Decision details

Description:

Change of use to provide a water sports leisure facility with associated inflatables and floating jetty, toilets, changing rooms, first aid building, car parking and other associated facilities.

Additional Information:

The Planning Development Manager advised the Committee of the following:

An amended site location plan showing a reduced application site area had been circulated to all committee members.

A late letter of objection was received from Spelthorne Natural History Society raising a number of issues, many of which are covered in the planning committee report.  The additional issue relates to green belt concerns.

Additional condition

A floating safety barrier marking the extent of the application site on the lake shall be maintained at all times between 1st April and 31st August annually and between 1st September and 31st March this barrier shall be removed from the lake.

Reason:-.To accord with the terms of the planning application and to safeguard the Ecology and Biodiversity of the Site of Nature Conservation Importance and its environs as required by Policy SP6 of the Spelthorne Core Strategy and Policies DPD (2009).

Public Speaking:

In accordance with the Council’s procedure for speaking at meetings, Emma Pattinson spoke for the proposed development raising the following key points:

• Will be a benefit to the natural environment
• Will help to improve leisure activity and to increase health and fitness
• The use supports many schools
• Improvements to the River Ash have already taken place
• Less than 10% of the lake’s bank will be used
• Bridges have been added to prevent damage to the bank

Debate:

During the debate the following key points were made:

• Queries over water supply, foul waste disposal
• Queries over possible use of the site for motorised sports
• Concerns over safety of the children in water
• Impact on the green belt
• Concern over ecological impact
• Traffic and pollution
• An informative asking the applicant to give consideration to providing a disabled W.C. on site.
• Concerns over contamination of water in lake
• Activity will act as guardian for wildlife on site

Decision:

The application was approved subject to conditions as per the officer report and the following additional condition and informative:

Additional condition

A floating safety barrier marking the extent of the application site on the lake shall be maintained at all times between 1st April and 31st August annually and between 1st September and 31st March this barrier shall be removed from the lake.

Reason:-.To accord with the terms of the planning application and to safeguard the Ecology and Biodiversity of the Site of Nature Conservation Importance and its environs as required by Policy SP6 of the Spelthorne Core Strategy and Policies DPD (2009).

Additional informative

The applicant is advised to consider the provision of disabled toilet facilities within the site.

NB: Such provision would require planning permission.