Archived decisions

Contact: Neil Chester, ext. 6496

1. Summary

1.1 Planning permission is sought for the change of use from agricultural land to open storage for skips at land at Sole Hill Farm, Salisbury Road, Sherfield English. The site has previously been used for the storage of various items of farm equipment and other uses ancillary to Sole Hill Farm. The proposal would not give rise to any significant adverse impact, and therefore is in line with the Development Plan. Accordingly, it is recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.

2. Site and Proposal

2.1 The application site comprises rough ground of 0.25 hectares, is located on Sole Hill Farm off the A27 (see attached location plan) and has previously been used for storage of various items of farm equipment and other uses ancillary to Sole Hill Farm. Access to the site is from the A27 along an existing farm track. The site is adjacent to existing farm buildings and agricultural land.

2.2 The proposal is to change the use of the land from agricultural to the storage of skips. Specifically, the proposal is to store a maximum of 40 empty skips and 5 full skips on the application site at Sole Hill Farm. The number of skips located on-site will vary according to demand. Full skips may be temporarily stored over the weekend but will usually be removed by the following Tuesday. The material stored in skips on the site will primarily consist of construction and demolition waste and various waste generated by households. The proposal will generate a maximum of six lorry movements per day.

3. Development Plan

3.1 Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 (Review) (adopted March 2000) Policy MW2 refers to environmental impact.

3.2 Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan (adopted December 1998) Policies 6 and 7 refer to environmental impact; Policy 46 refers to waste processing facilities.

4. Consultations

4.1 Test Valley Borough Council raises no objections to the proposal.

4.2 Sherfield English Parish Council raises no objections to the proposal. However, the Parish Council would not like to see further growth of the site.

4.3 The Environment Agency raises no objection to the proposal, subject to conditions.

4.4 Test Valley Borough Council Environmental Health Officer raises no objection to the proposal, subject to conditions.

4.5 The Ramblers' Association objects to the proposal for the following reasons:

(i) the proposal is contrary to the Test Valley Local Plan;

(ii) inappropriate use of the countryside;

(iii) increased use of the A27 by lorries (there are numerous facilities which would generate lorry movements between Sherfield English and Romsey);

(iv) visual from the A27; and

(v) this application, if granted, would promote the industrial use of surrounding land and other farms in the area.

4.6 The Highways Adviser raises no objections to the proposal.

5. Representations

5.1 The local Member, Councillor Woodhall, has been informed of the proposal.

6. Chief Planning Adviser's Comments

6.1 The proposal is to store a maximum of 40 skips, including up to 5 full skips at Sole Hill Farm, Sherfield English. The proposal will generate a maximum of six lorry movements per day.

6.2 The Ramblers' Association is concerned that the proposal is an inappropriate use of the countryside and is therefore contrary to the Development Plan. It is noted that Test Valley Borough Council has not objected to the proposal. Furthermore, the Test Valley Borough Council Local Plan (adopted 1996) does acknowledge that "non-farming businesses in rural areas can compensate for the continuing decline in rural employment and help maintain a balanced rural economy ...".

6.3 The Ramblers' Association is concerned about the increased use of the A27 by lorries. The proposal will generate a maximum of six lorry movements per day. The Highways Adviser is not concerned by this minimal increase in traffic on the A27, which provides a link to the Hampshire lorry network, and raises no objection.

6.4 There is concern that the proposed storage of skips will have an adverse visual impact. Whilst the skips may be visible from the A27, the visual impact of the proposal will be minimal due to the existing farm buildings and the mix of farm equipment. The Landscape Adviser does not consider that any screening is necessary at the site. Furthermore, the advice is that screening may make the proposal more visually prominent.

6.5 The Ramblers' Association is concerned that the proposal will lead to further industrial use of this land and that other similar farms in the area will seek to change use from agricultural to industrial. Any proposal to expand the site or increase the number of skips to be stored on the site will be the subject of a planning application, which can be determined on its merits. Similarly, a proposal to change the use of another farm would require planning permission, which will be determined its merits.

6.6 The proposal does not give rise to a significant adverse impact, and therefore accords with Policy MW2 of the Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 (Review) and Policies 6, 7 and 46 of the Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan (adopted 1998). Accordingly, it is recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.

Recommendation

That planning permission for change of use from agricultural land to open storage for skips at land at Sole Hill Farm, Salisbury Road, Sherfield English (Application No. TVS00121/4) be granted, subject to the following conditions:

Type of Waste

(1) No hazardous waste shall enter or be stored on the site.

Reason: This waste stream raises environmental and amenity issues which would require consideration afresh.

Highways

(2) 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.

(3) There shall be a maximum of six lorry movements per day in connection with the development hereby approved.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety and the amenity of the local area.

Hours of Operation

(4) No plant, machinery or vehicles shall be operated on the site except between the hours of 0700 and 1800 hours Monday to Friday, 0700 and 1300 hours on Saturday and not at all on Sunday or public holidays.

Reason: In the interests of amenity.

Lighting

(5) No external lighting shall be installed on the building or anywhere within the site except for the installation of sensor-controlled security lighting, which shall be designed and shielded to minimise light spillage beyond the site boundary. Any proposed lighting system should comply with the Institute of Lighting Engineers guidance notes for the Reduction of Light Pollution.

Reason: In the interests of the local amenity.

Limits to Storage

(6) No more than 40 skips shall be stored on the application site at any one time and no more than 5 skips shall contain waste.

Reason: In the interests of the local amenity.

Pollution Control

(7) 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 largest tank within the bund. The bund shall be impervious and have no associated drainage.
Where it is proposed to store more than 200 litres (45 gallon drum = 205 litres) of any type of oil on-site it must be stored in accordance with the Control of Pollution (oil storage) (England) Regulations 2001. Drums and barrels can be kept in drip trays if the drip tray is capable of retaining 25% of the total capacity.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.

Landscaping

(8) A landscaping scheme indicating the position, design and materials of boundary treatment to be erected shall be submitted to the Waste Planning Authority within one month of the date of this permission. The scheme shall be implemented within one month of approval by the Waste Planning Authority.

Reason: To ensure that the works undertaken maintain the appearance of the site and enhance the character of the development in the interest of the visual amenity and contribute to the character of the local area.

8060/NC

APPENDIX

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY STRUCTURE PLAN 1996-2011 (REVIEW) (ADOPTED MARCH 2000)

Policy MW2

Permission will be granted for minerals and waste development provided the mineral/waste planning authority is satisfied that:

(i) any adverse environmental or other impacts that the development would be likely to cause are outweighed by a clearly established need for the development; and

(ii) the proposals, where applicable, include a satisfactory scheme of working and landscaping including details of lorry routeing and, in all cases, include satisfactory measures to ensure that the development would not have any unacceptable environmental, traffic or other impact; and

(iii) the proposals, where applicable, provide for the satisfactory and prompt restoration and after-care of the site to a high standard and to a landform compatible with the local landscape and suitable for an agreed beneficial after-use.

HAMPSHIRE, PORTSMOUTH AND SOUTHAMPTON MINERALS AND WASTE LOCAL PLAN (ADOPTED 17 DECEMBER 1998)

Policy 6

Permission will be granted for minerals and waste development provided the Mineral/Waste Planning Authority is satisfied that:

(i) there is a clearly established need for the development (as assessed in relation to the other relevant policies of the Plan) which outweighs any adverse environmental or other impact that the development would be likely to cause; and

(ii) the development would not be likely to give rise to an unacceptable level of adverse environmental, traffic or other impact, pollution risk or danger to public health, particularly in respect of any of the factors specified in Policy 7 and measures would be taken to ensure that any such impacts would, as far as is practicable, be minimised; and

(iii) the proposals provide for the satisfactory working or operation and landscaping of the site and for its satisfactory restoration and landscaping at the cessation of the operations or use or at the end of the life of the facility to a condition suitable for an agreed beneficial after-use which is compatible with adjoining land uses and the planning policies for the area.

Notwithstanding any need there may be for waste disposal, permission will not normally be granted for mineral extraction with restoration by infilling with waste materials unless there is a need for the mineral to be extracted.

Policy 7

The Mineral and Waste Planning Authorities will grant planning permission for minerals and waste development provided they are satisfied that, where appropriate, the proposed development pays due regard to:

(i) the relationship of the proposal site to other properties and land uses (particularly residential and other environmentally sensitive properties) and the likely effects of the proposed development on the locality by reason of noise, dust, smoke, fumes, illumination or any other factor and the need for buffer zones between the development and residential and other properties;

(ii) the likely volume and nature of traffic that would be generated by the proposed development and the suitability of the proposed access to the site and of the road network that would be affected, in terms of highway capacity and safety and environmental impact, and whether any highway improvements required could be carried out satisfactorily without causing unacceptable environmental impact;

(iii) the likely visual impact of the proposed development and the need for additional planting and screening, including planting in advance of the commencement of the development;

(iv) the need to safeguard the character and amenities of individual settlements and to safeguard open gaps between settlements from permanent development which would cause long-term harm to the function of the land;

(v) the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to protect and safeguard sites of nature conservation, geological, archaeological, historic, architectural and landscape importance and their settings;

(vi) the extent and quality of agricultural land to be taken by the proposed development and the proposals for its subsequent restoration and the likely effects of the proposals on farm structure and management;

(vii) the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to maintain the distinctive character of the landscape; the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to safeguard and protect individual species, habitats and landscape features, including woodland, trees and hedgerows; and the likely effects of the proposed development on forestry and woodland management;

(viii) the likely effects of the proposed development on sites used for recreation and public rights of way and the need to protect or secure the satisfactory diversion of public rights of way;

(ix) the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to safeguard the flow and quality of watercourses, water supplies, floodplains, groundwater, the drainage of the site and adjoining land and the level of the water table in the locality and the likely effects of the proposed development on the immediate setting of any river;

(x) any potential danger to aircraft from birds being attracted to the site;

(xi) the possible amenity implications of any landfill gas that might be generated at the site and of any provisions that might need to be made to deal with it; and

(xii) the likely cumulative impact of the proposed development in combination with any other significant development taking place or permitted to take place in the locality and the need to minimise the impact of mineral extraction and waste disposal operations by securing, where appropriate, the phased release of sites and progression of working and restoration.

Policy 46

The Waste Planning Authorities will normally permit the use of land and the erection of plant and buildings for the recycling, transfer, storage and other treatment or handling of waste (excluding waste processing facilities covered by Policy 45) provided that:

(i) the proposed site is located near to the likely source(s) of waste and/or the market(s) for the recycled or recovered materials; and

(ii) the proposed site is located close to and has adequate access to the Hampshire Lorry Route Network (as shown on the proposals map), so that the development would not be likely to cause unacceptable traffic impact (including the environmental impact of traffic) on the local highway network; and

(iii) the proposed site is located:

(a) within an existing industrial site or on land which is permitted or allocated for industrial development; or

(b) within an area of land in the countryside that has already been disturbed by permanent development (a brownfield site); or

(c) at a waste disposal landfill or landraising site provided that the proposed development is connected with the waste disposal operation and is for a temporary period commensurate with the operational life of the waste disposal facility; and

(iv) the proposed site is located and the proposal includes adequate measures to ensure that no unacceptable impact would be likely to be caused to the occupants or users of houses, other residential buildings, schools, hospitals and other environmentally sensitive buildings and land uses by reason of noise, dust, fumes, smell or other cause; and

(v) the proposed site is located so as to avoid unacceptable impact on landscape, nature conservation and archaeological interests; and

(vi) the proposed site is located and the proposal includes adequate measures to ensure that there would be no significant risk of pollution or danger to public health or safety; and

(vii) the proposed site is located and, if necessary, the proposal includes landscaping measures to ensure that the development would not cause unacceptable visual intrusion.