Agenda item

Proposal

Hybrid application consisting of a Full Application for the erection of Buildings C, D and Energy Centre to provide approximately 6,400 sq. m. of floor space for Design and Engineering use (Mix of B use Classes to comprise Use Classes B1 Business and B8 Storage and distribution) together with car parking, landscaping and associated works. Outline application for the erection of 4 additional buildings (Mix of B use Classes to comprise Use Classes B1 Business and B8 Storage and distribution) including Design Headquarters; Layout and Scale to be determined at Outline. This application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement Addendum which is supplementary to the original Dunsfold Park ES submitted under WA/2015/2395.

Recommendations

RECOMMENDATION A:

That, subject to completion of a legal agreement by 23/10/2019 to secure highway sustainability improvements and travel plan auditing fee, and subject to conditions, permission be GRANTED.

RECOMMENDATION B:

That, if the requirements of recommendation A are not met, that permission be REFUSED.

Proposal

Hybrid application consisting of a Full Application for the erection of Buildings C, D and Energy Centre to provide approximately 6,400 sq. m. of floor space for Design and Engineering use (Mix of B use Classes to comprise Use Classes B1 Business and B8 Storage and distribution) together with car parking, landscaping and associated works. Outline application for the erection of 4 additional buildings (Mix of B use Classes to comprise Use Classes B1 Business and B8 Storage and distribution) including Design Headquarters; Layout and Scale to be determined at Outline. This application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement Addendum which is supplementary to the original Dunsfold Park ES submitted under WA/2015/2395.

The case officer presented the details of the proposal, as set out in the agenda report, together with photos of the site and artists impressions of the proposed elevations and layout of the proposed development. Attention was drawn to the updates report which detailed the consultation response from the Council’s Economic Development Team endorsing the economic benefits deriving from the proposals, additional representations, and additional comments from Rutland for Dunsfold Airport Ltd expressing support and confirming that the application did not compromise the implementation of the Dunsfold Park Masterplan. The Update also advised that a planning application for a new site access to Dunsfold Park from the A281 would be submitted in May 2019.

Public speaking

In accordance with the council’s arrangements for public speaking, the representations were heard from:

Simon Wakefield – Objector

Stephen Haines – Chairman, Dunsfold Parish Council

Dermot Walsh – Supporter (on behalf of the applicant)

The Committee members were broadly supportive of the application, which would secure the future of a world class innovative engineering company in Waverley. Committee members were also pleased to learn of the imminent planning application for the new access road, and noted that in due course this would remove the need for the cap on traffic movements via the Stovolds Hill gate.

There were some reservations about whether traffic movements could be contained within the cap up to the point when the new access road was operational; and whether there had been sufficient effort made to consult with the local communities.

Cllr Townsend raised a number of concerns about the proposed development: she was disappointed that it was not part of the Dunsfold Park Masterplan, and not within the existing commercial area of Dunsfold Park. The building would be visible from the AONB, she was disappointed that the mitigations suggested by Natural England and the AONB Board had not been required through conditions.

Cllr Townsend had particular concerns about the absence of a consultation response from Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT), where waste water would be sent for treatment, and the intention to have a gas boiler on site. Cllr Townsend was minded to seek a deferral to allow the SWT consultation response to be considered, and for further information on the location of the sewage treatment works for the development, but sensed that this was unlikely to be supported by the committee. However, she was not comfortable that the committee was being asked to approve the application without the SWT comments.

The case officer advised that notwithstanding the absence of the SWT comments, the Surrey County Council in-house Environmental Assessment Team had confirmed that the information set out in the Environmental Statement and its supporting appendices, in combination with any additional information or evidence from the consultation on the planning application was sufficient for the application to be determined. Officers were satisfied that ecological mitigations had been appropriately conditioned, and that the mitigations suggested by Natural England and the AONB were covered by informatives. 

With regards to the sewage treatment works, Thame Water had not objected on the basis of the foul water sewage network infrastructure capacity, but had requested a condition on water network upgrades to ensure sufficient capacity for anticipated additional demand.

The Chairman moved recommendation A, that permission be granted subject to completion of a legal agreement by 23/10/2019 to secure highway sustainability improvements and travel plan auditing fee, and subject to conditions.

The recommendation to grant planning permission passed with 20 votes in support, none against, and one abstention.

The Chairman then moved recommendation B, that if the requirements of the resolution to grant permission were not met, then permission be refused.

The recommendation was passed unanimously.

Decisions

A. RESOLVED that subject to completion of a legal agreement by 23/10/2019 to secure highway sustainability improvements and travel plan auditing fee, and subject to conditions 1 to 36 and Informatives 1 to 24, permission be GRANTED.

B. RESOLVED that if the requirements of Decision A are not met, that permission be REFUSED.