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Regulatory Committee - Wednesday 11 December 2024 10.00 am

December 11, 2024 View on council website
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Summary

This meeting was scheduled to consider a report on an application for a change of use from redundant agricultural land to open storage of minerals and waste, and to receive a report updating the committee on monitoring and enforcement work undertaken by the council’s Development Management team.

Jacksons Farm, Bubb Lane, West End

The committee was scheduled to consider a report by the Assistant Director of Waste & Environmental Services regarding an application for change of use from redundant agricultural land to open storage (minerals and waste uses) at Jacksons Farm, Bubb Lane, West End, Southampton, SO30 2HJ (No. CS/24/97256) EA115.

The application sought permission for a temporary 5-year change of use. The site is located near Hedge End, on the urban edge of the town. The proposal was for the use of the site for the storage of bulked primary and recycled (secondary) aggregate products, to support an aggregates sales delivery business, and the storage of skips to support an existing waste transfer operation (UPVC and metals) at Unit 1, Westwood, Botley Road, West End operated by AJM.

The report explained that the nearest residential properties are approximately 330 metres south-east on Shamblehurst Lane and 450 metres north-west on Burnetts Lane. The report noted that the Blue Cross Animal Rehoming Centre1, which includes two caretaker residential units, is located approximately 50 metres to the north of the application site on the opposite side of Bubb Lane.

The Blue Cross is an animal welfare charity in the United Kingdom, founded in 1897 as 'Our Dumb Friends League'.

The application is a retrospective application, with the operations proposed in the application already taking place at the time the report was written. Officers from the council first became aware of the development in September 2023. The development consists of the reuse of the existing walled bays of the farm for aggregate storage, the installation of additional walled bays for aggregate storage, the reuse of a redundant agricultural barn for topsoil and bagged compost storage, and the reuse of existing agricultural hardstanding for skip storage. The report noted that the walled storage bays were formed using a combination of existing walls associated with former agricultural structures and the use of modular interlocking retaining walls.

The application proposed that the following primary and recycled (secondary) aggregate products would be stored in bulk on site: Sharp Sand; Building Sand; Limestone Dust; Type 1; Ballast; 10mm shingle; 20mm gravel; Crushed Concrete; and Road Planings. Secondary aggregates were not to be produced on the site and like the primary aggregates would be imported to the site for sale. The sale of primary and secondary aggregate would ordinarily be a district planning matter unless associated with the processing of minerals or waste on the same site. The application contained a potential waste activity with the storage of full skips with UPVC and metals, and so the entire operation had been submitted to the Minerals and Waste Planning Authority to determine.

The report stated that approximately 20 tonnes (t) of each product would be stored on site. Each product would be delivered to the site in bulk 20t loads by a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) tipper as and when required to maintain supply. Stockpiles would be limited to the height of the aggregate bays, which are 1.2 metres high. It was also proposed that there would be no customer collection from Jacksons Farm.

The proposal also included the storage of empty skips at the site. This skip storage activity was associated with the applicant’s existing waste transfer operation based at Unit 1, Westwood, West End, approximately 2 miles from Jacksons Farm. The report states that the site would store approximately 6 empty skips that would be delivered to customer sites for the collection of waste UPVC window frames and metals that are transferred through the Westwood site for onward recycling.

It is planned that only empty skips would be stored at the application site. If operational reasons require a full skip to be taken to Jacksons Farm it would not be unloaded and would be transferred to the applicant’s waste transfer station on Botley Road, West End at the first available opportunity.

The report notes that the existing site access off Bubb Lane would be utilised for vehicles making deliveries of aggregates and moving skips. There would be parking space for up to 2 cars, but there would only be one staff member based at Jacksons Farm. A small portable welfare unit would be located adjacent to the storage barn for the staff member based at Jacksons Farm.

The report stated that the plant and machinery to be operated would include: a Loading Shovel; a Fork Lift; and a Mini-Digger.

The proposed hours of operation were 08:00-17:00 Monday-Friday.

The report explained that the application had been screened under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017, and it was determined that it does not require an Environmental Impact Assessment.

The report explained that the County Council’s Landscape Planning and Heritage team had objected to the proposal due to the negative impact on the visual and landscape character of the site and its rural setting.

The report explained that the Environment Agency had advised the applicant to contact them for further advice and to discuss potential issues related to permitting.

The report recommended that planning permission be refused. It explained that the key issue to be considered is the impact on the countryside and Eastleigh's settlement gap.

Taking such matters into account, it is considered that the proposal would not be in accordance with the relevant policies of the adopted Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2013) and Eastleigh Borough Local Plan (2016-2036) (EBLP (2022), as the scheme introduces an inappropriate and unacceptably urbanising form of development into the settlement gap and this area of designated countryside which would have an unduly adverse physical and visual effect on its prevailing character.

The report included the following reasons for refusal in its appendix:

The proposal would introduce an inappropriate and unacceptably urbanising form of development into the settlement gap and this area of designated countryside which would have an unduly adverse physical and visual effect on its prevailing character. Therefore, on balance, and giving appropriate weight to the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan (2013) and Eastleigh Borough Local Plan (2022), and considering the proposed uses the proposal is considered an unsuitable use of the site and would not be in accordance with Policies 5 (Protection of the Countryside) and 13 (High quality design of minerals and waste developments) of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan (2013) and Policies S5 (New development in the countryside) and S6 (Protection of settlement gaps) of the Eastleigh Borough Local Plan (2022),

Monitoring and Enforcement Update

The committee was also scheduled to receive a report (Information Report - Monitoring and Enforcement Update) by the Director of Universal Services to provide information to the Regulatory Committee on the Monitoring and Enforcement work undertaken by the Development Management team (including monitoring and enforcement) during the period August 2024 – November 2024.

The report explained that the majority of complaints received during this period related to unauthorised development (10 sites) and breaches of operational planning conditions on existing mineral and waste sites (8 sites). Investigation and negotiation had followed these complaints, with investigations and/or remedial works still ongoing at 2 sites. The remainder of complaints had been resolved, or were enquiries made about general site operations, fly-tipping, odour and waste related development, that were dealt with in-house or referred to either the Environment Agency (EA) or Local Planning Authorities as non-County matters.

The report noted that in the period up to the end of November 2024, 2 previous Breach of Condition Notices (BCNs) are still extant, with all other matters either addressed through the planning system or remedied through negotiation.

The report included a number of updates on specific sites where enforcement action is ongoing.

The report also noted that a number of sites attract a charge for monitoring visits. There are now 22 active sites, 10 in aftercare and 7 dormant sites liable for chargeable visits. The report stated that this work is prioritised, with inspections for the quarter ending September 2024 bringing in approximately £11,000 in fees.

The report explained that non-chargeable sites include waste processing sites, wastewater and treatment works and metal recyclers. These vary from the large Energy Recovery Facilities (ERFs) and Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to the smaller scale recycling and transfer facilities and updating existing wastewater treatment works.

The report also explained that since the last update, Liaison Panel meetings had been held for 12 sites.


Attendees

Profile image for CouncillorWayne Irish
CouncillorWayne Irish  Liberal Democrat
Profile image for CouncillorDavid Harrison
CouncillorDavid Harrison  Liberal Democrat
Sheena Sayer
Profile image for CouncillorPeter Latham
CouncillorPeter Latham  Conservatives
Profile image for CouncillorMark Cooper
CouncillorMark Cooper  Chairman of the Council •  Liberal Democrat
Profile image for CouncillorRod Cooper
CouncillorRod Cooper  Conservatives
Profile image for CouncillorMichael Ford
CouncillorMichael Ford  Conservatives
Profile image for CouncillorTim Groves
CouncillorTim Groves  Liberal Democrat
Profile image for CouncillorPal Hayre
CouncillorPal Hayre  Vice Chairman of the Council •  Conservatives
Profile image for CouncillorKeith House
CouncillorKeith House  Liberal Democrat
Profile image for CouncillorAdam Jackman
CouncillorAdam Jackman  Conservatives
Profile image for CouncillorRoger Price
CouncillorRoger Price  Liberal Democrat

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

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