Agenda item

Erection of two units for light industry (class E) or general industry (class B2) or storage/distribution (class B8) or storage/distribution with ancillary trade counter use; and associated car parking and landscaping.  [Huntington / New Earswick Ward]

[Cllr Perrett joined the meeting for item 4b]

Members considered a major full application by The Tonsley York Trust for the erection of two units for light industry (class E) or general industry (class B2) or storage/distribution (class B8) or storage/distribution with ancillary trade counter use; and associated car parking and landscaping.

The Development Manager gave a presentation on the application and the Development Management Officer provided an update to Members, as below:

Update

Additional Condition

A footpath to the west of the access road shown in Drawing Number 1561 S02 P4 (‘Proposed Site Layout’, received 22 June 2022) shall be fully constructed in accordance with details to be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority prior to the first use of the development hereby approved.

Reason: To ensure there is safe pedestrian access to the site.

There were no questions from Members on the plans or the update.

Public Speaker

Eammon Keogh, agent for the applicant, spoke in favour of the application.  He explained the history of the site and stated that 10 of the 11 units had been let.  Phase two of the site was for units suitable for smaller businesses which would be of benefit to the local community.

When asked, he was not able to confirm the anticipated employment numbers.

Members then asked questions to officers to which they responded that:

·        Members needed to consider the application based on the site as it existed currently, they therefore could not consider the previous mitigations that had been put in place to protect the newts.

·        Ecologists agreed that it was better for the newts to be relocated to a well-managed habitat.  The pond and habitat would be provided by Natural England.

·        As the licence to move the newts had been granted, it must be complied with, not to do so would be to commit an offence.

·        The outline planning permission for the housing development to the north, granted by the Secretary of State, did not include mitigations for adjacent sites.  At this outline planning stage, the design of the housing development was not known.

·        Paragraph 3.4 related to conditions during the construction phase, not the operation of the site.

·        The net gain in biodiversity, as per the Huntington Neighbourhood Plan, was not linked to a specific site. 

The Development Manager noted that Class E was a wide-ranging category, and recommended that a condition be added, restricting the use of the units to those outlined in the application.

Following debate, Cllr Fisher moved the officer recommendation to approve the application, this was seconded by Cllr Orrell.  A vote was taken and with four votes in favour and four against, the Chair’s casting vote meant that the motion was approved and it was;

Resolved:            that the application be approved subject to the additional condition in the written update and the use restriction condition as per the officer recommendation in the verbal update.

Reason:              The development would provide employment buildings within an existing commercial area.  In the planning balance biodiversity, environmental and highway impacts are acceptable and can be mitigated where necessary by planning condition.  The proposal would accord with the NPPF, the Huntington Neighbourhood Plan (2021), the Draft Local Plan (2005) and the Draft Local Plan (2018).