Agenda item

A report by the Case Officer is attached.

Public Participation

Ms Jennie Brooks, representing Calne SOS, spoke in opposition to the application.

Mr John Barnes, a local resident from Derry Hill, spoke in opposition to the application.

Ms Avril Porter, a local resident, spoke in opposition to the application.

Cllr Glenis Ansell, Calne Town Mayor, spoke in support of the application.

Cllr Jim Cook, Vice-Chairman, Calne Without Parish Council, spoke in opposition to the application. 

The Committee received a presentation from the Case Officer which set out the issues in respect of the application. He explained that a suite of five planning applications at Lower Compton and Sands Farm was for consideration and these set out proposals to manage waste and minerals in a way which addressed concerns raised by the Planning Authority and the local community during the determination of the previous planning application ref: 14/09744/WCM. The applications under consideration needed to be considered by this Committee as they involved matters of strategic significance that had previously been considered by this Committee and that had raised matters of public interest that had been contested both at appeal and in the Courts.

The purpose of the report was to assess the merits of the proposal against the policies of the Development Plan and other material considerations and to consider a recommendation that planning permission be granted subject to conditions and the completion of a planning obligation under Section 106 of the Planning Acts to address highway matters.

Members then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which they heard statements from members of the public as detailed above, expressing their views regarding the planning application.

Members then heard the views of Cllr Alan Hill, the local Member, who explained that following consultations with the applicant which had lasted seven years, he was very pleased to report that with the proposal to build a relief road, the subject of this application, much of the local opposition had disappeared although it was appreciated that Calne Without Parish Council and residents living in that area were not happy with the suggested proposal as they considered that the increased amount of traffic would be passing through the outskirts of Calne and surrounding area rather than through the centre of Calne.  Cllr Hill was very pleased that the building of the relief road would lead to an improvement of the air quality in Calne which had been a concern for a considerable time.

During discussion it was suggested that the site was not suitable for a strategic facility to cover all parts of Wiltshire taking into account the infrastructure and inadequate road network. Some concern was also expressed at the effect the increased volume of traffic would have on residents living on the outskirts of Calne, especially Derry Hill and the parish of Calne Without.

On the proposal of Cllr Tony Trotman, which was seconded by Cllr Andrew Davis,

Resolved:

To grant planning permission, subject to the completion of a planning obligation within six months of the date of the resolution of this Committee to provide a Traffic Management Plan and subject to the following conditions:-

Conditions

1)         The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision. Written notification of the date of commencement shall be sent to the Local Planning Authority within 7 days of such commencement.

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 and completed in all respects strictly in accordance with the following approved plans and as stipulated in the conditions set out below together with those further details required to be submitted for approval:

·         Drawing No: 18850-1250-002 Sands Farm HGV Relief Road Option 2 dated Sept 2017

·         Drawing No: 18550-02 Sands Farm HGV Relief Road Sector 1 Site Plan dated Nov 2017

·         Drawing No: 18550-03 Sands Farm HGV Relief Road Sector 2 Site Plan dated Nov 2017

·         Drawing No: 18550-04 Sands Farm HGV Relief Road Sector 3 Site Plan dated Nov 2017

·         Drawing No: 18550-06 Sands Farm HGV Relief Road Sector 4 Site Plan dated Nov 2017

·         Drawing No: D2515 L.200 A - Combined Landscape and Ecological Mitigation & Enhancement Arrangement Plan – Sheet 1 of 3 - dated Sep ‘17

·         Drawing No: D2515 L.201 A - Combined Landscape and Ecological Mitigation & Enhancement Arrangement Plan – Sheet 2 of 3 dated Sep ‘17

·         Drawing No: D2515 L.202 A - Combined Landscape and Ecological Mitigation & Enhancement Arrangement Plan – Sheet 3 of 3 dated Sep ‘17

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

3)         Operations authorised by this permission, including vehicles entering and leaving the site as shown on drawing number 18550-10000-001 (dated Aug. 2017) shall be restricted to the following durations:

06:00 to 20:00 hours Monday to Sunday.

REASON:      In the interests of limiting the effects on local amenity and to control the impacts of the development.

4)         Within 3 months of the HGV Relief Road being commenced as notified under Condition 1 an Access Road Maintenance Plan (generally in accordance with the Access Road Maintenance Plan 2.1 dated 14/11/2016 previously provided in respect of application reference 14/09744/WCM) shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval.  The Plan shall relate to both the Lower Compton and Sands Farm sites and include details of wheel-cleaning facilities, road sweeping, dust management and surface maintenance measures to prevent the tracking out of dust and detritus onto the public highway.  The relief road shall be maintained at all times in accordance with the approved details.

REASON:      In the interests of road safety for public users of the road.

5)         Improvement of the site access road and the provision of a footway into the site from the public highway shall be implemented within 12 months of the HGV Relief Road being commenced as notified under Condition 1 in accordance with a scheme to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  Such scheme shall accord with Drawing No A094007-SK005previously provided in respect of application reference 14/09744/WCM.

REASON:      In order to secure improved site access to satisfactorily accommodate the additional traffic associated with the proposal, and to encourage sustainable travel to and from the site.

6)         No floodlighting, security lighting, beacons or safety/navigation lights or other external means of illumination of the site as shown on drawing number 18550-10000-001 (dated Aug. 2017) shall be provided, installed or operated at the site.

REASON:      To preserve the rural and visual amenities of the locality.

7)         The development shall be carried out in strict accordance with all recommendations and procedures set out in Chapter 10: Biodiversity Impact Assessment prepared by Johns Associates Limited dated October 2017.

REASON:      To secure the mitigation measures contained in the Environmental Statement in the interests of protecting the biodiversity of the environment.

8)         All soft landscaping comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following the first use of the HGV relief road or the completion of the development whichever is the sooner; all shrubs, trees and hedge planting shall be maintained free from weeds and shall be protected from damage by vermin and stock. Any trees or plants which, within a period of five years, die, are removed, or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species.

REASON:      To ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the development and the protection of existing important landscape features.

In the event that the parties do not agree to complete the S106 agreement

within this timeframe to delegate authority to the Head of Development Management to refuse Planning Permission for the following reason:-

o      The application proposal fails to provide and secure the proposed and necessary Traffic Management Plan and is therefore contrary to Core Policies 8, 60, 61 and 62 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy and Policies WDC2 and WDC11 of the Waste Development Control Policies DPD.