To receive Report No. 158/2020 from the Strategic Director for Places.

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Mr Baines proposed that item 1 be deferred to give more opportunity for members to review the information within the agenda and addendum. This was seconded and a recorded vote was taken with the votes cast as follows:

RESOLVED

The motion fell.

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Report No. 158/2020 was received from the Strategic Director for Places.

Item 1 – 2019/0736/FUL – St George’s Barracks, North Luffenham Road, Edith Weston

(Parish: Edith Weston; Ward: Normanton)

Mr Darren Burbeary, Senior Planning Officer for the Council, addressed the Committee and gave an executive summary of the application, recommending approval.

Mr Collins, speaking as a member of the public against the application, addressed the Committee.

During questions to Mr Collins from the Committee, the following points were noted:

1. Mr Collins stated that the proposal would have a significant impact on the local ecology and wildlife if approved without further planning conditions.
2. It was not known whether a Leicestershire Ecologist had done a site visit regarding the application.

Mr Coe, speaking as a representative of Edith Weston Parish Council, addressed the Committee.

During questions to Mr Coe from the Committee, the following point was noted:

• Mr Coe felt that there should be a condition placed to limit the number of vehicles moving to and from the site otherwise there would be no traffic movement limit.

Mr Burrows, speaking as a representative of North Luffenham Parish Council, addressed the Committee.

During questions to Mr Burrows from the Committee, the following point was noted:

• The Committee noted that policy CS6 Re-use of redundant military bases and prisons stated that a development should not lead to undue disturbance to nearby local communities through traffic, noise, aircraft activity or other uses. With the number of complaints from the communities of Edith Weston and Manton regarding the disturbance to their communities it was felt that the development was causing a disturbance to the nearby local communities.

Mr Mullin, speaking as the agent representing the applicant, addressed the Committee.

During questions to Mr Mullin from the Committee, the following points were noted:

1. Security footage would be available if there was a security breach on site.
2. There was no pre-planning engagement. The application was retrospective, the lease was agreed and activities commenced without planning permission. The applicant accepted responsibility for not engaging with the local community.
3. When stock is left on the site, the condition of it would be monitored by the applicant company during the time it is on the site. Before a vehicle leaves the site, the condition of it would be assessed.
4. Mr Mullin stated that efforts had been made within the operational plan to ensure there was a complaints and disciplinary procedure in relation to the site.

Miss Waller and Mr Bool, Ward Members for Normanton, addressed the Committee.

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Mr Baines proposed that the remaining items on the agenda be deferred to the next Planning and Licensing Committee. This was seconded and a recorded vote was taken with the votes cast as follows:

RESOLVED

That the remaining items on the agenda be deferred to the next Planning and Licensing Committee.

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Mr Oxley proposed that the application be refused based on the following reasons:

1. The type of business currently being operated from within the application site area by Airfield Trailer Store Ltd is not considered to be small scale activity, extending over a large area and resulting in a high number of vehicular movement's. The operational practices adopted by the applicant to date have caused unacceptable disturbance to nearby communities of Edith Western and Manton and this is reflected in the number of complaints received. It is considered that the operation practices and the mitigation measures proposed in the 'Operation Plan - St Georges Barracks' prepared by Marrons Planning dated (November 2020) on behalf Airfield Trailer Stores Ltd do not fully mitigate the impacts on the nearby communities and would result in an unacceptable level of disturbance to nearby communities of Edith Western and Manton as a result of the increase traffic movements and the associated noise and disturbance from the general use of the site. This would be contrary to planning advice in chapter 9 and 12 NPPF and planning policies CS06 of the adopted Core Strategy (2011), and SP11 and SP15 of the Site Allocations and Development Plan Document (2014).

2. Notwithstanding the submitted information it is considered that the proposed development would have a significant detrimental impact on the local wildlife and ecology. There is evidence that the operational practices of the business are not compliant with the suggested mitigation and acceptance of the proposal would therefore result in an adverse impact on the local ecology, the scheme would conflict with planning advice in chapter 15 NPPF and planning policies CS21 of the adopted Core Strategy (2011), and SP19 of the Site Allocations and Development Plan Document (2014).

A recorded vote was taken and the votes cast were as follows: