Agenda item

Land At Little Battleflat Farm Beveridge Lane Coalville Ellistown

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Mr J Smalley, objector, addressed the Committee. He informed Members that the development would significantly increase issues with both traffic and noise. He stated that to access the site, vehicles would need to travel over a bridge that had a blind summit, at which there had been numerous accidents over the years. He added that the site would increase the number of vehicle movements by 800 per day. He informed Members that the noise measurement was expected to be around 38.8dB which would leave a very small margin for error. He urged the Committee to refuse the application.

Mr J Holmes, agent, addressed the Committee. He advised Members that Highways had withdrawn their objection to the application as they had worked closely to put right the outstanding issues. He informed Members that the applicant would provide nearly £2 million contribution to the overall transport fund and that the site would generate between 1300 and 1500 jobs. He stated that there was a major client looking to move to one of the units and they would ensure that the footpaths would be diverted. He urged the Committee to permit the application as the applicant was prepared to go as soon as possible.

Councillor R Johnson stated that he was sceptical of the application, as the Committee had approved a similar application across the road from the site back in January 2012 and were advised that the work would be carried out within 3 months and it still had not been developed.

Councillor J Legrys stated that he shared Councillor R Johnson’s views and asked officers to outline to Members sites within a 2 mile radius that had been approved.

The Principal Planning Officer informed Members that the principal site in this part of the District with unimplemented permissions was the former South Leicester Disposal Point which was a site of 29 hectares and formed part of the current South East Coalville application site. The two permissions on the South Leicester Disposal Point were 07/01108/FUL (a full permission for 29,762 sqm of B8 floorspace) and 07/01112/OUT (an outline permission for 4,480 sqm of B2 floorspace and 17,920 sqm of B8 floorspace). The full permission expired in May 2015 and, in order to keep the outline planning permission extant, the reserved matters must be submitted by May 2015.

There was also a current (not yet determined) outline application (14/00069/OUTM) for B1, B2 and B8 development on a 6 hectare site at Beveridge Lane Bardon.

In terms of other vacant sites in this part of the District, there were two vacant plots on the Interlink industrial estate, a site of 2.3 hectares adjacent to the Volvo unit, and a site on Interlink Way South of 4.3 hectares (of which 1.9 hectares were in North West Leicestershire).

Councillor J Legrys thanked the officer for the information and stated that he felt the application was premature and that there were other sites in the area that would be better suited. He expressed concerns that there was no evidence that the applicant had got a client lined up and that the application would divert a valuable bus service from Broom Leys and Waterworks Roads. He stated that Parish Councillor Wakefield had done a lot of work and he was not convinced that the site would get developed.

Councillor G A Allman stated that the highways consultees had removed their objections and that the application would look at creating 1500 new jobs. He moved the officer’s recommendation. This was seconded by Councillor G Jones.

Councillor G Jones added that with creating 1500 jobs the application ticked all the boxes.

Councillor M Specht stated that he had seen much development to this area over many years, but would see in the short term if the development would progress.

Councillor T Neilson stated that as there were no technical objections he would be supporting the application, as it was one site fit for use. He requested that should the application be permitted that as part of condition 9 it be requested that as much of the external lighting as possible be switched off at night.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted in accordance with the recommendation of the Director of Services.

Councillor M B Wyatt returned to the meeting.