Agenda item

Formation of a vehicular access and hardstanding to an existing site off the Wokingham Road (A321).

Formation of a vehicular access and hardstanding to an existing site off the Wokingham Road (A321).

The Committee noted:

• The supplementary report of the Head of Planning tabled at the meeting.
• The objection of Sandhurst Town Council to the proposal on the following grounds:

i) this is a busy road with a 40 mph limit, the proposed entrance is in a potential overtaking zone which combined with the potential for slow moving vehicles would create a hazard;

ii) a suitable safe access already exists from the Wokingham Road/Dukes Ride roundabout to the north.

·         Eight letters of representation received raising the following material considerations:

- Development will significantly increase the risk of accidents on Wokingham Road. Access to the site should be from the existing approved route off Wellingtonia Roundabout.

- The proposed route will adversely impact upon the existing woodland.

- The applicant has had least two lorry loads of road scalpings delivered onto part of the constructed road within the site.

- The A321 is a busy and fast road and with restricted views, the proposed new access is dangerous and unnecessary.

·         The existing planning permission for the site contained included a condition that precluded commercial use.

RESOLVED that the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions amended, added to or deleted as the Head of Planning considers necessary, and specifically to add a condition that precludes commercial use of the site via this access:-

01.     The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.               

02.     The development hereby permitted shall be carried out only in accordance with the following approved plans received by the Local Planning Authority:

001-1 Rev D - Site Location Plan received 20.10.14

GEN-01 - Proposed New Access to Wokingham Road received 20.01.15

Ecological Appraisal received 16.03.15

Aboriculturalist Report dated 2 June 2015

03.     The development hereby permitted shall not be begun until a scheme has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority for off site highway works including the following:

Site access junction with Wokingham Road

The off site highway works shall be completed in accordance with the approved scheme prior to the use of the access.

04.     The first 10 metres of the access road, from the back edge of the adjoining highway shall be finished with a bonded surface.

05.    The access hereby approved shall not be brought into use until visibility splays of 2.4 metres x 70 metres have been provided at the junction with Wokingham Road.  The dimensions shall be measured along the edge of the drive and the back of the footway from their point of intersection.  The visibility splays shall at all times thereafter be kept free of all obstructions to visibility over a height of 0.6 metres measured from the surface of the carriageway.      

06.     The gate identified on the approved layout drawing ‘GEN-01‘ as an emergency gate shall remain locked and shall be used for emergency vehicular access only. This gate shall be retained thereafter.

07.     Any gates provided shall open away from the highway and be set back a distance of at least 12 metres from the edge of the carriageway of the adjoining highway.

08.     The trees adjacent to the first 10 metres of the access road from Wokingham Road, shall be protected by erecting barriers at a distance specified in BS 5837:2012 (or any subsequent revision) Annexe D to the standard illustrated in BS 5837:2012 (or any subsequent revision) Section 6 (Figures 2 or 3) prior to the commencement of development (construction of the junction with Wokingham Road) and be maintained fully intact and (in the case of the fencing) upright, in its approved locations at all times, until the completion of all building operations on the site.

09.    No site clearance shall take place during the main bird-nesting period of 1st March to 31st August inclusive, unless a scheme to minimise the impact on nesting birds during the construction of the development has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall be implemented as approved.

10.    Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 or any Order revoking and re-enacting that order, no external lighting shall be installed on the site or affixed to any structures aligning the proposed vehicular access except in accordance with details set out in a lighting design strategy for biodiversity that has first been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The strategy shall:

         a) identify those area/features on site that are particularly sensitive for bats and that are likely to cause disturbance in or around their breeding sites and resting places or along important routes used to access key areas of their territory, for example, for foraging; and

         b) show how and where external lighting will be installed (through the provision of appropriate lighting contour plans and technical specifications) so that it can be clearly demonstrated that areas to be lit will not disturb or prevent bats using their territory or having access to their breeding sites and resting places.

All external lighting shall be installed in accordance with the specifications and locations set out in the strategy, and these shall be maintained thereafter in accordance with the strategy. Under no circumstances should any other external lighting be installed.