Agenda item

The Head of Area Planning Steve Weeks updated the Committee that revised details had been submitted showing additional lighting details which officers had reviewed and found acceptable.  As the revised details discharged condition 1 which sought additional lighting he recommended its removal.  In respect of condition 2 which required the submission of a management plan for the car park he stated that Transportation Officers had reviewed the proposed swept path analysis for coach turning and advised that parking space 41 should also be included in this management plan to ensure that coaches can turn easily and safely within the site.  Accordingly he recommended that condition 2 be amended to reflect that.  The Head of Area Planning continued that the revised lighting schedule and combined light spill drawings would improve the safety of the car park entrance and the conditions for wildlife within the site without significantly altering light spill outside.  The Head of Area Planning drew members’ attention to additional objections raised by Barnhill Residents’ Association and officers’ responses to them as set out in the supplementary information. 

Mr John Woods Chair of Barnhill Residents’ Association in objecting to the application stated that condition 2 had not adequately addressed the issues raised by Campbell Reith (an independent consultant engaged by the Residents Association) on coach parking and impacts of the proposed lighting on residential amenity and wildlife at the site.  Mr Woods also highlighted concerns about visibility and detrimental impact of the proposal on highway safety.

In accordance with the provisions of the Planning Code of Practice, Councillor Van Colle, a ward member stated that he had been approached by local residents in connection with this application.  Councillor Van Colle stated that although he welcomed the report, he felt that coach manoeuvrability would impact on children and other road users who were likely to relocate to Barnhill Road, thus causing parking displacement.  He enquired about the timing of the floodlighting for the all-weather sports pitch and whether this would allow for exiting so that there were no slippages

In responding to the above, the Head of Area Planning stated that the management plan for coach parking would provide an arrangement for releasing parking bays for coach arrivals.  He also drew members’ attention to condition 3 that addressed the operation of the lighting.

In the discussion that ensued, Councillor Cummins observed that light spills in other sports pitches had not generated complaints from local residents and that the management plan would address any likely problem with coaches. The Chair suggested a 3 year temporary permission to enable a review of the traffic scheme in 3 years.  In response, the Head of Area Planning outlined the difficulties in justifying the grant of a temporary consent for a scheme which required a significant amount of investment.