Agenda item

Proposed Development

Non Material Amendment application for Amendment to Condition 16 of WA/2012/0911 in order to allow certain works identified to take place under planning permission WA/2012/0912 for the main site, prior to the construction of the temporary vehicular bridge and associated access works granted under planning permission WA/2012/0911 at  land at East Street  Farnham (as amended by letter dated 19/05/2015 and plans received 19/05/2015)

Recommendation

That the amendment to Condition 16 of WA/2012/0911 be APPROVED.

Proposed development

Non Material Amendment application for Amendment to Condition 16 of WA/2012/0911 in order to allow certain works identified to take place under planning permission WA/2012/0912 for the main site, prior to the construction of the temporary vehicular bridge and associated access works granted under planning permission WA/2012/0911 at  land at East Street  Farnham

The Chairman introduced the Officers present and referred Members to the proposed order of business for the meeting.

With reference to the report circulated with the agenda, Officers presented a summary of the planning history of the site, and the current plans and proposals. Officers showed pictures of the site and plans for the application. Officers outlined the matters of principle/technical judgement and those matters of judgement and advised members of information received following the agenda being published and detailed in the update sheet. This included an additional consultation response from Farnham Town Council and 88 additional letters of representation but these had not raised any new material considerations.

Officers advised the Committee that the application was for a non material amendment to condition 16 of planning permission WA/2012/1911 which was for the provision of temporary construction access to the A31, comprising of a bridge across the River Wey, pedestrian underpass, other supporting infrastructure and re-instatement works including re-siting of the proposed footbridge across the River Wey from that approved under WA/2008/0279. The proposal intended to allow a material operation to be carried out, to implement planning permission WA/2012/0912 to allow the demolition works to be undertaken without the provision and use of the temporary construction access bridge. Members noted that Section 96A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allowed a non-material amendment to be made to an existing planning permission via a simple application procedure with a quick decision time. The NPPG also confirmed that, pursuant to Section 96A(4), a person with an interest in the land could apply for a non-material amendment.

Following the officers presentation and before the Committee debated the application, in accordance with the guidance for public participation at meetings, each party was given the opportunity to speak for up to 5 minutes. The following people spoke to the application:

Jerry Hyman - Objector

Cllr John Ward – Farnham Town Council

Bruce McAllistair - Applicant/Agent

Having heard the officers’ presentation as well as the representations from the objectors and the applicant and supporter, Members were invited to ask any further questions or to seek clarification on areas of concern from the officers.

The Committee raised concern about the length of time it had taken the applicants to build the bridge and were disappointed that they were put in this position of agreeing a NMA so that there could be a further delay to the development of the site. Members raised concern about the extra movements onto the site as a result of this proposal and the affect this would have on air quality and traffic movement, particularly along South Street. Officers confirmed that the proposal for the demolition of the tennis club pavilion building would only result in a total of 12 vehicle movements over a 2 week period. The vehicle that would be used would be a light goods vehicle with a length of 7.5 m which was considered acceptable by officers and would not severely impact on the traffic movement through the town.

The Committee asked officers about the history of the application and why there was a need to change the condition in order to commence works. It was confirmed by officers that no further work could take place until the bridge was built and this application only sort to enable the demolition of the tennis club and build of the toilets. No further work could be undertaken using this route. Members sort reassurance by way on an informative attached to the recommendation that this was the case and there could be no further amendment to the condition. Furthermore, agreed to an amendment to Condition 16 seeking no “further” development be undertaken until the development, with the exception of the works identified in schedule 16032-SC-006_B, before that junction, the bridge, access road and site compound had been completed.

With the amendments noted above agreed, the Chairman moved to the recommendation noted below which was agreed by 14 in favour and 8 against.

Decision

RESOLVED that the amendment to Condition 16 of WA/2012/0911, as also amended at the meeting, and subject to an informative regarding further amendments to the condition, be APPROVED as follows:

16.     Condition

The proposed road and vehicular access to the A31 Farnham Bypass, including the temporary vehicular bridge over Borelli Walk and the River Wey, shall be designed and constructed prior to the implementation of WA/2012/0912, with the exception of the works identified in schedule 16032-SC-006_B, unless otherwise first agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. No further development shall begin, with the exception of the works identified in schedule 16032-SC-006_B, before that junction, the bridge, access road and site compound have been completed broadly in accordance with the application drawings and the requirements of the County Highway Authority. Once constructed the access and bridge shall be retained free of any obstruction to its use in accordance with a duration to be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority’.

          Reason

In order that the development should not prejudice highway safety, the free flow of traffic nor cause inconvenience to other highway users in accordance with Policies M2 and M3 of the Waverley Borough Local Plan 2002.