Contact: Martin Leeds, ext 6733

1. Summary

1.1 Planning permission is sought to construct a new Day Services facility for Hampshire Social Services at Park House, High Street, Alton. Concerns/objections have been received from local residents. However, it is recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.

2. Site and Proposal

2.1 The site, illustrated on the attached plan, is within Alton town centre and is currently occupied by a redundant bungalow and garage. To the north are the Alton Public Gardens and adjacent to the northern boundary are mature trees, including several Yew trees. To the south-east is Park House which accommodates the County Council's Social Services Area Office and its associated car parking. Vehicular access to Park House (and the proposed Day Services facility) is from High Street. The southern boundary adjoins Willow Court, a two and three-storey development of retirement flats. To the west is Rack Close Road which has two-storey terraced houses along its western side.

2.2 The proposed Day Services facility building will replace the existing facility on Chawton Park Road, Alton with a smaller, more centrally located building where service users have easy access to shops, recreational and other facilities. It will also provide accommodation for service users who have high support needs.

2.3 The proposed building will be primarily single-storey and constructed in brick under a tiled roof and in similar colours to nearby properties. Car parking for staff and users will be provided under the building, taking advantage of the 1.5 metre drop in level from Rack Close Road to the car park around Park House. A mini-bus drop-off area is to be incorporated into the existing parking facility at Park House. Four car spaces will be relocated to the new lower level car parking area for the Day Services facility. The users of the Day Services will generally be brought by taxis or mini-buses and these will access the site from the High Street and not Rack Close Road.

2.4 During the construction period the contractor's compound will be located between Park House and the proposed building and access will be from High Street. This will reduce existing parking on site temporarily. Staff can use public car parks in the area.

2.5 Currently, there is no pathway along the edge of the site with Rack Close Road. It is therefore proposed to continue the path to the entrance of the Public Gardens and improve the entrance way itself by moving the adjacent railings back from the kerb edge. This will be safer for pedestrians.

3. Development Plan

3.1 East Hampshire District Local Plan: First Review 1998 shows the site as existing development within the defined built-up area for Alton town centre. The relevant Policy is GS5 which outlines the general design criteria for new development. The proposed Day Services building accords with this policy.

4. Consultations

4.1 Alton Town Council "welcomes the purposeful development of this neglected under-used site". However, the Town Council has some concern regarding the gable end of the building fronting on to Rack Close Road and requests that it is moved further back from the road.

4.2 The County Surveyor has no objection, subject to the implementation of a Travel Plan to cover both the Day Services facility and Park House.

4.3 The local Member, Councillor Ludlow, has been informed of the proposal.

5. Representations

5.1 Thirteen letters (nine of which were a standard circulated format) from local residents have been received expressing concerns/objections as follows:

(i) drop-off point for taxis/minibuses in Rack Close Road would cause extra traffic problems in this road;

(ii) loss of land in the adjoining Public Gardens;

(iii) problems with construction traffic using Rack Close Road; and

(iv) new building out of character with residential area.

6. District Council's Views

6.1 East Hampshire District Council has no objection, subject to conditions.

7. County Planning Officer's Comments

7.1 The site is within the defined built-up area for Alton where redevelopment of sites is, in planning land use terms, acceptable. The proposed development accords with the adopted relevant Local Plan policy (Development Criteria).

7.2 As to the concerns/objections from local residents and Alton Town Council:

(i) Drop-off point for taxis/mini-buses will be within the Park House site accessed from the High Street not Rack Close Road. The anticipated traffic problem is unlikely to occur.

(ii) Loss of land in the adjoining Public Gardens - the new development for the Day Services will not take any land from the Public Gardens. It has been agreed with Alton Town Council, as owners of the Gardens, that part of the new development would allow for repositioning and renovating the railings at Rack Close Road/Westbrooke Road. This proposal would allow the formation of a pavement/improvement to the existing entrance to the Gardens.

(iii) Construction traffic using Rack Close Road - Rack Close Road will not be used by construction traffic which will be required to access the site from the High Street.

(iv) New building out of character with the residential area - the proposed building is primarily single-storey and approximately as tall as the terraced housing on the northern side of Rack Close Road. The building will be constructed in brick under a tiled roof and in similar colours to the properties in Rack Close Road. Since the planning application was submitted the height of the proposed gable has been reduced and narrowed and the elevation partly moved back. In addition, similar treatment has been afforded to the outlook onto Willow Court (the elderly persons' retirement flats to the south of the Day Services site).

7.3 Amended plans have been received showing the reduced height and narrowing of the elevations of the new building. In light of the amendments it is considered that the concerns previously expressed are mostly overcome. A Staff Travel Plan is to be provided for Park House and the Day Services facility.

Recommendation

That permission be granted for the construction of a Day Services facility to replace an existing bungalow at Park House, High Street, Alton (Application No. F.37227), subject to the following conditions:

(1) The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of five years from the date on which this planning permission was granted.

Reason: To comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

(2) Before the development is commenced details, including samples of the proposed external facing bricks and roofing materials to be used, shall be submitted in writing to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To secure a satisfactory development.

(3) Measures shall be taken prior to commencement of works on site to protect the trees adjoining the site from damage. The protective measures shall be retained for the duration of the construction period. No materials shall be stored within the area of the protection.

Reason: To ensure the trees are not damaged and to retain them in the interests of visual amenity.

(4) Measures shall be taken to ensure that mud and spoil from the site is not deposited onto the public highway (High Street). In the event that it is, it shall be cleaned off on each day of working.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

(5) All construction traffic, including operatives' and construction vehicles, mobile plant and machinery, and delivery/removal of materials/waste, shall only access the site from the High Street and not from Rack Close Road or Westbrooke Road.

Reason: Rack Close Road and Westbrooke Road are unsuitable to cater for the additional traffic during the construction period.

(6) After completion of the extension and when it becomes operational as a Day Services facility all vehicles entering the site shall do so via the High Street access.

Reason: To reduce traffic impact on Rack Close Road and Westbrooke Road which are relatively narrow roads in a primarily residential area.

(7) The parking facility to be provided for the Day Services facility shall have been properly constructed and made available for use before the Day Services facility is brought into use. The parking area shall be retained for that use at all times.

Reason: To ensure sufficient parking provision is available for the operation of the development.

(8) The construction of the proposed pathway under the overhanging canopy spread of the Yew tree (situated in the adjacent north-west corner of the Public Gardens) shall be carried out in such a way that the tree's main roots are bridged rather than cut. The top surface wearing material shall allow water to percolate the roots.

Reason: To safeguard this tree in the interests of visual amenity.

(9) In the event that construction of the proposed foundations of the new development requires pile driving involving the hammer action process, prior written notification of the start time (and, where possible, the finish time) for such operations shall be notified to the Local Planning Authority and the local residents, particularly those living in Rack Close Road, Willow Court and Westbrook Road. The operation of the pile driving shall only be carried out between 0900 and 1700 hours Monday to Friday.

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of occupiers of those properties nearest the site.

(10) No work relating to the construction of the approved development, including works of preparation prior to operations, the delivery of construction materials, skips or machinery, nor the removal of waste materials, shall take place before 0800 or after 1800 hours Monday to Friday inclusive, before 0800 or after 1600 hours on Saturday, and not at all on Sunday or recognised Public/Bank holidays, unless otherwise agreed beforehand in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To protect the amenities of the occupiers of nearby properties.

(11) Before the new Day Services facility becomes operational, a Staff Travel Plan shall have been provided for Park House and the Day Centre and submitted in writing for approval to the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To minimise trip generations associated with the development by private car.

7337/ML