6/2017/0639 Case officerREVISED VERSION Dorset County Council Andrew Collins C Application details Ref: 6/2017/0639 App Type: Consultee (Dorset Case officer: Andrew Collins County Council is the determining authority) Applicant: Dorset County Council Address: Wareham Railway Station, Access Road to Railway, Northport, Wareham, BH20 4AS Description: Erect new step free access ramp on either side of existing rail bridge and other associated works (Application for planning permission - determined by Dorset County Council) Planning Committee: 31 January 2018 Reason for decision process for this application The Planning Committee is considering this application because: Previous schemes for a crossing have been determined by the Planning Committee. Dorset County Council will determine the planning application. Purbeck District Council is a consultee. Key planning issues Issue Conclusion No objection. Alternative crossing solutions have been investigated including the provision of a lift or a subway and these have been ruled out for engineering and financial reasons. The Principle of development proposed ramps involve less alteration than the previously refused scheme (6/2015/0478 and 6/2015/0479). Also it is less harmful than approved scheme 6/2013/0425. No objection. Officers consider that the proposal would not result in a demonstrable impact upon nearby residential properties. Impact on the living Concerns have been raised to the County Council and directly to conditions of the occupants Purbeck District Council regarding the usability of the bridge of neighbouring properties especially for wheelchair and pushchair users. It has been and users of the crossing confirmed in the supporting Equalities Impact Assessment that the proposal, with ramps at 1:12 gradient complies with the Equalities Act 2010. No objection. This is considered in the accompanying Listed Building Consent application (6/2017/0550). In summary, officers Impact on the significance of consider that the public benefit arising from the necessity of the heritage assets, their setting scheme outweighs the harm caused to the bridge and the historic and conservation context of the railway station. Also the harm is lesser than a previously approved scheme. Conditions are suggested regarding details of the materials of the railings and brickwork. Page 1 of 5 6/2017/0639 Case officerREVISED VERSION Dorset County Council Andrew Collins C No objection. An independently commissioned Reptile Survey and Mitigation Report has been submitted for consideration. Slow worms were encountered on site and translocated. No other Impact upon protected protected species were encountered. This has been assessed by species the Natural Environment Team who consider that providing that the details as specified in the report are undertaken, there is no further mitigation or compensation required. Recommendation The Planning Committee approves the letter in Appendix 1 as the Council’s response to this application that the Council has no objection to this proposal. Main report The site The site is Wareham Foot Crossing (also known as Wareham Level Crossing and previously known as Sandford Road Level Crossing) which is adjacent to Wareham Railway Station. It provides the main and well used pedestrian link between a large well established area of housing and businesses to the north of the railway (Carey, Northmoor, Northport and Sandford) and the town centre to the south. The existing crossing is not a public right of way. The existing Wareham Crossing has been identified as being high risk (danger) to the public. This has been highlighted by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), now known as Office for Rail and Road, in 2009. Following this letter, Dorset County Council has employed attendants at the level crossing to control the electric gates and in monitoring public use. This is at a cost of £120,000 per year. There is currently a lease between Network Rail and Dorset County Council that runs until 2038 and this will not be renewed and the crossing will be closed. The proposal is for alterations to the existing Wareham Station footbridge to facilitate crossing the railway. Wareham Railway Station was built in 1886 and is a Grade II listed building. The existing footbridge, which although not listed in its own right also benefits from the listed building status of the station buildings, as it is within their curtilage. Proposed development This application is proposing to make alterations to the existing Wareham Station footbridge to facilitate crossing the railway. The previous schemes at the site (granted in 2013 and refused in 2015) involved the removal of a staircase on both the northern and southern sides of the bridge. This application retains all existing staircases and proposes a new ramp either side of the railway bridge. In detail, it is proposed to cut new openings in to the eastern side of the existing footbridge parapet and construct new ramp structure of streel and brickwork on both the northern and southern sides of the railway. In addition there will be an extension of footpath from the station to the ramp on the southern side of the railway and the ramps will be illuminated with lighting columns with two 8m high columns for each ramp. The lower levels of the ramp structure will be enclosed by a brick façade. The ramps are based on a constant gradient of 1:12 including a series of horizontal landings. On completion, the existing Wareham Crossing will be closed and all associated infrastructure removed. Fencing will be erected at either end to block the crossing off. New fencing is also proposed under the ramps to prevent trespassing onto the operational railway. Page 2 of 5 6/2017/0639 Case officerREVISED VERSION Dorset County Council Andrew Collins C This application for consultation on a County application is accompanied by a listed building consent application 6/2017/0550 which will be determined by Purbeck District Council. Relevant planning history Planning permission and listed building consent was previously granted by the Planning Committee in August 2013 for a scheme to demolish a set of stairs on either side of the existing footbridge and install ramps to allow users a safe passage across the railway line (references 6/2013/0424 and 6/2013/0425). Once installed, the existing crossing was to be closed. Following the granting of these permissions and due to issues relating to the presence of underground services and difficulties in fabricating certain parts of the ramped structure for the southern side of the railway, Network Rail has advised that it is not possible to construct the scheme which was granted planning permission. 6/2013/0424 and 6/2013/0425 – Alterations to Wareham Station Footbridge to facilitate the crossing of the railway – Approved 28/8/13 6/2015/0478 and 6/2015/0479 – Construction of access for all pedestrian bridge with associated lighting and highway works, including formation of pedestrian crossing and creation of a new footpath – Refused – 30/9/15 Principle of development There have been several applications over time for the provision of a step free access ramp at Wareham Railway Station. In 2013 planning permission and listed building consent was granted for a ramp attached to either side of the bridge. This would have involved the removal of part of the brick stairs on the southern side of the bridge. After permission was granted, Network Rail claimed, it could not be implemented, due to utilities along part of the route, and difficulty in manufacturing part of the structure. A revised application was refused by the Planning Committee in 2015 for what they considered to be a more intrusive impact upon the bridge and both the planning and listed building applications. The planning application was refused due to concerns over the design, impact upon the listed structure and the increased length that pedestrians would have to walk resulting in increased car trips. The listed building application was refused over the impact upon the listed structure. The currently submitted application has considered these concerns and arrived at a more sympathetic proposal. Alternative crossing solutions have been investigated including the provision of a lift or a subway but these have been ruled out for practical, engineering and financial reasons. These are explained in detail below: Retention of the existing crossing / modification with electronic barriers Use of pedestrian level crossings, however well controlled, present a risk to users. Such a risk is undesirable and the rail industry is legally obliged to eliminate it wherever reasonably practical. The passive mitigation measures provided by automated barriers would not reduce the safety risk of the crossing to an acceptable level. As detailed in the comments from Swanage Railway, officers understand that until the existing crossing is decommissioned, operation of the proposed new services from Wareham to Swanage would be restricted. Lifts Lifts have been rejected for a number of reasons. It is very uncommon for lifts to be installed for the passage of highway users. In the event of an incident out of hours, there would need to be an alternative arrangement to attend the site and either deal with vandals or assist a trapped party. If one of the lifts broke down, there would be no way for people in wheelchairs or with bicycles etc. to cross the railway. The current crossing is also a national cycle route and lifts would not be compatible with this designation. In addition, the construction of lifts would have a greater impact upon the fabric and setting of the listed building. Maintenance is also a prime consideration. Lift Page 3 of 5 6/2017/0639 Case officerREVISED VERSION Dorset County Council Andrew Collins C structures have a working life of 20 – 25 years before significant maintenance and plant replacement is required. The ramp proposal has a designed working life of 120 years. Underpass (subway) An underpass has been dismissed by the applicants for a number of reasons.