Agenda item

Officers drew Members to the contents of the Update Report.

The application was reported to Planning Committee for determination because the application was for major development (more than 1000 sq metres of new commercial / Industrial floorspace) and it required a Section 106 Agreementand as such the application fell outside the scheme of delegation to Officers.

Officers presented the report and in doing so, drew Members’attention to the presentation slides on pages 11 to 29 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack.

The application was for Honeywell, Burnt Meadow Road, North Moons Moat Industrial Estate, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 9HJand sought the partial demolition of existing building with the erection of 4 new buildings, parking, landscaping and ancillary works.

Officers drew Members attention to pages 12 and 13 of the Public Reports pack and detailed to Members the proposed changes on site.

Unit 2 identified on page 13 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack would be retained during the development with a slight extension to accommodate office space. Units 1, 3, 4 and 5 would be new units.

There were 3 Trees subject to a Tree Protection Order (TPO) on the site, all were mature oak specimens and their retention was sought and Conditioned under the application. Most of the tree screening especially along the north of the site would also be retained.

Officers detailed that the area was designated as local employment and there were no objections to the development subject to appropriate Conditions.

Officers clarified the following points after questions from Members.

• The nearest bus stop was next to the site and was serviced by the number 62 bus. A Section 106 contribution was requested by Worcestershire County Council (WCC) Highways, to support the local public transport provision.
• The parking provision was examined by WCC Highways, who had determined that there would be enough parking available to accommodate the units on site occupied at 100% capacity. There would also be Cycling and Electronic Vehicle Charging Points (ECPs).
• That the trees protected by TPOs would be safeguarded under Conditions 12 and 13. It was also detailed that additional trees would be planted to replace any other trees felled during the development.
• Page 19 of the Public Reports pack detailed a number of uses under B2 which would not be permitted under the development. The storage of hazardous materials would fall outside of a B2 use.
• An Air Quality Assessment was submitted dated April 2023, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) had no objections and welcomed the inclusion of ECPs.
• Condition 14 covered mitigation and enhancement measures, this needed to be approved by Officers and would ensure a bio-diversity gain for the development.

Members then debated the application.

Members welcomed the Section 106 contribution to encourage the use and enhancement of public transport and were satisfied that the amount of parking on site would meet the needs of the development and not contribute to any issues with parking in the wider area.

On being put to a vote it was

RESOLVED that

having had regard to the development plan and to all other material considerations, authority be delegated to the Head of Planning, Regeneration and Leisure Services to grant planning permission subject to:-

a)    The satisfactory completion of an appropriate legal mechanism ensuring that contributions (up to a value of £19,500) were sought.

b)    Conditions as detailed on pages 28 to 33 of the Public Reports pack, with the revision to Condition 3 outlined on page 5 of the Update Reports pack.