Issue - meetings

Full planning permission for site clearance and preparation, including the demolition of remaining buildings, and the redevelopment of the site to provide three energy centres, two visitor reception centres, a new footpath and cycleway link to the canal towpath, works to the highway, car parking, cycle parking, associated infrastructure, enclosures and necessary physical security systems, hard and soft landscaping, and ancillary uses, as well as associated external works.

Recommendation: Approval + Section 106

RESOLVED: That the application be approved.

Full planning permission for site clearance and preparation, including the demolition of remaining buildings, and the redevelopment of the site to provide three energy centres, two visitor reception centres, a new footpath and cycleway link to the canal towpath, works to the highway, car parking, cycle parking, associated infrastructure, enclosures and necessary physical security systems, hard and soft landscaping, and ancillary uses, as well as associated external works

Officers introduced the application highlighting the site already had planning permission for a data centre campus and that the application in front of Members was a drop-in application to the substantive parent permission already granted. The application sought permission for part of the site to increase the number of energy centres from two to three, and to increase the number of visitor reception centres from one to two; this was to enable multiple operators to function on site. The proposal was deemed an appropriate use of a strategic industrial location and public realm improvements were proposed within the demise of the site including highway improvement works and canal access ramp enhancements. In addition to this the economic and employment benefits of the proposal had been given significant weight. The application was recommended for approval subject to the officers advised conditions and an established Section 106 agreement

Members noted that the proposals represented an overall improvement to what currently existed on the site. The Committee queried the Council’s powers if the air quality and carbon offset details were not adhered to, officers noted that, should the legal agreement not be signed, officers would then be delegated the authority to refuse planning permission on the grounds highlighted on page five of the agenda pack.

With regard to the proposed conditions 19 and 20 pertaining to operational plant noise control and standby generator noise control, Members questioned whether noise levels would be monitored once the site was operational, as had been recently conditioned with a similar application for a data centre elsewhere in the Borough. Officers clarified that the operational noise levels relating to the application in front of Members had been subject to a noise assessment whereas the other similar application referred to had not; this meant that ongoing monitoring of noise was not required by condition on this application, although noise limitation had been addressed by condition.

The officer’s recommendation was moved, seconded, and when put to a vote, unanimously agreed.

RESOLVED: That the application be approved as per the officer’s recommendations.