Contact: Peter Chadwick, ext 6728 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Planning permission is sought for the retention and continued operation of the Netley Waste Transfer Station. Planning permission was granted in 2002 for a temporary waste transfer station for a period of five years. The five year period expired on 30 June 2006. Permission is sought for a five-year temporary permission to ensure continuity of service in this part of Hampshire.

1.2 Although the site is located within a strategic gap, the waste transfer station is visually unobtrusive. The operation of the facility has not had an unacceptable environmental impact nor given rise to complaint. Therefore it is recommended to give consent for a further five years, as its retention is essential to maintain the waste service.

2. Site and Proposal

2.1 The site, illustrated on the attached plan, comprises an area of 0.273 hectares within the former Netley Landfill Site. Planning permission was granted in 2002 for a temporary waste transfer station for a period of five years to provide time to find a permanent facility. The Waste Transfer Station is a key delivery point for waste collected in Eastleigh and Southampton but to date it has not been possible to find and develop an alternative facility. The five year period expired on 30 June 2006 and so permission is sought for a five-year temporary permission to ensure continuity of service in this part of Hampshire.

2.2 The Waste Transfer Station is a steel portal framed building measuring 25 metres by 30 metres, with a height of eight metres to the eaves. It has a concrete base and sealed drainage. The facility also includes site control and amenity facilities. Access would continue to be via existing access onto Portsmouth Road. The facility handles about 55,000 tonnes of waste per year (tpa) (about 45,000 tpa household waste and 10,000 tpa recyclables). Daily lorry movements are about 28 loads delivered to the facility, and about 10 loads removed by bulk loader. The facility would continue to operate in accordance with all other existing planning conditions and waste management conditions.

3. Development Plan

3.1 Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 review policy G1 concerns the Southampton-Hedge End/Burseldon/Netley strategic gap.

3.2 Hampshire Portsmouth and Waste Local Plan Policy 46 concerns proposals for waste transfer stations.

4. Consultations

4.1 Eastleigh Borough Council no comments received.

4.2 Eastleigh Borough Council Environmental Health raises no objection.

4.3 Highways adviser raises no objection.

4.4 Environment Agency raises no objection.

4.5 Hound Parish Council raises no objection, but is concerned about the impact of increased traffic on Hamble Lane and Portsmouth road.

4.6 Southampton Airport raises no safeguarding objection.

5. Representations

5.1 One letter of objection has been received from a local resident on Portsmouth Road on the grounds that they have had enough. There is no guarantee that the five year period will not be extended again and accordingly there is concern that, as it has been present for the last 18 years, once a landfill/waste transfer station is cited, it will always be there.

6. Chief Planning Adviser's Comments

6.1 The site is within a strategic gap. It was originally granted for a temporary period following the closure of the Netley Landfill Site to allow continuity of service whilst a permanent facility was sought. It is unfortunate that it has not been possible to develop an alternative permanent facility to serve this area. However the Netley site has operated satisfactorily and has not given rise to complaint. The Waste Transfer Station is a key element of the waste infrastructure for this part of Hampshire. Although there has been the continuation of the lorry traffic to the site, the operation of the facility has not had an unacceptable environmental impact. Neither is the waste transfer visually intrusive, being located in the centre of the former landfill site next to an existing copse.

6.2 The concern raised by the representation about renewals of temporary consent to continue to use the site for waste uses is understandable. Consequently, if planning permission is granted, it is recommended that an advice note is attached requesting Veolia to decide on the long term future of the site, and provide a definitive date for the cessation of waste uses

6.3 It is recommended to give consent for a further five years as its retention is essential to maintain the waste service.

Recommendation

That, subject to inclusion of an advice note concerning the long term future of the site, planning permission in respect of the retention and continued operation of the Netley Waste Transfer Station (and Associated development) for a further period of time at Netley Landfill, Portsmouth Road, Hound, Netley (Application no: S/06/57252) be granted for the following reason and 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

(1) The permission hereby permitted shall be for a temporary period expiring on 30 June 2011, or when the waste transfer station is no longer required whichever is the sooner. Within 6 months of the cessation of use, the waste transfer station, all buildings, plant, machinery and hardstandings no longer required shall be removed and the land reinstated in accordance with the restoration and aftercare requirement of planning permission 15164/021.

Reason: In the interests of local amenity

993/PDC

Annexe to Reasons 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

Policy G1

To prevent neighbouring urban areas from merging into one another, strategic gaps, comprising land which has a predominantly open and/or rural appearance, will be maintained between:

Fareham/Stubbington and Fareham Western Wards/Whiteley (the Meon Gap);

Fleet and Aldershot/Yateley;

The Blackwater Valley towns (Aldershot to Yateley) and the County Boundary (the Blackwater Gap);

Southampton and Eastleigh.

The precise boundaries of these gaps will be defined in local plans with the objectives of preventing coalescence and protecting the separate identity and amenity of the urban areas they separate. Only land necessary to achieve these long-term objectives will be included.

Permission will only be granted for development even in accordance with other policies in the Plan where:

(i) it cannot more suitably be located elsewhere; or

(ii) it would not compromise, individually or cumulatively with other existing or proposed development, the integrity of the gap.