Issue - meetings

Change of use to waste paper and waste cardboard recovery and transfer facility; overnight HGV parking.

An update sheet was tabled at the meeting and this is attached at Annex A.

A site visit was conducted last month and was well attended by Members.

Officers:

Caroline Smith, Planning Development Manager

Stephen Jenkins, Deputy Planning Development Manager

Jeffrey NG, Planning Officer

Kirsty Wilkinson, Senior Transport Development Planning Officer

Nancy El-Shatoury, Principal Lawyer

Speakers:

Nick Sutcliffe, local resident, made the following points:

1. Concerned about the absence of a condition to control HGV access routes on arrival at the site.
2. The restriction allows 7.5 tonne HGVs on an access only basis but the road is too narrow to allow any other vehicle to pass a HGV when coming the other way.
3. The report states that a condition was recommended by the County Highway Authority but the report does not reveal what this suggested condition would be.
4. The case is built on the Green Belt report which fails to reveal the other sites that were available at the time of submission of this application.
5. Raised with the applicant company’s Managing Director (MD) that Chambers Waste Management site, located in Burpham, was available.  The MD advised this was ruled out as it was too expensive; however very special circumstances does not operate on this basis.
6. Questioned what challenge was made to the dossier of sites considered by the applicant and whether it was independently reviewed.
7. Concerned with the analysis of the very special circumstances case.

Ross Dibsdall, local resident, made the following points:

1. Objections based on safety and suitability of the development in the area.
2. Cobbett Hill Road has lanes with a width of 2.2m in places.  HGVs can be up to 2.55m wide.  The site is already used by a coach and truck breakdown company, therefore there is a high probability of two large vehicles meeting and being unable to pass one another.
3. HGVs veering into the opposite carriageway is a safety hazard to other road users, and video evidence of this has been circulated to Members.  The video shows a TGM lorry illegally accessing the site from the A323. 
4. The Earth Station has B1 use, but this paper facility requires B2 use therefore it cannot be located here.
5. Site is in the Green Belt, on SSSI land, the road is unsafe for larger vehicles; therefore no clear reason why this should be considered as a special circumstances case.
6. Littering is still possible despite the three metre high fence. 

Nick Williams, local resident, made the following points:

1. Objects to the application as an increase in HGV traffic is unsuitable for the area.
2. A map, several photographs and a video have been circulated to Members. 
3. Applicant states 154 HGV movements per week.  These HGVs will be 18, 26 and 32 tonnes.  The applicant company’s catchment area is Farnham and Guildford.  Due to the 7.5 tonne weight restriction on the smaller lanes, the only alternative route from Guildford would be past Fox Corner, with a near 90 degree turn, and through Pirbright Village.  This would result in a large increase of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 261