Agenda item

Erection of Battle of Britain Education and Visitor centre with exhibition space, auditorium, meeting rooms, library, cafe and shop and associated parking area and landscaping. Departure from Saved Policies OL1 and OL4 of the London Borough of Hillingdon Unitary Development Plan

Recommendation : Delegated approval, subject to no direction being received from the Mayor.

The battle of britain bunker, raf uxbridge, hillingdon road, uxbridge - 585/app/2014/3910  (Agenda Item 7)

Erection of Battle of Britain Education and Visitor centre with exhibition space, auditorium, meeting rooms, library, cafe and shop and associated parking area and landscaping.

Officers introduced the report and referred members to the addendum sheet that had been circulated.

The application related to the Battle of Britain Bunker, RAF Uxbridge, Hillingdon Road, Uxbridge. Planning permission was sought for the erection of a Battle of Britain Education and Visitor Centre with exhibition space, auditorium, meeting rooms, library, cafe, shop and associated parking area and landscaping.

Prior approval had been granted for the demolition of the existing building and planning permission was granted in December 2014 for enabling works to allow construction of the building which is the subject of this application. Enabling works would include the creation of a temporary compound to facilitate demolition together with a temporary structure to house volunteers during demolition and construction thus enabling the facility to remain open.

The application site is located within land designated as Green Belt, while the adjacent underground Bunker is a Grade I listed structure. Development in the green belt is generally considered inappropriate except in special circumstances. It is considered that the new facility, which will enhance the visitor and educational offering on the site together with assisting in securing the future of the listed bunker, provides special circumstances which would justify development in the green belt.

The proposed building, while offering enhanced facilities to visitors is also considered to preserve the setting of the listed bunker. The proposal was therefore considered to be acceptable in heritage terms.

Members noted that Officers had no objection in principal to the proposed development. Officers were of the opinion that the nature of the proposed cultural and educational facility justified development in the Green Belt and that approval should therefore be granted, subject to referral to the Secretary of State.

The Committee Members welcomed the proposal. It was agreed that a requirement to provide a minimum of four parking spaces for motorcycles would be imposed on the applicant. There was a discussion about coach parking at the site and it was considered that it would not be necessary to require dedicated coach parking at the site. This was because coaches would arrive by prior appointment only and also that the access road to the site is not a through road. A question was also asked about the contaminated land status of the site. Officers confirmed that this had been addressed in the addendum to the application.

The Committee agreed that Condition 6 be amended to require the provision of four motorcycle spaces.

The recommendation for approval was moved, seconded and on being put to the vote was agreed unanimously.

Cllr. Jazz Dhillon was delayed en-route to the meeting and consequently did not vote on agenda item 6.

Resolved - That the application be approved, subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the officer's report and addendum sheet circulated at the meeting and amendments to Condition 6.