Agenda item

The Committee considered a proposed change of use from former children's home (Use Class C2) to family contact (Use Class D1) and office (Use Class B1), the construction of nine additional car parking spaces, one motorcycle space and installation of a bike shelter at 45 Downsell Road, Redditch, 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 Location of the Development, Visual Impact and Residential Amenity, Water Environment, Ecology and Biodiversity, Traffic and Highway Safety, and Other Matters – Crime and Safety, and Bin Storage and Recycling.

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy concluded that the proposed development would be a local hub for providing family contact services as well as being an operational base for social working teams dealing with vulnerable children within the north and east of the County (Redditch, eastern parts of Bromsgrove and northern Wychavon).

The applicant stated that the family contact team and social workers worked closely together to support families. Enabling these teams to be co-located promoted opportunities for formal and informal discussion and information sharing between staff and as such improved joint working. Its location and transport links made Downsell Road an accessible facility for families and carers, and was ideal in terms of reach for these areas as social workers would be able to quickly access these areas via the A448. A town centre location would potentially create delays in accessing other places in the County or attending urgent enquiries, particularly at peak times. The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that in this instance the proposal would be appropriately located to serve the needs and priorities of the service and would not have an adverse impact on the surrounding area.

The County Landscape Officer had raised no objections to the proposal, and minimal changes were proposed to the exterior of the building, with the key changes being the extension of the car parking area and removal of a cherry tree. In view of this, it was considered that the proposal would not have an adverse or detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the local area or residential amenity.

North Worcestershire Water Management and Severn Trent Water Limited had both raised no objections. It was considered that the proposal would have no adverse effects on the water environment, subject to the imposition of an appropriate condition regarding the car park extension to be permeable tarmac.

Based on the advice of the County Ecologist and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, it was considered that subject to the imposition of an appropriate condition, 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 advice from the County Highways Officer, 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.

Taking into account the provisions of the Development Plan and in particular Policy WCS 17 of the adopted Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy and Policies 1, 2, 3, 5, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 25, 26, 39 and 40 of the adopted Borough of Redditch Local Plan No.4, it was considered the proposal would not cause demonstrable harm to the interests intended to be protected by these policies, or highway safety.

The representative of the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy introduced the report and commented that a further communication had been received from Mr Clayton, a local councillor who had indicated he had no issue with the change of use of the building but expressed concern about the lack of parking spaces for the 35 staff members, particularly given the proximity of two local schools. He also highlighted the amount of double yellow lines in this area with a further request for double yellow lines in Lydenwood Close. In response, the representative of the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy explained that the original application included proposals to accommodate 56 staff members at the facility however following concerns expressed by the County Highways Officer, the application had been revised and the number of staff to be accommodated reduced to 19.

Mrs Wookey, an objector to the application was invited but declined to speak.

Mr Moutter, accompanied by Ms Russell addressed the Committee on behalf of the applicant. He commented that the location was ideal for social workers who would be based at the site as they could quickly access the areas and families they needed to. Conversely and as stated in the report if this was in the town centre it would delay response times. The County Highways Officer had worked with the applicant throughout the development and assessment of the proposals and was satisfied that there would be no adverse impact or harm arising from the granted planning consent for this scheme from a highways perspective.

He added that the proposal involved minimal changes to the building itself with the only key changes being the extended car parking area and the removal of one tree. As such there was no basis for objection on landscape and visual appearance grounds. The County Ecologist and the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust were content that there was no adverse impact from the scheme subject to the imposition of the planning conditions. North Worcestershire Water Management and Seven Trent Water had confirmed that they had no objections and a planning condition was proposed which required the new car parking area to be of permeable tarmac.

He concluded that the scheme demonstrably complied with all applicable policies and officers had confirmed that there were no material considerations that would justify refusal.

In the ensuing debate, the following points were raised:

·         How many staff would be using the building at any one point and was the applicant satisfied that sufficient parking provision had been included in the application?  Tina Russell responded on behalf of the applicant that the conversion of Downsell Road was part of a bigger plan for the service. The wider team meetings would either be held at County Hall or elsewhere. The Downsell Road facility was not big enough to accommodate such meetings. Social workers tended to visit clients first thing and then travel from one external meeting to another during the day, only calling into the facility fleetingly. The staff permanently on-site would be the administration support staff. There was no set pattern for social workers attending the facility and therefore it was difficult to determine the exact numbers of staff at the building at any one time. In relation to the Family Contact Centre, car parking space utilisation would be fluid dependent on the dropping off and picking up of children by parents/carers during the day

·         Could every effort be made when planning appointments to the Family Contact Centre to avoid peak traffic periods? Tina Russell indicated that the children using the facility would either be of non-school age and only attend after their carers had dropped off their own children at school; or school age children who would only attend after school time 

·         In response to a query about the impact on future service provision of the changes to the original application, Tina Russell commented that the use of Downsell Road was part of a wider review of the use of children's homes. It had been determined that there was a lack of staff facilities in the north of Wychavon District. Concerns were raised about the original application and therefore the plans were revised. The revision took account of the requirements for the location of staff and for the provision of suitable family contact centres

·         A local councillor commented that this was a good example of an applicant responding constructively to the concerns of local residents. He was content to support this application which had addressed the concerns expressed by local residents about car parking. The number of parking spaces was adequate for the facility especially now that team meetings would be held elsewhere. It would be difficult for construction vehicles to access Downsell Road at the peak time in the morning therefore he requested that condition c) be amended so that construction works shall only commence on the site at 09:00 rather than 08:00 hours on Mondays to Fridays. He would support the introduction of a Traffic Regulation Order if considered appropriate. The representative of the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy commented that the proposed hours set out in condition c) were standard hours suggested by Worcestershire Regulatory Services in their best practice guidance. He understood the rationale for the proposed change. The applicant indicated that the amended condition would not cause any difficulties if agreed

·         Although this application would make the traffic issues on Downsell Road slightly worse during peak times, the benefits of providing this facility outweighed any minor traffic impact

·         It should be noted that the County Highways Officer and Redditch Borough Council had not objected to the application

·         The application satisfied the planning criteria but also from a corporate parenting perspective, the facility could enable children to gain the trust of carers with the ultimate aim of returning them to their families.   

RESOLVED that planning permission be granted for the proposed change of use from former children's home (Use Class C2) to family contact (Use Class D1) and office (Use Class B1), the construction of nine additional car parking spaces, one motorcycle space and installation of a bike shelter at Former Children's Home, 45 Downsell Road, Redditch, Worcestershire, subject to the following conditions:

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

b)      The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans 45DR-SP01, 45DR-BP01, 45DR-Ext 01 Rev A, 45DR-Ext 02, 45DR-PFF 01 Rev A and 45DR-PGF 01 Rev A, except where otherwise stipulated by conditions attached to this permission;

c)      Construction works shall only be carried out on the site between 09:00 to 18:00 hours on Mondays to Fridays inclusive, and 08:00 to 13:00 hours on Saturdays, with no construction work on Sundays, Public or Bank Holidays;

d)      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;

e)      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;

f)       Notwithstanding the submitted details, prior to the development being brought into use, details of replacement new turf and tree, including their location shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. The approved 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. Should the replacement tree die, be removed, damaged or diseased within a period of five years from the completion of the planting, it shall be replaced on an annual basis, in the next planting season with a tree of a similar size and species;

g)      Within one month of the completion of the development, details describing the specifications and locations of sparrow terraces and house martin cups shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. Following approval, the terraces and cups shall be installed within three months and thereafter so retained;

h)      Notwithstanding the submitted details, the position of the accessible parking, electric vehicle parking and motorcycle parking shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority. The development shall not be brought into use until the approved details have been implemented and thereafter so retained;

i)       The development hereby approved shall not be brought into use until one electric vehicle charging space has been provided in accordance with a specification which shall be submitted to and approved by the County Planning Authority. Thereafter, such spaces and power points shall be kept available and maintained for the use of electric vehicles as approved;

j)       No construction of the parking spaces extension, as shown on Drawing Numbered: 45DR-Ext 01 Rev A, shall take place until details of all surfacing materials, which shall be a permeable surface for the new parking spaces, 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 and thereafter so retained;

k)      The Development hereby approved shall not be brought into use until the access, parking and turning facilities have been provided as shown on drawing 45DR-EXT01 Rev A;

l)       The travel plan shall be implemented in accordance with the agreed details which have been registered with Modeshift STARS Business;

m)     Notwithstanding the submitted details, the development shall not be brought into use until details of the bin storage, including provision for recycling, are submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval in writing. The approved details shall then be implemented and thereafter so retained; and

n)      No more than 277 sq. m of the total gross floorspace of the development hereby approved shall be used as floorspace within Use Class B1.