Minutes:
23.1 Item 6A
Application DC/22/00985
Proposal Planning Application – Demolition of existing retaining wall to former swimming pool site. Construction of new retaining wall, park entrance landscaping to Belle Vue Park and pedestrian crossing to Cornard Road.
Site Location Belle Vue Park, At the Roundabout Junction of Cornard Road and Newton Road, Sudbury
Applicant Babergh District Council
23.2 The Case Officer presented the application to the Committee outlining the proposal before Members including: the ownership of the site, the site location and red line plan, the allocated uses of the land, the location of the proposed pedestrian crossing, the proposed landscaping plans, the location of the former swimming pool, alternative entrances to the site, emergency access plans, the existing entrance, and the officer recommendation of approval as detailed in the officer report.
23.3 The Case Officer and the Suffolk County Council (SCC) Senior Transport Planning Engineer responded to questions from Members on issues including: provision of parking spaces for disabled drivers, whether a traffic flow assessment had been undertaken, and the proposed plans for emergency access to the site.
23.4 The Chief Planning Officer and the Case Officer responded to questions from Members on issues including: the plans for the existing entrance, the safety of the proposed location of the pedestrian crossing, existing footpaths close to the entrance and any proposed plans for additional footpaths, whether wheelchair access had been considered, and the proposed access plans for delivery vehicles.
23.5 The SCC Senior Transport Planning Engineer responded to questions from Members regarding disabled vehicle access and proposed parking plans in the area.
23.6 The Case Officer responded to further questions from Members on issues including: the proposed landscaping plans, the design of the entrance and gates, and ecology conditions.
23.7 A break was taken from 11:25am until 11:37am.
23.8 The Chair confirmed to Members that although an email had been sent to the Governance Officer registering Ellen Murphy to speak on the application on behalf of Sudbury Town Council, Tim Register would instead be speaking at the meeting.
23.9 Ellen Murphy confirmed that she was transferring her right to speak to Tim Register.
23.9 Members considered the representation from Tim Register who spoke on behalf of Sudbury Town Council.
23.10 The Town Council Representative responded to questions from Members on issues including: the equality impact assessment, the traffic flow at entrance to the park and whether the proposed crossing would impact the traffic flow in the opinion of the Town Council, and whether cycling is currently permitted in the park.
23.11 The Town Council Representative and the Case Officer responded to questions from Members regarding the size specifications of the proposed access ramp.
23.12 Members considered the representation from Polly Rodger Brown who spoke as an Objector.
23.13 The Objector responded to questions from Members on issues including: the comments from the structural engineers report collapsing of a wall, and the preferred plans of the Belle Vue Action Group.
23.14 Members considered the representation from Lee Carvell who spoke as the Applicant.
23.15 The Applicant responded to questions from Members on issues including: the location of the footpath and whether consideration could be given to amending the layout, how long the site had been in its current condition, whether conditions regarding the retaining wall and suggested improvements to Ingrams Well Road would be accepted, the existing high voltage cables along the retaining wall, the amount of consultation undertaken with local residents, proposed plans for prevention of anti-social behaviour within the park, ecological considerations, accessibility issues, the ownership of the land outside of the park entrance, the proposed landscaping plans, potential traffic issues, the feedback received from the consultation process, and confirmation that the improvements for the park were not dependant on the levelling up fund.
23.16 Members debated the application on issues including: the existing condition of the site and the former swimming pool, and the proposed conditions applying to the permission and how these address concerns raised by residents and objectors.
23.17 Councillor McCraw proposed that the application be approved as detailed in the Officer recommendation.
23.18 Councillor Osborne seconded the motion.
23.19 Members continued to debate the application on issues including: the safety and location of the proposed pedestrian crossing, the view of the Church from the park entrance, potential traffic issues, ecological issues, and the response received from SCC Highways regarding the proposed pedestrian crossing.
23.20 The Chief Planning Officer provided clarification to Members that the details of the proposed pedestrian crossing would be able to be discussed further with SCC Highways.
23.21 Members continued to debate the application on issues including: the response from the public consultations, and the fencing along the retaining wall.
23.22 The proposer and seconder agreed to the following inclusion to the hard landscaping condition:
Notwithstanding any detail within the planning application details of any structures / means of enclosures on any wall shall be submitted to LPA for agreement.
By a vote of 6 votes for and 5 against
It was RESOLVED:
That authority be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer to grant full planning permission for the development as proposed, subject to the following conditions, subsequent to receiving written confirmation from the Council’s Ecological consultant that there is sufficient information available to enable the Council to determine the impacts on ecology arising from the development, and these can be properly mitigated.
· Standard time limit (3yrs for implementation of scheme)
· Approved Plans (Plans submitted that form this application)
· Final details of all hard landscaping elements, including the design of entrance gates, to be agreed in writing with the LPA prior to the commencement of development.
· Agreement of external facing materials, murals, insertion of commemorative plaques etc. for new retaining walls prior to their erection.
· Controls over timing of demolition and construction works
· Agreement of a Construction Method Statement prior to the commencement of development
· No burning of demolition or construction waste
· Prior to installation, further details showing that lighting is compliant with Guidance Note 1 for the reduction of obtrusive light 2021 to be submitted and approved
· Development being carried out in accordance with the measures identified in the submitted Arboricultural Impact Assessment
· Details of the proposed pedestrian crossing facility to be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA before the commencement of development.
· Details of works within or abutting the highway maintainable at public expense submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA before the commencement of development.
· Means to prevent the discharge of surface water from the development on to the highway submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA before commencement of development.
· Construction Management Plan submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA prior to the commencement of development.
· Approval of a detailed landscape plan inter alia addressing the issues raised in the Place Services – Landscape consultation response.
· Approval of a Landscape Management Plan.
· Approval of details of the improvements to the Ingram’s Well Road access to the park, together with a timescale for the works.
And the following informative notes as summarised and those as may be deemed necessary:
· Proactive working statement
· SCC Highways notes
· Notes in relation to land contamination
And the following amendment to the hard landscaping condition as agreed at Committee:
Notwithstanding any detail within the planning application details of any structures / means of enclosures on any wall shall be submitted to LPA for agreement.
Supporting documents: