Agenda item

Approved subject to conditions.

The Committee considered the Construction of a storage and distribution building (B8 use), including ancillary office space, together with ancillary buildings with associated access, parking, service and yard areas, drainage, landscaping and associated infrastructure.

The Major Projects Team Leader explained that the application was submitted outside of the Development Consent Order (DCO) process as the intended occupiers of the building, required a bespoke distribution building which exceeded the maximum height parameter set by the DCO.

The Major Projects Team Leader outlined the late representation report, which included additional conditions and amended conditions to the officer’s recommendations, for the committee’s consideration.

The Major Projects Team Leader further outlined the information in the report and provided a presentation which included location maps, site plans, site layout, building elevations, highways access and photographs from various viewpoints to provide contextual information.

Steve Harley, the Agent, addressed the Committee in support of the application providing an overview of the progress of the delivery on the overall site, and outlined the plans and the benefits of the development:

·       The Highways consultees had raised no objections to the application

·       The site was laid out, ready for the development

·       The rail terminal was completed and ready to become operational

·       The development would expand the present site and act as an exemplar building

·       The DCO for the wider site had required a plot specific drainage system to be provided

·       The proposed occupier, a global logistics supplier, required a higher bay than was allowed by the DCO consent order

·       Information regarding the distribution network to the site

·       The landscaping impact assessment had considered the impacts acceptable. Mitigation measures had been

·       Energy efficiencies would include, electric vehicle (EV) charging points in car parks, heat source pumps and photovoltaic panels.  With a future plan to feed power back to the National Grid.

During the course of the Committee, members gave consideration to:

·       The changing requirement of occupiers for buildings with smaller footprint and taller buildings

·       The DCO and the reasons ‘Full; applications may be brought before committee.  And the need to assess each application on its own merit

·       The height and quality of the additional landscaping on the mitigation bund which was covered by the DCO.  A landscape management plant would be submitted to the Council. 

·       The proposed occupancy of the building and the changing requirement of occupiers for specific unit types

·       That PV panels should not increase the height, that they would be flush fitting/integrated into the roof

·       A routing agreement would be addressed within the DCO for the whole site

·       The height of the proposed building and the potential effect on the visual amenity from various perspectives

Councillor Manner requested that the minutes record his hope that the committee would consider robustly any future applications, to increase the height of the units, and the appropriate landscape mitigation measures for the site.

Councillor Pritchard proposed the application be approved in line with officer’s recommendations.  The proposition was seconded by Councillor Parker and on being put to the meeting was declared carried unanimously.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered the officer’s report, presentation, public representations and the Committee updates.

Resolved: That permission be granted, subject to delegated powers to the Assistant Director for Planning and Development to resolve any outstanding matters in respect of drainage to the satisfaction of the local planning authority and subject to the following:

1.    The conditions as set out in the committee reports with Delegated Powers to the Assistant Director for Planning and Development for any amendments to those conditions as deemed necessary

2.    The completion of a planning obligation under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as substituted by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, to secure the following (and any amendments as deemed necessary):

a)      To ensure the proposed development is made subject to the planning obligations set out in the Northampton Gateway Development Consent Section 106 without which the Planning Permission would not be issued.