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SEl0910072 - Retention of astro-turf playing surface with floodlights without
compliance with condition 5 of planning permission SE/00/1800/P dated 6th February
2001 and condition 1 of planning permission SE/08/1594 dated 8th January 2009 to
allow the use of the floodlights until 18:30 hours and until 21:OO hours on up to three
evenings per week Monday to Friday throughout the year.
Culford School, Culford, Bury St Edmunds for Culford School (date registered 21St
January 2009)
Parish: Culford
Ward: Risby
Summarv: This application seeks the use of floodlights at the astro turf sports pitch up
to 18.30 hours plus the extension of these hours until 21.00 hours for up to three
nights a week. This follows the granting of temporary permission for 1year in July
2007, in order to allow the site to be monitored and reviewed. Permanent permission
was subsequently granted in January 2009 until 21.00 hours for three nights a week
Monday to Friday, but omitted the use of the floodlights up to 18.30 hours for the
remaining days each week.
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The grounds of the school to which this application relates are Grade I1 Listed within
the register of parks and gardens of Special Interest and are located within the Culford
and West Stow Conservation Area. Culford West Stow and Wordwell Parish Council and
a neighbour have objected to the application because the lights are intrusive and have
a detrimental impact upon neighbours.
Following visits to the site the Environmental Health Officer has raised no objections to
the proposal. The Conservation Officer has no objections to the proposal. It is
therefore considered that the use of the floodlights up to 18.30 hours and until 21.00
hours three nights a week would not have a detrimental impact upon neighbour's
amenity or the character and special historic setting of the site and surrounding area.
Recommendation: Approve
Development Control Case Officer: Sian Evans : Tel: (01284) 757651
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THE STTE: The site forms part of Culford Hall which lies within the countryside
immediately to the west of the village of Culford. The hall is listed Grade 11* and
accommodates Culford School. The application site is an astro turf pitch which forms
part of a school playing field located to the west of The Street which is the main road
running through the village. The grounds of the school are listed as Grade I1within the
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest compiled by English Heritage.
The site is also located within Culford and West Stow Conservation Area. The pitch,
bounded by a chain link fence, is located approximately 134 metres from the road and
is served by 8 flood lights. The playing fields are bounded by a 1.5 metre high flint wall
and tall trees. Residential properties to the north and on the opposite side of The
Street, to the east, face towards the site.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
SE/00/1800/P - Planning application for an astro turf playing surface with associated
floodlights and fencing was refused on 24th July 2000. It was subsequently granted,
subject to conditions, at appeal on 6' February 2001.
SEl05101763 - Planning application for removal of Condition 6 requiring lowering of
lighting columns during summer period and condition 9 requiring planting of yew hedge
to screen lighting columns of planning permission SE/00/1800/P for construction of
astro turf playing surface with associated flood lighting. Approved 4thAugust 2005.
ENFl061197 - Breach of condition 5 of SE/00/1800 investigated. A complaint regarding
the use of the flood lights beyond the hours of those allowed was received and the
matter was investigated. As a result planning application SE/07/0604 was submitted in
order to formalise the situation.
SEl0710604 - Planning application for variation of Condition 5 of SE/00/1800 to limit
the occasions and hours for floodlight use, to allow the use of the floodlights until 2100
hours on up to three evenings per week Monday to Friday throughout the year.
Approved for a temporary period of 12 months from llt
July
h
2007 in order to be able
to review the site.
SEl0811594 - Retention of astro-turf playing surface with floodlights without
compliance with condition 5 of planning permission SE/00/1800/P dated 6th February
2001 (to limit the occasions and hours for floodlight use) to allow the use of the
floodlights until 21:OO hours on up to three evenings per week Monday to Friday
throughout the year. Approved 8thJanuary 2009.
THE PROPOSAL:
Permission is sought to vary condition 5 of the appeal decision SE/00/1800 to allow
floodlights to be used until 2100 hours for up to three evenings a week Monday to
Friday and the remaining evenings to be used until 18:30. Condition 5 of SE/00/1800
stated that the floodlights shall not be switched on at times other than in the evenings
of the school's Autumn and Spring terms until 1830 hours, and at 6 other times during
the evenings of the Autumn and Spring terms until 2200 hours. Condition 1 of
SE/08/1594 required that the extended hours of floodlights be only to 21:OO hours on a
maximum of three evenings each week, Monday to Friday and that there shall be no
use of the floodlights on Saturdays and Sundays.
A supporting letter explains that the proposed hours of use of the floodlights allows the
school to use the pitch for hockey practice during school hours and to play mid week
and weekend fixtures during the hockey season. School matches are played in the
afternoon and can run into the early evening and it is often necessary during a gloomy
winter match to switch on the lights to allow safe playing conditions. A growing
number of requests from local community sports clubs and youth organisations for use
of the pitch have been received and given the sparcity of such facilities in the area it is
an opportunity to widen community access. Some groups required use of the pitch
during evenings and hence the requirement for use of the pitch until 21.00 hours up to
three evenings per week.
Although permanent consent was applied for in November 2008 (SE/08/1594) it
appears that there was a misunderstanding and the permission given at appeal to use
the lights until 18.30 hours on a Saturday and Sunday was not included in the
application. The current application seeks to address that omission and seeks
permission for the lights to be used until 18.30 hours each day of the week (including
Saturdays and Sundays) and up to 21.00 hours on three evenings per week between
Monday and Friday.
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CONSULTATIONS:
Conservation Officer: No objections.
Environmental Health Services: Permission was granted for this variation in 2007,
(SE/07/0604) for a temporary period of one year. This service carried out monitoring
on two Monday evenings in January 2008, when the Astroturf was in use. No nuisance
was caused on either occasion. Has not received any complaints from local residents
concerning noise during the last year.
I n conclusion, has no objection to the proposal.
The Garden Historv Societv: Any observations will be reported orally
Countv Hiqhwav Authoritv: No objections
Leisure Services: Support the continued use of the floodlighting for this excellent facility
which is made available for community use on a regular basis.
REPRESENTATIONS:
Culford, West Stow and Wordwell Parish Council: The application has been considered
by the Parish Council and is opposed.
The application for an astro turf playing service with floodlights was made in 2000. The
case for the application was that school hockey teams were at a disadvantage due to
inadequate facilities and insufficient times for training. The application was rejected
and went to appeal in 2001 when it was approved to certain conditions.
That it was not intended for use by outside agencies was confirmed in Para. 18 of the
appeal decision and this presumably influenced conditions imposed which included:
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a) Lighting which should not be switched on at times other than in the evenings of
the school's Autumn and Spring terms until 22.00 hours.
b) The lighting columns should be lowered and the light fittings removed during
the period from the end of the school's Spring term to the start of the Autumn
term
c) The planting of a 2m high Yew hedge on the north and east sides of the pitch.
I n December 2004 application was made for the removal of conditions relating to the
Yew hedge and the lowering of the floodlight columns. This was opposed by the Parish
Council but was granted by the council in June 2005.
I n May 2007 application was made for use of the floodlights until 2200 hours on up to
three evenings per week Monday to Friday throughout the year. This was again
opposed by the Parish Council but was approved by the Council in July 2007.
A similar application was submitted and considered by the Council in November 2008
and was again opposed but confirmed as granted in January 2009.
The latest application now seeks to allow lighting every day throughout the year - until
2100 hours Monday to Friday and until 1830 hours on Saturdays and Sundays.
We see no reason to remove the condition restricting use on weekdays to 3 days per
week Monday to Friday (This was the wording in the school's application dated
September 2008) and oppose the use on Sundays.
Matters affecting the community and environment considered at the time of the appeal
when conditions were imposed have not changed and yet those conditions are
gradually being removed.
Objections have been made by residents who do find lighting intrusive and they have
voiced their concern to the Parish Council. It is to be hoped that they now express
these concerns to the Borough Council Planning Authority.
Neishbours: An objection has been received from Rede Lodge, The street making the
following comments:- The proposal affects the amenity of local residents by light
pollution in a rural area. Since the original conditions of 6 lighting nights later than 1830
from September to April this is now proposing 3 nights each week which is a big
increase. The current condition allows for lighting to 2100 three nights a week which
has not been adhered to. Due to the constant changing of conditions it is difficult to
monitor. A clearer and more detailed time allowance is needed specifying days and
times of day that the lights can be used.
POLICY:
The following policies of the Replacement St Edmundsbury Borough Local Plan 2016 are
relevant to the determination of the application:
DS3 (Development, Design and Impact)
HC6 (New Development in Conservation Areas)
HC8 (Development Affecting Parks and Gardens of Special Historic or Design Interest)
PLANNING OFFICERS COMMENTS:
The issues to be considered in determining this application are:
1. impact upon the historic setting of the park conservation area and the rural
setting of the village; and,
2. impact upon amenity of neighbours; and
3. other issues
Impact upon the conservation area and rural settinq of the villaqe
With regard to the impact upon the character, appearance and setting of the historic
park and conservation area, the Conservation Officer has raised no objections to the
proposal. Any comments from the Garden History Society will be reported orally at the
committee meeting. It is considered that following site visits to view the floodlights
that the lights have a localised impact upon the playing fields themselves and that light
spill is not visually intrusive beyond the grounds of the school given the location of the
pitch 135 metres behind The Street. The site is also screened by a flint wall and trees
which minimise the visual impact of the lights. It is considered therefore that the
proposed extension of hours of illumination would not have an adverse impact upon
this historic part of the village, that would warrant a refusal of planning permission.
Impact upon amenity of neiqhbours
The Parish Council has raised objections to the impact of the light, resulting in an
adverse impact upon neighbour's residential amenity. I n considering the appeal in 2001
the Planning Inspector noted that the lighting has been designed in accordance with
guidance set out by the Sports Council, the Institution of Lighting Engineers and the
Institution of Building Services Engineers and considered that provided the hours of
operation of lights were strictly controlled the visual impact would not have an unduly
detrimental impact on the living conditions of the neighbours.
The Environmental Health Officer has not objected to the proposed hours of use of the
floodlights because it is considered that there would not be light spillage that would
cause a statutory nuisance to neighbours. The Environmental Health Officer has
commented that based upon two visits to the site to assess the impact of the lighting
and associated activities during the evenings, she considers that a nuisance would not
occur. It has also been confirmed that no complaints have been received by
Environmental Health from neighbours during the last year.
The sports pitch is located within the sports ground at Culford School which is located
approximately 135 metres from the road. The sports field is bounded by a flint wall
approximately 1.5 metres in height and trees that are set behind it. The distance of
the pitch and boundary screening help to reduce the impact of any noise and light
emitted from the site, to a level that would not be intrusive to neighbours residing at
The Street. It is considered therefore that the use of the floodlight until 18.30 each day
of the week and up to 21.00 hours for up to three evenings per week Monday to Friday
would not have a detrimental impact upon the reasonable residential amenities of
neighbours.
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Other issues
The Parish Council has raised concerns regarding the removal of conditions which
formed part of the appeal decision. Application SE/07/0604 was submitted to the
authority following the receipt of complaints regarding the use of the floodlights beyond
the originally approved hours. Members resolved to approve this application for a
temporary period of 1 year was to allow the impact of the use of the floodlights until
21.00 hours up to three nights per week to be properly assessed. Following the on site
assessments by your officers and in the absence of the receipt of any complaints to
Environmental Health during the year it is considered that the permanent use of the
floodlights for the hours requested would be acceptable.
Conclusion
Although this type of facility is required in the area those issues must be balanced
against the need to protect the visual and residential amenities of the area. Concerns
have been expressed by the Parish Council and a neighbouring resident about the
impact of the lights, however, following a review of the site during the period of the
temporary permission it is considered that the light emitted from the site during the
hours proposed would not have an adverse impact upon the reasonable residential
amenity of neighbours. Approval is therefore recommended.
It is RECOMMENDED that planning permission be Approved subject to the following
conditions (briefly):
1. The use of the floodlights shall only be until 18.30 seven days per week and 21.00
hours on no more than three days each week, Monday to Friday