Reference number: R13/2311
Site address: Unit 1 Rugby Gateway, Leicester Road, Rugby
Description: Erection of building for B8 - storage and distribution use, with associated access, landscaping and other works. (Approval of reserved matters relating to outline planning permission R10/1272.)
Case Officer Name & Number: Karen McCulloch, 01788 533623, Richard Holt, 01788 533687
Description of site
This application relates to part of the Rugby Gateway site that was granted planning permission in August 2013.
The site is the south eastern part of the employment land, which is located in the northern part of the overall Gateway site closest to the M6. This application site is accessed from the roundabout with Leicester Road and Central Park Drive along a site access road and roundabout. These were subject to a separate application.
Works have been carried out on site to alter the ground levels and provide the development plateau, in accordance with levels details approved in relation to conditions on the outline permission.
Description of proposals
This application is for the erection of a B8, storage and distribution building close to the Leicester Road/Central Park Drive roundabout. The building will be set at a lower level than Leicester Road.
The warehouse part of the building will measure 93.4m by 224m, the warehouse floorspace proposed is 20,903 square metres and the total floorspace proposed is 22,032 square metres. The maximum height of the building will be 16m.
An access drive will be provided from the road within the development, this will lead to a car parking area to the front of the building and a service yard to the side.
Two storey offices are provided at the front and side of the building. These will be constructed of cladding and glazing and will be lower than the main part of the building. The main warehouse will be mostly constructed of cladding, to the rear and sides this will be in horizontal bands in a range of greens. Vertical elements are included to the rear and side elevations facing the development road and Leicester Road, these will be a single green colour and will include vertical glazed elements. High level windows with horizontal emphasis are also proposed to the rear and side elevation. The side elevation facing the service yard will also be horizontal bands of green cladding but will include less vertical panels and no glazing. The front elevation facing the car park will be a single green colour with vertical windows close to the corners of the building.
Wide landscaped buffers are proposed to the rear and side of the site, adjacent to Leicester Road and the development road. Narrower landscaped areas are proposed to the front of the building and adjacent to the service yard. Landscaping is also included within the car park area.
A range of equipment, such as substations, sprinkler tanks, generator and baler will be provided in the service area. Cycle and smoking shelters are proposed close to the front of the building. The site will be enclosed by a 2.4m green paladin fence, adjacent to the roads this will be set back from the site boundaries in the landscaped areas.
Information has also been provided to agree various conditions in relation to this phase of the development.
Relevant planning history
R10/1272 - Outline application for residential development (up to 1300 units); employment development (up to 36ha in total, B2 – General Industrial & B8 – Storage & Distribution); community facilities (D1 – Non-residential Institutions) including primary school, nursery and health facility, retail premises (A1 – Retail, A3 – Food & Drink, A4 – Drinking Establishments & A5 - Hot Food Takeaway); open space; associated infrastructure and works including details of access into site (including alterations to highway and existing roundabouts). Demolition of existing buildings.
Approved 20 August 2013
R13/2307 - Formation of junction to Leicester Road roundabout and provision of access road and roundabout into site (Approval of Reserved Matters in relation to planning permission R10/1272.)- 31 January 2014
Technical consultation responses
Highway AgencyNo objection
WCC HighwaysNo objectionSubject to plans condition
WCC ArchaeologyNo comment
Warwickshire PoliceNo objectionRecommend security measures
Canal & River TrustNo comment
Environmental HealthNo objection
Environment AgencyNo objection
Landscape OfficerNo objection
WCC EcologyNo comments received
Severn TrentNo comments received
Third party comments
None received
Relevant planning policies and guidance
Rugby Borough Core Strategy, 2011
CS3CompliesGateway Rugby Sustainable Urban Extension
CS10CompliesDeveloper Contributions
CS11CompliesTransport and New Development
CS12CompliesStrategic Transport Improvements
CS16CompliesSustainable Design
CS17CompliesReducing Carbon Emissions
Rugby Borough Local Plan 2006 – Saved Policies
GP2CompliesLandscaping
E6CompliesBiodiversity
T5CompliesParking Standards
Planning Obligations SPD, 2012
Sustainable Design and Construction SPD, 2012
National Planning Policy Framework, 2012 (NPPF)
Assessment of proposals
The key issues to assess in relation to this application are whether the proposals are acceptable in relation to the impact on visual and neighbouring amenity, highway safety, parking facilities, drainage and protected species.
The principle of the development was established by the outline permission, R10/1272, which granted permission for B8 uses on this site, this is in accordance with policy CS3.
The proposed building is, by necessity, a large building constructed of cladding. However, in order to add interest changes in cladding, glazing and feature vertical elements have been incorporated into the design.
The site is located in a prominent location of the site, close to the roundabout on Leicester Road and the access road into the overall Gateway development. This part of the site, and the adjacent land, are also prominent from the M6 and M6 Junction 1 due to being at the highest part of the site.
Due to the prominence of this part of the site the applicants were advised that it would not be acceptable for the ridge height of the building to exceed that of the warehouse building to the other side of Leicester Road, currently occupied by Gap.
The proposed building will be at a lower level than Leicester Road and have a maximum finished floor level of 125.2m AOD and will have a maximum height of 16m. This gives a total of 141.2m AOD. The applicants surveyed the Gap building and have advised this has a total height of 141.204m AOD, the height of the proposed building is therefore considered acceptable.
It is considered that the proposal to use a range of colours of cladding is acceptable and breaks up the large expanses of cladding. Samples of the proposed cladding have been provided and it is considered that the proposed colours are acceptable and relate well to each other. It is also considered that the vertical elements and glazed sections break up the building and add interest resulting in a high quality modern design.
The layout of the site also results in servicing areas being screened from view by the building and incorporates landscaped buffers around the site.
It is therefore consideredthat the impact on visual amenity and the character of the area is acceptable in accordance with the relevant part of policy CS16.
As detailed above the building and associated areas will be set away from the surrounding roads by landscaped buffers. Due to the differences in ground levels these will in some areas form planted banks. The landscaped area between the building and Leicester Road will be at least 50m wide. Adjacent to the development access road the buffer will be a maximum of 63m wide narrowing with the shape of the road and the roundabout to around 24m. On the site frontage, adjacent to the car park, a narrower landscaped area of around 6-10m is proposed. No landscaping is proposed adjacent to the service yard, however this is adjacent to a part of the site that will be developed in the future so will not be prominent.
The landscaped areas contain a mix of thicket woodland, standard trees, wildflower meadow areas and more formal grassed areas. The Council’s Landscape Officer has commented on the proposals and advised they are acceptable, this is in accordance with saved policy GP2.
Saved policy also GP2 refers to the retention of landscape features within the site. The land was previously agricultural land which has now been cleared. However, the existing hedge to the Leicester Road frontage will be retained which is in accordance with this policy.
The properties to the other side of Leicester Road from the proposed development are commercial properties with the closest residential property being over 200m from the site. It is therefore considered there will not be an adverse impact on the amenity of neighbouring properties. Land to the south of the site is to be developed with residential units in the future. However, suitable buffers and any other necessary mitigation can be considered as part of the relevant application.
The application was accompanied by an Acoustic Report which assessed the noise impact of the proposals on existing and proposed properties and found this falls within acceptable standards. Environmental Health advisedthat this report is acceptable and they have no objection to the proposals. The impact on amenity is therefore considered acceptable in accordance with the relevant part of CS16.
Policy CS16 also states that sustainable drainage systems should be used where possible. The overall employment site will have a surface water drainage system leading to drainage basins in the lower, western, part of the site. The proposed development will connect to this drainage system and no objection has been received from the Environment Agency. No comments have been received from Severn Trent however they were contacted to chase up a response and advised if no response was forthcoming it would be assumed that the submitted information was acceptable. It is therefore considered the proposed drainage details are acceptable.
Policy CS16 also requires developments to comply with the water conservation standards contained in the BREEAM “very good” standard and this is required by condition 19 of the outline consent. The applicant has advised the building will be designed to meet the overall “very good” standard and this will include the water usage requirements.
Policy CS17 requires development to be built to the relevant Building Regulations at the time of construction and this is required by condition 18 of the outline consent.
This policy also requires developments to achieve a reduction in carbon emissions of 10% over and above Building Regulations. The s106 for the outline application includes a requirement that this information be submitted and agreed. The information is currently awaited and it is considered it will be possible for the applicant to achieve the required carbon reduction in accordance with policy CS17. As this requirement is contained within the s106 it is not considered necessary to delay the determination of this application until this is provided.
The access from Leicester Road to the roundabout to the south west of the site has been approved by R13/2311. The Highways Agency and Warwickshire County Council raised no objection to the current application and it is considered that this impact on highway safety is acceptable. A bus stop is to be provided on the road to the south of the building and contributions are required as part of the outline application to improve bus services to the site.
Nearby rights of ways are to be improved and a pedestrian/cycleway is also proposed on the main road into the site. This will link to a pedestrian/cycleway on Leicester Road. Condition 16 of the outline required details of improvement works to Leicester Road, associated with any phase, to be agreed. Plans have been provided showing the pedestrian/cycleway and a toucan crossing allowing access across Leicester Road. The highway authority have commented that these proposals are acceptable.
In accordance with the outline consent a charging point for 2 electric vehicles is also proposed within the car park. These measures encourage the use of sustainable means of transport and it is considered the development is in accordance with policy CS11.
Policy CS12 seeks improvements to Leicester Road and contributions have been secured as part of the outline consent in accordance with this policy.
The Council’s parking standards, contained within the Planning Obligations SPD require a maximum of 367 car parking spaces for a B8 building of the size proposed. The application proposes 200 spaces, 10 of which will be disabled spaces. As the parking standards are maximum standards and the site is accessible by bus, cycle or walking it is considered this level of provision is acceptable.
The Council’s parking standards require 44 cycle spaces for a development of this size. The plans initially showed 20 spaces, however the level of provision has now been increased to 32 covered cycle spaces, there is also the potential for additional cycle parking to be provided in this area if it is required in the future and this is considered acceptable. The cycle parking is covered which is acceptable. The parking provision is therefore considered acceptable in accordance with saved policy T5.
No comments have been received from the County Ecologist and it is therefore considered there will not be an adverse impact on protected species in accordance with saved policy E6.
Warwickshire Police commented on the application and suggested a range of security measures such as fencing, windows and doors of a certain standard and CCTV. These comments were put to the agent who advised what security measures would be utilised and Warwickshire Police advised that this addresses their comments.
Recommendation
Approval
Report prepared by: Karen McCulloch, 12/2/2014
Report Sheet