Agenda item

The development of Buckland Park Lake comprising: 1) a café with associated terrace and disabled parking; 2) outdoor activity centre comprising mobile units; 3) observation pavilion; 4) entry kiosk; 5) two bird hides; 6) a picnic lawn with steps; 7) children's playground area; 8) car park; 9) water tank/pond; 10) floating pontoon. All for public use in association with the approved water based recreation and proposed land-based outdoor recreation afteruse, of the former silica sand quarry, known as Park Pit.

An update sheet, a letter from the Parish Council and a letter from the Local Member were tabled at the meeting.  These are attached to the minutes as Annexes 2a, 2b, 2c.

Members conducted a site visit on 17 May 2018.

Officers:

Stephen Jenkins, Deputy Planning Development Manager

Caroline Smith, Planning Development Manager

Andrew Stokes, Transport Development Planning Team Leader

Nancy El-Shatoury, Principal Solicitor

Speakers:

Mr Graham Hanson, local resident, made the following points:

1.    Objection in relation to the inadequacy of the conditions proposed, which overrule the considered and justified proposed conditions by the local parish and district councils to sought to ensure that any activities would be low key and safeguard the natural environment.

2.    Overruled conditions from the local council included making an article 4 direction to withdraw the temporary use of land rights; so that non water-based recreation activities such as triathlons and car boot fairs and craft fairs should be removed from any list of allowable activities, as triathlons are not suitable and car boot fairs do not accord with the aims of maximising public amenity whilst minimising impact on natural environment. 

3.    Another overruled condition was to prevent the use of amplified music or speech in the open air or in any other temporary structure.  The proposed condition prevents amplified music but leaves open the risk of noise nuisance from megaphones.

4.    Object to the pavilion as it is open air structure and risks noise nuisance from group dining including at night time.

5.    Object to the Surrey County Council proposal to allow extended opening hours for organised group events until midnight. There is no definition proposed to restrict size or type of groups, leaving it open for the café being used for late night parties.

6.    This is a nature and wildlife preservation site, with no need for the café to be open after 6pm and certainly not midnight.  There will be noise from departing cars and no means of monitoring the closing time. 

7.    The opening hours proposed do not support the activities as people do not birdwatch, fish or do water recreation activities at night time.

Dominic Sanders, director of the applicant, made the following points:

1.    This is not a nature reserve.  The vision for the site is to open it to the public for the first time ever, it is a green site balancing open recreation and public access.

2.    Require some flexibility to justify making the investment in the site for infrastructure; and ongoing revenue to ensure safety, staffing and maintenance.

3.    In terms of sound, activities have been addressed.  Sound tests have been conducted.  It has been agreed that there would be no music after 6pm and there would be black out blinds in place for any after dark use of the café.

4.    The extended hours would not be a free for all and would be proportionate to the activities on-site, in particular long summer evenings.

5.    Hope that opening the site to the public would be a step forward for local residents.

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The officer introduced the report and explained that there would be some changes to the access A25 junction, subject to a condition from highways.

2.    It was explained that the car parking area would be formed using existing grass rather than tarmac or concrete.  It was further added that temporary buildings would be clad to remain in-keeping with the existing boathouse and the area.

3.    Members raised some concern about car boot sales and how this might impact on car parking.  Permitted development rights allow 28 days per year, but that could still be significant and it was questioned if anything further that could be done to pre-empt that issue.

4.    A Member commented that, as a privately owned site, it was a commercial venture that would need an income generation stream in order to make the site work otherwise the public wouldn’t have the opportunity to enjoy these type of sites.

5.    A Member sought more detail about the ecological gains of the site.  The Deputy Planning Development Manager explained that this is managed by the county ecologist in the form of an ecological plan, in synergy with the proposed uses.

6.    The Transport Planning Development Team Leader stated that the application provides 150 parking spaces with an overflow for an additional 150.  In addition, if there was a significant event taking place on site, the site access road was wide enough to accommodate additional cars and it was unlikely that there would be any overspill onto the A25.

7.    Members noted the withdrawal of permitted development rights was not something that could be done without exceptional circumstances.  Noise can be controlled by conditions.  By restricting, it could impact on income generation for the site.  It was added that, if an issue was to arise, the CPA can serve an article 4 direction to take away rights in relation to a permission.  

8.    The Chairman suggested the addition of an informative stating that all activities would need to be compatible with on-site parking.  The Principal Solicitor highlighted that an informative cannot be enforced.  A Member suggested the wording “The committee would strongly discourage any events that would result in parking along the A25”.

9.    The Chairman moved the recommendation to permit the application.  Members voted unanimously in favour of the application, therefore the application was permitted.

RESOLVED

That application MO/2017/1797 Park Pit, Reigate Road, Buckland, Surrey, RH3 7BE  be PERMITTED subject to conditions and informatives listed in the report and the additional informative agreed at the meeting.