Agenda item

To consider the adoption of the Greenham Business Park Local Development Order.

(Councillor Billy Drummond declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Agenda item 17 by virtue of the fact that he was a director of Greenham Business Park. As his interest was a disclosable pecuniary interest he left the meeting and took no part in the debate or voting on the matter).

(Councillor Paul Bryant declared an other registrable interest in Agenda item 17 by virtue of the fact that he was the Council’s appointed representative on Greenham Common Trust. As his interest was an other registrable interest he left the meeting and took no part in the debate or voting on the matter).

(Councillors Drummond and Bryant left the meeting at 8.30pm).

The Council considered a report (Agenda Item 17) concerning a Local Development order for the Greenham Business Park.

MOTION: Proposed by Councillor Hilary Cole and seconded by Councillor Anthony Pick:

That the Council:

“adopts the Greenham Business Park Local Development Order including the corrections set out under separate cover at the meeting”.

In introducing the item Councillor Hilary Cole drew Members’ attention to the following corrections which had been tabled at the meeting:

“In Appendix C:

Figure 3 – page 85 of Agenda

Figure 4 – page 88 of the agenda.

Figure 3:

·         Delete notation identifying “16m maximum building height”.

Figure 4: -

·         Alter “10m building height up to bund” to read “7m building height up to bund”

·         Add in wording “external lighting to be directed inwards to minimise impact on ecologically sensitive boundary and wider landscape”

·         Delete wording of “northern pitches to blend with tree line, [potential for green roofs to be used”], and insert “selective use of roof materials to northern pitches, to minimise visual impact, e.g. earth tones.

·         Add in “selective use of cladding material to minimise impact e.g. earth tones: timber” after “vertical cladding to the northern elevation to compliment tree line”.

Councillor Hilary Cole reported that Greenham Business Park was a premier employment site in the district. In 1997 the site was granted mixed use planning permission. It was estimated that only 40% of the approved space had actually been built out. Greenham Trust (GT) had approached the Council to see if it would consider granting permission for a Local Development Order (LDO) on the site. The Council had worked in partnership with GT over the past 18 months to achieve this. An LDO meant that development could take place on the site without the need for a separate planning application albeit that any development had to be within the defined parameters and conditions of the LDO. Councillor Cole thanked Officers, especially Michael Butler, for their diligence in producing the LDO and she thanked GT for their forbearance. 

Councillor Alan Macro stated that the Liberal Democrat Group supported the LDO which would allow GT to respond more quickly to its clients. He thanked the Council for taking comments on board during the consultation and was especially pleased to see that his comments on halving the space for distribution storage had been accepted. This would help to reduce the number of heavy goods vehicle movements on the site and surrounding road network.

Councillor Anthony Pick felt that the adoption of the LDO would be a major step forward while maintaining a proper balance for the area. A favourable planning regime would be seen as attractive to new businesses.

Councillor Hilary Cole thanked Members for their support and in noting Councillor Macro’s comments about consultation, explained that the Council did take on board issues raised during consultation exercises where appropriate.

The Motion was put to the meeting and duly RESOLVED.

(Councillor James Podger was not present for the entire discussion and did not vote on this item)

(Councillors Drummond and Bryant re-joined the meeting at 8.36pm)