Content

RESOLVED: That Application 24/02455/FP
be GRANTED planning
permission subject to the reasons and conditions set out in the
report of the Development and Conservation Manager, with the
amendments to Condition 4, Condition 9, Condition 12, Condition 14,
Condition 16, Condition 18, Condition 24, Condition 25 and
Condition 27, the removal of Condition 10 and 11 and the addition
of Condition 29, as follows:
 
‘Condition 4
 
No development approved
by this planning permission shall take place (including ground
works or vegetation clearance) until a construction environmental
management plan (CEMP: Biodiversity) has been submitted to and
approved in writing by the local planning authority. The CEMP
(Biodiversity) should be informed by the 2024 Ecological Assessment
and a pre-construction badger survey and include the following.
 

a)          
Risk assessment of potentially damaging construction
activities.

b)          
Identification of "biodiversity protection zones".

c)          
Practical measures to avoid or reduce impacts during
construction.

d)          
The location and timing of sensitive works to harm to
biodiversity features.

e)          
The times during construction when specialist ecologists need to
be present on site to oversee works.

f)           
Responsible persons and lines of communication.

g)          
The role and responsibilities on site of an ecological clerk of
works (ECoW) or similarly competent
person.

h)          
Use of protective fences, exclusion barriers and warning
signs.

i)            
The approved CEMP shall be adhered to and implemented throughout
the construction period strictly in accordance with the approved
details, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning
authority.
 
Reason: To minimise the
impact of the construction process on the biodiversity and ecology
of the site, in line with Policy NE2 and NE4 of the Local Plan.
 
Condition 9
 
A) No development
approved by this permission shall take place/commence until an
Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation has been submitted
to and approved by the Local Planning Authority in writing and in
accordance with the programme of work as set out in the
Archaeological Brief (P01/22/0709/3). The scheme shall include an
assessment of archaeological significance and research questions;
and:
 

1.          
The programme and methodology of site investigation and
recording.

2.          
The programme and methodology of site investigation and
recording as required by the evaluation.

3.          
The programme for post investigation assessment.

4.          
Provision to be made for analysis of the site investigation and
recording.

5.          
Provision to be made for publication and dissemination of the
analysis and records of the site investigation.

6.          
Provision to be made for archive deposition of the analysis and
records of the site investigation.

7.          
Nomination of a competent person or persons/organisation to
undertake the works set out within the Archaeological Written
Scheme of Investigation.
 
B) The development shall
take place/commence in accordance with the programme of
archaeological works set out in the Written Scheme of Investigation
approved under condition (A).
 
C) The development shall
not be occupied/used until the site investigation and post
investigation assessment has been completed in accordance with the
programme set out in the Written Scheme of Investigation approved
under condition (A) and the provision made for analysis and
publication where appropriate.
 
Reason: To ensure the
implementation of an appropriate archaeological investigation,
recording, reporting and publication, and the protection and
preservation of archaeological features of significance, in
accordance with North Hertfordshire Local Plan Policy HE4 and
Section 16 of the NPPF 2024.
 
Condition 12
 
No development approved
by this permission shall take place until a Stage 1 Road Safety
Audit (RSA) for the vehicle access proposals shall be submitted to
and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in
consultation with the Highway Authority. Thereafter the
recommendations, if any, shall only be carried out in accordance
with the report.
 
Reason: To ensure
construction of a satisfactory development and in the interests of
highway safety in accordance with Policy 5 of Hertfordshire's Local
Transport Plan 4 (adopted 2018).
 
Condition 14
 
All development shall be
constructed in accordance with the submitted and approved Flood
Risk Assessment (December 2021) and Drainage Strategy (dated 22
October 2024, REF 14855), plus any updates as required by Condition
7 unless otherwise first approved in writing by the Local Planning
Authority.
 
Reason: To ensure the
flood risk is adequately addressed and not increased in accordance
with NPPF and Policies of North Herts Council.
 
Condition 16
 
Upon completion of the
surface water drainage system, including any SuDS features, and prior to the first use of the
development; a survey and verification report from an independent
surveyor shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local
Planning Authority. The survey and report shall demonstrate that
the surface water drainage system has been constructed in
accordance with the details approved pursuant to condition 7. Where
necessary, details of corrective works to be carried out along with
a timetable for their completion, shall be included for approval in
writing by the Local Planning Authority. Any corrective works
required shall be carried out in accordance with the approved
timetable and subsequently re-surveyed with the findings submitted
to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.
 
Reason: To ensure the
flood risk is adequately addressed, not increased and users remain
safe for the lifetime of the development in accordance with NPPF
and Policies of North Herts Council.
 
Condition 18
 
No development approved
by this permission shall take place until a landscape and
ecological management plan (LEMP) has been submitted to, and
approved in writing by, the local planning authority. The content
of the LEMP shall include the following.
 

a)          
Description and evaluation of features to be managed.

b)          
Ecological trends and constraints on site that might influence
management.

c)          
Aims and objectives of management.

d)          
Appropriate management options for achieving aims and
objectives.

e)          
Prescriptions for management actions.

f)           
Preparation of a work schedule (including an annual work plan
capable of being rolled forward over a five-year period).

g)          
Details of the body or organization responsible for
implementation of the plan.

h)          
Ongoing monitoring and remedial measures.
 
The LEMP shall also
include details of the legal and funding mechanism(s) by which the
long term implementation of the plan
will be secured by the developer with the management
body(ies) responsible for its delivery.
The plan shall also set out (where the results from monitoring show
that conservation aims and objectives of the LEMP are not being
met) how contingencies and/or remedial action will be identified,
agreed and implemented so that the development still delivers the
fully functioning biodiversity objectives of the originally
approved scheme. The approved plan will be implemented in
accordance with the approved details.
 
Reason: To enhance
biodiversity including any species and their habitats and in
accordance with the NPPF and Policies NE4, NE12 and SP12 in the
Local Plan.
 
Condition 24
 
No development approved
by this permission shall take place until a Soil Management Plan
has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local
planning authority. The development shall thereafter be carried out
in accordance with the approved details. The soil management plan
shall include:
 

a)          
Measures to protect soils during development with reference to
the guidance found in Defra's Construction Code of Practice for the
Sustainable Use of Soils on Construction Sites;

b)          
A works programme showing how all soil handling and trafficking
operations will be undertaken and which makes allowance for poor
weather/ ground conditions stoppages;

c)          
Details of how construction activities will be managed across
the site to minimise impact on soils; and

d)          
Details of appropriate equipment and methods for stockpiling,
respreading and ameliorating of soil compaction in accordance with
good practice techniques to minimise the risk of soil
compaction.
 
Reason: To protect soil
quality and so enable the reinstatement of its agricultural land
quality following the cessation of the solar farm use of the land
in accordance with the NPPF, Defra Guidance and policy NE12 in the
Local Plan.
 
Condition 25
 
Within the first planting
season following the completion of construction works, the approved
landscaping and biodiversity proposals to be approved shall be
implemented in full.
 
Reason: To safeguard and
enhance the appearance of the completed development and the visual
amenity of the locality in accordance with policies NE4, NE12 and
SP12 in the Local Plan.
 
Condition 27
 
Prior to the installation
of any CCTV cameras, details of measures to restrict the camera
movements around the boundary of the application site to prevent
viewing towards residential properties shall be submitted to and
approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter,
the CCTV cameras shall be installed and retained in perpetuity in
accordance with the approved details.
 
Reason: to protect the
privacy of adjacent residential properties in accordance with
Policy D3 of the Local Plan.
 
Condition 29
 
Before commencement of
the development, a 'Construction Traffic Management Plan' shall be
submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning
Authority in consultation with the Highway Authority. Thereafter
the construction of the development shall only be carried out in
accordance with the approved Plan. The 'Construction Traffic
Management Plan' must set out:
 

o     
the phasing of construction and proposed construction
programme.

o     
the methods for accessing the site, including wider construction
vehicle routing. Page 21

o     
the numbers of daily construction vehicles including details of
their sizes, at each phase of the development.

o     
the hours of operation and construction vehicle
movements.

o     
details of any highway works
necessary to enable construction to take place.

o     
details of construction vehicle parking, turning and
loading/unloading arrangements clear of the public highway.

o     
details of any hoardings and how visibility splays will be
maintained.

o     
management of traffic to reduce congestion.

o     
control of dirt and dust on the public highway, including
details of the location and methods to wash construction vehicle
wheels.

o     
the provision for addressing any abnormal wear and tear to the
highway.  waste management
proposals.

o     
Provision of sufficient on-site parking prior to commencement of
construction activities;

o     
Post construction restoration/reinstatement of the working areas
and temporary access to the public highway;

o     
where works cannot be contained wholly within the site a plan
should be submitted showing the site layout on the highway
including extent of hoarding and remaining road width for vehicle
movements.
 
Reason: To minimise the
impact of the construction process on the on local environment and
local highway network in accordance with Policies 5, 12, 17 and 22
of Hertfordshire's Local Transport Plan (adopted 2018).’