Agenda item

Schedule – Page 9

 

Item 1 – Former Crombies Site, Emmerson Street – Page 11

 

Item 2 – Vacant land adjacent to new medical centre Stokesley Road – Page 33

The Head of Planning submitted plans deposited as applications to develop land under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

25/0074/FUL, former Crombie's Site, Emmerson Street, Middlesbrough, TS5

6NS, Retrospective Erection of 6no. industrial units including associated parking (Demolition of existing industrial units)

 

Members were advised that permission was sought for some demolition of existing buildings on the site and the erection of 6 no. industrial units with use B2 and B8.  Members heard that some buildings had already been demolished and buildings erected in part which had been subject to a previous planning application that had been refused and subsequently dismissed at appeal.  Therefore, this application sought consent for a revised scheme.

 

The Planning Officer advised Members that the site had no specific allocation in the Local Plan.  It was located in a commercial/industrial area therefore the principle of the proposed industrial use on this site was considered suitable.  It was considered that the proposed development would provide a good reuse of the vacant site without a significant detrimental impact on surrounding properties.  The scale and design of the proposed units was in keeping with the surrounding area.

 

The revised plans reduced the depth of the units which in turn reduced the height of the building at its highest point. The revised plans also included more details in relation to a servicing area at the site and parking.

 

The proposed development fronts Emmerson/Stonehouse Street and sought to provide some parking / servicing directly in front of the units which would assist in providing for the comings and goings of the unit’s day to day. There was additional parking also being provided adjacent to the units. Members heard that when assessing the current proposals and taking into account the previous scheme

and Inspectors decision the Highway Authority now did not raise any concerns and

considered that the revised scheme adequately addresses the issues raised.

 

It was advised that the revised scheme looked to reduce the visual impact of the proposed units on the residential properties at Canterbury Grove. The development would increase the height of the boundary wall  by approximately 0.2m, taking the total wall height to 2.7m. The previously erected block and render wall would be removed. The small increase in height creates a parapet with the roof and

a box guttering system sitting behind it. The guttering system would have a downpipe

that runs internally to ensure it does not overhang the residential properties, and any

issues with the guttering can be maintained from within the site without need to gain

access from the residential properties.

 

The eaves height as proposed was more in keeping with single storey buildings and was no longer comparable to the eaves height of the two-storey houses as referenced by the Inspector.

 

The proposed scheme also significantly reduced the depth of the proposed units

which in turn reduced the height of the building at its highest point to approximately

4.2m which was over 1m lower than the original scheme which was dismissed by the

Inspector and which was of a scale in keeping with surrounding properties in the

industrial estate and lower than the residential properties to the rear.

 

The Agent for the application addressed the committee and raised the following:

 

·        The application had redesigned the building to address the original objections that had been raised

·        The site was currently an eyesore, and was a magnet for anti-social behaviour, drug use and prostitution by redeveloping the site these issues would be removed

·        The units could house 6 individual smaller businesses which would provide economic benefits and employment opportunities

 

A Member raised concerns over the use of large vehicles accessing the site it was advised that the forecourt was of flexible use and due to the size of the units it would be unlikely that large vehicles would be servicing them.

 

ORDERED that the application be Approved subject to the conditions detailed in the report.

 

25/0189/FUL, vacant land adjacent to new Medical Centre, Stokesley Road,

Middlesbrough, TS7 0NB, erection of single storey community building with associated parking and external works

 

Members were advised that planning permission was sought for the construction of a community centre on the land east of Stokesley Road and to the south of the existing doctor’s surgery.

 

The Development Control Manager stated that the relevant policies in the Council’s 2014 Local Plan allocated the land subject to the application for residential development.  The proposed application was considered to represent a departure from the adopted Development Plan.  However, the application site formed part of policies HO4 and HO4d of the Council’s Publication Local Plan (PLP). Paragraph 49 of the National Planning Policy Framework sets out that appropriate weight can be given to relevant policies in emerging plans. Policy HO4d in the PLP stated that the application site was allocated for residential development, a care home and a community hub, the proposals for a community building were therefore considered to be acceptable.

 

Members heard that the design, layout and arrangement of the proposal had been assessed and considered to be of a high quality that was in accordance with the relevant local and national policies.

 

It was advised that the building would be of single storey and the render, timber and cladding was similar to the neighbouring medical centre.  There would be a small car park with 14 spaces, a community garden and hard/soft landscaping.

 

Members were advised that vehicular access to the development would be via a new access taken from the existing access road that serves the adjacent Nunthorpe Medical Centre. The access meets the relevant standards in terms of width and sightlines and serves a small car park of 14 spaces, which is in accordance with the Tees Valley Highway Design Guide for development of this type.

 

The site would be accessible via public footpaths and bus services could be accessed at stops a short walk away on Stokesley Road and Guisborough Road. In addition, the site was a relatively short distance from Nunthorpe train station and there was a combined cycleway/footpath near to the site along Dixon’s Bank/A172. Cycle parking would be provided, supporting users of the community facilities to travel by bicycle.

 

It was highlighted that paragraph 17 and 18 in the report were duplicates.

 

The relevant neighbouring properties and technical services had been consulted on the proposals and no objections have been raised.

 

Members were advised that subsequent to the completion of the Officer Committee Report the following documents had been submitted by the applicant for consideration as part of the application.

 

·        Phase Two Site Investigation

·        Ground Gas Risk Assessment

·        Noise Impact Assessment

 

Members heard that it was the officer opinion that the application should be approved in line with the conditions in the main report, subject to the following:

 

Condition 4 Site Investigation and Remediation Works to be replaced with a new condition Reporting of Unexpected Contamination.

 

An additional condition was recommended to deal with noise from any plant and machinery.

 

A resident spoke in support of the application, the resident stated that they were looking forward to using the building it was community focused and the general opinion of local people was that they were looking forward to using the facility and that the general design was good and in keeping with the area.

 

A Member raised concern over the number of parking spaces available the Development Control Manager stated that the majority of people would walk or cycle to the centre as it was centrally located.  The Highways Officer clarified that the number of car parking spaces met the Tees Valley Highway Design Guide.

 

ORDERED that the application be Approved subject to the conditions detailed in the report and the addition of the conditions detailed in the addendum report.