Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Director: Planning and Implementation, (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

Following the Officers’ presentation the Applicant, Mr Hollington addressed the Committee.

Councillor A S Fluker proposed that the application be approved, as per officer’s recommendations. This proposal was duly seconded.

During the debate that ensued and in response to questions raised, the Senior Planning Officer provided further details regarding the proposed mitigation of noise by way of a condition and confirmed the proposed drainage strategy.

Following the discussion, the Chairperson put the proposal in the name of Councillor Fluker and upon a vote being taken this was approved. It was noted that Councillor J R Burrell-Cook abstained from the vote.

RESOLVED that this application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1.         The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

2.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plans as set out by the Decision Notice.

3.         No works above ground level shall take place until written details of the proposed materials to be used in the development hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall be carried out using the materials and details as approved.

4.         No development shall take place, including any ground works or demolition, until a Construction Management Plan has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority. The approved plan shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Plan shall provide for; a. the parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors, b. loading and unloading of plant and materials, c. storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development, d. wheel and underbody washing facilities.

5.         Prior to first occupation of the development and as shown in principle on planning drawing no. 2106121-ACE-XX-00-DR-C-0501 Rev 1.2, the access at its centre line shall be provided with a clear to ground visibility splay with dimensions of 2.4 metres by 164 metres to the east, and 2.4 metres by 117 metres to the west, as measured from and along the nearside edge of the carriageway. Such vehicular visibility splays shall be provided before the access is first used by vehicular traffic and retained free of any obstruction at all times.

6.         All ecological mitigation measures and/or works shall be carried out in accordance with the details contained in the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (Plumb Associates, October 2024), as already submitted with the planning application, and agreed in principle with the local planning authority prior to determination. This may include the appointment of an appropriately competent person e.g., an ecological clerk of works (ECoW) to provide on-site ecological expertise during construction. The appointed person shall undertake all activities, and works shall be carried out, in accordance with the approved details.

7.         Prior to any works above slab level a Biodiversity Enhancement Strategy for protected and Priority species shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

The content of the Biodiversity Enhancement Strategy shall include the following:

a)             Purpose and conservation objectives for the proposed enhancement measures;

b)             detailed designs or product descriptions to achieve stated objectives;

c)              locations, orientations, and heights of proposed enhancement measures by appropriate maps and plans;

d)             timetable for implementation demonstrating that works are aligned with the proposed phasing of development;

e)             persons responsible for implementing the enhancement measures;

f)               details of initial aftercare and long-term maintenance (where relevant).

The works shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details prior to occupation and shall be retained in that manner thereafter.

8.         If external lighting is proposed, prior to beneficial use, a lighting design scheme for biodiversity in accordance with GN:08/23 Bats and Artificial External Lighting (ILP) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall identify those features on site that are particularly sensitive for bats and that are likely to cause disturbance along important routes used for foraging; and show how and where external lighting will be installed (through the provision of appropriate lighting plans, drawings and technical specifications) so that it can be clearly demonstrated that areas to be lit will not disturb or prevent bats using their territory.

All external lighting shall be installed in accordance with the specifications and location set out in the scheme and maintained thereafter in accordance with the scheme. Under no circumstances should any other external lighting be installed without prior consent from the Local Planning Authority.

9.         The development permitted by this planning permission shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Flood Risk Assessment (05/03/2025) and the following mitigation measures detailed within the FRA:

·                Infiltration testing in line with BRE 365. If infiltration is found unviable the run-off rates from the site should be limited to 33.4l/s.

·                Provide attenuation storage (including locations on layout plan) for all storm events up to and including the 1:100 year storm event inclusive of climate change.

The mitigation measures shall be fully implemented prior to occupation and subsequently in accordance with the timing / phasing arrangements embodied within the scheme, or 2 within any other period as may subsequently be agreed, in writing, by the local planning authority.

10.       Prior to occupation a maintenance plan detailing the maintenance arrangements including who is responsible for different elements of the surface water drainage system and the maintenance activities/frequencies, has been submitted to and agreed, in writing, by the Local Planning Authority. Should any part be maintainable by a maintenance company, details of long term funding arrangements should be provided.

11.       The applicant or any successor in title must maintain yearly logs of maintenance which should be carried out in accordance with any approved Maintenance Plan. These must be available for inspection upon a request by the Local Planning Authority.

12.       Prior to the first occupation of the development the cycle parking, as indicated on the approved plans, shall be provided and retained as such for the life of the development.

13.       Prior to first occupation of the proposed development, the Developer shall submit a workplace travel plan to the Local Planning Authority for approval in consultation with Essex County Council. Such approved travel plan shall be actively implemented for a minimum period of 5 years.

14.       Prior to first occupation of the proposed development, a Noise Management Strategy shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

The Strategy should include:

1)             Detailed drawings of proposed acoustic screening around the site;

2)             Updated noise calculations relative to the proposed screening and key areas within the site potentially generating noise (e.g. delivery areas, machinery);

3)             Operating hours, seasonal dates for 24h operation and anticipated timing/number of deliveries during normal and harvest seasons;

4)             Operational guidance/best practice to limit potential for noise spillage at all times.

The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

15.       The development hereby approved shall be carried out in accordance with the ‘Tree Protection Plan Whole Site’, ‘Tree Protection Plan Red Line Area’ and ‘Arboricultural Report’ (Andrew Day Arboricultural Consultancy Ltd, 3^rd October 2024) as approved as part of this permission.

16.       Prior to any works above slab level, a full details of the provision and subsequent retention of both hard and soft landscape works on the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to any works occurring above ground level at the application site.

These details shall include:

1)             Details of proposed schedules of species of trees and shrubs to be planted, planting layouts with stock sizes and planting numbers/densities.

2)             Details of the planting scheme implementation programme, including ground protection and preparation, weed clearance, stock sizes, seeding rates, planting methods, mulching, plant protection, staking and/or other support.

3)             Details of the aftercare and maintenance programme. The soft landscape works shall be carried out as approved within the first available planting season (October to March inclusive) following the occupation of any part of the development hereby approved unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. If within a period of five years from the date of the planting of any tree or plant, or any tree or plant planted in its replacement, is removed, uprooted, destroyed, dies, or becomes, in the opinion of the Local Planning Authority, seriously damaged or defective, another tree or plant of the same species and size as that originally planted shall be planted in the same place, unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to any variation.

Hard landscape works

1)         Details of walls with brick types, construction design and dimensions

2)         Details of surfacing, with materials finishing and edgings

3)         Details of any street furniture, with designs materials and dimensions

The hard landscape works shall be carried out as approved prior to the first use / occupation of any part of the development hereby approved and retained and maintained as such thereafter.

17.       Prior to the first occupation of the development, the foul and surface water drainage scheme as detailed by the approved Drainage Statement Report by Ardent Construction Engineers, Ref 2106121-RO1, dated October 2024, shall be installed and implemented and available to serve the drainage requirements of the development.