Agenda item

Officers drew Members’ attention to the Committee Update, which detailed Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) final comments on the application. Members attention was further drawn to the Contaminated Land – Remediation and Verification Condition and the Informative, as detailed on pages 5 to 8 to the Committee Update.

A copy of the Committee Update was provided to Members and published on the Council’s website prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Officers presented the report and in doing so highlighted that the application was for the demolition of the existing buildings and associated site remediation, removal of existing redundant services and utilities.

Officers presented the presentation slides, as detailed on pages 46 to 48 of the main agenda pack.

Officers explained that the application sought full planning permission to demolish all the structures on Windsor Street which comprised of a former library, Council office block, former Bromsgrove fire station, accommodation, and a training tower for the firefighters.

Bromsgrove District Council had been awarded £14.5m through the Government’s Levelling Up Fund to be invested into projects to improve Bromsgrove Town Centre. Four sites in Bromsgrove had been identified as part of the 2040 vision, one of which was the site discussed in this report, Windsor Street, as detailed on page 42 of the main agenda pack.

Officers referred to the Contamination information, as detailed on page 43 of the main agenda pack.

Members then considered the application which officers had recommended be granted, subject to the final satisfactory comments from WRS Contamination; which had now been received, as detailed in the preamble above.

Officers responded to questions from the Committee with regards to contamination and a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP), and in doing so; clarified that in respect of the demolition a number of comprehensive reports had been received and pre-application discussions had taken place, so as the site could come forward for future residential use and to ensure that any subsequent applications had no concerns raised, for its use, from WRS, Contaminated Land. Condition 3, as detailed on page 44 of the main agenda pack highlighted that ‘the demolition works hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the details outlined in the Condition and Demolition Statement unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Reason: In the interests of the amenities of surrounding occupiers during the construction of the development.’ Further Conditions from WRS – Contaminated Land had been included in the Committee Update, pages 7 and 8.

Some Members raised questions about the access path (as shown on the Site Layout slide) being closed off during the demolition and further questioned if the access path would be restored once the demolition had ended and up until the building works commenced.

Officers explained that the access path was not a right of way and was therefore not a planning consideration for Members, but a civil matter for the applicant.

In response to further questions from Members with regards to the Levelling Up Fund programme and timescales in relation to the undertaking of an asbestos survey prior to the demolition of the buildings, together with the appropriate mitigation measure; officers commented that their understanding was that once planning permission was in place that work would commence quickly, they did not have a timescale as to when it would be completed by.

Members stated that they supported the officer’s decision, however they would like to be reassured that officers had read the Condition and Demolition Statement and that the site would be cleared in a meaningful way for residents and other people around the site.

On being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED that following the final satisfactory comments received from Worcestershire Regulatory Services, as detailed on pages 5 to 7 of the Committee Update that full planning permission be granted, subject to

a)    Conditions 1 to 5, as detailed on pages 43 and 44 of the main agenda pack; and

b)    the additional WRS Contaminated Land – Remediation and Verification Conditions 1 to 4 and the Informative, as detailed on pages 7 and 8 of the Committee Update.