Agenda item

For the construction and use of a recycling, recovery and processing facility for construction and demolition waste on a site of approximately 9.4 hectares without compliance with Condition 3 of planning permission ref: SP17/00438/SCC dated 7 September 2017; to allow 55 heavy goods vehicles to be based at the site and to be located within the designated lorry parking area, and for 55 heavy goods vehicles (110 movements) to access and egress the site between the hours 18:00 to 07:00 Monday to Saturday, and 13:00 on a Saturday to 07:00 on a Monday.

An update sheet was tabled at the meeting.  This is attached to the minutes as annex 1.

Officers:

Caroline Smith, Planning Development Manager

Jeffrey Ng, Planning Officer

Stephen Jenkins, Deputy Planning Development Manager

Nancy El-Shatoury, Principal Solicitor

Speakers:

No members of the public registered to speak on the item.

Robert Evans, Local Member, made the following points:

1.    Stanwell Moor is a small village next to Heathrow airport. Its close proximity to the airport means that roads are continually blocked with minicabs waiting to pick up passengers.

2.    The village is already affected by aircraft noise, night flights and pollution due to its location.

3.    Oakleaf Farm is designated Green Belt land. Since 2008, the area has been designated as suitable for waste management. 

4.    In 2017, permission was granted at the site for cardboard and coffee cup recycling. This has led to an increase of litter in the area, particularly at the roadside and gutters as waste falls off the lorries as they go into the recycling centre.  Residents have complained and Spelthorne Borough Council have been requested on several occasions to conduct additional clearances as a result.

5.    The application seeks to more than double the amount of night time HGV movements, which in turn will double the level of disturbance to residents.

6.    Urge Members to consider the facts and reject the application.

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Planning Officer introduced the report.  It was explained that this application is to seek an amendment to Condition 3 of the existing planning permission.

2.    Members commented that the HGVs should be sheeted, as stated in the report, to prevent litter falling off the lorries.  A Member of the Committee stated that she had witnessed concrete and waste falling off a sheeted lorry in her local area.

3.    Members voiced concerns about the noise impact of the operation at night and stated that the Committee should be able to review the Noise Management Plan before a decision is taken. 

4.    The Planning Officer clarified that the applicant had already submitted a Noise Management Plan as part of the existing planning permission and that the County Noise Consultant requested this be reviewed within three months to take into account the increased number of night time HGV movements

5.    A Member sought clarity on movement numbers.  The Planning Officer explained that the applicant had a Goods Vehicle Operators Licence for 55 HGVs.  The Planning Development Manager added that whilst there were currently restrictions regarding the number of vehicle movements overnight, there was no limit for total movements.

6.    Members were concerned that the number of movements during the day may not decrease when the overnight movements increase and therefore an Air Quality Assessment should be submitted.

7.    The Deputy Planning Development Manager explained that Condition 16 prevents HGVs travelling through Stanwell Moor Village outside of the daytime working hours set out in Condition 2.

8.    The Deputy Planning Development Manager informed the Committee that the Noise Consultant was satisfied that subject to the submission of an amended night-time noise management plan.  Members stated that it was not unreasonable for the Committee to want to see this prior to taking a decision.

9.    The Deputy Planning Development Manager suggested that the Condition could be re-worded to state that the plan be approved by the Country Planning Authority prior to the commencement of the development.

10.  The Chairman suggested that the informative regarding litter ought to be strengthened or made into a Condition.  Officers suggested that the Enforcement team can be asked to monitor Condition 11.

11.  The Deputy Planning Development Manager explained that the planning application is to enable the operator to move some daytime collections to the evening at the request of their customer base.  Members stated however, there was no guarantee that there would be a decrease in daytime movements, and therefore no guarantee there would be the same number of total HGV movements.

12.  The Planning Development Manager confirmed that the existing planning permission did not have any limitations on daytime vehicle movements.

13.  Members questioned why Condition 3 was previously imposed.  The Planning Development Manager explained that this was imposed because the applicant originally applied for daytime operation and subsequently later applied for an amendment to the condition to allow 24 HGV movements overnight.

14.  Members raised concern that the report mentioned the usage of trailers and that if the applicant were to purchase additional trailers, the movements could be further increased without restriction.

15.  A Member suggested the introduction of a mechanism to ensure that there would be a commensurate reduction of movements during the day in order to allow for the increased number of movements at night.

16.  The Chairman suggested that officers liaise with Spelthorne Borough Council regarding the litter issues.  A Member also suggested that the Committee should see evidence of the type of sheeting used on the HGVs to prevent windblown litter.

17.  The Chairman moved the vote to defer the application. There were 9 votes for deferral with 2 abstentions.  The application was therefore deferred.

RESOLVED:

That application SP18/00282/SCC Oakleaf Farm, Horton Road, Stanwell Moor, Surrey, TW19 6AP be DEFERRED for the following reasons:

·         in order to receive additional information on the overall level of movements generated by the site during the day in order to devise a mechanism to control movements during the day to take into account the increased movements at night

·         the need to update the noise management plan prior to commencement

·         to review waste on the highway as a result of the site and,

·         to review the sheeting used by vehicles to and from the site

·         to check the need for an Air Quality Assessment if there was to be a net increase in total vehicle movements.