Agenda item

Due to a declaration of interest Councillor Smart left the room and did not take part in the consideration or decision of the application.

The Committee received an application for full planning permission for the change of use of land to car parks for a temporary period of up to 10 years, including hard surfacing, vehicular access, pedestrian walkways, barriers, CCTV, electric vehicle charging points, bus shelter, lighting columns and associated infrastructure and landscaping.

The Principal Planner updated their report by referring to the amendments contained within the Amendment Sheet summarised as follows:

Condition 1: which seeks to secure a temporary permission for the proposed development, refers to the operation of both Cambridge South Station and the Cambridge South East Transport Scheme (CSET). However, following the recent announcement by GCP that the second phase of CSET is to be paused due to funding and uncertainties around the project, reference to strategic transport improvements has been removed to ensure the condition satisfies the five tests set out in national planning policy guidance. Condition 1 as worded in the officer report to JDCC also provides for a slightly longer temporary consent than is referenced in the description of development which seeks “up to 10 years”. It is therefore necessary to revise the expiry date of the temporary permission to align with the description of development. Condition 1 is therefore to be amended to read as follows: The use of the temporary car parks hereby approved shall cease on or before the 20 September 2033. The temporary car parks hereby approved shall be removed and the land restored to a serviced development plot with underground services and connections retained, within 12 months from cessation of the use, in accordance with a schedule of works that has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, prior to the commencement of any restoration works.

Carin Chandler (Applicant’s Representative) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

The Principal Planner said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.         The parking provision may only be needed for a temporary period of seven years but a backstop period of 10-years would allow a degree of flexibility in terms of infrastructure delivery and realising the expected modal shift.

    ii.         No issues regarding nesting birds with the installation of a helipad. Ecology Officer and Landscaping Officer had been consulted.

   iii.         There would be a net increase of 39 electric vehicle (EV) charging points.

  iv.         There were bookable parking spaces for staff.

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

      i.         Expressed concern/disappointment that parking provisions had not been made for the Gypsy Roma Travellers community at that stage of the application process.

Resolved (unanimously) to grant the application for planning permission in accordance with the Officer recommendation, for the reasons set out in the Officer’s report (with delegated authority to Officers to make minor amendments to the conditions as drafted), subject to:

i.               the planning conditions set out in the Officer’s report and amendment sheet.