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Decision details

17/1484/OUT - Planning Report Land adjacent to Barnwell Lake

Decision Maker: Planning

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:

The Chair read the following statement before the considering of this item:

 

This application now returns to Committee today after its last presentation at Committee on 1st November 2017. At that meeting, pending the submission of further technical information by the applicant, a decision was deferred by initiating the Adjourned Decision Making Protocol. Officers have now advised the Protocol was incorrectly applied because this is a minor application; the Protocol applies only to major applications. Committee in effect resolved to defer its decision. As a consequence the application now comes to you for determination free of the Protocol thus enabling all Members to now participate and vote in its determination. The Protocol does not apply.

 

The Committee received an application for outline planning permission.

 

The application sought approval for the erection of a cycle themed cafe with ancillary kitchen, storage area, WCs, bin enclosure and cycle repair outlet along with associated infrastructure including 24 car parking spaces, 100 cycle parking spaces, a partly new and upgraded internal road, public open space and associated picnic/ play areas.

 

The Committee noted the amendment sheet and the late submissions as detailed by the Planning Officer.

 

The Committee received representations in support of the application.

 

The Committee received a representation in objection to the application from a local resident.

 

The representation covered the following issues:

     i.        Application contravenes policy guidelines.

    ii.        Wildlife and commercial interests on a limited site would be contradictory use.

   iii.        Application was, in essence, for unspecified private use and could be used for any restaurant.

  iv.        Green belt deserved to be protected.

   v.        There were a number of other places to eat very near this site.

 

Councillor Johnson (Abbey Ward Councillor) was unable to attend to address the Committee regarding the application so the Chair read out the following statement on his behalf:

 

I ask that the Planning Committee consider approving this application as I believe that the reasons suggested for refusal do not fully account for the progress made in revising the proposals since the original plans were put forward.

 

It is clear that much thought and consideration has gone into ensuring the cafe development is sensitive to the surrounding area around Barnwell Lake, including Coldham’s Common. The footprint of the proposal has been reduced in size and the scale has also been revised since last considered.

 

The wider area is due to see up to five thousand cycle movements per day as a consequence of the Chisholm Trail, and the construction of this new facility will positively assist with the promotion of the trail as an important piece of our city’s transport infrastructure.

 

The position of the proposed cafe will bring people to this hitherto neglected part of the city’s green and open spaces and, from an ecology standpoint, I am reassured by the applicant’s aspiration to not only deliver a sustainable development, but to also allow the facility to act as a catalyst for potential regeneration of the immediate vicinity for flowers and other flora.

 

Members of the Committee suggested that the development was needed and would enhance the area, encourage cycle use and allow wider public use of the lakeside area. Members took the view that steps could be taken to mitigate any impact on wildlife and flora in the area, through an Ecological Design Statement Condition.

 

Members noted that the scale of the revised proposal had been reduced and that the corridor will change significantly through the creation of the Chisholm Trail underpass.

 

The Interim Planning Delivery Manager outlined material considerations in the National Policy Framework which stated that developments within the green belt were by definition inappropriate. She reminded the Committee that, if they were minded to reject the officer’s recommendation of refusal, they would need to provide very special circumstances.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (by 6 votes to 4) to reject the officer recommendation to refuse the application.

 

Resolved (by 9 votes to 0) an additional condition regarding opening hours of 6am to 8pm.

 

Resolved (by 7 votes to 3) to approve the application contrary to the officer recommendation for the following reasons, subject to referral to the Secretary of State for the following reasons:

 

The very special circumstances advanced by Committee include that the development would result in increased recreational use of a private area of Green Belt land which would result in considerable public benefit.  The development would support recreational and commuting cyclists and encourage others to make sustainable travel choices in the interests of reducing congestion in the City and promoting wellbeing.  This includes expanding opportunities for social interaction and healthy lifestyles, principles set out in paragraph 91 of the NPPF (2018).

 

The development is considered to provide essential refreshment and cycle repair facilities to meet the needs of users of the Chisholm Trail and the angling club, thereby providing an essential resource for community use at a strategic location along the Trail.

 

The proposed café facility would increase public access to a private site to the benefit of the surrounding community, this is by reason of the picnic and recreation areas which would be created and a layout which would encourage walking and cycling.

 

The development would have limited visual impact due to the sunken nature of the site and the low impact design of the building, which includes the single storey design of the building and the use of a green roof.  This would ensure the visual impacts of the development would not be harmful and would not conflict with the purposes of including land within the Green Belt. 

 

The very special circumstances are unique to this site because of the combination of the lakeside setting, its relationship with the new Chisholm Trail strategic cycle route and the benefit to the immediate surrounding local community.  The development would provide a new facility open to the community which would positively enhance the beneficial use of the land through public access, providing opportunities for recreation, which is a principle set out in paragraphs 91 and 141 of the NPPF (2018).  These very special circumstances are considered to clearly outweigh the harm by reason of inappropriate development which satisfies the test of paragraph 144 of the NPPF (2018) and Cambridge Local Plan (2018) policy 4.

 

Necessary planning conditions include those relating to the ecology and the Ecological Design Statement; ‘permitted development’ restrictions; hours of use; restrictions on lighting and advertisements; drainage related conditions; Environmental Health conditions; delivery restrictions and a site management plan.

 

The final drafting of the reason for approval and planning conditions is to be agreed through consultation with Chair, Vice Chair and Spokes.

Report author: John Evans

Publication date: 17/12/2018

Date of decision: 07/11/2018

Decided at meeting: 07/11/2018 - Planning

Accompanying Documents: