Agenda item

Planning Application Consultation Response – Members determined the application for the Redditch Gateway in relation to land in Redditch on 13^th December 2017. Redditch Borough Council has been invited to comment by Stratford  upon Avon District Council in relation to additional information submitted to Stratford upon Avon District Council.  The additional information affects that part of the site which lies within Stratford upon Avon District.

[Note: No public speaking rights as the item is for a consultation response and not the  determination of a planning application]

Hybrid application comprising: Outline planning application (with matters of appearance, landscaping, layout, scale and details of internal circulation routes reserved) for the development on a phased basis of 32ha of employment land for business/industrial uses (Use Classes B1, B2, B8). The development shall include: landscaping, parking, associated infrastructure, utilities, drainage (including SUDS) and ground engineering works; and Full planning application for Phase 1 Ground Engineering works, and details of means of access to the site from the A4023.

Officers reminded Members that at the meeting of Planning Committee on 13^th December 2017, permission had been granted for the part of the planning application relating to the Eastern Gateway project that falls within the Redditch Borough Council boundary (Ref 2017/00700/OUT). Bromsgrove District Council had also granted permission for the part of the application falling within their boundary at their Planning Committee meeting in December 2017.  However, when Stratford-on-Avon Planning Committee met on 6^th December 2017 the application relating to the part of the site within the Stratford-on-Avon District Council boundary was deferred for further information to be obtained. That information had been submitted to Stratford-on-Avon District Council and as a result Redditch Borough Council had been asked to comment on it as a consultee.  For this reason the report before members was to seek their views as consultees, and not for any new decision to be made.

It was noted that application ref 2017/00700/OUT had been a hybrid application covering the granting of outline permission and the construction of essential infrastructure for the site.

It was further noted that Stratford-on-Avon Planning Committee had since requesting the further information in December determined the application on 31^st January 2018. Members were referred to the summary of the decision set out at pages 1 and 2 of the Update Report which had been granted subject to amendments to conditions 19 and 20 regarding HGV routing and HGV annual surveys.

In summary, and regardless of the decision on 31^st January, the consultation would need to be responded to and Members of the Committee were requested to endorse the officer response which covered the following matters:-

1.    Proposed changes to the building zone within the Southern parcel of land that falls within Stratford-on-Avon District Council part of the site.  This would result in the western edge of the proposed development zone being moved back further away from the boundary with existing buildings in Redditch.  In addition the height of buildings in this zone of the site would be reduced from 21 metres to 15 metres.  Officers reported that these changes (as represented by Parameters Plan 5372-205L) would represent a betterment on the previous position.

2.    Highways Briefing Note 180110 which had been produced by the Applicant to address concerns raised by Stratford-on-Avon Planning Committee regarding HGV management including lorry routing and the proposed bond of £200k. Officers advised that this note made provision for future reviews of the lorry routing to be undertaken and further provision for this would be covered by revised conditions 19 and 20.

Members discussed the proposed consultation response as set out on Page 8 of the man agenda, and in doing so it was noted that:-

·         The changes referred to tin the Parameters Plan do not directly affect the Redditch part of the site;

·         That traffic routing had already been determined as part of application ref 2017/00700/OUT;

·         That contributions to improve highway infrastructure would be made to the relevant County highways authorities; and

·         That a Steering Group would be set up by Stratford-on-Avon District Council to oversee pre-application engagement with local stakeholders and consultees as referred to at para 7 on page 2 of the Update Report.

RESOLVED that

(i)            No objection be raised to the amendments proposed in respect of that part of the application which falls into Stratford-on-Avon District;

(ii)          Members endorse the comments under the heading “Officer Appraisal” set out at page 8 of the main agenda.