Ward
Stanwell North Ward
Proposal
Land at Northumberland Close, Stanwell
Officer recommendation
This planning application is recommended for refusal.
Minutes:
Description:
This application sought the erection of a building comprising 8,241 square metres to provide warehousing and distribution/logistics (Class B8) and associated offices together with associated access, loading/uploading, car parking, servicing and landscaping.
Additional Information:
The Planning Development Manager gave the following updates:
1. A response was received from Highways England raising no objection.
2. An Addendum to the revised Air Quality Assessment was submitted. The Council’s Pollution Control Officer had since responded by removing her objection to the proposal on air quality grounds subject to conditions relating to dust and electric vehicle charging. Consequently reason for refusal 6 on Section 9 (Recommendation) of the committee report was removed.
3. A revised noise impact assessment was submitted. However, the Council’s Environmental Health Officer responded by maintaining her objection on noise impact grounds.
4. The Heathrow consultation (para 8.75, page 87) expired on the 13/09/2019. Spelthorne Council had sent a consultation response to this.
5. A late response from the applicant was received commenting on the objections raised by local residents under paragraph 6.2 of the report. Most of the points raised had been covered in the committee report. Of the other issues, many did not relate to the application or were not planning matters. With regard to ‘overlooking/loss of privacy’ and ‘noise and dust during construction’, these issues could be addressed by conditions if the application was approved. With regard to ‘open space’, there was no planning designation on the site for open space in the current Local Plan.
6. Two late letters were received from the applicant. The first letter was confirming an interest from an operator JAS (Jet Air Service) who had expressed interest in occupying the building subject to planning permission. The second letter was from Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) dated December 2018 to the owner of the land indicating HAL’s potential interest in acquiring the land.
7. Amendment to paragraph 3.1 of the committee report:
3.1 The site has the following planning history:
FUL/90/346
Erection of 1,692 sq m (18,212 sq ft) of Class B8 storage and distribution warehousing with ancillary office accommodation, and provision of car and lorry parking.
Approved
19/09/1990
8. Amendment to paragraph 8.6 of the committee report:
8.6
The GBA identified two tiers of land parcels: Strategic Green Belt
Areas (‘Strategic Areas’) and Local Green Belt Areas
(‘Local Areas’). The
assessment divided Spelthorne into two strategic areas that were
consistent with the areas adopted by Elmbridge Borough Council for
its GBA. The application site lies
within ‘Strategic Area B A’ which is described in paragraph 4.3.1
of the GBA as “a band of Green Belt maintaining separation
between a number of settlements including Ashford /
Sunbury-on-Thames / Stanwell, Staines-upon-Thames / Shepperton /
Walton-on-Thames, and Chertsey, Addlestone, and Egham.a north-eastern band of Green Belt at the very edge of
London which separates the London fringe settlements (e.g. Bedfont,
Feltham, Sunbury-on-Thames and Hampton) from settlements to the
south-west.” In its
conclusion (section 7), the assessment affirms that this area
“plays an important role in meeting the fundamental aim of
the Green Belt through preventing sprawl from settlements in Surrey
by keeping land permanently open”.
9. Amendment to paragraphs 8.27 and 8.29 of the committee report:
8.27
The site is adjacent to existing residential
properties on the western side (Clare Road) and to the north east
(Cleveland Park). The proposed
building will be almost 38 metres away from the 222 Clare
Road’s rear elevation which is the nearest dwelling and some
21 metres from the neighbouring rear boundaries. The proposed
building at this point slopes to a lower height of 14 metres at the
eaves. The overall height is 16.19
metres (roof apex). The proposed development on its western
elevation presents a continuous wall of development of 164
165 metres.
Whilst it is noted that the
proposal would be further set in from the adjacent residential
properties along Clare Road compared to the refused scheme, the
proposed building would be greater in height. The proposed development would still present a
continuous mass of the 164 165 metre western
elevation and due to its height, form and bulk would appear
visually obtrusive and dominating, particularly for the
neighbouring occupiers when using their gardens. Whilst some degree of screening has been proposed
by the applicant in the form of tree planting, the Council’s
Tree Officer is of a view that the proposed trees along the western
side would not be large enough to facilitate adequate
screening.
Public Speaking:
In accordance with the public speaking procedures, Jemma Brown spoke against the proposal raising the following comments:
In accordance with the public speaking procedures, Ian Anderson spoke for the proposal raising the following comments:
In accordance with the public speaking procedures, Ward Councillor S.M. Doran spoke on the proposal raising the following comments:
Debate:
During the debate the following key issues were raised:
· Will provide jobs at Heathrow
Decision:
The application was refused as recommended and for the reasons set out at paragraph 9. in the Planning Committee report, subject to the deletion of reason 6.
Supporting documents: