Contact: Katie Snell, ext 5938 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This application proposes to vary Condition 1 of planning permission TVN1956/33 so that the Andover Waste Transfer Station can be open on each Saturday afternoon (1300-1630) following recognised bank holidays, and on two consecutive Saturday afternoons following a New Year holiday.

1.2 Objections have been raised by the Parish Council, local residents and the local Member on the grounds of loss of amenities caused by an odour and fly problems. The Environment Agency and the Environmental Health Officer have not raised any concerns. It is recommended to grant planning permission, subject to conditions.

2. Site and Proposal

2.1 The Waste Transfer Station (WTS) occupies a 0.5 hectare site on the Harewood Forest Industrial Estate, Longparish, Andover. The site is flanked by industrial buildings on two sides and a large area of grass to the north. There is woodland to the south. Access to the industrial estate is from the A303. There is a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) and Ancient Woodland to the west of the Industrial Estate. There are two houses approximately 80 metres to the north west .

2.2 Planning permission for the WTS on the Harewood Forest Industrial Estate (No. TVN1956/23) was granted, subject to conditions, in January 1997.

2.3 Waste is not currently collected by the District Council on public holidays. Saturday afternoon operations following each public holiday are required for `catch-up' purposes. Added to this, Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) are at their busiest on public holidays and quickly become full, leading on some occasions to their early closure.

2.4 In response to this situation the applicant wishes to vary Condition 1 of planning permission TVN1956/33 so that the Andover Waste Transfer Station can be open on each Saturday afternoon (1300-1630) following recognised bank holidays, and on two consecutive Saturday afternoons following a New Year holiday.

2.5 The applicant believes this will enable the WTS to deal with the build up of waste more effectively and so assist in alleviating current problems. The proposal would result in an additional nine Saturdays (0700-1630) a year.

2.6 Currently operations on a Saturday morning (0700 to 1300) following a public holiday, generate between a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) movements.

3. Development Plan

3.1 Hampshire County Structure Plan Review 1996 - 2011 (Adopted March 2000) MW2 addresses the balance of need against environmental or other impacts.

3.2 Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan (Adopted December 1998) Policy 7 refers to general concerns and Policy 46 criteria for waste transfer development.

4. Consultations

4.1 Test Valley Borough Council raises no objection.

4.2 The Environmental Health Officer (Test Valley Borough Council) has no comment to make.

4.3 Longparish Parish Council raise objection on the grounds of further loss of amenity caused by odour and fly problem.

4.4 The local Member, Councillor Woodhall, concurs with the views and concerns of the Parish Council.

4.5 The Environment Agency raises no objection.

4.6 The Highways Adviser has confirmed that a Personal Injury Check has been run for the immediate area around the WTS. There are no records of accidents involving HGVs in the past three years. Therefore they raise no objection to the proposal.

4.7 Middle Wallop Parish Council has no objection.

4.8 Popham Airfield has been informed.

5. Representations

5.1 Four letters of objection have been received from local residents on the grounds of odour, traffic, personal safety and noise issues, with specific reference to reverse bleepers on HGVs.

6. Chief Planning Adviser's Comments

6.1 The principle of a waste transfer station on the site is established. The main issue is whether it is acceptable to increase its hours of use to include Saturday afternoons following bank holidays. Since the original planning permission was granted in January 1997 a number of requests have been granted for extended operations on Saturday afternoons none of these have generated any complaints.

6.2 The amenity issues raised by the local residents, Parish Council and the local Member are noted and have been investigated. The Environmental Health Officer has received no complaints regarding odour since 2003. At that time the Environmental Health Officer's investigations found that the nearby piggery at Patchington Farm (approximately 300 metres away to the south west) was responsible for the odour.

6.3 A complaint regarding noise was documented in 2004 which was un-substantiated. There have been no complaints regarding flies. Neither the Environment Agency nor the Environmental Health Officer raises any objection to the proposal.

6.4 Whilst the applicant has controlled the noise caused by their own reversing vehicles they do not, at present, control the noise generated by other vehicles visiting the site. This is particularly the case with Test Valley Borough Council vehicles. The applicant acknowledges the potential amenity impact of this issue and is taking steps to address the problem. It can also be addressed by conditions.

6.5 In relation to traffic concerns, the proposal is not an increase to the lorry movements, as it will be the same approximate amount of lorry movements over an extended period.

6.6 In conclusion the proposal accords with policy and is not considered to have any adverse environmental impacts.

Recommendation

That, planning permission in respect of Variation of Condition 1 of planning permission TVN1956/33 (to allow operations to take place on each Saturday afternoon following recognised public holidays, and on two consecutive Saturday afternoons following a new year holiday) at Andover Waste Transfer Station, Harewood Forest Industrial Estate, Andover (05/00320/CMN) be granted for the following reason, subject to the following conditions:

Reason for Approval

It is considered that the proposal would be in accordance with the Development Plan (summary attached) and would not materially harm the character of the area or the amenity of local residents and would be acceptable in terms of highway safety and convenience.

Conditions

Hours of Working

(1) Except with prior agreement of the Waste Planning Authority in writing, no operations authorised by this permission shall be carried out and no plant shall be operated other than between the hours of 0700 and 1800 Monday to Friday, 0700 to 1300 Saturday, 0830 to 1700 on public holidays and not at all on Sunday. On Saturdays following recognised public holidays the hours of operation are 0700 to 1630.

Reason: In the interest of local amenity.

Noise, Dust and Odour

(2) All green waste at the site shall be removed within 24 hours of deposit.

Reason: In the interest of local amenity.

(3) Noise shall be controlled in accordance with planning permission No TVC1956/23 as detailed in the applicant's letter dated 29.09.97.

Reason: In the interest of local amenity.

(4) No operations in association with this permission shall commence until details of the proposed arrangements for ensuring that all reversing vehicles do not emit warning noise that would have an unacceptable adverse impact on residential amenity have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Waste Planning Authority.

Reason: In order to prevent nuisance to local residents.

(5) Dust shall be controlled in accordance with planning permission No. TVC1956/23 as detailed in the applicant's letter dated 10.12.96.

Reason: In the interest of local amenity.

Lighting

(6) External lighting shall be maintained in accordance with planning permission No. TVC1956/23 as detailed in the applicant's letter dated 29.09.97.

Reason: In the interest of local amenity.

Protection of Water Environment

(7) There shall be no discharge of foul or contaminated drainage from the site into either ground water or surface water, whether direct or via soakaways.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.

(8) 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.

(9) The drainage from the hardstanding used for vehicle manoeuvring and parking shall be directed to flow via an interceptor prior to discharge to a soakaway.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.

(10) 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.

Reason: To prevent pollution of the water environment.

Storage

(11) No waste or recyclable material shall be stored outside the building unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In the interest of local amenity.

Highways

(12) The provision for the turning, loading and unloading of vehicles and the parking of vehicles shall be maintained within the curtilage of the premises and the areas of land so provided shall not be used for any purpose other than the turning, loading and unloading and parking of vehicles for the duration of use.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

(13) Notwithstanding Condition 1 above, no lorries shall enter or leave the site before 0800 hours other than refuse collection vehicles on behalf of Test Valley Borough Council.

Reason: In the interest of local amenity.

(14) The vehicular access and egress indicated on the approved plans (under permitted application TVN1956/23) shall be used for the purpose of entry and exit only and appropriate signs shall be erected and maintained.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

(15) Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988 or any Order revoking and re-enacting that Order, no part of any boundary wall or fence erected to the north of the building nor any hedge planted to mark the boundary or alongside such a wall or fence shall at any time be permitted to be higher than 1.05 metres above the level of the carriageway.

Reason: In the interest of highway safety.

712/KS

Annexe to Reason for Conditions

(as required by Article 22 of the Town and Country Planning

(General Procedure) Order 1995 - as amended)

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Hampshire County Structure Plan (Review) 2000

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 aftercare 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) 1998

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 watertable 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

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.