Agenda item

New sports facility to include a new fenced and floodlit 3G artificial grass pitch and a new pavilion providing inclusive ancillary facilities to support the pitch, together with new community coaching and education rooms and a training room/gym for use by football rugby club users. A new access road and additional parking is also proposed.

Councillors Kirk, Palmen, Piazza and Vigar left the meeting at 16:27 following their earlier declarations in relation to Item 8a.

Public Participation

Lance Allan, representing Trowbridge Town Council, spoke in support of theapplication.

Senior Conservation and Planning Officer, Steve Sims, presented a report, which outlined a new sports facility to include a new fenced and floodlit 3G artificial grass pitch and a new pavilion providing inclusive ancillary facilities to support the pitch, together with new community coaching and education rooms and a training room/gym for use by football rugby club users. A new access road and additional parking is also proposed. The report recommended that the application be approved subject to conditions.

Details were provided of the site, including the principle of development (including loss of agricultural land), impact on character of the area, ecology issues, highway issues, impact on the living conditions of neighbouring residents, archaeology issues and drainage issues.

Members of the Committee had the opportunity to ask technical questions regarding the application. Details were sought on which direction vehicles are expected to turn when exiting the site.

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

The local Unitary Member, Councillor Ernie Clark, then spoke in objection of the application. Councillor Clark stated that Hilperton currently has its own playing field including changing facilities and a bar. Additionally, the location of the proposed application was referenced, the size of the carpark, the deficiency of public transport as well as the quality of the land and the use of the proposed building within the application. The planning officers responded to each of the points made.

Councillor Ernie Clark then moved a motion to reject the Officer’s recommendation, which was not seconded and consequently did not progress to a vote.

A debate then followed where the following issues were discussed, including concerns about the use of the building for conference and non-sporting use. It was however clarified that the existing rugby club building is used for such events and the floor plan of the proposed building would only be 25% dedicated to club house use.

Additionally, other issues were raised such as whether conditions and informatives could be added to the officer’s recommendations such as the need to improve local bus services to serve the application and additionally the need for covered cycle parking to be provided prior to completion. The potential for brown road signage was also questioned.

During the debate, a motion to accept the Officer’s recommendation with and additional informative with regards advising the applicant to liaise with the council to seek improvements to local bus routes and services and amending condition 8 to include details of covered cycle facilities was moved by Councillor Davis and seconded by Councillor Ridout.

At the conclusion of the debate, it was,

Resolved:

That the recommendation be approved subject to 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:
Site location plan scale 1:1000 dwg no. 170815-029.03
Site plan proposed scale 1:1000 dwg no. 170815-330.04
Pavilion layout - proposed scale 1:100 dwg no. 170815-326.03

Pavilion elevations - proposed scale 1:100 dwg no. 170815-328.03
Landscape strategy scale 1:1000 dwg no. 359-P-006 rev B
Hard works plan 1 of 2 scale 1:250 dwg no. 359-P-001 rev A
Hard works plan 2 of 2 scale 1:250 dwg no. 359-P-002 rev A
Planting plan 1 of 3 scale 1:250 dwg no. 359-P-003 rev B
Planting plan 2 of 3 scale 1:250 dwg no. 359-P-004 rev B
Planting plan 3 of 3 scale 1:250 dwg no. 359-P-005 rev C
AGP development layout scale 1:500 dwg no. 18-0108 BM25583 0346 03 rev 1
AGP elevations scale 1:200 dwg no. 18-0108 BM25583 0346 05 rev 1
AGP elevations and fence/enclosure/mast details scale 1:100 dwg no. 18-0108
BM25583 0346 06 rev 1
AGP proposed pitch scale 1:250 dwg no. 18-0108 BM25583 0346 02 rev 1
Drainage strategy scale 1:500 dwg no. TRC-BWB-DGN-XX-DR-C-500 rev P8
Proposed earthworks strategy scale 1:500 dwg no. TRC-BWB-DGN-XX-DR-C 630 rev P5
Proposed external works finished levels scale 1:500 dwg no. TRC-BWB-DGN-XX-DRC-600 rev P5
Floodlighting design by Surfacing Standards Ltd publication dated 18.09.2020, project LSUK005

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

3) No development shall commence on site except for site clearance, ground investigation and demolition works, until further ground remediation and infiltration soakaway testing works have been undertaken and the findings have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Council along withthe finalised soakaway design details to verify that the designed soakaways are suitable for the development. If the infiltration test results or site groundwater levels demonstrate that soakaways are not appropriate, an alternative method of surface water drainage shall be designed, submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to any operational development commencing pursuant to the pavilion and pitch. Thereafter, any approved drainage scheme shall be completed prior to the development being brought into use.

REASON: To ensure that the development can be adequately drained without
increasing flood risk elsewhere.

4) None of the development hereby approved shall commence on site (including
demolition, ground works or vegetation clearance) until a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The CEMP shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
1.A method statement for vegetation clearance, including the times when an
Ecological Clerk of Works will be on site to supervise the works.
2.A plan showing ‘no-go’ areas which will be fenced off from contractors for the entire duration of the construction works.
3.A method statement for the demolition and/or removal of buildings in the north of the site including surveys required before demolition, times when an Ecological Clerk of  Works will be on site to supervise the works and provision of the mitigation which will be provided in the event bat roosts are found.
4.Measures, including surveys, mitigation and translocation, which will be undertaken to ensure risks to other protected species are identified and adequately reduced across the site before construction commences and throughout the construction period.

The approved CEMP shall be adhered to and implemented throughout the construction period in accordance with the approved details. A report prepared by a competent person(s), certifying that the required mitigation and/or compensation measures identified in the CEMP have been completed to their satisfaction, shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority within 3 months of the date of substantial completion of the development or at the end of the next available planting season, whichever is the sooner.

REASON: To ensure adequate protection, mitigation and compensation for protected species, priority species and priority habitats.

5) No development hereby approved shall commence (save for groundclearance, site enabling, and demolition works) until:

a) A written programme of archaeological investigation, which shouldinclude on-site work and analysis, publishing and archiving of all archaeological findings, has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority; and that the approved programme of archaeological work has been carried out in accordance with the approved details.

REASON: In order that the development is undertaken in an acceptable manner, to enable the recording of any matters of archaeological interest.

6) Prior to the development hereby approved being brought into use, a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The LEMP shall include:

A. A plan identifying the location and specific management aims for each identifiable landscape area.
B. 1-5 year and long-term maintenance requirements for each identifiable landscape area which demonstrate how the Landscape Strategy will be achieved after the initial 12-month planting contract.
C. Any requirements for replanting where planting stock becomes diseased or dies after the initial 12-month planting contract.

Annual and five-year work schedule capable of being rolled forward,

The LEMP shall be implemented in full in accordance with the approved details and shall enure for the lifetime of the development.

REASON: In order that the development is undertaken in an acceptable manner and to ensure adequate protection, mitigation and compensation for protected species, priority species and priority habitats.

7) The development hereby approved shall not be brought into use until the vehicular access, turning area and parking spaces have been completed in accordance with the details as shown on the approved plans. Thereafter, the aforesaid provision shall be maintained and retained for the lifetime of the development.

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

8) The development hereby approved shall not be brought into use until the cycle parking facilities as shown on the approved plans have been provided in full and are available for use. Thereafter, the cycle parking facilities shall be maintained and retained for such use for the lifetime of the development.

REASON: To ensure that satisfactory facilities for the parking of cycles are provided and to encourage travel by means other than the private car.

9)  The floodlighting hereby approved shall only be used between the hours of 15:00 and 22:00.

REASON: In order to minimise light pollution and nuisance and to protect and safeguard rural setting and any protected species.

NOTE: This condition is consistent with the approved decision issued for the adjoining rugby club site floodlighting (as granted by applications W/05/00822/FUL and W/12/01169/FUL).

10) No external lighting shall be installed on the site until detailed plans showing the type of light appliance, the height and position of the fitting, the illumination levels and light spillage levels in accordance with the appropriate Environmental Zone standards as set out by the Institute of Lighting Professionals in their publication GN01:2020, 'Guidance for the Reduction of Obtrusive Light' (ILP, 2020), and have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority

REASON: In the interests of the amenities of the area, to minimise unnecessary light spillage above and outside the development site and to core bat habitat meets the requirements of the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy.

Note: This condition will be discharged when a post-development lighting survey conducted in accordance with section 8.3.4 of the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy has been submitted to the Local Planning Authority demonstrating compliance with the approved lighting plans, having implemented and retested any necessary remedial measures.

11) The development hereby approved shall be completed in accordance with the Landscape Strategy (Urban Wilderness 359-P-006 Rev B), the Planting Plans 1 (Rev B), 2 (Rev B), and 3 (Rev C) (Urban Wilderness 359-P-003-005); and, the floodlighting design (Surfacing Standards Ltd publication dated18.09.2020, project LSUK005)

REASON: To ensure adequate protection and mitigation for protected species, priority species and priority habitats.

12)  No sound reproduction or amplification equipment (including public address systems and loudspeakers) which would be audible at the site boundaries, shall be operated on the site, unless approved in writing by the local planning authority.

REASON: To define the terms of this permission and to safeguard the rural setting and nearby amenities.

13) All soft landscaping comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following the first occupation of the building(s) 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 byvermin 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, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning authority. All hard landscaping shall also be carried out in accordance with the approved details prior to the occupation of any part of the development or in accordance with a programme to be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

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

14) Any on site works undertaken in relation to trees shall be carried out in strict
accordance with section 4 of the Arboricultural Impact Assessment Report produced by BWB (dated November 2019) and protective fencing shall be erected prior to any operational development commencing on the site in accordance with the approved details. The protective fencing shall remain in place for the entire development phase and until all equipment, machinery and surplus materials have been removed from the site. Such fencing shall not be removed or breached during the construction operations.

REASON: In order that the development is undertaken in an acceptable manner and to enable the Local Planning Authority to ensure the retention of trees on the site in the interests of visual amenity.

15) Prior to bringing the development into use the applicant shall submit details of stopping up the existing field access served off the A361 and shown on approved plan drawing 170815-330.04 which shall require the written approval of the Council and thereafter, the stopping up of the field access shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details within 2 months of the site being brought into use.

REASON: To define the terms of this permission and in the interests of highway safety.

Planning Informatives:

1) Should the applicant wish to apply to vary the floodlighting condition as referenced above, the applicant would be required to undertake additional protected species surveys and light impact assessments in accordance with the TBMS requirements and appropriate future standards of the Institute of Lighting Professionals (or its equivalent) and/or adopted policy.

2) The applicant is advised to consider the provision of additional road signage and to liaise with the Council’s highways team where necessary, to assist with directing visitors to and from the site.

Councillor Ernie Clark requested his vote in abstention be recorded.