Agenda item

The Committee considered the report of the Business Manager – Planning Development, which sought full planning permission for the re-configuration of access arrangements to the existing freight yard and provision of new parking and turning area for commercial vehicles. The issue of a lorry park at this location had been a very long and complex issue, primarily as a result of the existing PA Freight access onto the B6166 being made unsafe by the construction of the new A46 Farndon Roundabout which had taken a number of years to resolve.Members considered the presentation from the Business Manager - Planning Development, which included photographs and plans of the proposed development.

A schedule of communication was tabled at the meeting which detailed correspondence received after the Agenda was published from the following: Planning Case Officer; Neighbours; the Agent; Highways England; the Applicant’s Agent; Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust; Independent Facilitator Direct DLCC Ltd; and the Applicant.

The Business Manager – Planning Development informed Members that if they were minded to approve the application, condition 3 should be removed as Highways England had advised that they would be undertaking this work.  Condition 10 to be amended as below. Consultations had taken place yesterday with the neighbouring properties with a deadline for any material issues to be submitted by the 29 September 2020, if there were any material issues the application would be reported back to the Planning Committee.

Condition 10 (landscape implementation) be amended to be more explicit in relation to the ‘existing paved area to be broken out and returned to a field’ as follows:

The approved landscaping (required by the condition above) shall be completed as

follows:

1. The existing paved area shown on Drawing No 021D shall be broken out and

removed from site (in accordance with the details required by the condition

above) prior to the first use of the ‘proposed new PA Freight Lorry Park’.

2. All other landscape works (required by the condition above) shall be completed during the first planting season following the commencement of the development, or such longer period as may be agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Any trees/shrubs which, within a period of five years of being planted die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species.

Councillor K Girling – Local Ward Member (Castle) spoke against the application on the grounds that it was difficult to understand that nine haulage vehicles would not have a visual impact and felt that this should not be allowed.  There was a lorry park within one mile which had all amenities, the lorry park element to this application should be refused.

Members considered the application and it was commented that a meeting with the applicant had taken place some years ago with the former Chief Executive and Leader of the Council at that time.  The meeting resolved that the operation taking place at this site would be better located on an industrial estate, temporary planning consent was approved in 2015 to allow the applicant time to find a suitable location.  The application before the Committee today was in two parts, the re-configuration of access arrangements to the existing freight yard and provision of new parking and turning area for commercial vehicles. The access arrangements had taken eight years to resolve with Highways England.  Members commented that due to the close proximity of an overnight lorry park with all amenities no overnight parking should be permitted on this site and the previous condition to prevent this should remain in place.  This land was part of the open break between Newark and Farndon and the advice taken from the Local Development Framework Task Group was that area of land should remain an open break.  Members proposed an amendment that no parking should take place in the parking area from 18:30 until 08:00hours.

(Councillor Mrs L Dales entered the meeting during the Officers presentation and took no part in the debate or vote).

AGREED             (with 8 votes For, 4 votes Against and 1 Abstention) that full planning                   permission be approved subject to the following:

(i)                  the conditions contained within the report with the deletion of Condition 3;

(ii)                amendment of Condition 10 in accordance with the Schedule of Communication;  

(iii)              no new material issues, if so the application be reported back before the Planning Committee; and

(iv)              a condition to be included to prevent overnight lorry parking in the replacement parking area during the hours of 18:30 until 08:00 hours for the reason of protecting the visual appearance/impact of the open break and overnight parking can be accommodated elsewhere.