Agenda item

Change of use of land and building adjoining Newhaven, Larkhill Road, Durrington from a vehicle repair workshop to a mixed use of a vehicle repair workshop and for the storage and distribution of logs.

Public Participation

Mr Steven Morley spoke in objection to the application

Mr Jonathan Hook spoke in support of the application

The Planning Officer, Hayley Clark, introduced a report which recommended that the application for Change of use of land and building adjoining Newhaven, Larkhill Road, Durrington from a vehicle repair workshop to a mixed use of a vehicle repair workshop and for the storage and distribution of logs be approved.

Key details were stated to include the principle of development including planning history, design and scale, impact to the amenity of the area, parking/highway safety.

The Officer noted that it was a retrospective application, as logs were already being stored on site.

There were no technical questions of the officer by members.

Members of the public then had the opportunity to present their views to the committee as detailed above.

The Unitary Division member was not in attendance to make a statement to the Committee.

Cllr Sven Hocking then moved a motion of Approval, in line with Officer recommendation. This was seconded by Cllr Rich Rogers. 

A debate followed where the issue of creeping industrialisation, the current permissions for use of the site, the mixture of residential and industrial in the area and the reason why the application was retrospective, in that the owners had already started storing and processing logs on the site prior to a change of use.

It was clarified that the site currently has permission for use as a vehicular garage.  

The Committee discussed the conditions at length, specifically those which would restrict the hours of operation, the amount of lorry deliveries and external lighting.

There was no objection from Highways due to the restriction on deliveries.

It was confirmed that log processing has stopped on site and that only storage and distribution of the logs was now taking place. The Committee requested that if approved, Condition 8 be amended to clarify that no log processing was to take place on the site.

The original mover of the motion, Cllr Sven Hocking agreed to the amended condition 8. This was seconded by Cllr Rich Rogers.

At the close of debate, the Committee voted on the motion of Approval in line with Officer recommendation, subject to additional wording to Condition 8 to state there would be no log processing on site.

It was;

Resolved

That planning permission for application PL/2024/00694 be Granted as per the officer recommendation, subject to the following conditions:

1 The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

REASON: To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

2 The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

Location plan received 23/01/2024

Design and access statement received 31/01/2024

Plan showing area of log storage received 07/05/2024

REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

3. Notwithstanding the approved plans the log storage and distribution use hereby permitted shall only take place between the hours of 9am and 5pm from Mondays to Fridays and shall not take place at any time on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank or Public Holidays. The motor vehicle repair use shall only take place between the hours of 9am and 5pm from Mondays to Fridays and 8am to 1pm on a Saturday and shall not take place at any time on Sundays and Bank or Public Holidays.

REASON: To ensure the retention of an environment free from intrusive levels of noise and activity in the interests of the amenity of the area

4. Notwithstanding the approved plans, the use as log storage and delivery shall be limited to a single delivery of new logs to the site per calendar month from a vehicle not exceeding 3.5 tons gross loaded weight. The delivery and despatch of goods to and from the site shall be limited to the hours of 9am and 5pm on Mondays to Fridays only.

REASON: To ensure the creation/retention of an environment free from intrusive levels of noise and activity in the interests of the amenity of the area.

5. The crates of logs to be stored within the outside yard area hereby permitted shall be stacked no more than two crates high (a maximum of 2.40metres above ground level) and shall not be stored within 5 metres of the eastern boundary of the site as shown on the submitted plan received 07/05/2024.

REASON: To ensure the creation/retention of an environment free from intrusive levels of noise and activity in the interests of the amenity of the area.

6. There shall be no burning undertaken on site at any time other than in the wood burner installed inside of the workshop.

REASON: In the interests of the amenity of the area.

7. External lighting shall only be in operation within the application site as defined by the red line shown on the submitted location plan during the agreed hours of use set out in condition 3 of this consent.

REASON: In the interests of the amenity of the area.

8. The mixed use hereby permitted shall for Class B2 use for Motor repairs only and Class B8 use class for log storage and distribution only, and for no other uses within Use Class B2 and Class B8, as defined by the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended 2020). There shall be no processing or cutting up of logs on site at any time.

REASON: In the interests of the amenity of the area.