Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to planning application 23/0046/OUT Playing Field South of Charlton Close, Greenwood Road, Billingham.

Outline planning permission was sought for up to 30,193 sq metres of B2/B8 employment floorspace with all matters reserved other than access on land to the South/Southeast of Charltons Close in Billingham. Access to the site was to be taken from Greenwood Road and the development was to be a maximum two storeys in height.

Planning permission was approved for exactly the same development on the 28th February 2020. That permission had now expired.

The consultees that had been notified and the comments that had been received were detailed within the main report.

Neighbours were notified and the comments received were detailed within the main report.

The planning policies and material planning considerations that were relevant to the consideration of the application were contained within the main report.

The Planning Officers report concluded that it was considered that the application would bring forward sustainable development on an unused area of land within the established urban area and whilst not in complete accordance with the specific policies in the local plan, the development would accord with the NPPF and the local plan in terms of sustainable development and the reuse of land. For this reason and the specific constraints of the site the principle of development was considered acceptable.

It was recommended that the application be Approved with Conditions for the reasons as specified within the main report.

Members were given the opportunity to ask questions / make comments. These could be summarised as follows: -

. Questions were asked as to exactly what would be going on the site and what employment opportunities would be on offer.

. Concerns were highlighted relating to the impact on local wildlife and the nature reserve located behind Carltons Pond.

. In terms of the proposed Construction Management Plan, it was asked that if the application was to be approved could a condition be included limiting the weight of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV’s) to 7.5 tonnes on Greenwood Road.

. There were current ongoing issues with HGV’s on Marsh House Avenue which needed addressing.

. Officers were asked to explain the benefits of the application, as it was not currently in line with Stockton’s Local Development Plan and to clarify which policies it departed from, in particular policy T12.

. Questions were also raised as to why the title of the application referred to a Playing Field.

. Concerns were raised relating to the reserved matters stage, in terms of what would happen, if outline planning was granted today, and future proposals at the reserved matters stage were not considered acceptable by the Planning Committee.

Officers were given the opportunity to respond to comments/issues raised. Their responses could be summarised as follows: -

. The Application was an outline planning application and until the reserved matters details of the site was known the suggested 7.5 tonne weight limit on Greenwood Road may not be required.

. The Principal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53