Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the position of an outline application to layout access and erect a business and industrial park development, with offices, research and development units, light industrial units, warehouses and retail/amenity block, car parking and attenuation pond

(report attached)

  (Prior to consideration of the following matter Councillors Coulson and Taylor left the meeting)

  Plans, photographs and graphics were displayed at the meeting

  Officers presented a report of the Chief Planning Officer providing an update on an application for a major industrial park development in Wetherby and seeking Members’ comments on a range of issues

  Members were informed that the site was allocated in the UDP for employment uses with proposed uses being for a mixed B1,B8 development with small ancillary A1/A2/A3/A4 provision.  Reference was also made to the national objectives in ‘Planning for Growth’ which placed importance on the need to secure economic growth when considering planning applications

  A revised layout was displayed at the meeting and whilst scale and appearance would be considered as Reserved Matters, single and two storey blocks were envisaged

  In terms of accessibility to the site, walking distances based on average walking speeds indicated that the nearest bus stop was 6 minutes from the site with Wetherby Town Centre being 15 minutes walk from the site

  The following general comments were made:

·  disappointment that the comments made by Ward Members at a meeting with the applicant had not been taken into consideration

·  that Metro was of the view that the site was inaccessible and the amount of public transport contributions being sought would be insufficient

·  that Harrogate Borough Council had raised valid concerns about the proposals

·  that information on the planning file about the proposed design of the buildings suggested the inclusion of a tall building which would tower above the A1 and would not fit in with the image Wetherby had as an historic market town

·  that the office accommodation exceeded the limit suggested at this location

·  that an A1 floorspace of 200 sq metres was felt would protect trade elsewhere but that a larger unit was being proposed

·  that any retail use was regrettable as Wetherby Town Centre would not benefit from the development if people chose to remain on the site during lunch breaks

·  the archaeological potential of the site and the comments of WYAAS that a full evaluation of the site was required before an application was determined

·  why the Public Rights of Way which existed across the site had not been identified in the application

·  that a sequential assessment of office space in Wetherby Town Centre had taken place in January 2010 but needed to be updated to reflect the current situation which was not as robust as when the survey was done

·  that the level of the proposed office accommodation did not currently exist in Wetherby but that Thorp Arch was relatively close and this was experiencing some difficulties, despite being in a sustainable and accessible location

·  that much greater detail was required and should be shared with Ward Members

·  the need for the applicant to understand the issues in Wetherby, especially those of Wetherby Business Association

In response to the specific questions in the report, the following

responses were provided:

·  The principle of employment use on the site - this was agreed

·  Scale and mix of uses -  some concerns were raised at the lack of detail to enable these matters to be properly considered; that single and two storey buildings might be acceptable but that a three storey building should be reconsidered; whether office accommodation should be accepted in an out of town location and the viability of the retail use on the site; that any scheme should support Wetherby Town Centre and that due to the inaccessibility of the site, increased car parking would be required with concerns about this

·  Concerning the sustainability of the site in terms of its location, reference was made to Metro’s comments which stated that the site was unsustainable

·  Access arrangements – these were considered to be acceptable

·  Layout and scale –  comments made on this – see above

·  Biodiversity and landscaping – that little information was provided on biodiversity and concerns about the approach to landscaping, these being echoed by Harrogate Borough Council

·  Heads of Terms – that detailed information had not been provided.  The Head of Planning Services highlighted the areas where contributions were being sought and the need to continue discussions on these matters in negotiation with Ward Members

·  Time limit – the imposition of a 5 year time limit condition in which the reserved matters should be submitted if the outline application was approved was accepted so long as the S106 contributions could be updated and be index-linked

·  Other issues to be addressed – these were as set out in the general comments together with a need to make provision for local employment and training initiatives

The Panel’s Lead Officer summarised Members’ comments as being

supportive of the principle of employment use but that more detail was required in terms of design and quantum of development and that the retail element should be removed from the scheme

RESOLVED -  To note the report and the comments now made