Agenda item

The Committee considered a County Matter planning application for the proposed extension of building to house 1no. additional biomass boiler at Go Greener, Guinness Park Farm, A4103, Leigh Sinton, 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 Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy’s comments in relation to the waste hierarchy, location of the development, landscape character and visual impacts, residential amenity (including noise, dust, odour and air quality), traffic and highway safety, water environment, and ecology and biodiversity.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy concluded that the development of the biomass boiler and associated wood chipping operation would overall move waste up the waste hierarchy from disposal to other recovery and would reduce the waste miles associated with transporting the excess wood off site. It would therefore comply with the objectives of the waste hierarchy, and Policies WCS 2, WCS 4 and WCS 15 of the Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered the principle of the proposed development in this location was acceptable and accorded with Policies WCS 4 and WCS 6 of the Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the proposed development would not have an unacceptable impact on landscape character or visual impact, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the proposal would have no adverse noise, dust, or odour impacts upon residential amenity or that of human health, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy was satisfied that the proposal would not have an unacceptable impact upon traffic or highway safety, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the proposal would not have an unacceptable impact upon the water environment, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the proposal would not have an unacceptable adverse impact on ecology and biodiversity at the site or on the surrounding area.

 

Taking into account the provisions of the Development Plan and in particular Policies WCS 1, WCS 2, WCS 4, WCS 6, WCS 8, WCS 9, WCS 10, WCS 11, WCS 12, WCS 14 and WCS 15 of the Adopted Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy and Policies SWDP 1, SWDP 2, SWDP 3, SWDP 4, SWDP 6, SWDP 8, SWDP 12, SWDP 21, SWDP 22, SWDP 23, SWDP 24, SWDP 25, SWDP 27, SWDP 28, SWDP 29, SWDP 30, SWDP 31 and SWDP 33 of the Adopted South Worcestershire Development Plan, it was considered the proposal would not cause demonstrable harm to the interests intended to be protected by these policies or highway safety.

 

In the ensuing debate, the following principal points were raised:

 

·         The local councillor commented that he was minded to support the application and welcomed the local investment by the applicant. However, a condition granted on the previous application for tree planting remained outstanding. In addition, the approved condition relating to dust and mud needed strengthening to ensure that the applicant kept a daily record of the issues and actions to suppress dust and mud which then could be discussed with officers and/or the parish council. John Spurling responded that the extant permission required a landscaping scheme, the details of which had now been approved and included additional visual screening/planting on the south-western corner of the site. A condition was proposed to ensure that no mud, dust or debris should be carried onto the public highway and the development should be maintained in accordance with the scheme that had been approved. The Planning Monitoring Officer had received a complaint about mud on the main road back in November 2019. He had reviewed the site during this period and found no evidence of mud on the road. He also confirmed that the wheel-washing equipment was on site and available for use by the applicant and no further complaints had been received since. Steve Aldridge added that proposed condition l) asked for an updated noise and dust management plan

·         The application complied with the relevant strategies including the Waste Core Strategy and there were no objections to it. The condition to connect the facility to the National Grid was welcomed but it was a pity that the heat generated from the site could not be used to heat the local school

·         It was queried whether a condition could be added to the permission to paint the building green. John Spurling responded that there was a pre-existing building painted dove grey. Painting this building green could actually draw more attention to it and it was not possible to grant permission to paint all the buildings on the site green. In addition, the County Landscape Officer had no objection and Malvern Hills AONB Partnership did not consider that the application would have any significant effect on the AONB and they considered that the dove grey colour was acceptable

·         It had previously been agreed by the Committee to leave the colour of the building as the proposed dove grey colour

·         Given the history of fires at the site, it was disappointing that Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service had not commented. Steven Aldridge indicated that the Fire Service were always consulted but it was understood they tended to prefer to comment in detail at later stages in the development consent process such as on the Building Regulation stage

·         There would be 165 fewer vehicle movements as a result of this application

·         It was a well-used site and it was appropriate to give it greater capacity

·         It was requested that any tree planting should be of diverse tree species and not linear conifer trees so that the site had a more natural appearance. Steven Aldridge confirmed that the approved planting scheme did include native species. The land in question was outside the control of the applicant so to compensate, it was agreed that native trees would be planted on the bund and replaced if the planting failed after 5 years.  

 

RESOLVED that planning permission be granted for the proposed extension of building to house 1 no. additional biomass boiler at Go Greener, Guinness Park Farm, A4103 Leigh Sinton, Worcestershire, subject to the followingconditions:

 

Commencement

a)    The development must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission;

 

Details

b)   The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the details shown on submitted Drawings Numbered 17-374-Loc-001, 17-374-PL-001A, 17-374-PL-002A, 17-374-PL-003A, and 17-374-PL-004A except where otherwise stipulated by conditions attached to this permission;

 

Throughput

c)    The maximum operational capacity of the additional biomass boiler hereby approved shall not exceed 2,800 tonnes of wood waste per annum. If requested by the County Planning Authority, the operator shall provide evidence in writing of the throughput for the plant over the previous 12 month period, within 10 working days of a request being made;

 

Waste Acceptance

d)    Only wood waste that has been processed by the associated wider waste transfer station approved under planning permission ref: 18/000009/CM, dated 11 December 2018, shall be processed by the additional biomass boiler hereby approved;

 

Drainage

e)    No new gates, walls or other means of enclosures shall be constructed within the area occupied by the surface water flow path as shown on Figure 4.2: ‘Flood Risk from Surface Water’, of Guinness Park Farm Recycling Centre, Flood Risk Assessment, version 1.1, dated 16 July 2018, as approved under planning permission ref: 18/000009/CM, dated 11 December 2018;

 

f)     Notwithstanding the submitted details, within 3 months of the date of permission, a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) Strategy and associated Management Plan shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. This shall include details on management responsibilities, maintenance schedules for all SuDS features and associated pipework, and the strategy that shall be followed to facilitate the optimal functionality and performance of the SuDS schemes throughout its lifetime. Thereafter, the SuDS shall be maintained in accordance with the approved details;

 

g)   There shall be no discharge of trade effluent, sewage effluent or contaminated drainage from the site into any ditch or watercourse;

 

h)   All surface water drainage from the site shall be through an oil interceptor;

 

Storage

i)     The height of stored skips, and all other stored materials shall not exceed 4 metres in height;

 

j)     The storage of skips and materials associated with the development hereby approved shall be carried out and maintained in accordance with scheme approved by the County Planning Authority under Condition 14 of planning permission ref 18/000009/CM, dated 11 December 2018 – drawing titled: ‘Condition Release Application – Section of Existing Bund and Planting with Spoil and Skip Details’, Numbered: 17-374-CR-205A, dated 30 August 2019; and drawing titled: ‘Condition Release Application – Plan of Material Stockpile Locations on Site’, Numbered: 17-374-CR-206A, dated 30 August 2019, and approved 10 September 2019;

 

Pollution / Noise and Dust Emissions 

k)    Construction works, including installation of any plant and machinery shall only be carried out on the site between 08:00 to 18:00 hours on Mondays to Fridays inclusive, and 08:00 to 13:00 hours on Saturdays, with no construction work on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays;

 

l)     Notwithstanding any submitted details, within 3 months of the date of this permission, an updated Noise and Dust Management Scheme for the site shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme;

 

m)  Chipping operations associated with the development hereby approved shall only take place between the hours of 09:30 hours and 15:30 hours Mondays to Saturdays inclusive, with no chipping operations on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays;

 

n)   The vehicles, plant and machinery operated within the site shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s specification at all times, this shall include the fitting and use of effective silencers;

 

o)   In the event that contamination is found at any time when carrying out the approved development that was not previously identified it must be reported immediately to the County Planning Authority. The applicant is advised to immediately seek the advice of an independent geo-environmental consultant experienced in contaminated land risk assessment, including intrusive investigations and remediation. No further works should be undertaken in the areas of suspected contamination, other than that work required to be carried out as part of an approved remediation scheme, unless otherwise agreed by the County Planning Authority, until requirements i to iv below have been complied with:

 

                    i.Detailed site investigation and risk assessment must be undertaken by competent persons in accordance with DEFRA and the Environment Agency's 'Model Procedures for the Management of Land Contamination, CLR 11' and a written report of the findings produced. The risk assessment must be designed to assess the nature and extent of suspected contamination and approved by the County Planning Authority prior to any further development taking place;

 

                  ii.Where identified as necessary, a detailed remediation scheme to bring the site to a condition suitable for the intended use by removing unacceptable risks to identified receptors must be prepared and is subject to the approval of the County Planning Authority in advance of undertaking. The remediation scheme must ensure that the site will not qualify as Contaminated Land under Part 2A Environmental Protection Act 1990 in relation to the intended use of the land after remediation;

 

                 iii.The approved remediation scheme must be carried out in accordance with its terms prior to the re-commencement of any site works in the areas of suspected contamination, other than that work required to carry out remediation; and

 

                 iv.Following completion of measures identified in the approved remediation scheme a verification report that demonstrates the effectiveness of the remediation carried out must be produced, and is subject to the approval of the County Planning Authority prior to the use of the development hereby approved;

 

p)   Any facilities for the storage of oils, fuels, or chemicals shall be sited on impervious bases and surrounded by impervious bund walls. The volume of the bunded compound should be at least equivalent to the capacity of the tank plus 10%. If there is multiple tankage, the compound should be at least equivalent to the capacity of the largest tank, or the combined capacity of interconnected tanks, plus 10%. All filling points, vents, gauges and sight glasses must be located within the bund. The drainage system of the bund shall be sealed with no discharge to any watercourse, land or underground strata. Associated pipework should be located above ground and protected from accidental damage. All filling points and tank overflow pipe outlets should be detailed to discharge downwards into the bund;

 

q)   There shall be no burning of waste on the site except for the incineration of wood within the permitted biomass boilers, as shown on drawings numbered: 17-374-PL-001A and 17-374-PL-003A;

 

Electricity

r)     The additional biomass boiler hereby approved shall not operate until the operator has demonstrated, in writing, to the County Planning Authority that the connection to the district network has been made to enable electricity generated by the facility to be supplied to the district network;

 

 Lighting

s)    Details of any new lighting to be installed at the site, associated with the development hereby approved shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing prior to being erected. These details shall include:

 

                     i.        Height of the lighting posts;

                    ii.        Intensity of the lights;

                   iii.        Spread of light (in metres);

                   iv.       Any measure proposed to minimise the impact of the lighting or   disturbance through glare;

                    v.        Any measures to minimise the impact of lighting upon protected

                   vi.        species and habitats, in particular bats; and

                 vii.        Times when the lighting would be illuminated;

 

Thereafter the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details;

 

Biodiversity

t)     All existing trees, shrubs and hedgerows indicated to be retained shall be protected by suitable fencing in accordance with BS5837:2012. No materials shall be stored, no rubbish dumped, no fires lit and no buildings erected inside the fence.  In the event of any trees, shrub or hedgerow being damaged or removed by the development, it shall be replaced with like species and equivalent size, which in the case of a mature tree may entail multiple plantings, in the next planting season;

 

Highways

u)   No mud, dust or debris shall be carried onto the public highway. To facilitate this, the access road shall be maintained in a clean condition at all times. The development hereby approved shall be carried out and maintained in accordance with the scheme to prevent mud and detritus being deposited on the public highway, approved by the County Planning Authority under Condition 23 of planning permission ref 18/000009/CM, dated 11 December 2018 – ‘Section titled: Condition 23 of the document titled: Application for Approval of Details Reserved by Condition – 18/000009/CM, dated August 2019, and drawing numbered: 17-374-CR-206A’, and approved 10 September 2019;

 

Cessation

v)    In the event of cessation of the wider associated waste transfer operations approved under planning permission ref: 18/000009/CM, dated 11 December 2018, the site shall be restored in accordance with a scheme to be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing, within 6 months of the cessation of activities. The approved scheme shall be fully implemented within 2 years of the written approval; and

 

Planning Permission

w)   A copy of this decision notice, together with all approved plans and documents required under the conditions of this permission shall be maintained at the site office at all times throughout the period of the development and shall be made known to any person(s) given responsibility for management or control of activities/operations on the site.