Agenda item

To determine the application.

Danielle Brooke presented the report to members and drew attention to the update report that had been circulated.

The committee had regard to its inspection of the site (as agreed in accordance with the Site Inspection: Policy and Procedure (minute P19/04 refers)) during its deliberations.

Members received a written statement from Councillor Alan Gowler on behalf of Chatteris Town Council read out by Member Services. Councillor Gowler stated that Chatteris Town Council consider this application as consultees and it was remarked on during the discussion about how local authorities should be supportive of local businesses, large or small, to support the local rural economy, with it being unanimously agreed that the Town Council should support taking into account the standard planning considerations and they are quite perplexed to be informed that officer recommendation was to refuse the application.

Councillor Gowler referred to the first reason being “a significant incursion into the countryside”, but the Town Council feel the site lies literally yards away from the South Fens Business Centre and well away from residential developments and it is his personal opinion that it is an extension to an existing building so the effect on the countryside is all but negligible. He referred to the second reason for refusal in that there has been no demonstration of alternative sites within the locality but expressed the opinion that there is virtually no availability of industrial land or buildings in the vicinity of Chatteris and common sense would lean strongly towards development of the existing site.

Councillor Gowler made the point that there are many other consultee comments on this application, none of whom raise any significant issues and the Council’s Economic Growth response is very similar to what he has described. He stated that Chatteris Town Council maintain their support of this application and feel that this type of business should be encouraged by local authorities to expand.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public participation procedure, from Matthew Hall, the agent. Mr Hall stated that at present this site is used as a steel fabrication business for the applicant, the company initially rented these premises and has now purchased them to secure the business. He advised that the applicant, who was in attendance at the meeting, has been trading for approximately 8½ years and has been at these premises for approximately 6½ years.

Mr Hall stated that the company carry out a number of steel fabrication works for a number of local businesses within a 15-20 mile radius, which can include steel frame buildings, mezzanine floors, steel work in buildings, agricultural buildings and steel work for the recycling industry. He advised that the first shed as you come into the site is rented to SS Motor Fuels, another Chatteris business, and is on a long-term lease, with that building used for occasional servicing of vehicles.

Mr Hall expressed the view that Boss Fabrications are established at this site and wish to expand its existing premises, with the existing site having already been given permission for industrial usage in 2004 and in 2008, as the officer’s report states, there was an approval for an industrial building on site which members would have seen has been built out and it is currently being used by Boss Fabrications. He made the point that this proposal is for a further extension to the shed to the rear which is extending the existing industrial curtilage for a shed, parking area and storage.

Mr Hall informed members that at present the business employs 10 staff and this proposal is to allow the existing business to expand at this site and employ a further 2 people this year, which may increase in the future. He advised that the applicant sends two members of staff to the Stainless Steel Apprentice Centre in Chatteris, with a further member being sent next year and of the 10 employees, 7 live in Chatteris which is another reason why he wants to stay at the site and expand.

Mr Hall referred to the site location plan shown on the presentation screen showing the site outlined in red and on Public Access it confirms that County Highways have no objection to this application, which was received late April, however, when this agenda was received it states under 5.6 that Highways remain concerned following discussions with them but he has never been advised of that or knew any further discussions took place. He expressed the view that members will be aware from their site visit that this road only serves this site and surrounding agricultural fields, there are no other buildings coming off this road, with at the junction of the A141 there being a separate access for the Anglian Water sewage facility to the West.

Mr Hall stated that he has been advised by the applicant that at present there are 2 heavy goods vehicle deliveries a week and 8 by general smaller delivery vans, which has been the case for a number of years and there is very limited traffic down this road. He stated that a Flood Risk Assessment has been submitted to which the Environment Agency have raised no objections and there are no objections either from Anglian Water, the Highways Authority, Chatteris Town Council, with one of the ward members thoroughly supporting the application as read out by Member Services, and there are no objections from any person in Chatteris.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:

·       Councillor Benney stated that as a Chatteris councillor he knows the site very well and believes it was used by SS Motors for servicing and MOTs where there would have been fleet lorries coming in and out every day and this extension would be proposing a lot less transport movements than what it was used for in its previous life, with it also being a motorbike shop at one time which failed to succeed. He feels the fact this extension is a reflection on the business owner for doing his job right, he is employing local people, which is good, and very much like the previous application at the last committee for Rutterfords yard at Wimblington where else do you put these sites, you cannot put them in town but you cannot build them in the countryside either. Councillor Benney expressed the opinion that this is good use of the site, he acknowledged that some of the work has been started but feels there is nothing wrong with this, and this is a business that is on the up and he is sure that Stainless Metalcraft started up at some point in a shed and look at this today, how do members know this is not going to be the same. He expressed the view that losing agricultural land is not an issue when there a hundreds and thousands of acres taken out of food production every year with country stewardship and other schemes and he sees the loss of this little piece of land in comparison to the rest of the agricultural land around it is going to have no detriment to the area. Councillor Benney feels the application is a solid one, he is pleased to see it come forward as a local councillor and he believes that the majority of the public would think what is the committee doing if it is not passed, he sees where it goes against policy but equally as a ward member the committee is here to represent the people that elected them and he fails to see where there is anything bad with this application. He feels it is the ideal place for the business to expand and will be supporting this application.

·       Councillor Purser agreed with the comments of Councillor Benney but the only thing he missed is that it will be creating additional employment as well which can only be beneficial.

Proposed by Councillor Benney, seconded by Councillor Hicks and agreed that the application be GRANTED against officer’s recommendation with authority delegated to officers to formulate conditions.

Members do not support the officer’s recommendation of refusal as planning permission as they feel the job creation benefits outweigh the loss of agricultural land and encroachment into a small part of the open countryside, the benefits of the proposal outweigh the requirement for a sequential test and flood risk and this is a good scheme for an established business that Fenland does not want to lose or have to incur additional costs by relocating which outweighs the impact on facilitating a sustainable transport network.

(Councillor Marks registered that the applicant is known to him through business and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon)

(Councillor Benney declared that he knows the agent for this application and he has undertaken work for him but he is not pre-determined and will approach the application with an open mind)

(Councillor Benney further declared, under Paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct on Planning Matters, that he is a member of Chatteris Town Council but takes no part in planning)