Agenda item

Part change of use of runway to external storage

The Committee approved the application subject to

1.     The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing

a.     An acceptable Operational Management Plan to include the establishment of a local community liaison Group

b.     A Transport Management Plan to include the routing of Heavy Goods Vehicles

2.     The Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Councillors attended a site visit on 2 February 2016.

Paul Beskeen (on behalf of a group of objectors), Paul Rouse (applicant’s agent accompanied by Jonathan Burke, Councillor Steve Jones (Bourn Parish Council), Councillor Mervyn Loynes (a local Member), Councillor Nick Wright (representing the parish of Knapwell, and as Economic Development Portfolio Holder) and Councillor Dr. Tumi Hawkins (Member for Caldercote) addressed the meeting. Mr. Beskeen referred to concerns about road safety, noise, the adverse impact on neighbour amenity, the transport assessment, implications for cyclists, the impact on Cambourne, and light pollution.

Mr. Rouse referred to the creation of new jobs by the relocation of an existing business, the status of the application being for change of use for a temporary period of two years only, the use of only major routes (not local roads) and the tight controls on loading and unloading. Members asked a number of questions of clarification, and learnt that about 15 jobs would be created on site. The vehicles were all owned by the applicant company, which therefore would be able to influence directly the extent and timing of traffic movements. In response to a question from the Vice-Chairman, Dr. Finney from the Local Highways Authority said it was possible, but complex, to get from Bourn Airfield to the A14 northbound and M11 southbound, and that safeguards were in place to prevent “rat running” through local villages. Councillor Jones referred to the inadequacy of the noise assessment. Councillor Loynes described the proposal as a distribution centre, and expressed concerns about access, the use of local roads, the increase in traffic once the A14 improvement works start, and the total number of vehicle movements to and from the site each day (120 each way).  Councillor Wright said the roads in Knapwell had a 7.5 tonne weight restriction, and the possibility of rat-running was a major concern for the village. As Economic Development Portfolio Holder, he said the creation of new jobs was to be welcomed, especially for Papworth Everard, which he also represented and which was about to lose its major employer. Councillor Dr. Hawkins expressed concerns about noise and traffic impact.

The Vice-Chairman (speaking as a local Member) reiterated his concern about vehicle access from Bourn Airfield to the A14 and M11. A further concern for him was noise in a rural setting.

Committee members addressed the concerns raised during public speaking, and considered how best to deal with them. The Senior Lawyer suggested that, rather than Conditions, the Committee might prefer to negotiate a satisfactory Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Such an Agreement would bind and run with the land, should the applicant subsequently dispose of it. He also referred to the protection afforded by Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act in the event of statutory nuisance arising.

The Committee approved the application subject to

1.     The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing

a.     An acceptable Operational Management Plan to include the establishment of a local community liaison Group

b.     A Transport Management Plan to include the routing of Heavy Goods Vehicles

2.     The Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.