Agenda item

Outline application for erection of business incubator units, warehousing and regional training facility for roofing, biomass and stoves in association with change of use to Class E with all matters reserved [Haxby and Wigginton Ward]

Members considered a major outline application from Oliver Neal for the erection of business incubator units, warehousing and regional training facility for roofing, biomass and stoves in association with change of use to Class E with all matters reserved at Geoff Neal Roofing Factory Sutton Road Wigginton York.

The Head of Planning and Development Services outlined the application and gave a presentation on the application.

Public Speaker

Geoff Neal spoke in support of the application on behalf of the applicant. He explained that scheme being educational and attracting inward investment were the reasons for very special circumstances. He explained that it would provide a centre of regional training for roofing and would be a beacon for special training. He noted that the application was supported by the Parish Council and immediate neighbour. He added that the proposal fitted in with commercial buildings in the area and the existing site was well screened by hedges and would increase biodiversity of the site.

In response to questions from Members, Geoff Neal explained:

·        How the nature of the training would differ to that offered by York College.

·        If the training was sited elsewhere this would be more disruptive.

·        There were economic benefits of the scheme to contribute to the very special circumstances.

·        The training centre would develop skills in solar thermal roofing, solar photovoltaic (PV) roofing, and battery storage. There was no training for this in the region at present.

Members then asked Officer a number of questions to which they confirmed that:

·        The 2005 draft Local Plan considered the site as green belt.

·        They had not consulted with economic development colleagues as the site was not allocated as am employment site.

·        There were very special circumstances and these were taken on balance.

·        They could not say that all the buildings were single storey as the plans were indicative.

Cllr Waudby proposed the officer recommendation to refuse the application. This was seconded by Cllr Fenton. Following a vote with 8 in favour of the motion and 3 against, it was:

Resolved: That the application be refused.

Reason:

     i.        The identified harm to the Green Belt is that the proposals are inappropriate development, which is, by definition harmful.

    ii.        No further harm has been identified that cannot be reasonably mitigated through the use of planning conditions.

  iii.        The three overarching objectives of the NPPF in achieving sustainable development are economic, social, and environmental.  The objective being to secure net gains across each objective.

  iv.        The economic objective is to help build a strong, responsive, and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right types is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth, innovation, and improved productivity; and by identifying and coordinating the provision of infrastructure.

   v.        The proposed development will supplement the existing warehouse use on site and provide opportunities for purpose formed training space where craft trades can be taught in classrooms with workshop space.

  vi.        The site is currently in the general extent of the Green Belt. The site specifics have been documented in Annex 4 to the Topic Paper 1 Addendum (page 7 onwards), which provides relevance to land around the B1363 highway (Sutton Road to York Road) has concluded this location serves a green belt function, and it is necessary to keep the land permanently open to safeguard the countryside from encroachment. As such is not identified through the emerging local plan process as one suitable to contributing towards meeting development needs over the emerging plan period.  Therefore, the proposed use is not compliant with the mix of uses identified as suitable for the site in the strategic allocation contained in polices SS1.

 vii.        The scheme does not conflict with the social and environmental objectives, noting that mitigation can be secured through planning condition.

viii.        Taking into account the objectives in the NPPF, the level of identified Green Belt harm and the economic benefits of the scheme very special circumstances existing in this case do not clearly outweigh the harm.

[The Chair left the meeting at 19.37].

[The meeting adjourned from 19.37 to 19.43].