Agenda item

Proposal

Construction of a new access road including associated landscaping and infrastructure from the A281 (to serve existing commercial uses and new settlement permitted by WA/2015/2395).

Recommendation

That, subject to conditions, permission be GRANTED.

Proposal

WA/2019/1278 - Construction of a new access road including associated landscaping and infrastructure from the A281 (to serve existing commercial uses and new settlement permitted by WA/2015/2395) at  Runway Extension, Dunsfold Park, Stovolds Hill,  Cranleigh

Decision

RESOLVED that permission be APRROVED subject to amended conditions 5, 8 and 16 in the update sheet, and conditions 1-4, 6-7 and 9-15 on the agenda report.

Proposal

WA/2019/1278 - Construction of a new access road including associated landscaping and infrastructure from the A281 (to serve existing commercial uses and new settlement permitted by WA/2015/2395) at  Runway Extension, Dunsfold Park, Stovolds Hill,  Cranleigh

With reference to the report circulated with the agenda, Officers presented a summary of the planning context for making a decision on the application, and then outlined the proposed development including site plans and the layout. Officers outlined the determining issues and those matters of a more subjective nature.

The Committee was advised that since the agenda papers had been published there had been some minor amendments to conditions 5, 8 and 16.

The Committee was advised that permission was sought for the construction of a new access road including associated landscaping and infrastructure from the A281 to serve existing commercial uses and new settlement permitted by WA/2015/2395. The proposal would provide an alternative, improved access, to that shown to serve the new settlement previously.

There were design benefits to the scheme, through providing a clear legible entrance to the site (both as existing and as a future new settlement) and a landscape strategy which reflected the site’s history of the aerodrome. The proposal would deliver significant benefits in highway safety and capacity terms for existing and future site users,  improved connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists onto the A281, and better access for emergency vehicles. The proposal would benefit the delivery of a new mixed use settlement at Dunsfold Park (as allocated by Policy SS7) by providing a new access into the site which involveed significantly less physical landscape impacts, and avoided areas of constraint associated with the previous access for WA/2015/2395.

These benefits would significantly outweigh the landscape impacts associated with the introduction of a formal piece of infrastructure and landscaping, within an informal farmland landscape.

Public speaking

This was not a public speaking item.

Debate

The Committee considered the application and was pleased with the design and landscaping. There was concern that 12weeks until closure was too long and considered whether or not it should be less. It was accepted though that there would be a period of adjustment and it was considered a reasonable amount of time.

It was agreed that there were design benefits to the scheme, through providing a clear legible entrance to the site (both as existing and as a future new settlement) and a landscape strategy which reflected the site’s history of the aerodrome. The proposal would deliver significant benefits in highway safety and capacity terms for existing and future site users, improved connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists onto the A281, better access for emergency vehicles. The proposal would benefit the delivery of a new mixed use settlement at Dunsfold Park (as allocated by Policy SS7) by providing a new access into the site which involves significantly less physical landscape impacts, and avoided areas of constraint associated with the previous access for WA/2015/2395. These benefits would significantly outweigh the landscape impacts associated with the introduction of a formal piece of infrastructure and landscaping, within an informal farmland landscape.

The Committee moved to the revised recommendation as noted in the update sheet and agreed unanimously to approve.

Decision

RESOLVED that permission be APRROVED subject to amended conditions 5, 8 and 16 in the update sheet, and conditions 1-4, 6-7 and 9-15 on the agenda report.