Agenda item

Application for determination:

Proposed demolition of existing venture playground building and construction of new community and recreation centre with associated external works, multi use games area, new play area, car park and associated vehicular access, and formation of vehicular access at Dickens Close (amended scheme pursuant to ref. 21/00298/FUL)

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report detailing an application for the proposed demolition of existing venture playground building and construction of new community and recreation centre with associated external works, multi-use games area, new play area, car park and associated vehicular access, and formation of vehicular access at Dickens Close (amended scheme pursuant to ref. 21/00298/FUL)

The Principal Planning Officer pointed to the late material which noted that bat mitigation measures had now been submitted by the applicant and would be reviewed by officers. He noted that the Officer recommendation had been updated in the late material to reflect this.

He also highlighted that the applicant had now agreed to change their proposed opening hours to 8am-9pm daily, when it was previously proposed to be 7am – 10pm Monday to Saturday and 8am – 9m Sundays plus a limited number of later evening openings. He stated that therefore, the committee, if they were minded to, could update condition 11 of the Officer report to reflect this change of time. He added that the application no longer sought to host any events outside of these times so condition 12 of the Officer report had become largely superfluous and could also be deleted if the Committee agreed.

The Principal Planning Officer responded to Members’ questions concerning what hours were originally granted for the opening of the site, questions about the play equipment that would be on site, whether there was a running track, questions and concerns raised about the number of parking spaces, whether there would be a lift, whether there would be a café, clarity on the type of netting that would be used in the multi-use games area, queries about whether there were specific policies pertaining to number of renewable units on the roofs of buildings and whether or not the potential noise of the Zip-Wire had been considered as follows:

-       The times of operation that were proposed originally in the application before the Committee were generally the same than the prior approved application. The difference was that the applicant had originally sought 6 instances per year of events out of hours in the previously approved application. This had been changed to 11 in the current application but now, the applicant no longer wished to conduct any out of hours events.

-       The drawing on the site plan was of a playground Pirate Ship. A condition was recommended that would require the provision of  details for approval ofmore play equipment.

-       The plan did not show an outline of a running track.

-       There would be 40 parking spaces, it would probably be private land, so any person/s who parked there without permission would be subject to prosecution, similar to parking infractions on any other private land.

-       There would be a lift.

-       There would be a café bar.

-       Clarity could be sought from the applicant as to the type of netting would be over the multi-use games area (MUGA) by way of additional wording to a condition on the planning permission. Members were happy to leave the approval under Condition to Officers on the basis that a netting was acceptable, but not a solid cover.

-       The number of parking spaces was proposed by the applicant. Officers had then consulted Gloucestershire Highways who deemed the 40 parking spaces to be acceptable.

-       Regarding the installation of photo voltaic panels or solar panels, generally Officers encourage applicants to install as many as is reasonable. He added that the applicant had shown aspiration in regard to sustainability. Officers could encourage the addition of solar panels but did not force applicants to do so to a policy-based amount.

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- The Noise that would be produced by the Zip-Wire had not been investigated in depth. However, the Public Open Space Officer hadliaised with the applicant about options for siting the play equipment in sensible locations and arrangements. .

The Highways Manager responded to Members’ questions concerning why 40 parking spaces was deemed acceptable as follows:

-       The applicant had submitted a transport assessment. It showed that in busy times, usually there would be demand for up to 25 spaces and 40 spaces to provide a buffer for special events was considered reasonable as an overall amount.

The Chair moved, the Vice-Chair seconded the Officer’s recommendation as amended in the late material, with the inclusion of additional wording to a condition to seek clarity about the type of material that would be used for the netting for the Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), the updating of draft condition 11 of the report to reflect the new proposed opening hours and the deletion of draft condition 12

RESOLVED that the application was granted, subject to the conditions outlined in the Officer report, as amended in the late material, with the inclusion of additional wording to a condition to seek clarity about the type of material that would be used for the netting for the Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), the updating of draft condition 11 of the report to reflect the new proposed opening hours and the deletion of draft condition 12.