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Planning Applications Committee Report
ERECTION OF (CLASS 5) MANUFACTURING AND STORAGE BUILDING AND 3 NO. (CLASS 5) FOOD PROCESSING AND PACKAGING UNITS, FORMATION OF VEHICULAR ACCESS AND SERVICE ROAD, CARRIAGEWAY WIDENING, UPGRADING OF JUNCTION, FORMATION OF CAR PARKING, LANDSCAPING AND ANCILLARY DEVELOPMENT
AT LAND ADJACENT TO PPM LTD SITE, BROOMHOUSE INDUSTRIAL PARK, DRYFE ROAD, LOCKERBIE
Application Type: Full Planning Permission
Applicant: PPM Ltd / Ref. No.: 12/P/4/0075Recommendation - Approve subject to conditions
Ward - Annandale North
Hierarchy Type (if applicable) - Major
Case Officer - Grant Douglas
1 BACKGROUND
1.1 At the meeting of 27 June 2012, Members decided to defer consideration of the application on the basis of a possible procedural flaw on notification to land owners and to remit to the Senior Planning Officer to review, advise and progress as needed.
1.2 Since this time the applicant’s agent has notified, in accordance with the regulations, the adjacent land owner which borders the application site boundary with Dryfe Road. No new information has been submitted.
1.3 Under the Scheme of Delegation, this application requires to be considered by the Planning Applications Committee because the proposal is defined as Major development as prescribed under the terms of The Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Development)(Scotland) Regulations 2009.
1.4 The application site is approximately four hectares of agricultural land which lie to the north of the Lockerbie settlement boundary, adjacent to the existing PPM/Haas-Tek industrial site. It is bound to the north by open agricultural and grazing land, to the east by
Dryfe Road (B723), to the south by an existing vehicle repair business and by Haas Road beyond. To the west, the site is bound by the existing industrial and office buildings that make up the PPM and Haas-Tek site. The site slopes downhill from Dryfe Road, to the east, mature trees line this eastern boundary with Dryfe Road.
1.5 Broomhouses Industrial Estate is situated a short distance to the south west and on the opposite side of Haas Road, to the south of the site, is a residential development. Both of these areas are mainly accessed and orientated towards Dryfe Road which runs south toward the centre of the settlement.
1.6 The proposal is in 3 phases and would provide for a total of 4 new buildings on the site. The development proposed in each phase is as follows:-
Phase 1
The development of a large manufacturing and storage building measuring approximately 3300 sq metres in area. The building would be a large rectangular steel framed structure finished in grey metal cladding. The proposed building would be typically industrial in its appearance, with a shallow pitched roof rising to approximately 8 metres in height. A smaller connecting structure would also be located along the northern elevation; this element would be less than 4 metres in height. To the north-west corner of the building two cylindrical water towers are proposed, these would cover a diameter of 4 metres each and would rise to a little under 12 metres in height.
1.7 Within this initial phase it is also proposed to construct the site access from Dryfe Road. This access has been designed with a 4.5m by 70m visibility with a 15 metre radius kerb on the southern side. In turn the access would serve an internal road of 6 metres in width and a car parking area, with 74 spaces, situated to the south of the proposed building. Along the boundary with Dryfe Road a landscaped bund, 30 metres in width, accommodating drainage channels, is also proposed as part of the initial phase of works.
Phase 2
1.8 In the second phase it is proposed that two food processing and packaging units, each measuring 20 metres by 60 metres in area and 7 metres in height, would be provided. The units would be finished in metal cladding of a similar 'goosewing grey' colour to the first phase building and the rest of the site. These buildings would be sited to the north of the first phase. It is also proposed that the site access road be continued to the extent of the site, providing an access through to the following third phase.
Phase 3
1.9 The third phase proposes one final food processing and packaging building with the same specifications as before. This building would be sited to the west of the second phase and would be finished in grey metal cladding.
Road Improvements
1.10 The proposed development includes a package of off-site improvements to the adjoining roads network. This would comprise the widening of Dryfe Road to 6 metres (from current 5 metres) between the proposed access and the junction with Haas Road
south of the site, together with the provision of a 1.5 metre wide footway between these two points. The junction with Haas Road would be realigned to provide for a wider radius (15 metre) junction on the northern side. In addition the applicant would relocate the 30 MPH speed restriction to a point further north of the proposed access, thus bringing the development within the 30 MPH limit. The proposed access would also require removal of one mature tree, which currently lies within the required visibility splay of the proposed site entrance. Remaining trees along Dryfe Road would be retained and complimented by the introduction of a 30 metre wide landscaped strip adjacent to the widened Dryfe Road carriageway.
Proposal of Application Notice and Pre Application Report
1.11 As a Major development, the proposal has been subject to pre-application consultation with the local community. As part of this consultation process and as required by The Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2008, a Proposal of Application Notice was submitted in November 2011 (11/N/4/0004). This notice detailed a public exhibition event to be held at PPM offices on 19th December 2011 and again on 27th January 2011, together with the advertisement of the proposed event in the Annandale Herald on 8th December 2011.
1.12 In support of the application, a pre-application consultation report has been submitted detailing the outcomes of the events referred to above. This provides a schedule of comments received during the various stages of consultation, breaking these down into subject headings which are Roads/Traffic/Access; Site Usage/Operational Hours and Visual Impact. It is however noted that a number of positive comments were received siting the potential of further jobs within the local area. The legislative requirements of the pre-application process have been met by the applicant, whilst the elements of the proposal which were noted as causing concern have been addressed to the extent of the applicant's control.
Design & Access Statement / Planning Statement
1.13 A report has been submitted in support of the proposed development. It considers the Council's development plan policies and states:
· The application site adjoins an established industrial park and is an expansion of one of the existing businesses.
· The site lies adjacent to a recognised HGV route into Lockerbie (confirmed by Council Roads Officer).
· As the site adjoins an established industrial park and is an expansion of one of the existing businesses it is considered that there would be no significant increase in environmental impact.
· Other sites have been investigated within Lockerbie on designated industrial sites, with a formal bid lodged to D&G Council in 2011; this was ultimately unsuccessful and has focused the applicant's attention on the application site as being the only viable option for expansion.
· As the adjacent buildings are all of a commercial/industrial type, typically of steel frame construction, finished in profiled metal cladding the proposed units would take the same form and be clad in materials to match.
· The proposed buildings are of a lower height and smaller footprint than the existing PPM/Haas-Tek site, with only 17.5% of the site used in building footprint as opposed to 23.5% on the existing development.
· Existing mature trees along Dryfe Road are proposed to be retained and supplemented by a 30M wide landscaping strip, thus screening the development from the roadside, additional landscaping is also proposed along the southern boundary to screen the development from existing housing and vehicle services premises.
· A cycle shelter is proposed as part of the application.
· It is proposed that the existing 30mph signage be relocated well beyond the proposed site access; this will ensure that traffic speeds are kept down to the appropriate level for a road adjacent to a developed site.
Planning History
· 10/P/4/0022 - Extension to Building to Provide Office Accommodation, Granted Conditionally in April 2010.
· 07/P/4/0286 - Erection of Industrial Building, Granted Conditionally in January 2008.
· 05/P/40077 - Extension to office, Granted Conditionally in March 2005
· 04/P/40665 - Extension to industrial unit, Granted Conditionally in January 2005
· 04/P/40440 - Extension to existing building to form storage shed and open sided weighbridge shed and installation of LPG tank, Granted Conditionally in October 2004
· 01/P/40102 - Erection of storage shed and change of use of agricultural land to Class 4, Granted Conditionally in July 2001
· 01/P/40103 Formation of Class 4 Business Park comprising 4 no advance units, Granted Conditionally in July 2001.
2 CONSULTATIONS
2.1 Council Roads Officer – Objection.
Object on the grounds of road safety for the following reasons:-
1) The applicant has not demonstrated that he is able to provide a sufficient and appropriate package of improvements to the local road network to accommodate, in safety, the substantial increase in traffic generation indicated by the proposed development. In particular, concerns remain in respect of a restricted basic carriageway width on U280 resulting in opposing HGVs being unable to manoeuvre concurrently, a restricted U280 / B723 junction arrangement resulting in potential conflict between opposing HGV movements, inherent design flaws in respect of the proposed new footway on B723 and lack of any footway / pedestrian refuge provision on U280.
2) It would be contrary to the interests of road safety to permit the scale of new development without a proportionate scheme of improvements to the local road network.
Detailed Comments
(a) As the aggregate scale of development proposed exceeds the threshold for a TA, this has been undertaken. The TA asserted that the development would be able to operate within the existing capacity of the road network; in this connection it is confirmed that the methodologies used in respect of capacity / trip generation predictions are accepted. However, the analysis confirms that the proposed development, in the modelled robust scenario, is predicted to increase flows on Haas Road by 64% and 62% during the AM and PM peaks respectively (Para 9.3.2 of the TA).
(b) By current standards, the local road network between M74/B7076 and the proposed site access is restricted in terms of basic width, geometry, gradients, restricted junction visibility and lack of an appropriate footway network. While the existing road network appears able to accommodate current traffic generation, there are serious concerns that any significant new development permitted without an appropriate package of road improvements will adversely impact upon road safety in the area.
(c) It is understood that the applicant is unable to provide any significant improvements to the local road network, commensurate with the predicted increase in traffic generation. Drawing No. AA3423/EW/21 Rev. A shows an essentially “best fit” arrangement within the existing public road boundary (minor improvements to B723 but none to U280). Key remaining deficiencies include the restricted U280 B723 public roads junction, through which 2 opposing HGVs appear unable to manoeuvre concurrently, restricted visibility at this junction, a basic restricted carriageway width on U280 and the lack of any footway / pedestrian refuge provision on U280 to mitigate the impact of predicted additional traffic generation on existing pedestrian flows.
(d) Again, referring back to earlier discussions, agreement in principle was reached with the Chief Constable to extend the existing 30mph speed restriction on B723 northwards to beyond the proposed new access position; this advice was based on the understanding that existing footway and street lighting provision would be extended northwards as far as the new access. Although there are restrictions associated with the vertical alignment of B723 in this vicinity, appropriate visibilities of 4.5m/90m to the north and 4.5m/70m to the south are achievable (in the latter context a large tree will require to be removed). The visibility areas quoted are predicated on the assumption that a Traffic Regulation Order to extend the existing 30mph speed restriction on B723 is able to be successfully promoted and implemented.
(e) While representing a “best fit” arrangement within the existing public road boundary, the proposed new footway on B723 is of restricted width (1.5m as opposed to an appropriated 1.8m) and involves pedestrians crossing diagonally within the existing U280 / B723 crossroads junction (existing/proposed footway provision is on opposite sides of the road); this arrangement is not considered to be conducive to road safety.
(f) The TA has predicted that the proposed development will result in an increase in the number of road traffic crashes on the adjacent local road network (Para 9.3.3 of the TA).
2.2 Council Contaminated Land Officer - No objections.
2.3 Council Environmental Standards - No response.
2.4 Council Archaeologist - No objections.
2.5 Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary - No objections.
2.6 SEPA - No objections.
2.7 Scottish Water - No objections.
3 REPRESENTATIONS
Objection (1):
Mr Allan Forrest, ,3.1 The grounds of objection can be summarised as follows:-
Road Safety
(a) It is not considered that the road is suitable in its present state to accommodate commercial traffic of the volume and type that would be involved in access / egress to / from this proposed development. It should also be noted that there are other possibilities for entering the proposed development, for example, through the existing entrance to HAAS-Tek.
(b) Reference is also made to the earlier proposal for development at Peelhouses and the requirements made by the Council at that time in relation to the widening of the road and impact of traffic at the crossroads and beyond.