Agenda item

To consider a report by the Head of Planning.

 

The Committee considered application 3/18/2612 for the provision of a car park to provide 56 designated spaces in place of the existing informal parking area, the removal of trees and associated replacement tree planting and

Landscaping - as amended - to benefit the practical management of The Sheiling Community, Horton Road, Ashley Heath. A more regulated and rationalised management of the parking arrangements would address the issue of indiscriminate parking throughout the site.

 

With the aid of a visual presentation, officers explained what the main

proposals and planning issues of the development were; how these were to

be progressed; why they were necessary; and what the benefits of the development entailed. Plans and photographs provided an illustration of the

location, dimensions and configuration of the car park, with the presentation

also confirming what the traffic management and access arrangements being proposed would be; how it would look and its setting in the landscape, which was incorporated within the Green Belt. Officers showed its relationship with the Sheiling Community campus and neighbouring property. The

characteristics and topography of the site was shown; what trees were there currently; which ones would be felled and those retained; and what provision there would be for replacement and replanting. The activities and operations in the Community were described in detail by officers, with the measures being beneficial in preventing conflicts between car users and students by moving as many staff cars as possible away from the informal parking areas and out of the student accessible areas.

 

A previous application had been refused on the grounds that no very special circumstances had been set out to justify a use of land in the way it was being proposed, which would result in inappropriate development causing detriment to the openness of the Green Belt and the proposed car park would damage the generally rural character of this countryside area, as well as being detrimental to what trees were there – these being subject to a Tree Preservation Order - and how their integrity would be compromised.

 

The amended proposals still represented inappropriate development in, and was harmful to the Green Belt, by definition. However, the current application included planting of additional trees, the landscape management proposals, and reduction in the number of car parking spaces which would be clearly delineated and made readily accessible to the needs of drivers. In addition a more regulated and rationalised management of the parking arrangements would address previous concerns, with the benefits to the wellbeing of the pupils of the facility from reducing the number of vehicles moving within the main campus. These factors, together with the national significance of the Sheiling Community’s Special Educational Needs work, represented the very special circumstances that would outweigh the harm to the Green Belt.

 

On that basis and this being seen as acceptable, officers were now recommending that this application be approved.

Formal consultation had generated a sustained objection from Dorset Council’s Tree Officer at the loss of trees, whilst St Leonards & St Ives Parish Council raised no objection based on the need for the proposals and mitigation measures in place.

 

The Committee heard from Corine Van Barneveld, Principal at The Sheiling Community, who impressed the need for better regulated car parking arrangements to benefit the wellbeing of their vulnerable students and for the improved safety and management of the campus.

 

One of the two local members, Councillor Barry Goringe, wholeheartedly supported the application, particularly given the mitigation of extensive tree planting.

 

The opportunity was given for members to ask questions of the presentation and what they had heard, and it was confirmed that the species of trees to be replanted would be conducive to those being replaced and in being suitable for a heathland setting. Although there was no intention to double the number of trees being replaced, officers confirmed that the replanting would increase the number of trees overall and would ensure these would be species, and of a maturity, to be sympathetic to the landscape.

 

Moreover as there was a need to ensure the protection of nesting birds, any felling would have to comply with regulations on that. How felling and planting would be phased so as to ensure tree coverage was maintained as far as practicable should also be a consideration. Officers confirmed that conditions could be fortified so as to determine the timeframes for what was planted and when and when felling should take place, with the applicant being asked to provide details of this for approval.

 

Concerns raised over unnecessary light pollution in such a rural setting were allayed by officers in that, whilst lighting of the car park would be necessary, this would be achieved by sympathetic means, being modest and kept to a minimum and could be motion activated if necessary.

 

The Committee understood the need for the Sheiling Community to address the parking arrangements so that the relationship between vehicles and student accessible areas could benefit from improved management and that what was being proposed would go a considerable way to achieving this. The benefits of this would be:-

·       of considerable importance to the functioning of the Sheiling Community’s Special Educational Needs work as a valuable contribution to the care and education of children and young adults with

special educational needs;

·       the provision of a substantial amount of new tree planting throughout the Community campus and also on the application site; and

·       the removal of existing parking spaces on the campus

 

all of which was seen to be very special circumstances outweighing the harm arising from the inappropriateness of the development in the Green Belt and the loss of Green Belt openness and the loss of TPO trees.

 

Having had the opportunity to discuss the merits of the application, having understood what was being proposed and the reasoning for this; having taken into account the officer’s report and what they had heard at the meeting, the Committee were satisfied in their understanding of what the proposal was designed to address and, on that basis – and on being put to the vote – the Committee considered that the application should be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the officer’s report and taking into account lighting need; species of tree planted; sequencing of tree planting and felling; and the timeframe for this to ensure the bird nesting season was not affected.

 

Resolved

That planning permission be granted for application 3/18/2612 subject to the condition set out in paragraph 12 of the report and the amendments agreed by members to these, namely:-

 

7.       Prior to the first use of the car park hereby approved, or in accordance with a timetable to be agreed by the Local Planning Authority, the trees specified and located on Cambium Drawing No.1309-03: Site wide tree planting proposals shall be planted in accordance with the details and specifications set out in this drawing (and planted at the maximum size specified) in the first planting season following the first use of the car park.  Thereafter the planted trees shall be retained for a period of 5 years during which if any trees are found to be dying or are damaged, they shall be replaced on a like for like basis, unless agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

         

Reason: To compensate for the loss of trees arising from the proposal and to enhance biodiversity at the site and campus in general.

 

8.       Prior to the first use of the car park hereby approved, details of the height of the replacement trees to be planted on the application site as shown on Cambium Drawing No.1309-01 Rev E: Landscape Proposals shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.  These trees shall be planted at the maximum size specified (i.e. 12cm in girth.  Following approval, the new trees shall be planted before the end of the planting season following completion of the development, or in accordance with a timetable to be agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Any trees that are removed, die or become, in the opinion of the Local Planning Authority seriously damaged or defective within five years of planting shall be replaced with specimens of similar size and species as originally planted.

         

Reason: To safeguard the amenities of the area and ensure the enhancement of the development by the replacement of trees lost to the development

9.       Prior to the installation of the external lighting for the proposed car park, details of its specification and times for illumination shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and low light emission motion detecting lighting shall be incorporated. Thereafter the lighting shall be installed, illuminated and maintained in accordance with the approved details unless agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

         

Reason: To protect the Dark Skies characterising the AONB and to limit impact on biodiversity.

 

10.     The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Biodiversity Mitigation & Enhancement Plan dated 25/10/19 unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and tree felling shall only take place between the end of August and the end of February which is outside the bird nesting season.

         

          Reason: To protect and enhance biodiversity at the site.

 

Reason for Decision

The benefits to the wellbeing of the pupils of the facility from reducing the

number of vehicles moving within the main campus; the national significance of the Sheiling Community’s Special Educational Needs work, together with the planting of additional trees on the application site and campus represent the very special circumstances that would outweigh the harm to the Green Belt arising from the inappropriateness of the development, loss of Green Belt openness in the vicinity of the current car park and the loss of trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order.