Agenda item

Members will consider a full application by Alastair Gill for the change of use of 3no. existing agricultural buildings to use classes B2, B8 and E(g) to include; lighting, amendments to external materials and fenestration and additional hard standing to create new service yards, parking and access. Extension of Cropton Road to provide access to development from Northminster Business Park [Rural West York Ward]

Members considered a full application by Mr Alastair Gill at land to the north west of Moor Lane, Upper Poppleton, York, for the change of use of 3no. existing agricultural buildings to use classes B2, B8 and E(g) to include; lighting, amendments to external materials and fenestration and additional hard standing to create new service yards, parking and access. Extension of Cropton Road to provide access to development from Northminster Business Park.

The Head of Planning and Development Services gave a presentation on the application and the Development Management Officer outlined the additional written information presented at the meeting.  In response to additional comments received prior to the meeting, the travel plan condition (14) was re-worded as follows:

14. Each of the units hereby approved shall be subject to a Travel Plan.

The Travel Plan(s) shall be developed and implemented in accordance with National Planning Policy Guidance and shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to occupation of each of the units hereby approved. 

The Travel Plan(s) shall be updated annually following occupation and the development shall operate in accordance with the aims, measures and outcomes of the approved Travel Plan(s).  

The travel plan shall identify specific required outcomes, targets and measures for promoting sustainable modes of travel, and shall set out clear future monitoring and proportionate management arrangements. It shall also consider what additional measures may be required to offset unacceptable impacts if the targets are not met.

The annual travel surveys shall be made available to the Local Planning Authority within 5 working days of any such request. Should the targets within the plan not be achieved, following annual review, details of further actions (to achieve such targets) shall be submitted to, and approved by the Local Planning Authority and implemented accordingly.

Reason: To reduce private car travel and promote sustainable travel in accordance with section 9 of the National Planning Policy Framework and policies DP3: Sustainable Communities and T7: Minimising and Accommodating Generated Trips of the 2018 Publication Draft Local Plan.

In response to questions from Members concerning the plans, officers confirmed the location of the site in relation to the community woodland. They reported that the public protection consultant had no objections to the plans but had been concerned about potential noise from the site, a number of conditions had been recommended and had been included in the report. It was confirmed that the Biodiversity net gain condition was missing from the report and would be added retrospectively.

Public Speaker

Kathryn Jukes, the agent for the application, spoke in support of the application.  She highlighted the economic benefits, including employment opportunities, of the proposed development and the potential reduction in traffic from Moor Lane.  She confirmed the aspects of the design, such as EV charging points and bike stores, that would contribute to both the city’s sustainable transport and climate change objectives.

Cllr Hook, Ward Councillor for Rural West York, spoke in objection to the application.  She raised concerns regarding poor signage to the business park, highway safety, noise, the operational times of the business park and intrusive lighting.

In response to Member’s questions, officers confirmed that condition 22 of the report covered the reduction of intrusive lighting.  Officers advised that signage to the business park could not be included within the conditions as it was not within the red line of the planning application.  They also advised that the council’s ecologist had considered the application and raised no concerns regarding the proximity to the community woodland.

Following debate, the Chair proposed the officer recommendation to approve the application, in line with the written additional information provided to the committee at the meeting and including the bio diversity net gain condition which had been omitted from the report.  This was seconded by Cllr Melly.  A vote was taken and Members voted 4 in favour of the recommendation and 4 against.  The Chair therefore used his casting vote and it was:

Resolved:             That the application be approved after referral to the Secretary of State.

Reason:                The site is considered to remain within the general extent of the Green Belt, until the Local Plan is adopted. However, the site is identified as part of the portfolio of sites to meet identified employment needs in the city and is therefore excluded from the Green Belt in the defined Green Belt boundaries. The re-use of the buildings and associated alterations to the buildings are considered to be appropriate development within the Green Belt, however the associated external works on the site is inappropriate development in the Green Belt, which are harmful by definition. It is considered however that there are very special circumstances that would clearly outweigh any harm to the Green Belt. Further, there is no case for refusing the scheme on prematurity grounds. Matters such as design, landscaping, amenity, biodiversity, trees, drainage, sustainability, contamination, waste, access and parking are adequately addressed either within the plans or via a specific condition.

The application accords with policies within the National Planning Policy Framework, Rufforth with Knapton Neighbourhood Plan, Poppleton Neighbourhood Plan (in so far as it relates to the Business Park) and policies set out within the Draft Local Plan (2018) (as modified March 2023). Based on the merits of this case, approval is recommended subject to the referral of the application to the Secretary of State under The Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2021 and the application not being called in by the Secretary of State for determination. The application is required to be referred to the Secretary of State as part of the development is considered to be inappropriate development in the Green Belt and the proposed 3 buildings would consist of 1931m² of floor space which is in excess of the 1000m² floor space threshold set out in the Direction.