Agenda item

(Councillor Richard Crumly declared an interest in Agenda Item 5(2) by virtue of the fact that he was present at the Thatcham Town Council Planning Meeting when the application was considered. He could not recall how he voted but stated that he would consider the matter afresh this evening. As his interest was a personal or a other registrable interest, but not a disclosable pecuniary interest, he determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 5(2)) concerning Planning Application 16/03070/FUL in respect of change of use from B1 office use to a 64 place children’s day nursery falling within Class D1.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Mr Matt Brooks, applicant/agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

Mr Matt Brooks in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·         The company had two successful branches open in Basingstoke which had won national awards.

·         Concerns had been raised regarding parking onsite – he explained that staff would make use of garages to ensure there was sufficient space for parents/ guardians to drop off/collect children. Research suggested that a significant number of children would arrive on foot and that the staggered start times meant that the proposed numbers of spaces would be plenty.

·         The proposed parking arrangements were deemed acceptable by the local highway authority.

·         The proposal would see the current, vacant office space renovated into an important, local service. He did not consider that the proposal would have a detrimental impact on the area.

·         There was a school and leisure centre nearby and the proposal would compliment these services.

In response to questions asked by the Committee, Mr Brooks advised that the applicant would accept the request to provide a travel plan (as mentioned within the update report) and that he would consider the request to introduce CCTV on site which might then be used to evidence how the car park was being used.

Councillor Pamela Bale asked whether the car park design could include designated disabled parking bays. She suggested that the current layout did not allow sufficient space for disabled parking bays to be included. Mr Brooks insisted that this would be looked into.

Mr Brook advised Members that the children’s day nursery would employ approximately 60 people and that they would make good use of the garage parking to manage availability of space within the car park. 

Councillor Graham Bridgman asked how long the vacant property had been on the market and whether the applicant knew its previous use. Mr Brooks stated that the property had been on the market since August 2016 and that he was not sure who had previously occupied the property.

Members heard that full details regarding the management of the car park/garages would be detailed within the travel plan which had been requested as part of the update report.

In response to points raised by Members, Andrew Heron explained that the application site had been outlined in red on the plan and two parking spaces were positioned outside the boundary. Therefore, not all spaces available to the Children’s Day Nursery would need to be detailed within the travel plan. Furthermore, he considered that it would not be reasonable to condition the use of CCTV on site and explained how it would become difficult to enforce this condition if the application was approved. He reassured Members that the applicant would be required to submit a 4/5 year travel plan which would be reviewed annually. The plan would detail how the car park would be managed and movement of traffic to/ from the site.

Councillor Law invited Officers to comment on matters relating to traffic movement and car parking. Gareth Dowding explained that the applicant commissioned an independent traffic survey which had concluded that traffic movement would increase but the extent of which would be minimal and not sufficient to warrant refusal of the application.

Members were informed that parking restrictions had been implemented along Turners Drive due to complaints relating to traffic visiting the nearby school. However, localised parking matters would be for the landlord and nursery to resolve where necessary.

Councillor Bridgman highlighted that the parking spaces were designed for use by office workers and that the future use of the space would necessitate parent parking bays. Councillor Mollie Lock echoed previous comments that the site would require at least one disabled parking bay. David Pearson stated that a condition could be formulated to ensure the inclusion of a disabled parking bay when the applicant came to consider the travel plan.

Members noted that there were two additional parking spaces outside the application boundary but these were not highlighted during the course of the site visit. Councillor Richard Somner considered that there was sufficient parking when the additional spaces outside the application boundary were included in the equation.

Councillor Emma Webster proposed acceptance of Officers’ recommendation to grant planning permission and was pleased to see a vacant property would be put to good use. She noted that the site was located close to a school and leisure facility and so the proposed site was fitting.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Quentin Webb.

Councillor Richard Crumly informed Members that he was uncomfortable with the proposed parking arrangements and could not support the application.

Councillor Graham Bridgman stated that he could not see reference to a minimum number of spaces aligned to the application and noted that more space, per bay, would be required. Gareth Dowding advised that the current number of spaces was reasonable – 11 for parents/ guardians and 4 for staff.

RESOLVED that the Head of Planning and Countryside be authorised to grant planning permission subject to the following conditions:

Conditions

1. The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

Reason: To comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004); to enable the Local Planning Authority to review the desirability of the development should it not be started within a reasonable time.

2. The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with drawing numbers; promap, ordanance survey, Dreweatt Neate, and The Coach House received 3^rd November 2016 and 28th November 2016.

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interest of proper planning.

3. Irrespective of the provisions of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted

Development) Order 2015, the Coach House shall not be used for any purpose other than as a children's day nursery (D1 use class), unless permission has been granted by the Local Planning Authority as a result of an application being submitted for that purpose

Reason: To prevent the overdevelopment of the site and to safeguard the amenities of

neighbouring properties in accordance with Policy CS14 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006 - 2026.

4. The number of children attending the nursery at any one time shall not exceed 64 except with the prior written consent of the Local Planning Authority via an appropriate planning application.

Reason: In the interests of sustainability and highway safety, in accordance with Policy

TRANS1 of the West Berkshire District Local Plan Saved Policies 2007, Policy CS14 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006 - 2026, and the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012).

5. No development shall take place until details, to include a plan, indicating the positions, design, materials and type of boundary treatment to be erected has been submitted to and permitted in writing by the Local Planning Authority via a condition discharge application. The nursery use shall not operate until the boundary treatments have been provided in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: The boundary treatment is an essential element in the detailed design of this development and the application is not accompanied by sufficient details to enable the Local Planning Authority to give proper consideration to these matters. This condition is imposed in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), and Policies CS14 and CS19 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006-2026.

6. The opening hours shall be restricted to the hours of 07:30 to 18:30 Mondays to Fridays only.

Reason: To safeguard the living conditions of adjacent occupiers in accordance with Policy CS14 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006 - 2026 and OVS6 of the West Berkshire Local Plan Saved Policies 2007.

7. The use shall not commence until a report demonstrating that the external garden areas present a low risk to future occupiers has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority via a condition discharge application.

Reason: In order to protect the amenities of proposed occupants/users of the application site. This is in accordance with the NPPF and Policy CS14 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006 - 2026.

8. The use shall not commence until the vehicle parking and turning space have been surfaced, marked out and provided in accordance with the approved plans. The parking and turning space shall thereafter be kept available for parking of private motor cars and light goods vehicles at all times.

Reason: To ensure the development is provided with adequate parking facilities, in order to reduce the likelihood of roadside parking that would adversely affect road safety and the flow of traffic. This condition is imposed in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policy CS13 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006 2026 and Policy TRANS1 of the West Berkshire District Local Plan Saved Policies 2007.

9. No development shall take place until details of the cycle parking and storage space have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority via a condition discharge application. The use shall not commence until the cycle parking and storage space has been provided in accordance with the approved details and retained for this purpose at all times.

Reason: To ensure that there is adequate and safe cycle storage space within the site. This condition is imposed in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policy CS13 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006-2026 and Policy TRANS1 of the West Berkshire District Local Plan Saved Policies 2007.

10. The children's nursery shall not commence operating until a travel plan for the site and its associated activities has been submitted to and approved by the local planning authority via a condition discharge application. The occupier shall implement the approved travel plan on commencement of operating and shall take all reasonable practicable steps to achieve and maintain the agreed targets within the timescales set out in the plan thereafter. The occupier shall monitor and update the plan annually for a minimum of 5 years from first occupation

Reason: To ensure the development reduces reliance on private motor vehicles. This condition is imposed in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policy CS13 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006-2026, Policy TRANS1 of the West Berkshire District Local Plan Saved Policies 2007, Supplementary Planning Document Quality Design (June 2006), and Policy LTP SC1 of the Local Transport Plan for West Berkshire 2011-2026.

11. The children's nursery shall not commence operating until a parking plan for the site has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority via a condition discharge application. The occupier shall implement the approved parking plan on commencement of the use of The Coach House as a day nursery and the approved parking arrangements shall be maintained thereafter. The parking plan must ensure a minimum of at least one parking space to disabled parking space standard is provided at the site.

Reason: To ensure the development is provided with adequate parking facilities, in order to reduce the likelihood of roadside parking that would adversely affect road safety and the flow of traffic. This condition is imposed in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policy CS13 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy 2006 2026 and Policy TRANS1 of the West Berkshire District Local Plan Saved Policies 2007.