Agenda item

20/04010/FUL - Milton (Land South West of Milton Park and Ride, Butt Lane)

 

One and two storey building containing offices, custody suite and associated facilities, new access, internal access roads, hardstanding, car parking areas, landscaping, drainage attenuation features, lighting and means of enclosure.

Decision:

By six votes to four, with one member not voting, the Committee voted to Approve the Recommendation, subject to

a)        Consultation with and confirmation from the Secretary of State that the application is not to be called in for his determination; and

b)        The planning conditions set out in the report; and

c)         The three additional conditions:

 

1.  Monitored CCTV installed on the bridge over the A10.

2.  A report on crime levels in Milton before and after the station becomes operational

3.  The installation of Electric Vehicle charging points, with informatives on additional green energy measures.

 

(Councillors Henry Batchelor, Peter Fane, Geoff Harvey, Tumi Hawkins, Pippa Heylings and Judith Rippeth voted to approve the application. Councillors Sue Ellington, Deborah Roberts, Heather Williams and Richard Williams voted to refuse. Councillor Martyn Cahn did not vote.)

Minutes:

James Littlewood (Cambridge, Past Present and Future – objecting), Superintendent James Sutherland and Colin Luscombe (Cambridgeshire Constabulary - applicant), Don Wildman (Chairman of Milton Parish Council) and Councillor Anna Bradnam (as a local Member) addressed the meeting.

 

Councillor Peter Fane supported the application, as he considered that it met the “very special circumstances” that would permit building on the green belt. He did not believe that the building would threaten the green separation between Milton and Cambridge. He asserted that it would have limited impact on the landscape, whilst any alternative sites would more damaging.

 

Councillor Richard Williams did not support the application, as he considered that the “very special circumstances” specification had not been met to permit construction on the green belt. He expressed concern on the impact on the landscape and the potential nuisance factor for existing residents.

 

Councillor Martin Cahn declared that he had missed part of the discussion and so would not be voting on this application. He was worried about the impact on the green belt but recognised that other possible sites would be potentially more damaging.

 

Councillor Henry Batchelor expressed his support for the application, as the best available site.

 

Councillor Judith Rippeth requested an additional planning condition to construct CCTV on the pedestrian bridge over the A10 to address fear of crime. She also suggested that a new, wider bridge should be constructed to replace the current bridge.

 

Chris Carter explained that the Highways Authority did not consider that the application warranted the construction of a wider cycle bridge to replace the current pedestrian bridge over the A10. He advised against an additional planning condition to build such a bridge.

 

Councillor Deborah Roberts suggested that the green belt site had been selected to reduce costs. She expressed concerns about the cumulative effect of building on the green belt and the risk of an increase on crime. She suggested that the development could be discussed in the forthcoming Local Plan. She stated that the requirement to meet the “very special circumstances” to build on the green belt had not been met and she would be opposing the application.

 

Councillor Tumi Hawkins stated that 22 potential sites had been identified and this had been shortlisted to 3 sites, all of which were in the green belt. The site under discussion was the best site and the benefits of having a new police station outweighed the harm. She requested that a benchmarking exercise be carried out to monitor whether crime increased when the police station was built.

 

Councillor Geoff Harvey agreed with Tumi Hawkins that the applicant had explained why the location had chosen and he agreed with Councillor Peter Fane that the application met the “very special circumstances” that would permit building on the green belt. However, he expressed concern that a public building had nothing more that the minimum sustainability features allowed. He requested that electric car charges be in put in the car park.

 

Councillor Heather Williams recognised the need for a new Police station to be built, but was not fully convinced that the “very special circumstances” criteria had been met.

 

The Committee considered three additional conditions.

 

Councillor Henry Batchelor proposed and Councillor Judith Rippeth seconded the inclusion of a condition for the installation of CCTV on the pedestrian bridge over the A10. This was agreed by affirmation.

 

Councillor Tumi Hawkins proposed and Councillor Judith Rippeth seconded the inclusion of a condition to monitor the crime levels in Milton before and after the Police station becomes operational. This was agreed by affirmation.

 

Councillor Geoff Harvey proposed and Councillor Tumi Hawkins seconded the inclusion of a condition to install electric vehicle charging points on the site and for additional sustainable energy measures to be considered.

 

By six votes to four, with one member not voting, the Committee voted to Approve the Recommendation, subject to

a)         Consultation with and confirmation from the Secretary of State that the application is not to be called in for his determination; and

b)         The planning conditions set out in the report; and

c)          The three additional conditions:

 

1.   Monitored CCTV installed on the bridge over the A10.

2.   A report on crime levels in Milton before and after the station becomes operational

3.   The installation of Electric Vehicle charging points, with informatives on sustainable green energy measures.

 

(Councillors Henry Batchelor, Peter Fane, Geoff Harvey, Tumi Hawkins, Pippa Heylings and Judith Rippeth voted to approve the application. Councillors Sue Ellington, Deborah Roberts, Heather Williams and Richard Williams voted to refuse. Councillor Martyn Cahn did not vote.)

Supporting documents: