Archived decisions

Contact: John Priest - Ext: 7336

1. Summary

1.1. The Committee undertook a site visit on 2 October 2001 to consider the Yokesford Hill application in the light of local concerns.

2. Introduction

2.1. At the site visit the Committee met Councillor Mrs Barron, local Member for the adjoining ward, representatives of Romsey Extra Parish Council, local residents and the applicant and his agent. The comments of those present are outlined in the ensuing paragraphs. A copy of the report for the site visit is attached as an appendix to this report.

3. Tour of the site

3.1. The Committee first toured the site and was advised of the proposed two metre high gate and wooden fencing which would serve as noise attenuation measures in addition to security measures. Further points made in the introduction were that the doors would be open most of the time and that most of the noise generated by operations would be contained in the building which is located in a current industrial site. The proposed start time of operations of 0600 was to enable vehicles to leave the site gradually rather than in close proximity to each other if a later start time was imposed. Empty skips would be placed on a limestone material base which would be quieter than concrete or tarmac and two sealed tanks would be provided to take liquid waste from the transfer station and waste water from the site in general. There would be further areas for washing down goods vehicles and the portaloos and an area for the maintenance of vehicles at the back of the sorting building. The windows for the building would be lined with noise cladding and there would be four concrete recycling bays within the building. The operations would entail the deposit of waste onto a rolling conveyor and the blowing of every day waste into a container followed by hand picking of the remaining waste. An atomiser system would spray out a fine mist to keep dust levels down and there would be a further dust suppression unit above the door. This atomiser system would also work as a sprinkler in case of fire.

4. Comments of the County Planning Officer

4.1. The County Planning Officer confirmed that the application site excluded an adjacent building within the envelope of the site. Access would be via the main access to the overall industrial estate whilst most of the adjacent housing was along the C246 Yokesford Hill; 132 lorry movements per day would be generated.

4.2. As regards responses to consultations the County Surveyor had raised no objection and the Test Valley Borough Council Environmental Health Officer and the Environment Agency raised no objection subject to conditions. Romsey Extra Parish Council had not raised any objection subject to a reduction in the working hours whilst local Councillor, Councillor Woodhall, had expressed concerns about lorry numbers and working hours. 46 letters of objection and 20 letters of support had been received.

4.3. The County Planning Officer drew attention to Policy 46 in the Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan which supported the principle of recycling facilities in industrial estates provided that there were no excessively adverse environmental implications.

5. Comments of the Romsey Extra Parish Council representatives

5.1. The Romsey Extra Parish Council representatives expressed concern about the hours of operation and their impact on local residents, noise and disturbance from lorries. In particular they were concerned about the noise generated by reversing lorries and the moving around of the portaloos. The suggestion was made that a liaison panel be established as operates in respect of other sites throughout the County.

6. Comments of the Agent for Mr Frampton

6.1. The agent for Mr Frampton who operates a packaging and storage of goods business from the other building within the curtilage of the site expressed concern at the adverse impact on the business on account of the parking of lorries along the front of the site. In response the applicant advised of ongoing discussions with Mr Frampton with the aim of overcoming any adverse impacts.

7. Comments of Local Residents

7.1. Mr Pugh was concerned about possible pollution of water courses by run off from the site, the doors being open during operations and dust emanating from the building. He also suggested shorter working hours on Saturdays.

7.2. In response to a point made by Mr Pugh concerning the sorts of waste to be sorted at the site, it was pointed out that the facility would require a waste management licence issued by the Environment Agency which would specify the sorts of waste to be dealt with at the site. The opinion of the County Council was that an environmental impact assessment was not necessary for the application as the regulations do not require one but it was stressed that this would not determine the view of the County Council on the application.

7.3. Mr Godwin of the Belbins Residents' Association was concerned about the possibility that vermin would be generated by the operations; he felt that a 6.00 a.m. start would be too early and advised that his members would not wish to see any increase in noise or light. Another local resident felt that the access to the site was unsuitable and created a traffic hazard; he suggested that all traffic entering the whole industrial area use one entrance to the south of the one proposed by the applicant as this would be more suitable on safety grounds.

8. Comments of Councillor Mrs Barron

8.1. Councillor Mrs Barron expressed preference for a 7.00 a.m. start time for operations and hope that the external lighting would not be obtrusive and that the adjacent business would not be adversely affected.

9. Further Comments of the County Planning Officer

9.1. In response to the issues raised at the site visit by Councillor Mrs Barron it is recommended that a later start time of 7.00 a.m. would be more appropriate. Concerns have also been raised at the site visit that the noise assessment might have been undertaken based on the assumption that the doors would be closed. The applicant has confirmed that the noise assessment was correctly undertaken based on the assumption that the doors would be open. The Environmental Health Officer confirms that the noise impacts would be minimal.

9.2. In terms of landscaping measures, although the site at present is reasonably well screened from Yokesford Hill it appears that some of the existing boundary planting will need to be cleared to enable the development to be implemented. The current planting can be safeguarded and strengthened by a planning condition.

9.3. The proposal is in accordance with policy and I consider that it is acceptable.

Recommendations:

(i) That permission be granted for a waste recycling and transfer station and associated skip and portaloo hire at Unit 1, Yokesford Hill Industrial Estate, Romsey (Application Number TVSO1119/12) subject to the following conditions:

Time Limits


1. The development hereby permitted shall commence within five years from the date of this permission.

Reason: To comply with Section 9 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.





Working Hours


2. No vehicle shall enter or leave the site and no working shall take place except between the hours of 07.00 and 18.00 Mondays to Fridays, and 07.00 to 13.00 Saturdays. There shall be no working on Sundays, bank holidays and public holidays unless otherwise approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority.

Reason: To protect the amenities of local residents.


Traffic Issues


3. No vehicle shall enter the public highway unless its wheels and chassis are clean.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety and to prevent mud and dust getting on the highway.


4. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Waste Planning Authority the total number of lorry movements to and from the site shall not exceed 152 per day. A daily record of lorry movements shall be kept at the site and be made available to the Waste Planning Authority on request.

Reason: To limit the volumes of traffic in the interests of local amenity.


Noise


5. The noise level at the office windows of the next unit shall not exceed 60dB(A)Leq as predicted in the ISVR Report dated August 2001.

Within one month of the site becoming operational a noise survey of actual noise emitted from the site shall be submitted to the Waste Planning Authority. If it is found that noise levels are not as predicted, the applicant shall submit a scheme of noise control measures to reduce the noise level at the office windows of the next unit to less than 60dB(A)Leq for the approval of the Waste Planning Authority.

The scheme as approved shall be carried out in full unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Waste Planning Authority.

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the locality


6. No development shall take place until a `site environmental management scheme' shall have been agreed in writing by the Waste Planning Authority. The scheme shall incorporate procedures, including provisions for review, for controlling noise, dust, vibration, lighting, on -site vehicular movements, vehicle reversing alarms, and other amenity issues arising from operations on the site. Operations on the site shall not proceed except in compliance with this scheme unless otherwise approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority.

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the locality


Lighting


7. No development shall take place until details of the location and design of any fencing and external lighting shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details prior to the commencement of the use hereby permitted.

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the locality


Landscaping


8. No development shall take place until a detailed scheme for the landscaping of the site has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority. Such scheme shall include details of:

a) The positions, species and sizes of all existing trees, shrubs and
hedgerows to be retained, and the proposals for their protection
throughout the operations.

b) The positions, species, density and initial sizes of all new trees and
shrubs.

c) The programme of implementation of the scheme.

d) The arrangements for subsequent maintenance.

The scheme as approved shall be carried out in full (unless with the prior approval of the Waste Planning Authority in writing to a variation).

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the locality

Amenity


9. Outside the waste transfer building, no waste material shall be tipped onto the ground for storage purposes, sorting or loading into skips.

Reason: To prevent water pollution


10. The height of any stockpiles or stacks of reclaimed or salvaged materials shall not exceed the height of the walls of the bays in which it is to be stored/deposited.

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the locality


11. No materials shall be burnt on the site.

Reason: To protect the amenities of local residents


12. No piles of skips, containers or materials of any sort shall be stored on the site to a height in excess of 3metres. Marker posts shall be erected by the skip storage area to a height of 3metres to aid the implementation of this condition.

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity.


Drainage and water protection


13. Prior to discharge into any watercourse, surface water sewer or soakaway system, all surface water drainage from parking areas and hardstandings shall pass through an oil interceptor designed and constructed to have a capacity and details compatible with the site being drained. Roof water shall not pass through the interceptor.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.


14. Inspection manholes shall be provided and clearly identified on foul and surface water drainage systems.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.


15. No sewage or trade effluent (including vehicle wash or vehicle steam cleaning effluent) shall be discharged to any surface water drainage system.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.


16. Any above ground oil/chemical storage tank/container and associated pipework shall be bunded in a manner so as to retain at least 110% volume of the tank capacity. All filling points, vents gauges and sight glasses must be located within the bund which shall be sealed so as to retain any spillages.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.


17. All areas where waste is stored, processed, handled or transferred must be underlain by an impervious hardstanding with dedicated drainage to a foul sewer or sealed tanks for disposal at a suitably licensed facility.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.


(ii) That a Liaison Panel be established to guide the operations at the site.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act

TITLE LOCATION

Nil

5RR12001