Agenda and minutes

The members had before them:

A.    The Agenda papers (previously circulated);

B.    A copy of the summary presentations from public participants invited to speak (previously circulated); and

C.   The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2015 (previously circulated).

A copy of documents A-B will be attached to the signed minutes.

Ms P Agar for Mr J Baker.

Apologies were received from Mr A T Amos, Mr J Baker and Mr S J M Clee.

The Council has put in place arrangements which usually allow one speaker each on behalf of objectors, the applicant and supporters of applications to address the Committee.  Speakers are chosen from those who have made written representations and expressed a desire to speak at the time an application is advertised.  Where there are speakers, presentations are made as part of the consideration of each application.

Those presentations made are recorded at the Minute to which they relate.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2015. (previously circulated – pink pages)

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2015 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee considered a planning application under Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992 for a proposed development of a new rail station and associated infrastructure.  The application comprises of new platforms on the Birmingham - Bristol railway line and one platform on the Cotswold railway line, a new station building, a Public Right of Way footbridge over the Birmingham - Bristol railway line, car parking, flood attenuation and a new roundabout on the B4084 on Land to the east and south of The Crucible Business Park, Norton, Worcester, Worcestershire.

The report set out the background of the proposal, the proposal itself, the relevant planning policy and details of the site, consultations and representations.

The report set out the Planning Development Control Manager's comments in relation to the justification for the proposal, location of the development, alternatives, economic impact, impact on other railway stations, traffic, highway safety and impact upon public rights of way, ecology and biodiversity, landscape character, visual impact and residential amenity, noise and vibration, air quality, contaminated land, water environment, other matters including the historic environment, cumulative effects, human rights, loss of agricultural land, impact upon existing waste management facilities, integrity of the railway line, Network Rail operational land, and sustainable development.

The Planning Development Control Manager concluded that the principle of the proposed development in this location was acceptable and accorded with adopted and emerging planning policy; and there was a compelling need for the proposal.

Given that the premise of the development was a strategic interchange facility between the Birmingham and Bristol lines and the Cotswold line, which was unique at this location within the County, and as the site was allocated within the adopted Local Plan and the emerging Local Plan, it was considered that the approach taken to consideration of alternatives was acceptable.

The Planning Development Control Manager acknowledged that the NPPF afforded significant weight to sustainable economic growth and considered that the proposal would provide considerable economic development benefits in accordance with the NPPF.

The proposal would not significantly reduce the demand for the existing Worcestershire railway stations, which would continue to be viable. The applicant anticipated that car parking spaces and seats on trains released by passengers transferring to the proposed Worcestershire Parkway railway station would be taken up by new rail passengers to the network, who were currently unable to access their nearest railway station by car because the car parks were at capacity.

Based on the advice of Worcestershire Regulatory Services it was considered that the proposal would have an acceptable impact on the air quality and contaminated land subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

The Planning Development Control Manager was satisfied that the proposed development would be acceptable on noise and vibration grounds, subject to the imposition of appropriate and robust planning conditions to ensure noise mitigation measures for the duration of the construction phase were implemented to minimise noise impacts on the Follies, the nearest noise sensitive property.

The Planning Development Control  ...  view the full minutes text for item 916.