OFFICERS REPORT - DELEGATED
Ref No:
051013
Proposal:
access
Replacement scout building, fence and formation of new vehicular
Location:
Chester
Scout and Guide Headquarters Bradshaw Avenue, Saltney Ferry,
Applicant:
Mr Christopher Massey
Date Valid: 15 July 2013
Case Officer:
Mr A P Walker
Expiry Date: 9 September 2013
Consultation & Responses
Local Member: Councillor – No comments received.
Saltney Town Council: Wish for the application to be held in abeyance until following
their September meeting
Head of Public Protection: No adverse comments
Public Open Spaces Manager: No objection
Natural Resources Wales: no comments received
Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water:
Open Spaces Society: Object because the application would reduce the informal
playing-area by a significant amount and would therefore be detrimental to the local
community. To enclose the area around the hut for private rather than public use
would result in the loss of open space. This is the only recreational area in Saltney
Ferry and is therefore of great value to the public.
One letter of support from a local resident stating that the proposal is nicer than what
is there now.
One local resident objecting on the grounds:
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There is no current lease.
No need for a Community Centre.
The car park is too large.
The maintenance entrance is impeded by the car park.
The redevelopment will attract more cars.
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Where do the scouts come from –not just Saltney, also it is an organization
which requires membership so the building will not be open to the whole
community.
Loss of an important kick about area, relocation of equipment will be costly.
Residents and Leisure have not been consulted.
Saltney Town Council has an interest in the application.
If the permission is approved conditions should be attached so that should
the scouts no longer need the building, it will be used as a community
centre, given over to Flintshire County Council and not be sold for
commercial or housing uses.
Relevant History & Policies:
Application no 792/64 Proposed Erection of Scout Headquarters. Mainwaring Estate,
Saltney. Approved 18/02/1964
4/6/2225 Erection of storeroom to side of Scout and Guide Headquarters. Approved
27/1/1976
049848 - Change of use of part of existing playing field and replacement of existing
Scout Hut and associated works including chain link fencing and formation of new
vehicular access. Approved 17/12/2012
Flintshire Unitary Development Plan
STR1 New Development
GEN1 General Requirements for Development
GEN3 Development in the Open Countryside
SR4 Protecting Recreational Open Space
The proposal would comply with the above policies.
Planning Appraisal:
Introduction
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This application seeks full planning permission for the change of use of part of an
existing playing field and replacement of existing Scout Hut and Associated works
including chain link fencing and formation of new vehicular access. An extant
permission exists for a slightly larger building, ref: 049848 on a similar footprint to
that proposed.
The main issues to be considered in the determination of the application are the
appropriateness of the scale and design of the scheme; the impact of the proposal
on the play area and the loss of a small part of open space; and, the amenity of
adjacent occupiers.
Site Description /Background History.
The existing site comprises an area of approx 116sqm plus a single pre-fabricated
garage with no dedicated car parking, the existing Scout hut is positioned close to
the end of Bradshaw Avenue. The hut is constructed of a metal frame, with concrete
slabs and a corrugated asbestos sheet roof to a height of approx 3.3m. The existing
hut had stood on the site since it was originally built in 1967 however in June 2012 it
was badly damaged by fire.
The is flat and is bounded to the north by the railway line, to the East by housing and
to the South and West by playing fields.
Proposed Development
The new proposal increases the amount of land presently used by the Scout Hut to
allow a much larger building to be built and to create better parking arrangements.
Other community groups use the building as well as the Scouts and Guides, such as
an elderly citizen club and it is the local Polling station. It is therefore obviously a
viable community building. The new building is proposed to be located further from
the road and the adjacent housing, onto the playing fields, closer to the bridge which
extends over the railway line. In this location a 20 space dedicated car park can be
provided which will comply with modern requirements for a community building.
The proposed building covers an area of approximately 366sqm and is to be a prefabricated modular building with a height of approximately 3.3m. The extant
permission is for a building with a floor area of 450sqm with a height of 5m. The
building will have better facilities for disabled users and will provide much more
usable space than the existing building had, with meeting rooms and a larger open
room.
Planning Policy / Principle of Development.
The application site is located partially outside the settlement boundary for Saltney,
with the original area of the Scout hut within the boundary and the increased area of
site outside the boundary in an area of open countryside as designated in the
adopted Flintshire Unitary Development Plan (FUDP). Policy GEN 3 Development in
the Open Countryside criteria g. does allow for development relating to existing
institutional establishments as long as there is no unacceptable impact on the social,
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natural and built environment. Increasing the size of the building and the size of the
overall site has obvious advantages and benefits to the community; however, this
must be balanced against the loss of the playing fields and the impact on the
countryside location.
The existing hut is located in a corner of a large area of open space which contains
a well equipped play area with swings and slides, a climbing frame and benches.
There is also a kick back wall and an informal football pitch with goal posts. The
open space is classed as a ‘Neighbourhood’ play facility and caters for children and
youths.
Approximately 0.14ha of a total of 0.7ha will be taken up by the development which
is 20% of the existing open space. Although this does not affect the equipped play
area it will result in having to move the goal posts associated with the informal
football pitch.
Originally the plans located the new building closer to the pay area, away from the
boundary with the railway line; however, this has been amended to allow an area
planting to the front of the building to help partially screen the building to reduce its
visual impact on the area.
Policy SR4 Protecting Recreational Open Space states, ‘ Development which would
result in the loss of playing fields, play areas, informal recreation areas, and other
recreational open space will be permitted only where:
a. there is already adequate recreational open space in the surrounding area; and
b. the County Council as local planning authority is satisfied that the land will not be
required in the longer term for school or community use; and
c. the site has no visual or amenity value worthy of retention; or
d. facilities can best be retained and enhanced through the redevelopment of a small
part of the site; or
e. where the development of the site would result in an under-provision of open
space in the surrounding area, an equivalent area of replacement space is provided
in an appropriate location.
There is therefore a presumption against the development of playing fields unless
the above tests can be met. An Open Space Assessment was carried out as part of
the determination of the extant planning permission, ref: 049848, which concluded
that there is adequate recreational open space in Saltney. In the 2007 Open Space
survey, the minimum standard required for the total population of Saltney was 11.5
ha, this includes Outdoor Youth and Adult Space, Children’s Equipped Play Space
and Children’s Unequipped Freespace and the survey identified that Saltney had a
provision of 13ha.
Also, for a more detailed study the Fields In Trust’s own guidance is used. The
Bradshaw Avenue play facility is a Neighborhood Play Facility and in this respect the
Fields in Trust Guidance specifies that such a facility has a catchment area that
extends to 600 meters (as the crow flies). Within 600 meters of the Bradshaw
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Avenue Play Area there were 1,200 recorded residents in the 2001 Census. Such a
population would have a minimum requirement for 2.9 hectares of open space.
Within the locality the 2005 Open Space Survey shows that there is a minimum of
3.7 hectares of open space provision which is made up of informal open space
(playing field); sports pitches; and children play areas.
The proposal therefore complies with criteria a. of policy SR 4. In terms of criteria b.
the use of the land is still to be retained in a community use and criterion c. and d.,
although the land does have amenity value, the redevelopment of a small part of the
open space with a new facility such as this, will enhance and add value to the
community.
The Bradshaw Avenue open space is a locally valued playing field which is in a
community which exhibits characteristics of multiple deprivation where a need for
such a facility is all the more important. Since the proposal is for a replacement
community facility and it is a relatively small area of playing field that is to be built on,
this is sufficient justification to allow the loss of the playing field. Replacement of the
existing derelict building with a larger more modern facility will add considerable
benefit to the local community and in particular to the children of that community.
Due its construction design, the building has a limited usable lifespan; however, a
temporary permission can safeguard the future impact it may have on the visual
amenity of the area.
The Public Open Spaces Manager commented that the proposed application will
require a lease agreement with the Authority for an area of land that is currently part
of the recreation field to be transferred and enclosed from the existing provision. He
did not consider this to have a detrimental impact on the existing open space
provision given that the building will be available for a community use. He also
commented that boundary fencing and gates or access panels and a scheme of
landscaping should be approved by the Authority before commencement of the
development.
The parking provision of 20 parking spaces and the proposed access is sufficient for
the proposal.
Recommendation Code: / APPROVE
Conditions/Reasons:
1. T01
2. T02
3. L01
4. L02
5. Permission is granted for a limited period expiring on the (10 years from the date
of the permission) and unless an application is made and permission obtained for its
retention, the building shall be removed and the land reinstated to the satisfaction of
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the local planning authority at or before the expiration of the period granted by this
permission.
REASON: In order that the Local Planning Authority may retain a measure of control
over the development, in the interests of the visual amenities of the area and comply
with Policy GEN1 of the Adopted Flintshire Unitary Development Plan.
6. Finished Floor Level set no lower than to be set 6.0m AOD.
Reason: To reduce the risk of flooding to the development in accordance with policy
GEN1 of the adopted Flintshire Unitary Development Plan.
7. Positive means to prevent the run- off of surface water from any part of the site
onto the highways shall be provided in accordance with details to be submitted to
and approved by the County Council prior to the commencement of any site works.
Reason: To prevent the accumulation of surface water on the highway, in the
interests of maintaining highway safety and to prevent damage to the highway
surface or structure in accordance with policy GEN1 of the adopted Flintshire Unitary
Development Plan.
8. Notwithstanding the details hereby approved, details of the design and location of
the boundary fencing and gates shall be submitted to and approved in writing with
the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter, the scheme shall be undertaken in strict
accordance with the agreed details unless the prior written approval of the Local
Planning Authority is obtained to any variation.
Reason: In the interest of visual amenities of the area in accordance with policy
GEN1 of the adopted Flintshire Unitary Development Plan.
In considering this planning application the Council has acted in accordance with the Human Rights
Act 1998 including Article 8 of the Convention and in a manner which is necessary in a democratic
society in furtherance of the legitimate aims of the Act and the convention.
Notes to Applicants
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Informatives
N13 Plans
Application form
Date received 15th June 2013
Proposed Plans (amended) drwg no.PMS10102-K Date received 16th August 2013
Your attention is drawn to the following attachments:
1. The Environment Agency also recommend that flood resilient construction
techniques be used in the design/construction of the new hut. Examples of such
uses would be solid flooring/raised electricity services etc. Further details can be
viewed at http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/flood_performance.pdf
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2. Highways Supplementary Notes attached, with particular reference to Clauses
1,2,3,4 & 7.
Date of Recommendation: 3rd September 2013
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