Agenda item

Officers reported that comments had been received from North Worcestershire Water Management who had no objections to the application subject to a drainage condition being added, Updated Planning Conditions (as referred to on pages 58-62 of the main agenda report) with an additional drainage Condition 10.  There were no objections from Worcestershire County Council, Highways, as detailed in the published Committee Update, copies of which were provided to Members and published on the Council’s website prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Officers clarified that the Application had been brought to the Planning Committee for consideration as it was a Major development.

Officer presented the report and in doing so highlighted that the proposal was for a proposed employment unit (Industrial, research and development, general industrial, storage and distribution under Use Classes E(g) excluding Offices under E(g)(i), B2 and B8), access, parking, service yards, landscaping and associated development infrastructure.

Officers responded to questions from Members and clarified the Classes.

Officers further explained that the site formed part of the existing Cofton Centre employment site, which was accessed directly from Groveley Lane and shared an existing driveway that served a number of existing buildings.

The application proposal related to the southernmost part of the Cofton Centre and a final development plot which was currently used on a temporary basis for care storage by  a lease car fleet management company.  It was almost entirely hard surfaced with some limited landscaping to its northern boundary.

The application site had been allocated as Designated Employment Land within the Bromsgrove District Plan 2011-2030 as well as within the Longbridge Area Action Plan (AAP). 

The proposed development benefitted from an extant outline planning permission which encompassed part of the wider Cofton Centre site.

A separate HGV and car park entrance would eliminate a conflict between delivery vehicles and car traffic.  The application sought approval for 142 car parking spaces (including 7 accessible spaces within proximity of the ancillary office entrance).

The proposed building had the potential to generate between 310 and 389 full time equivalent jobs.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. J. Tait, the Planning Agent, addressed the Committee via Microsoft Teams.

The Committee then considered the Application, which Officers had recommended for approval.

Members commented that they were pleased to see that the design was to high environmental standards.

Officers responded to questions with regard to Condition 9, as detailed on page 62 of the main agenda report, explaining that in September 2020 there were amendments made to the planning regulation which included changes of the classification of uses of property.  Class A, B1 and D1 and the new Class E.

Members also queried the wording of Condition 9, namely ‘no part of the buildings shall not be used for these use classes’, was ‘shall not’ correct?

Officers agreed to seek clarification from the Case Officer, who had been unable to attend the meeting.

RESOLVED that Planning Permission be granted, subject to:-

a)    authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration to determine the planning application subject to the satisfactory views of Worcestershire County Highways and North Worcestershire Management; (it was noted that satisfactory views had been received, as detailed in the Committee Update);  and

b)    authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration to agree the wording of Condition 9, as discussed in the preamble above.