Agenda item

Report by the Director for Planning & Place (PN7)

This application is retrospective and seeks the permanent retention of the former Hazardous Waste Transfer Station for use as an open storage area for empty containers, bins and packaging equipment. It also seeks the retention of the old lab smalls building for the storage of equipment.

The report outlines the relevant planning policies, along with the comments and recommendations of the Director for Planning and Place.

The main issues for the site are: landscape, local amenity, biodiversity, rights of way, economic development and design.

It is RECOMMENDED that planning permission for application no. MW.0025/18 be approved subject to conditions to be determined by the Director for Planning and Place but to include the following:

1)        The development shall be carried out strictly in accordance with the particulars of the development, plans and specifications contained in the application (and letters/e-mails of amendment) except as modified by conditions of this permission. The approved plans and particulars comprise:

·      Application form dated 16/03/2018

·      Planning application supporting statement dated March 2018.

·      Drawing no 3A 9740 – Lab Smalls Building plan and elevations.

·      Drawing no DG/Est/EWE1/HWTS/Ext/01 – Location Plan

·      Drawing DG/Est/EWE1/HWTS/Ext/02 – Application and Ownership Plan

·      Drawing no DG/Est/EWE1/HWTS/Ext/03 – Site Plan.

2)        The site shall be used only for storage related to the adjoining hazardous waste transfer station.

3)        Operations authorised by this permission, including vehicles entering or leaving the site, shall only take place:

07: 00 to 18.00 Mondays to Fridays

07:00 to 13:00 Saturdays.

No operations shall take place on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays.

4)        No mud or dust shall be deposited on the public highway.

5)        No external lighting shall be erected on the site uncles first approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority. The lighting shall be implemented in accordance with the approved scheme.

6)        All vehicles, plant and machinery operated within the site shall be fitted with and use effective silencers.

7)        The noise levels arising from the development shall not exceed 55 dB (LAeq) (1 hour), freefield at The Cottage and Goulds Grove Farm.

8)        No reversing bleepers or other means of audible warning of reversing vehicles shall be fixed to, or used on, any vehicle owned or leased by the operator of the site, other than those which use white noise.

The Committee considered (PN7) a retrospective application seeking permanent retention of the former Hazardous Waste Transfer Station for use as an open storage area for empty containers, bins and packaging equipment and retention of the old lab smalls building for the storage of equipment.

Mr Broughton presented the report drawing attention to the objection from the Chiltern Conservation Board regarding loss of biodiversity which, despite further consultation with them they had been unwilling to withdraw.

Speaking for the applicants Veronique Bensadou explained that the application would allow the applicants to maximise its operation.  They had put together a package of measure to address the objection by the Conservation Board despite the site being well screened and not visible from the outside.  The site had been there for 60 years, provided a valuable facility for the disposal of hazardous waste and there had been no third-party objections.

She then responded to questions from:

Councillor Johnston – the Lab Smalls building had in the past been used to carry out some chemical testing and analysis to enable safe disposal of waste.

Councillor Phillips – the application was for storage of equipment for the main operation.  Increased space would increase efficiency with no increase in tonnage through the site.

Responding to Councillor Fox-Davies Mr Broughton confirmed that monitoring would be carried out and enforcement action taken if conditions were not observed.

Responding to Councillor Walker he confirmed the site was well screened and little of it could be seen from outside.  The objection by the Conservation Board also referred to parts of the site which were not subject to this application and, furthermore, went beyond what could be expected under the 6 tests set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. That had included a request for £15,000 towards a package of mitigation proposals.

RESOLVED: (on a motion by Councillor Johnston, seconded by Councillor Phillips and carried unanimously) that planning permission for application no. MW.0025/18 be approved subject to conditions to be determined by the Director for Planning and Place but to include the following:

1)        The development should be carried out strictly in accordance with the particulars of the development, plans and specifications contained in the application (and letters/e-mails of amendment) except as modified by conditions of this permission. The approved plans and particulars comprised:

·      Application form dated 16/03/2018

·      Planning application supporting statement dated March 2018.

·      Drawing no 3A 9740 – Lab Smalls Building plan and elevations.

·      Drawing no DG/Est/EWE1/HWTS/Ext/01 – Location Plan

·      Drawing DG/Est/EWE1/HWTS/Ext/02 – Application and Ownership Plan

·      Drawing no DG/Est/EWE1/HWTS/Ext/03 – Site Plan.

2)        The site should be used only for storage related to the adjoining hazardous waste transfer station.

3)        Operations authorised by this permission, including vehicles entering or leaving the site, should only take place:

07: 00 to 18.00 Mondays to Fridays

07:00 to 13:00 Saturdays.

No operations should take place on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays.

4)        No mud or dust should be deposited on the public highway.

5)        No external lighting should be erected on the site unless first approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority. The lighting should be implemented in accordance with the approved scheme.

6)        All vehicles, plant and machinery operated within the site should be fitted with and use effective silencers.

7)        The noise levels arising from the development should not exceed 55 dB (LAeq) (1 hour), freefield at The Cottage and Goulds Grove Farm.

8)        No reversing bleepers or other means of audible warning of reversing vehicles should be fixed to, or used on, any vehicle owned or leased by the operator of the site, other than those which used white noise.