Erection of a two storey building to provide four industrial units incorporating mezzanine floors (Use Classes B1(c), B2 and/or B8), including car parking, access arrangements and external bin and bike stores.

The committee received the report of the Head of Development Management, including the relevant planning history of the site and details of the responses to the application. 

The Development Management Team Leader introduced this item.  He explained that the application was to erect a two storey building to provide four industrial units incorporating mezzanine floors (Use Classes B1(c), B2 and/or B8), including car parking, access arrangements and external bin and bike stores.

In a clarification, the Development Management Team Leader stated that the reason provided for condition 7 had been placed in error before the final paragraph.

The Chair invited comments from the committee.

The committee welcomed the speculative development and the employment prospects that it represented. 

Responding to a query regarding on-street parking spaces, the Development Management Team Leader confirmed that there had not been a reduction in the number of parking spaces, only in the width of the parking bays opposite the site on Caxton Way.  The resultant width was still in excess of minimum width requirements.

In a further clarification, the Development Management Team Leader confirmed that the Secured by Design provisions were voluntary and could not be enforced by condition.  However, as the applicant, the council could seek to implement any recommendations as fully as possible.

The Chair moved the officer recommendation.

RESOLVED –

That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

1.         The development to which this permission relates shall be begun within a period of three years commencing on the date of this permission.

2.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved drawings:-

            0452/PL/001A, 010A, 011A, 100A, 101A, 102A, 200A, 300A, 751

3.         Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, the units hereby approved shall only be used for purposes within Use Classes B1(c), B2 and B8 and for no other use.

4.         The building shall be constructed in the materials described in the Design and Access Statement by Black Architecture and detailed on approved drawing nos. 0452/PL/200A and 1452/PL/751, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

5.         If, during development, contamination not previously identified is found to be present at the site then no further development shall be carried out until the developer has submitted to, and obtained written approval from, the Local Planning Authority for a remediation strategy detailing how this unsuspected contamination is to be dealt with. All works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

6.         The development permitted by this planning permission shall be carried out in accordance with the approved DSA reference 16/23672 Rev A dated November 2016, and the following mitigation measures detailed within the FRA:

1.         Implement appropriate drainage strategy based on attenuation and discharge into Thames Water Sewer.

2.         Implementing appropriate SuDS measures as indicated on the drainage drawing (Appendix C).

3.         Providing attenuation to ensure no increase in surface water run-off volumes for all rainfall events up to and including the 1 in 100 year + climate change event.

7.         No development shall take place until a detailed surface water drainage scheme for the site, based on sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydro- geological context of the development has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The drainage strategy should demonstrate the surface water run-off generated up to and including the 1 in 100 year + 40% for climate change critical storm will not exceed the run-off from the undeveloped site following the corresponding rainfall event. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed.

The scheme shall also include:

1.         Detailed surface water calculations for all rainfall events up to and including 1 in year plus 40% for climate change.

2.         Detailed engineered drawings of proposed SuDS features.

3.         Details of how the scheme shall be maintained and managed after completion.

The scheme shall be fully implemented and subsequently maintained, in accordance with the timing / phasing arrangements embodied within the scheme or within any other period as may subsequently be agreed, in writing, by the local planning authority.

8.         The development shall not be occupied until a detailed soft landscaping scheme for all the land within the site has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved landscaping scheme shall be carried out not later than the first available planting and seeding season after completion of development. Any trees or plants whether new or existing which within a period of five years die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, or in accordance with details approved by the Local Planning Authority.

9.         The development shall not be occupied until a detailed hard landscaping scheme for all the land within the site, including details of all site boundary treatments, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and the works have been carried out in accordance with the approved details.

10.       The development shall not be occupied until the refuse and recycling store and the cycle store, as shown on approved drawing no. 0452/PL/100A, have been constructed in accordance with the details given in the Design and Access Statement by Black Architecture (unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority) and made available for use. These facilities shall be retained as approved at all times.

11.       The development shall not be occupied until the following works, as shown on approved drawing no. 0452/PL/011A, have been undertaken in full:

i)          The closure of the existing footpath adjoining the southern boundary of the site on the spur road.

ii)         The provision of 21 car parking spaces.

iii)        The provision of a loading bay with crossover to each unit.

iv)        The reduction in the width of the on-street car parking bays on the eastern side of Caxton Way opposite the site to 2.0m.

12.       No plant or equipment shall be sited on the external elevations of the building unless details of the plant or equipment have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The details shall include size, appearance, siting and technical specifications relating to noise and odour control as appropriate.

Informatives

1.         In dealing with this application, Watford Borough Council has considered the proposal in a positive and proactive manner having regard to the policies of the development plan as well as paragraphs 186 and 187 of the National Planning Policy Framework and other material considerations, and in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010, as amended.

2.         You are advised of the need to comply with the provisions of The Control of Pollution Act 1974, The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, The Clean Air Act 1993 and The Environmental Protection Act 1990.

3.         All new units granted planning permission and to be constructed require naming or numbering under the Public Health Act 1925. You must contact Watford Borough Council Street Naming and Numbering department as early as possible prior to commencement on streetnamenumber@watford.gov.uk or 01923 278458. A numbering notification will be issued by the council, following which Royal Mail will assign a postcode which will make up the official address. It is also the responsibility of the developer to inform Street Naming and Numbering when properties are ready for occupancy.

4.         You are encouraged to build the development to Secured By Design standards and seek certification of this .Building to the physical security of Secured by Design, which is the police approved minimum security standard, will reduce the potential for burglary by 50% to 75%.