Agenda item

Change of use of former factory building to D1 exhibition hall (for Crop Circle Exhibition) - Resubmission of 19/10296/FUL.

Public Participation

Alex Whittle provided a statement in objection to the application

Robert Carpenter Turner provided a statement in objection to the application.

Nicola Sidney provided a statement in objection to the application.

Richard Cosker (Agent for the applicant) provided a statement in support of the application.

John Wyles (Applicant) provided a statement in support of the application.

Camilla and Piers Hampton provided a statement in support of the application.

Alton Parish Council provided a statement in objection to the application.

Jonathan James, Senior Planning Officer presented a report which recommended that planning permission be granted with conditions for the change of use of a former factory building to D1 exhibition hall (for a Crop Circle Exhibition) - Resubmission of 19/10296/FUL.

Attention was drawn to the late observations. It was stated that objections were maintained on the proposal in relation to comments on the inaccuracy of visitor numbers; ticket sales not being an accurate representation of visitor numbers; inaccuracies on details submitted; lack of proper accounts; objections to the exhibition but not the café; the subject of the exhibition; no disabled access; references to insufficient parking and highways safety impacts, which contained no new comments other than those contained in communications already received and addressed.

Late letters of support had also been received which included support for the scheme; benefits for the area; the proposal was a valuable education resource; the scheme brought tourism to the area; the scheme supported local businesses.

The conversion to the exhibition centre had already taken place with minimal alterations to the building. Key details were stated to include the provision of parking and highways safety. The building currently had planning permission for B1 and B8 uses. Taken in isolation, if applying the parking standard for those uses equated to a maximum requirement for 4 parking spaces. If the D1 use was granted this would also give a maximum requirement for 4 parking spaces. The wider site, including the café, shop and warehouse had 34 spaces in total. Plans and photographs of the site were shown. 

Members of the committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. Clarification was sought on the whether the maximum requirement for parking was the same in the current B1/B8 use and the proposed D1 use. It as confirmed that the floor area of the building associated with the conversion had the same requirement of 4 parking spaces, whether in B1/B8 use or D1 use. It was acknowledged in the report that there was a shortfall of parking across the wider site, but the situation would not be made worse by this proposal. 

In accordance with the procedure for virtual meetings public statements were then read out by the Democratic Services Officers, as detailed above, with any further statements included in Agenda Supplement 1 along with the committee presentation.

The unitary division member, Cllr Paul Oatway, spoke in objection to the application. The main concerns raised were related to parking issues at the site. It was stated that 80 letters regarding the proposal had been received.

In response to public statements the officer stated that the Council had acknowledged the shortfall of parking across the site, it had formed part of the overall assessment and had not been ignored when making the recommendation on the application. The proposal to convert the warehouse from B1/B8 use to D1 use would not make the scenario worse. They had received 84 letters on the application, however it should be noted that 47 of the letters had been generated by 2 objectors and that the split between objections received and support received was almost equal.

Prior to the debate Cllr Mark Connolly proposed a motion to grant planning permission with conditions as per the officer recommendation. This was seconded by Cllr James Sheppard.

A debate followed where the following issues were discussed. The proposal would not cause detriment to the parking situation as it had the same requirement as the current use for 4 parking spaces. Following planning policy, no grounds could be seen to refuse the application. Some Cllrs when visiting the site had not encountered parking problems and felt that officers had used the correct criteria when assessing parking. It was suggested that an informative should be added that coaches should drop off their passengers and park elsewhere, not taking up parking spaces on the site.

Cllr Stewart Dobson proposed an amendment to the motion, that an informative should be added prohibiting the parking of coaches on the site, the final wording of this informative was to be delegated to officers. This was seconded by Cllr Mark Connolly. It was

Resolved:

To amend the motion to grant planning permission with conditions as per the officer recommendation, with the addition of an informative to prohibit the parking of coaches on the site. The final wording of which was to be delegated to officers.

Other issues raised included the fact that the car parking bays were not clearly marked, that the photographs of the site and the agreed shortfall over the whole site proved that there was not enough parking. Others stated that if the parking was full when a visitor arrived they would go on to another location. There was no proof that the photos shown of people parking on the road were visitors to the site.

At the conclusion of the debate it was;

Resolved:

To grant planning permission with the following conditions as per the officer recommendation, with the addition of an informative to prohibit coaches parking at the site. The final wording of the informative would be delegated to officers.

1.    The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans and documents:

Application Form; Agents email (dated 13/05/2020); Agents email (dated 24/04/2020) with breakdown of floor areas; Location Plan, Ground and First Floor Plans Dwg No. 02; Existing Car Parking Plan, Dwg No. BDS-05/20; Proposed Car Parking Plan, Dwg No. BDS-05/20; Crop Circle Centre and Exhibition (back ground and break down of visitor numbers, rcvd 10/06/2020)

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

2.    There shall be no customers/members of the public within the exhibition hall hereby approved outside the hours of 11:00 to 17.30 from Monday to Sunday.

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.

3.    Within one month of the date of this decision, the parking scheme as approved under the approved plan, Proposed Car Parking Plan, Dwg No. BDS-05/20, under condition 1 above, shall have been laid out for the use of parking in accordance with this detail. This area shall be maintained and remain available for this use at all times thereafter.

REASON: To ensure that adequate provision is made for parking within the site in the interests of highway safety.

4.    INFORMATIVE TO APPLICANT:

Notwithstanding the details hereby permitted this planning consent provides for an exhibition hall only as shown on the approved plans and outlined in red. This does not grant consent for the retail unit as also shown on the submitted details.

5.    INFORMATIVE TO APPLICANT:

The applicant is advised to discourage coaches from parking at the Honey Street Mill site itself, and to instead request that operators safely 'drop-off' and 'pick-up' passengers at the roadside entrance only.