Agenda item

Report by Head of Sustainable Development (PN7)

This application is for outline planning permission for the demolition of an existing transportable office building and the erection of a replacement two storey permanent office building at Deddington Highways Depot, Deddington. The application also proposes the formalisation of the existing parking area on site to provide 10 dedicated parking spaces. An application for outline permission has been made as the Council’s highway contract is the subject of a re-bidding exercise. An outline permission, should it be granted, would enable any approved contractor to decide on the details of any final scheme in relation to their operational needs for the site office.  This final scheme would then be subject of a further detailed ‘reserved matters’ planning application and would need to include details of the scale, design and appearacnce of the office building. An objection has been received to the application on the grounds that a two storey building would have a detrimental impact on the visual amenities of the area. Details of the objection is summarised in the report, along with the responses from other consultees.     

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to approve Application Number R3.0079/09 for outline approval for the demolition of existing transportable office buildings and erection of two storey permanent office building; formalisation of existing parking area to provide 10 dedicated spaces subject to conditions to be determined by the Head of Sustainable Development to include the following matters:

1.                  outline compliance – that the development must be carried out strictly in accordance with the particulars contained in the application and the plans accompanying with any approval given in respect of any subsequent reserved matters;

2.                  application for approval of the reserved matters to be made not later than 3 years of the date of the permission;

3.                  that details of the design, materials and height of the proposed building shall be submitted and approved prior to the commencement of the development;

4.                  that details of the sustainable features of the proposed building shall be submitted and approved prior to the commencement of the development;

5.                  that details of the proposed car parking layout and vehicle and pedestrian access points and routes shall be submitted and approved (in consultation with the Local Highway Authority) prior to the commencement of the development. Any details approved shall be implemented before the development is brought into use;

6.                  the development shall not commence until such time as a scheme to a) dispose of surface water and b) install oil and petrol separators has been submitted and approved (in consultation with the Environment Agency). Any details approved shall be implemented before the development is brought into use;

7.                  the development shall not commence until the final details of a self-contained powered sewerage package plant to serve the proposed building have been submitted and approved (in consultation with the Environment Agency). Any details approved shall be implemented before the development is brought into use;

8.                  if during development contamination is found to be present on site, then no further development shall be carried out until a method statement detailing how this contamination shall be dealt with, has been submitted and approved (in consultation with the Environment Agency); and

9.                  that no development shall take place until the trees on the site which are to be retained and which are adjacent to or within the development area, have been protected during building operations by means of a protective fence around the edge of the canopy of the trees.

Ecological informative – Prior to the submission of any reserved matters application the applicant shall contact the County Ecologist for advice on ecological issues associated with any reserved matters application.

Archaeological informative – If archaeological finds do occur during development, the County Archaeologist shall be notified in order that he may visit the site and advise as necessary.

Environment Agency Informative - Any open chemical or refuse storage areas should be surrounded by suitable liquid tight bunded compounds to prevent drainage from these areas discharging into the surface water system.  These areas should drain to the sealed tanks.

Environment Agency Informative - Any above ground oil storage tank(s) should be sited on impervious base and surrounded by a suitable liquid tight bunded. No drainage outlet should be provided. The bunded area should be capable of containing 110% of the volume of the largest tank and all fill pipes, draw pipes and sight gauges should be enclosed within its curtilage. The vent pipes should be directed downwards into the bund. Guidelines are available from the Environment Agency.

The Committee considered (PN7) an application for outline planning permission for the demolition of existing buildings and erection of a replacement two storey permanent office building along with objections received to the application.

Councillor Jelf expressed some concerns regarding the intrusiveness of a two story building on views from the Deddington direction and suggested a single storey development.

Councillor Hudspeth highlighted the urgent need for this development and felt that the impact from a two storey building would not be ay greater that that from the existing buildings.

Mr Dance advised that major changes could not be made to the application but suggested that the Committee could consider placing a condition to secure a height restriction.

The Committee asked for an undertaking that the Detailed Reserved Matters Application be considered by the Planning & Regulation Committee irrespective of whether or not objections were received

RESOLVED: (on a motion by the Chairman, duly seconded and carried by 11 votes to 3) to approve Application Number R3.0079/09 for outline approval for the demolition of existing transportable office buildings and erection of two storey permanent office building; formalisation of existing parking area to provide 10 dedicated spaces subject to conditions to be determined by the Head of Sustainable Development to include the following matters:

1.         outline compliance – that the development must be carried out strictly in accordance with the particulars contained in the application and the plans accompanying with any approval given in respect of any subsequent reserved matters;

2.         application for approval of the reserved matters to be made not later than 3 years of the date of the permission;

3.         that details of the design, materials and height of the proposed building should be submitted and approved prior to the commencement of the development;

4.                  that details of the sustainable features of the proposed building should be submitted and approved prior to the commencement of the development;

5.                  that details of the proposed car parking layout and vehicle and pedestrian access points and routes should be submitted and approved (in consultation with the Local Highway Authority) prior to the commencement of the development. Any details approved should be implemented before the development had been brought into use;

6.                  the development should not commence until the final details of a self-contained powered sewerage package plant to serve the proposed building had been submitted and approved (in consultation with the Environment Agency). Any details approved should be implemented before the development had been brought into use;

7.                  if during development contamination was found to be present on site, then no further development should be carried out until a method statement detailing how this contamination should be dealt with, had been submitted and approved (in consultation with the Environment Agency); and

8.                  that no development should take place until the trees on the site which were to be retained and which were adjacent to or within the development area, had been protected during building operations by means of a protective fence around the edge of the canopy of the trees;

9.                  a maximum height of the building;

10.             provision of adequate screening to the south west.

Ecological informative – Prior to the submission of any reserved matters application the applicant should contact the County Ecologist for advice on ecological issues associated with any reserved matters application.

Archaeological informative – If archaeological finds occurred during development, the County Archaeologist should be notified in order that he might visit the site and advise as necessary.

Environment Agency Informative - Any open chemical or refuse storage areas should be surrounded by suitable liquid tight bunded compounds to prevent drainage from these areas discharging into the surface water system.  These areas should drain to the sealed tanks.

Environment Agency Informative - Any above ground oil storage tank(s) should be sited on impervious base and surrounded by a suitable liquid tight bunded compounds. No drainage outlet should be provided. The bunded area should be capable of containing 110% of the volume of the largest tank and all fill pipes, draw pipes and sight gauges should be enclosed within its curtilage. The vent pipes should be directed downwards into the bund.