible from within the cricket club site, the development would not appear incongruous or unexpected in this context. Therefore it is considered that the impact of this element of the proposal would not be harmful to the character and amenity of the wider landscape. The nets would enclose and area 7.5 metres in depth x 7.3 metres wide and 4 metres in height. The nets themselves would be either green or black in colour suspended about a black or green tubular steel structure with a white net divider between the two lanes. This structure will be light weight in construction and visually porous and as a result it is considered that the structure would not lead to detrimental impacts to the character or amenities of the wider landscape. Full details of the materials to be used in the construction of the nets can be reasonably secured by condition. Whilst the Landscape Officer is concerned with regard to the details of any access routes, site circulation, gates, and additional hard surface details that are proposed on site none of these are part of the application proposal and would therefore need a separate application for planning permission. Biodiversity Impacts The Biodiversity Officer has requested additional information in respect of the impact of the clearance of the land on the biodiversity interests of the area surrounding the site. It should be noted in this regard that the clearance was undertaken prior to the submission of the application and does not form part of the development proposed. The development proposed is the change of use of the land in question to a D2 assembly and leisure use and the erection of cricket practise nets. There is a clear separation between the application site and surrounding wooded areas and agricultural land and it is considered that the proposal would not result in biodiversity impacts over and above those already extant following the clearance of the land, which required no application for permission from the Local Planning Authority. A condition restricting lighting of the facility is considered reasonable and necessary in order to preserve the biodiversity interests of the area surrounding the site. As such the proposal is considered to be in accordance with Policy EM4 of the Local plan and acceptable in this regard. Tree Impacts The Tree Officer has no objection to the proposal and as such it is considered that the development would not lead to the loss of important or protected trees and is therefore acceptable in this regard. Impact on neighbouring amenities The nearest neighbouring dwellings to the application site are The Jekyll and Hyde Public House to the north, Losandes to the west and Wellington Cottage to the south. Each of these dwellings is separated from the application site by in excess of 80 metres. As such it is considered that the proposal would have no impact on the amenities of neighbours and is acceptable in this regard. Parking and Highway Impacts The proposal would not lead to an intensification of the use of the existing cricket club facility and as such would have no highway impacts. The proposal is therefore considered to be acceptable in this regard. Planning Balance It is considered that there are notable benefits associated with providing an enhanced leisure facility at the cricket club in terms of the better provision of facilities and continued activity at the site. Given that the loss of the agricultural land to a D2 use and the erection of the practise nets would not result in harms in terms of landscape character or amenity, biodiversity or to trees, the balance of material considerations is weighted to a recommendation for the approval of this application. Conditions 1 The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: 17090T/101, Site Plan. 17090T/101, Block Plan. Location Plan Practice Net Specification, Total Play dated September 2017. REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning. 2 The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of 3 years from the date of this planning permission. REASON: To comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and to prevent an accumulation of unimplemented planning permissions. 3 No development shall commence on site until details of the types and colours of materials to be used, in the construction of the proposed practice nets together with samples, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out and thereafter maintained in accordance with the details so approved. REASON: Details are required prior to commencement because insufficient information has been submitted with the application in this regard, in the interests of the visual amenities of the area and in accordance with Policy EM10 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029. 4 No external lighting any description shall be installed, erected or otherwise provided in association with the development hereby approved. REASON: In the interest of the biodiversity and amenities of the area in accordance Policies EM1 and EM4 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029. Informative(s):- 1. 1.1 The applicant's attention is drawn to the fact that the above conditions (if any), must be complied with in full, failure to do so may result in enforcement action being instigated. 1.2 This permission may contain pre-commencement conditions which require specific matters to be submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before a specified stage in the development occurs. This means that a lawful commencement of the approved development CANNOT be made until the particular requirements of the pre-commencement conditions have been met.