Minutes:
Item 6C
Application DC/21/03599
Proposal Planning Application – Erection of 3no. solar PV carports with associated infrastructure including cabling to Leisure Centre, battery storage system and 5no. electric vehicle charging points
Site Location SUDBURY – Station Road Car Park, Station Road, Sudbury, Suffolk
Applicant Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
44.1 A break was taken from 11:51am until 12:01pm, after application DC/21/00357 and before the commencement application DC/21/03599.
44.2 The Case Officer presented the application to the Committee outlining the proposal before Members including: the layout and location of the site, the proposed use, and the officer recommendation of approval.
44.3 The Case Officer and the applicants representative responded to questions from Members on issues including: the position of the carports within the car park and in relation to the lorry park and proposed health centre, whether the solar power generation capacity of the leisure centre is linked to the application, whether there would be any effect on the accessibility of the existing car parking spaces, and any potential removal of landscaping.
44.4 Councillor Beer proposed that the application be approved as set out in the officer recommendation.
44.5 Councillor Barrett seconded the motion.
44.6 The applicants representative responded to questions from Members on issues including: the capability of the structures to withstand extreme weather, the proposed type of charging points to be installed, car parking time constraints and charging levels, and how the location was selected.
By a unanimous vote
It was RESOLVED:
That the application be GRANTED planning permission and include the following conditions: -
1. ACTION REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A SPECIFIC TIMETABLE: COMMENCEMENT TIME LIMIT
The development hereby permitted shall be begun not later than the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.
Reason - To comply with the requirements of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004
2. APPROVED PLANS & DOCUMENTS
The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the drawings/documents listed under Section A above and/or such other drawings/documents as may be approved by the Local Planning Authority in writing pursuant to other conditions of this permission or such drawings/documents as may subsequently be approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority as a non-material amendment following an application in that regard. Such development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with any Phasing Plan approved under Section A, or as necessary in accordance with any successive Phasing Plan as may subsequently be approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the commencement of development pursuant to this condition.
Reason - For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper phased planning of the development.
3. REQUIREMENT FOR NOISE ASSESSMENT The development hereby approved shall not commence until full details of all plant to be installed including precise acoustic specification, as well as a noise assessment, to include details of the prevailing existing background level, to be based on methodology as given in British Standard BS4142:2014 have been submitted to an approved by the LPA, in order to allow the likelihood of loss of amenity to be determined.
Reason - To minimise detriment to nearby residential amenity.
4. ONGOING REQUIREMENT: BS4142 LIMIT ON EXTERNAL NOISE LEVELS The rating level of sound emitted from any fixed plant and/or machinery associated with the development for the use hereby approved shall not exceed background sound levels by more than 5dB(A) between the hours of 0700-2300 (taken as a 15-minute LA90 at the nearest sound sensitive premises) and shall not exceed the background sound level between 2300-0700 (taken as a 15-minute LA90 at the nearest/any sound sensitive premises). All measurements shall be made in accordance with the methodology of BS4142 (2014) (Methods for rating and assessing industrial and commercial sound) and/or its subsequent amendments. Where access to the nearest sound sensitive property is not possible, measurements shall be undertaken at an appropriate location and corrected to establish the noise levels at the nearest sound sensitive property. This shall be the initial noise condition. Where the levels predicted, exceed the background levels by more than those established in the initial noise condition then a scheme of mitigation to ensure compliance shall be submitted for approval by the LPA.
Reason - To minimise detriment to nearby residential amenity.
5. ONGOING REQUIREMENT: MAINTENANCE The plant and any noise mitigation scheme as required, hereby approved by the LPA, shall be maintained throughout the lifetime of the development to ensure the level of noise emitted from the site shall not exceed the initial noise condition.
Reason - To minimise detriment to nearby residential amenity.
6. ACTION REQUIRED PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF DEVELOPMENT: CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT TO BE AGREED A construction management strategy shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority prior to work commencing on site; this strategy is to include access arrangements for contractors’ vehicles (locations and times) and a methodology for avoiding mud from the site tracking onto the highway with a strategy for remedy of this should it occur. The approved strategy is to be adhered to until completion of the development.
Reason - To ensure safe working, minimal disturbance to the existing communities and adverse impact on the public highway during the construction phase.
7. ACTION REQUIRED PRIOR TO USE: SIGNAGE AND BAY MARKING Prior to the development hereby permitted coming into use, details of proposed on-site signage and updated bay marking shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Such measures shall be in place prior to use and shall remain as such at all times.
Reason - To clearly direct visitors and staff to the EV charging points.
8. SPECIFIC RESTRICTION ON DEVELOPMENT: REMOVAL OF EQUIPMENT The hereby approved carports, electric vehicle charging points and associated infrastructure shall be removed from the site when no longer required and the land re-instated to its former condition within six months of their last use.
Reason - To ensure that the site is kept in a tidy condition in the interests of visual amenity and the character and appearance of the area.
POSITIVITY STATEMENT
The proposal has been assessed with regard to adopted development plan policies, the National Planning Policy Framework and all other material considerations. The NPPF encourages a positive and proactive approach to decision taking, delivery of sustainable development, achievement of high-quality development and working proactively to secure developments that improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area. In this case the applicant took advantage of the Council's preapplication service prior to making the application. The opportunity to discuss a proposal prior to making an application allows potential issues to be raised and addressed pro-actively at an early stage, potentially allowing the Council to make a favourable determination for a greater proportion of applications than if no such service was available.
INFORMATIVES
This permission / consent includes a condition precedent. Your development is potentially at risk of enforcement if you do not comply with the terms of any condition which requires you to do something before you commence development / start work. Development which is commenced in breach of a condition is normally unlawful and may not constitute a valid implementation of the permission. We strongly advise you to allow reasonable time for the preparation, and consideration of, any conditional matters before the time limit on this application expires.
It is an OFFENCE to carry out works within the public highway, which includes a Public Right of Way, without the permission of the Highway Authority.
Any conditions which involve work within the limits of the public highway do not give the applicant permission to carry them out. Unless otherwise agreed in writing all works within the public highway shall be carried out by the County Council or its agents at the applicant's expense.
Supporting documents: