The Chair returned to the Chamber and resumed his role, inviting the Development Management Manager to deliver his report.

 

The Chair thanked the officer and invited comment from the committee. 

 

In response to a question about the amount of parking, the Development Management Manager informed the members that whilst there had been a reduction of 12% in floor space, there were now an extra 20 car parking spaces.  This was still within the maximum permitted levels as detailed in the adopted Watford District Plan. 

 

The Chair then moved that revised planning permission be granted under Section 73 subject to a deed of variation to the Section 106 legal agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) and subject to the conditions and informatives contained in the officer’s report.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That, planning permission be granted, subject to a deed of variation to the Section 106 legal agreement and subject to the below listed conditions and informatives.

 

Conditions

 

1. Time Limit

The development to which this permission relates shall be begun before 6^th April 2024. 

 

2. Approved Drawings

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

 

0383-SEW-00-ZZ-DR-A-000050 - Existing Site/Demolition Plan

0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A-000300 - Existing Site Elevations Faraday Close

0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A-000301   - Existing Site Elevations Greenhill Crescent

Site Location Plan (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A-000001)

Existing Block Plan (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-00-00-A-000040)

Proposed Masterplan Ground Floor (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-00-DR-A-001100 Rev 02)

Proposed Masterplan First Floor (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-00-DR-A-001101 Rev 02)

Proposed Masterplan Roof Plan (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-00-DR-A-001102 Rev 02)

Proposed Site Elevations Yarn North and South (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A001300 Rev 02)

Proposed Site Elevations Greenhill and Croxley (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A001301 Rev 02)

Proposed Site Elevations Entrance Road (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A-001302 Rev 02)

Proposed Site Elevations Croxley Connection (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A001303 Rev 02) Proposed Building GW01 Elevations (drawing no. 0383-SEW-G1-ZZ-DR-A-001310 Rev 02)

Proposed Building GW02 Elevations (drawing no. 0383-SEW-G2-ZZ-DR-A-001311 Rev 02)

Proposed Building GW03 Elevations (drawing no. 0383-SEW-G3-ZZ-DR-A-001312 Rev 02)

Proposed Building GW04 Elevations (drawing no. 0383-SEW-G4-ZZ-DR-A-001313 Rev 02)

Proposed Building GW05 Elevations (drawing no. 0383-SEW-G5-ZZ-DR-A-001314 Rev 02)

Proposed Building GW06 Elevations (drawing no. 0383-SEW-G6-ZZ-DR-A-001315 Rev 02)

Proposed Building GW07 Elevations (drawing no. 0383-SEW-G7-ZZ-DR-A-001316 Rev 02)

Proposed Substations and Bike/Bin Store Elevations (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZDR-A-001320 Rev 02)

Proposed Site Sections (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A-501200 Rev 02)

Proposed Site Sections (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A-501201 Rev 02)

Proposed External Works Plan (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-00-DR-L-301100 Rev 02)

Proposed External Works Levels Plan (drawing no. 0383-SEW-ZZ-00-DR-L-301101 Rev 02)

 

3. CTMP

Prior to the commencement of the construction, a Construction Traffic Management Plan shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter, the construction of the development shall only be carried out in accordance with the approved Plan. The Construction Traffic Management Plan shall include details of:

 

a.         Construction vehicle numbers, type, routing;

b.         Access arrangements to the site;

c.         Traffic management requirements

d.         Construction and storage compounds (including areas designated for car parking, loading / unloading and turning areas);

e.         Siting and details of wheel washing facilities;

f.          Cleaning of site entrances, site tracks and the adjacent public highway;

g.         Timing of construction activities (including delivery times and removal of waste) and to avoid school pick-up/drop-off times;

h.         Provision of sufficient on-site parking prior to commencement of construction activities;

i.          Post construction restoration/reinstatement of the working areas and temporary access to the public highway;

j.          Where works cannot be contained wholly within the site a plan should be submitted showing the site layout on the highway including extent of hoarding, pedestrian routes and remaining road width for vehicle movements.

 

4.  Remediation Strategy

No development approved by this planning permission, excluding demolition and enabling works, shall commence until a remediation strategy to deal with the risks associated with contamination of the site in respect of the development hereby permitted has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority. This strategy will include the following components:

1.         An options appraisal and remediation strategy based on the submitted site investigations and detailed risk assessments giving full details of the remediation measures required and how they are to be undertaken.

2.         A verification plan providing details of the data that will be collected in order to demonstrate that the works set out in the remediation strategy are complete and identifying any requirements for longer-term monitoring of pollutant linkages, maintenance and arrangements for contingency action.

 

Any changes to these components require the written consent of the local planning authority. The scheme shall be implemented as approved.

 

5. Stopping Up Order- Highways

No Development above ground floor slab level or use of the hereby approved development shall take place until a Stopping Up Order to remove all highway rights over the land on Faraday Close and northern substation access has be granted and all Highway rights have been successfully removed.

 

6. Contamination Verification Remove

Prior to any part of the permitted development being occupied, a verification report demonstrating the completion of works set out in the approved remediation strategy and the effectiveness of the remediation shall be submitted to and approved in writing, by the local planning authority. The report shall include results of sampling and monitoring carried out in accordance with the approved verification plan to demonstrate that the site remediation criteria have been met.

 

7. Highway Details

Prior to first occupation or use of the hereby approved development full details (in the form of scaled plans and / or written specifications) will be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority to illustrate the following:

 

1.         Improved pedestrian / cycle crossing facilities linking the footways on Greenhill Crescent near the northern access junction comprising tactile paving and dropped kerbs;

2.         Internal road layout and pedestrian/ cycle facilities as described in the Transport Assessment at paragraph 4.3.2;

3.         Crossing facilities (dropped kerbs, tactile paving) at the two-site access bellmouths;

4.         Signing and lining at the site access junctions.

 

 

8. Detailed Plans

Prior to first occupation or use of the hereby approved development full details (in the form of scaled plans and written specifications and materials) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority to illustrate the following:

i.          Roads;

ii.         Footways;

iii.        Cycleways;

iv.        Foul and surface water drainage;

v.         Visibility splays;

vi.        Access arrangements (including signing and lining);

vii.       Parking provision;

viii.      Loading areas;

ix.        Turning areas.

 

9. New Access

Prior to the first use of the development hereby permitted, the vehicular access shall be provided and thereafter retained at the position shown on the site masterplan with the highway specification to be provided as part of detailed design drawings. Arrangement shall be made for surface water drainage to be intercepted and disposed of separately so that it does not discharge from or onto the highway carriageway.

 

10. Existing Access Closure

Prior to the first use of the development hereby permitted vehicular and pedestrian (and cyclist) access to and egress from the adjoining highway shall be limited to the accesses shown on drawing number: ITL16165-GA-100 only. Any other access(es) or egresses shall be permanently closed, and the footway / highway verge shall be reinstated in accordance with a detailed scheme to be agreed with the Local Planning Authority, concurrently with the bringing into use of the new access.

 

11. Electric Vehicle Charging

Prior to the occupation / use of the development hereby permitted, the details of the type and specification of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the energy sources and the strategy/management plan for supply and maintenance of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. All electric vehicle charging infrastructure shall be installed in accordance with the approved details prior to occupation of each of the units and permanently maintained and retained.

 

 

 

12. Cycle Parking

Prior to the first occupation/use of the development hereby permitted, a scheme for the parking of cycles including details of the design, level and siting of the proposed parking shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved scheme shall be fully implemented before the development is first occupied or brought into use and thereafter retained for this purpose.

 

13. Refuse and Recycling

The development hereby approved shall not be occupied until refuse, recycling storage has been provided in accordance with the approved plans. The storage facilities shall be retained at all times thereafter.

 

14. Previously Unidentified Contamination

If, during development, contamination not previously identified is found to be present at the site then no further development (unless otherwise agreed in writing with the local planning authority) shall be carried out until a remediation strategy detailing how this contamination will be dealt with has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority. The remediation strategy shall be implemented as approved.

 

15. Demolition Construction Herras Fencing

Prior to any demolition and construction phases, Herras fencing should be installed in order to protect the existing tree lines and stream on the south-west and north-west boundaries, and should be maintained in place for the duration of construction works. The fencing should allow for a five metre buffer zone between the fence and the vegetation, where possible.

 

16. New Access Gates and Doors Inward Opening

No part of the proposed structures (to include fascia boards/rainwater goods and guttering) shall overhang or encroach upon land to which highway rights apply and no gate/door/window if installed shall open or extend over the highway.

 

17. Protection of Highway Boundary

The proposed new highway boundary(ies) shall be marked out on site prior to commencement of construction of any part of the development fronting the highway.

 

18. SuDS Infiltration Surface Water

No drainage systems for the infiltration of surface water to the ground are permitted other than with the written consent of the local planning authority. Any proposals for such systems must be supported by an assessment of the risks to controlled waters. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

19. Piling/Foundations

Piling, deep foundations or other intrusive groundworks (investigation boreholes/tunnel shafts/ground source heating and cooling systems) using penetrative methods shall not be carried out other than with the written consent of the local planning authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

20. Borehole Management

A scheme for managing any borehole installed for the investigation of soils, groundwater or geotechnical purposes shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority. The scheme shall provide details of how redundant boreholes are to be decommissioned and how any boreholes that need to be retained, post-development, for monitoring purposes will be secured, protected and inspected. The scheme as approved shall be implemented prior to the occupation of any part of the permitted development.

 

21. Trees and Landscaping

No work shall commence until a detailed tree and landscaping scheme for the site, including details of trees to be retained, trees to be removed and replacement planting, 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.

 

22. Landscaping Management Plan

A landscape management plan, including long term design objectives, management responsibilities, timescales and maintenance schedules for all landscape areas, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the occupation of the development hereby approved. The landscape management plan shall be carried out as approved.

 

23. Use Within Class E

The units given over to Use Class E on the approved plans shall be used for research and development, light industrial, ancillary office and café and for no other purpose (including any purpose in Class E of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020, or in any provision equivalent to that Class in any statutory instrument revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification).

 

24. Detailed Drainage Design Surface Water

No development shall take place until a surface water drainage scheme for the site, based on sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydrogeological context of the development, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed. 

A full detailed drainage design and surface water drainage assessment should include:

 

1.         A drainage strategy which includes a commitment to providing appropriate SuDS in line with the non-statutory national standards, industry best practice and HCC Guidance for SuDS. 

2.         A detailed drainage plan including the location and provided volume of all SuDS features, pipe runs, cover and invert levels and discharge points. If areas are to be designated for informal flooding these should also be shown on a detailed site plan.

3.         Provision of above-ground SuDS features in accordance with the SuDS hierarchy. If above-ground features are not proposed to be used, strong justification should be provided.

4.         Confirmation of a build over agreement from Thames Water for the surface water sewers. 

5.         Detailed calculations of existing/proposed surface water storage volumes and flows with full post-development network calculations and/or modelling in relation to surface water are to be carried out for all rainfall events up to and including the 1 in 100 year including an allowance for climate change. 

6.         Evidence that if the applicant is proposing to discharge to the local sewer network, they have confirmation from the relevant water company that they have the capacity to take the proposed volumes and run-off rates. 

7.         Discharge from the site should be restricted to the Greenfield runoff rates and volumes for the relevant rainfall events for the site. Strong technical justification will be needed if a different rate is to be used.

8.         Demonstration of appropriate SuDS management and treatment. 

9.         An indicative maintenance plan detailing how the scheme shall be maintained and managed.

 

 

 

 

25. SuDS Management and Maintenance Plan

Upon completion of the drainage works, a management and maintenance plan for the SuDS features and drainage network must be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

The management and maintenance plan shall include:

1.         Provision of a complete set of as built drawings including the final drainage layout for the site drainage network.

2.         Maintenance and operational activities for the lifetime of the development.

3.         Arrangements for adoption and any other measures to secure the operation of the scheme throughout its lifetime.

 

Informatives

 

1.       IN907 – Positive and proactive statement

2.       IN909 – Street naming and numbering

3.       IN910 – Building Regulations

4.       IN911 – Party Wall Act

5.       IN912 – Hours of Construction