Agenda item

Peninsula

Development of Plot 2 for Class E(g)(iii) industrial processes/B2 general industrial/B8 storage and distribution uses, access, parking, drainage, landscaping and associated works including means of access.

Discussion: 

The Head of Planning outlined the planning application in detail and suggested that if the Committee was minded to approve the application, a number of changes be made to the proposed conditions, details of which were set out on the supplementary agenda advice sheet along with a number of additional new conditions.

He informed the Committee that at the current time there was no prospective occupier of the site but the various proposed additional conditions were being recommended to take account of the Parish Council’s concerns regarding a different site in the locality so as to ensure that similar problems did not arise.

The Head of Planning advised that the application site had a large area for lorries and would have shower and changing facilities available on site for use by lorry drivers.

During discussion, the Committee expressed the view that provided the lorry drivers made use of the car park and facilities and did not park on the roadside verges then this application would be considered acceptable. However, concern was expressed that despite the provision of shower and changing facilities on site, there was no refreshment facilities and this was considered essential if drivers were to remain at the site for any length of time.

In response, the Head of Planning suggested that an additional condition be included to ensure provision of refreshment facilities at the site. He also assured the Committee that proposed condition 14 would require the vehicle spaces to be provided before the development is occupied.

In response to environmental concerns, the Head of Planning advised that as this planning application was a new detailed application, the applicants would have been required to provide information to support the application that had due regard to the current environmental requirements. However he accepted that subject to approval, it would be possible to add a further condition concerning climate change that could then be adapted and implemented once an end user of the site is known.

Decision:

Approved with conditions 1 – 6 and 10 – 13 and 15 as set out in the report for the reasons stated in the report, conditions 7, 8, 9 and 14 amended as follows and new conditions 16 and 17 as set out below and new conditions 18 and 19 relating to driver refreshment facilities and climate change and energy efficiency measures:

7.         No development shall commence until details of a Construction Surface Water Management Plan (CSWMP) detailing how surface water and storm water will be managed on the site during construction (including demolition and site clearance operations) is submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority in consultation with the LLFA. The CSWMP shall be implemented and thereafter managed and maintained in accordance with the approved plan for the duration of construction. The approved CSWMP shall include method statements, scaled and dimensioned plans and drawings detailing surface water management proposals to include: i. Temporary drainage systems. ii. Measures for managing pollution / water quality and protecting controlled waters and watercourses. iii. Measures for managing any on or offsite flood risk. The development shall be undertaken in accordance with the agreed details.

Reason: To manage surface water during and post construction and for the lifetime of the development as outlined at Paragraph 167 of NPPF.

8          No development shall take place until a Construction Ecological Management Plan has been submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority providing further details of the recommendations set out in the Middlemarch Environmental letter dated 23rd February 2021 (RT-MME-154066-03), in accordance with the Ecological Mitigation Strategy for the London Medway Commercial Park site (RT[1]MME-102011 Rev C). The Construction Ecological works shall be undertaken in accordance with the approved plan.

Reason: In order to protect and compensate for the present potential wildlife habitats of the sites in accordance with Policy BNE37 of the Local Plan.

9          Prior to works commencing on site the precautionary reptile mitigation approach must be carried out as detailed within the Middlemarch Environmental letter dated 23rd February 2021 (RT-MME-154066-03). The works must be carried out in suitable weather conditions and overnight temperatures must be above 5 degrees Celsius. On completion of the mitigation a letter must be submitted to the Local Planning Authority confirming that the mitigation has been completed as approved.

Reason: In order to protect and compensate for the present potential wildlife habitats of the sites in accordance with Policy BNE37 of the Local Plan.

16        No part of the development shall be occupied until a Service Management Plan (SMP) is submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. SMP shall describe the means of servicing and times of deliveries and means of provision for servicing/delivery vehicles (as well as including how the proposed development would prevent any overspill parking onto the public Highway). The SMP should identify exactly how and what types of vehicles are anticipated for the commercial uses and details of their delivery times to demonstrate that the proposed system would work. Any measures described in the SMP shall be implemented within the time period identified.

Reason: Development without provision of adequate delivery management plan is likely to impact neighbourly amenity and potential impacts to the function of the local road network in accordance with Policy BNE1 and T1 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.

17        The development herein approved shall incorporate the measures to address energy efficiency and climate change as set out within the Design and Access Statement (dated 8th March 2021) received 12 May 2021. The development shall not be occupied until a verification report prepared by a suitably qualified professional has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority confirming that all the approved measures have been implemented. The implemented measures should thereafter be retained.

Reason: In the interests of sustainability and to positively address concerns regarding climate change in accordance with paragraph 154 the National Planning Policy Framework 2021.

19.      A condition requiring that refreshment facilities be provided on site for drivers.

20.      A condition requiring further information and details re: measures to address climate change and energy efficiency over and above what is already proposed.