Issue - meetings

26/0520/FUL – Erection of three buildings comprising six new industrial units (Use Classes B2/B8 E (g) (iii) at Woodcock Hill Industrial Estate, Harefield Road, Rickmansworth

Recommendation: that planning permission is granted.

The application was for erection of three buildings comprising six new industrial units (Use Classes B2/B8 E (g) (iii) at Woodcock Hill Industrial Estate, Harefield Road, Rickmansworth.

The Planning Officer reported that a correction was required to paragraph 7.6.8 of the report, which should refer to a Section 278 agreement (not a Section 28 agreement).  Additionally, Condition 16 should be amended to update the reference number of the Arboricultural Impact Assessment and Condition 17 should be amended to require the soft landscaping scheme to be submitted prior to the first occupation of the buildings rather than prior to development taking place.

Councillor Lisa Hudson spoke on the application.

Parish Councillor Diana Barber of Batchworth Community Council spoke on the application.

Points raised by speakers against the application included the constrained nature of Harefield Road and access issues; impact on the character of the industrial estate which currently operates quietly and is located in a highly sensitive natural setting; concerns about delivery vehicle size, frequency of deliveries and intensification of use; concerns about hazardous material disturbance during development; lack of information regarding foul water or surface water drainage; lack of clarity about the proposed use of the buildings and their potential height; and parking issues.

In responding to points raised by the speakers, the Planning Officer confirmed that Hertfordshire County Council had been consulted on a number of occasions during the application process and had not objected to the proposal on highways safety grounds.  Whilst Harefield Road was a narrow road, policy TR6.4 of the NPPF emphasised that applications could only be refused on highways safety grounds where there would be a severe adverse impact on the transport network.  Officers did not therefore consider that there were grounds to substantiate refusal on the basis of highways safety.  A pre-commencement Construction Management Plan would be conditioned, which Hertfordshire Highways would also be consulted on. 

In relation to the concerns raised about contamination, the Planning Officer reported that the Environment Agency, Affinity Water, Environmental Health and Thames Water had all been consulted and had not objected to the application, subject to a significant number of conditions which were set out in the officer report and which would be discharged in consultation with those consultees in their capacity as the professional bodies responsible for managing contamination risk.  Contamination risks were therefore considered to be satisfactorily managed.

In relation to the location of the site in the Green Belt, the Planning Officer clarified the site location was an established industrial site and was also enclosed.  The buildings proposed within the application were not significantly high and were not considered to be out of character with the surrounding buildings which were generally of two storeys.  There would therefore not be a substantial harm taking into account the wider site surroundings.  The application was therefore considered to meet the test for falling within the exception for inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

With regard to the off-site highways works, the applicant would be required to enter into  ...  view the full minutes text for item 177