Agendas, Meetings and Minutes - Agenda item

Agenda item

Proposed Pershore Northern Link Road comprising the construction of a new highway and road bridge to the north of Pershore in Worcestershire. The scheme would provide a direct link between the existing A44 / B4083 Roundabout (north of the Oxford - Worcester - Wolverhampton (OWW) Railway Line) and the B4083 Roundabout (south of the OWW Railway Line) to provide a critical connection between the A44 and B4083 Wyre Road and access to the Pershore Trading Estate. as part of the Northern Link Road a new road bridge would be constructed which would cross the OWW Railway Line to the east of Pershore Railway Station on land between the A44 / B4083 Roundabout and the Wyre Road / Ascot Road Roundabout, Pershore, Worcestershire (Agenda item 5)

Minutes:

The Committee considered an application under Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning Regulations 1992 for proposed Pershore Northern Link Road comprising the construction of a new highway and road bridge to the north of Pershore in Worcestershire. The scheme would provide a direct link between the existing A44 / B4083 roundabout (north of the Oxford - Worcester - Wolverhampton (OWW) railway line) and the B4083 roundabout (south of the OWW railway line) to provide a critical connection between the A44 and B4083 Wyre Road and access to the Pershore Trading Estate. As part of the northern link road a new road bridge would be constructed which would cross the OWW railway line to the east of Pershore railway station on land between the A44 / B4083 roundabout and the Wyre Road / Ascot Road roundabout, Pershore, 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 Development Management Team Manager’s comments in relation to: the Principle of the Development, Alternatives, Traffic, Highway Safety and Public Rights of Way, Landscape Character and Visual Impact, Residential Amenity (Air Quality, Dust, Noise and Vibrations Impacts), Water Environment, Ecology and Biodiversity, Historic Environment, Other Matters (Safety and Integrity of the Railway, Contaminated Land, Utilities, Cumulative Effects and EIA Team and Expertise).

 

The Development Management Team Manager concluded that the proposed development gained policy support from Policies SWDP 4 and SWDP 47 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan. The route of the Pershore Northern Link Road was safeguarded for transport infrastructure under Policy SWDP 4. The Reasoned Justification to Policy SWDP 47 stated that "in directing development to the north of the town it is important that infrastructure improvements are secured. These include provision of the Northern Link Road from the A44 / Wyre Piddle bypass roundabout to Keytec 7 Business Park.

 

The applicant had confirmed that option development had been undertaken throughout the design process. This included a number of rail overbridge bridge options. In view of this, the Development Management Team Manager considered that the applicant's approach to the consideration of alternatives was acceptable in this instance.

 

The application was accompanied by a Transport Assessment, which stated that the proposal was not expected to generate trips, however the additional capacity the proposal would provide made it a more attractive route compared to other busier alternatives. The wider area net trip impact would be zero, and the scheme would not only benefit the local area, but the wider highway network by taking trips from other congested routes / junctions.

 

The Public Right of Way of Footpath PS-565 crossed the application site and adjoined Footpath WP-508. The applicant proposed to close these two Public Rights of Way for health and safety reasons throughout the duration of the construction works and reopen them on completion of the development. Based on the advice of the County Footpath Officer and Ramblers Association, the Development Management Team Manager was satisfied that the proposal would not have an unacceptable impact upon Public Rights of Way, traffic or highway safety, subject to the imposition of an appropriate condition, requiring a CEMP for highway.

 

Based on the advice of Wychavon District Council and the County Landscape Officer, it was considered that, subject to the imposition of an appropriate conditions, the proposal would not have an unacceptable adverse or detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the local area, including views to and from the Cotswolds AONB.

 

Based upon the advice of Worcestershire Regulatory Services, it was considered that, on balance, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions, the proposal would not have an unacceptable adverse or detrimental impact upon residential amenity, in terms of air quality and noise impacts or that of human health.

 

The Lead Local Flood Authority had raised no objections to the proposal, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions, and the Environment Agency had also raised no objections. In view of this, the Development Management Team Manager considered that there would be no adverse effects on the water environment, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions regarding mitigation measures to protect the water environment during the construction phase and as recommended by the Lead Local Flood Authority (detailed drainage scheme and management plan).

 

Based on the advice of Natural England, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and the County Ecologist, it was considered that subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions that the proposed development would have no adverse impacts on the ecology and biodiversity at the site or in the surrounding area and would enhance the application site’s value for biodiversity.

 

Based on the advice of the District and County Archaeologists and Historic England it was considered that the proposal would not have an unacceptable impact upon the historic environment, in accordance with Policies SWDP 6 and SWDP 24 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan.

 

Taking into account the provisions of the Development Plan and in particular Policy WCS 17 of the Adopted Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy and Policies SWDP 1, SWDP 2, SWDP 4, SWDP 5, SWDP 6, SWDP 7, SWDP 21, SWDP 22, SWDP 24, SWDP 25, SWDP 28, SWDP 29, SWDP 30, SWDP 31, SWDP 32 and SWDP 47 of the adopted South Worcestershire Development Pan, it was considered the proposal would not cause demonstrable harm to the interests intended to be protected by these policies or highway safety.

 

The Development Management Team Manager introduced the report and commented that members had visited the site and noted the proximity of the nearest residential properties and commercial units and visited both ends of the proposed route.

 

Mr Robinson, a supporter of the proposal addressed the Committee. He welcomed the proposal in conjunction with the Pinvin Junction/re-designed traffic lights. This project was long overdue resulting in many years of frustration and causing chaos to the local infrastructure, not helped by Wychavon District Council allowing hundreds of houses to be built in this part of Northern Pershore. Representatives of the applicant had updated him and he was confident that the project would be completed successfully and hopefully on time, weather-permitting. Local residents had suffered for years with the current house building projects and assurances were needed that any more house building projects would be balanced by the right infrastructure, especially greenfield sites.  He noted the Strategic Economic Plan and the 3 objectives namely world class business locations, special skills and developing competitive creativity. Positive comments had been received from the local county councillor, Pershore Town Council and Wychavon District Council.

 

Mark Mills, County Highways did not address the Committee on behalf of the applicant but was available to answer questions. The following query was raised with him:

 

·         Would the slow worms be moved from the site before any work on site commenced? Mark Mills indicated that a relocation Strategy had been agreed with the County Ecologist which applied to all forms of wildlife in the vicinity of the site. The relocation of wildlife from the site would be undertaken during the summer months up to October before the hibernation period. Construction work would only start after that period when the whole site was assessed as sterile.

 

In the ensuing debate the following points were raised:

 

·         The local councillor strongly commended the proposals which had taken a long time to get to this stage. The only solution to the access issues experienced to the north of Pershore was to utilise this short route over the railway line. There were only two access points to Pershore from the north either via Wyre Hill or Terrace Road both of which were narrow and inappropriate. There was strong local support for the scheme and the parish and town councils had worked hard to get the scheme to this point

·         The proposal was welcomed and local councillors should be congratulated for their efforts

·         The plans to safeguard the biodiversity of the area were welcomed. The only negative aspect of the proposal was the impact on the emerging Minerals Local Plan as this site had been included as a strategic corridor for minerals. However, the sustainability arguments for this application outweighed this concern. In addition, assurances had been received about the provision for pedestrians along Wyre Road 

·         The representative of the County Highways Officer commented that contributions had been received from surrounding residential developments to improve the walking/cycling infrastructure along Wyre Road. This was being agreed outside the planning application but there was a clear relationship between housing provision and employment land in the area. The intention was to provide at least a new footway and hopefully cycling provision but that would be subject to detailed design when the necessary funding became available

·         Although this Link Road was a welcome addition to the local road network, it was ironic that a further road would be built at a time when the Council was trying to increase investment in public transport

·         This project would improve the transport infrastructure in the locality and therefore be a major boost to the Council’s Open for Business Policy. 

 

RESOLVED that, having taken the environmental information into account, planning permission be granted for proposed Pershore Northern Link Road comprising the construction of a new highway and road bridge to the north of Pershore in Worcestershire. The scheme would provide a direct link between the existing A44 / B4083 roundabout (north of the Oxford - Worcester - Wolverhampton (OWW) railway line) and the B4083 roundabout (south of the OWW railway line) to provide a critical connection between the A44 and B4083 Wyre Road and access to the Pershore Trading Estate. As part of the northern link road a new road bridge would be constructed which would cross the OWW railway line to the east of Pershore railway station on land between the A44 / B4083 roundabout and the Wyre Road / Ascot Road roundabout, Pershore, Worcestershire, subject to the following conditions:

 

Commencement

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

 

b)  The developer shall notify the County Planning Authority of the start date of commencement of the development in writing within 5 working days following the commencement of the development;

 

Approved Drawings

c)   The development hereby approved shall be carried out in accordance with the details shown on the submitted drawings, except where otherwise stipulated by conditions attached to this permission:

 

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0000, Rev P6.0 – Series 0000 – General Site Plan;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0100, Rev P5 – Series 0100 – Preliminary Site General Arrangement – ES3.4;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0101, Rev P5.0 – Series 0100 – Preliminary Site Location;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0300, Rev P4.0 – Series 0300 – Fencing General Arrangement;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0305, Rev P2.0 – Series 0300 – Fencing Standard Details;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0400, Rev P4.0 – Series 0400 – Vehicle Restraint General Arrangement;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0500, Rev P4.0 – Series 0500 – Drainage General Arrangement;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0505, Rev P1.0 – Series 0500 – Drainage Standard Details;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0600, Rev P4.0 – Series 0600 – Earthworks General Arrangement;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0700, Rev P5.0 – Series 0700 – Road Geometry – Road Geometry and Pavement General Arrangement;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0701, Rev P2.0 – Series 0700 – Road Geometry – Road Geometry Longsection;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0702, Rev P2.0 – Series 0700 – Road Geometry – Road Geometry Cross Sections Sheet 1;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-0703, Rev P2.0 – Series 0700 – Road Geometry – Road Geometry Cross Sections Sheet 2;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-C-1005, Rev P2.0 – Series 0100 – Road Pavements Bridge Elevations;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-1100, Rev P5.0 – Series 1100 – Kerbs, Footways & Paved Areas General Arrangement;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-1105, Rev P2.0 – Series 1100 – Kerbs, Footways & Paved Areas Standard Details;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-1200, Rev P5.0 – Series 1200 – Road Markings General Arrangement;

·         PNLR-BUR-ALL-HWY-DR-CH-1300, Rev P4.0 – Series 1300 – Street Lighting General Arrangement;

·         A066326-PER-SK-001, Rev P0.0 – Rail Overbridge Preferred Option for Planning;

·         Figure ES 1.1, Rev P01 – Scheme Location Plan; and

·         Figure ES 8.4, Rev 0 – Landscape Proposals;

 

d)   Notwithstanding the submitted details, prior to commencement of development hereby approved, a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) in accordance with Worcestershire Regulatory Services "Code of Best Practice for Demolition and Construction Sites" shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. The approved CEMP shall beimplemented for the duration of the construction works. The CEMP shall address the following:

 

Hours of Working

                             i.        A scheme providing the days and hours of construction operations;

 

Biodiversity

                            ii.        Risk assessment of potentially damaging construction activities;

                           iii.        Identification of “biodiversity protection zones”;

                           iv.        Practical measures (both physical measures and sensitive working practices) to avoid or reduce impacts during construction to be provided as a set of Method Statements for nesting birds, roosting bats, badgers, hedgehog and any other wildlife considered to be at risk;

                            v.        The location and timing of sensitive works to avoid harm to biodiversity features;

                           vi.        The times during construction when specialist ecologists need to be present on site to oversee works;

                         vii.        Responsible persons and lines of communication;

                        viii.        The role and responsibilities on site of a suitably competent Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW);

                           ix.        Use of protective fences, exclusion barriers and warning signs;

 

Lighting

                            x.        Details of the proposed construction lighting;

 

Dust and Air Quality

                           xi.        A scheme to minimise and mitigate the impacts of dust emissions and impacts to air quality;

 

Noise and Vibration

                         xii.        A scheme to minimise and mitigate the impacts of noise and vibration;

 

Contamination

                        xiii.        A Method Statement for the control of unexpected contamination;

 

Water Environment

                        xiv.        Measures to be undertaken to ensure that any pollution and silt generated by the construction works shall not adversely affect groundwater and surface waterbodies;

 

Highways

                         xv.        Measures to ensure that vehicles leaving the site compounds do not deposit mud or other detritus onto the public highway; and

 

                        xvi.        Details of site operative parking areas, material storage areas and the location of site operatives facilities;

 

Ecology and Biodiversity

e)    Notwithstanding the submitted details, within 3 months of the commencement of the development hereby approved, a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. Thereafter, the LEMP shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details. The LEMP shall include the following:

 

                             i.        Description and evaluation of features to be managed;

                            ii.        Ecological trends and constraints on site that might influence management;

                           iii.        Aims and objectives of management;

                           iv.        Appropriate management options for achieving aims and objectives;

                            v.        Prescriptions for establishment and aftercare management actions;

                           vi.        Preparation of a work schedule (including an annual work plan capable of being rolled forward over a five-year period);

                         vii.        Details of the body or organization responsible for implementation of the plan;

                        viii.        Ongoing monitoring and remedial measures;

                           ix.        Details of any legal and funding implementation of the LEMP will be secured by the applicant with the management bodies responsible for its delivery; and

                            x.        An updated planting scheme to include native species of local provenance, locations, numbers, densities, spacing and planting sizes for the development hereby approved. The scheme shall be implemented within the first available planting season (the period between 31 October in any one year and 31 March in the following year) on completion of the development. Any new trees or shrubs, which within a period of five years from the completion of the planting die, are removed, or become damaged or diseased, shall be replaced on an annual basis, in the next planting season with others of a similar size and the same species;

 

f)     Notwithstanding the submitted details, prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, including any translocation of reptiles, a Reptile Mitigation Strategy shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority. Thereafter the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details;

 

g)   Within 3 months of the commencement of the development hereby approved, a Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing.  A report describing the results of monitoring shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority at intervals identified in the Strategy. The report shall also set out (where the results from monitoring show that conservation aims and objectives are not being met) how contingencies and/or remedial action will be identified, agreed with the County Planning Authority, and then implemented so that the development still delivers the fully functioning biodiversity objectives of the originally approved scheme. The Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details;

 

h)   All vegetation clearance at the site shall be undertaken outside the bird nesting season which generally extends between March and September inclusive. If this is not possible then any vegetation that is to be removed or disturbed should be checked by an experienced ecologist for nesting birds immediately prior to works commencing. If birds are found to be nesting any works which may affect them would have to be delayed until the young have fledged and the nest has been abandoned naturally;

 

i)     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 hedgerows being damaged or removed by the development, they shall be replaced in the next planting season;

 

Design

j)     Notwithstanding the submitted details, prior to the construction of the Rail Overbridge, detailed design of the Rail Overbridge, shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details;

 

Drainage

k)   Notwithstanding the submitted details, no development shall commence until detailed design drawings for surface water drainage have been submitted to, and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority. Thereafter the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details;

 

l)    No works in connection with site drainage shall commence until a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) management plan which shall include details on future management responsibilities, along with maintenance schedules for all SuDS features and associated pipework has been submitted to and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority. This plan shall detail the strategy that will be followed to facilitate the optimal functionality and performance of the SuDS scheme throughout its lifetime. The approved SuDS management plan shall be implemented in full in accordance with the agreed terms and conditions and the SuDS scheme shall be managed and maintained in accordance with the approved maintenance plan thereafter;

 

Pollution

m)  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 shall be at least equivalent to the capacity of the tank plus 10%. If there is multiple tankage, the compound shall be at least equivalent to the capacity of the largest tank, vessel or the combined capacity of interconnected tanks or vessels plus 10%. All filling points, associated pipework, vents, gauges and site glasses must be located within the bund or have separate secondary containment. The drainage system of the bund shall be sealed with no discharge to any watercourse, land or underground strata. Associated pipework shall be located above ground and protected from accidental damage. All filling points and tank/vessels, overflow pipe outlets shall be detailed to discharge downwards into the bund;

 

Lighting

n)   Notwithstanding the submitted details, within 3 months of the commencement of the development hereby approved, a lighting scheme shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. The scheme shall include details of the height of all lighting, the intensity of lighting (specified in Lux levels), spread of light, including approximate light spillage levels (in metres), the times when the lighting would be illuminated, any measures proposed to mitigate impact of the lighting or disturbance through glare and upon protected species and habitats, in particular bats. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details; and

 

Soil Resource Plan and Waste Management Plan

o)   Within 1 month of the commencement of the development hereby approved, a Site Waste Management Plan, and Soils Resource Plan, shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

Supporting documents: