Agenda item

Planning Reference – 221419

 

All documents associated with this application can be found at the following link and enter the refence number above:-

 

Link.

 

Planning Officer:  Matthew Easton

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, which recommended:-

 

That the application for Detailed Planning Permission for the formation of access road, amended car parking and associated drainage at the James Hutton Institute, Countesswells Road Aberdeen, be approved subject to the following conditions:-

 

 

Conditions

 

(01)  DURATION OF PERMISSION

 

The development to which this notice relates must be begun not later than the expiration of 3 years beginning with the date of this notice. If development has not begun at the expiration of the 3-year period, the planning permission lapses.

 

Reason - in accordance with section 58 (duration of planning permission) of the 1997 act.

 

(02)  TREE PROTECTION FENCING

 

No development (including site setup) shall take place unless the tree protection measures shown in Tree Survey JHIC-2211-TRA-A (dated 17 March 2023) and drawing JHIC-22-11-TP (Rev.A) by Astell Associates (or such other details and drawing which may be approved by the planning authority for the same purpose) have been implemented. Thereafter the fencing shall remain in place for the duration of construction of the development.

 

Reason – to protect trees and vegetation from damage during construction in accordance with Policy NE5 (Trees and Woodlands).

 

(03)  INVASIVE NON-NATIVE SPECIES

 

No development shall take place unless an invasive non-native species management plan has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. The plan shall include details of measures designed to minimise the risk of non-native species being spread during construction activities within the application site. Thereafter, construction shall be undertaken in accordance with the approved plan.

 

Reason – to control the spread of invasive non-native species during construction.

 

(04)  LANDSCAPING AND COMPENSATORY TREE PLANTING

 

No development shall take place unless a detailed scheme of landscaping for the site has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. The scheme shall include tree/shrub planting numbers, densities, locations, species, sizes, and stage of maturity at planting.

 

Thereafter all planting, seeding and turfing comprised in the approved scheme of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting season following the completion of the development and any trees or plants which within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of a size and species similar to those originally required to be planted, or in accordance with such other scheme as may be submitted to and approved in writing for the purpose by the planning authority.

 

Reason – to satisfactorily integrate the development into its surroundings and maintain the visual amenity of the area.

 

(05)  TRAVEL PLAN

 

The junction and road hereby approved shall not be brought into use unless a travel plan for the campus has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. The travel plan shall outline sustainable measures to deter the use of the private car, in particular single occupant trips and provides detailed monitoring arrangements and modal split targets.

 

Thereafter the travel plan shall be implemented.

 

Reason – to encourage more sustainable forms of travel to campus.

 

(06)  DRAINAGE

 

The junction and road hereby approved shall not be brought into use unless all surface water drainage works detailed in the approved Drainage Assessment (140950 - DA01 (Rev.2) and drawing 140950/2000 (Rev.E) produced by Fairhurst (or such other drawing approved for the purpose) have been installed in accordance with the approved details and is available for use.

 

Reason – to safeguard water qualities, prevent flooding and ensure that the junction and road can be adequately drained.

 

The Committee heard from Matthew Easton, Senior Planner, who spoke in furtherance of the application and answered various questions from Members.

 

The Committee then heard from Mirjam Brady-van den Bos, Coleen Murphy, Ellen Robinson and Heather Turnbull, who all objected to the application and requested that the application be refused.

 

A statement was read out by the clerk on behalf of Paul Howlett and Neil McDonald, who also both objected to the application. 

 

The Committee then heard from Alasdair Cox, applicant, who spoke in support of the application.

 

The Convener moved, seconded by the Vice Convener:-

 

That the application be approved conditionally in line with the officers recommendation with an extra condition added to read:-

“LANDSCAPING, BIODIVERSITY ENHANCEMENT AND COMPENSATORY TREE PLANTING

 

No development shall take place unless a detailed scheme of landscaping for the site and screening of the area between the new access road and rear of homes at Macaulay Grange has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. The scheme shall include –

 

(i)            Existing landscape vegetated areas to be retained, including proposed protection measures;

(ii)          The location of new trees, shrubs, hedges, grassed / wildflower areas;

(iii)         A schedule of planting to comprise species, plant sizes and proposed numbers and density;

(iv)         The location, design and specification of biodiversity enhancement measures;

(v)          A programme for the implementation and subsequent maintenance of the proposed landscaping.

 

Thereafter all planting, seeding and turfing comprised in the approved scheme of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting season following the completion of the development and any trees or plants which within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of a size and species similar to those originally required to be planted, or in accordance with such other scheme as may be submitted to and approved in writing for the purpose by the planning authority. 

 

Reason – to satisfactorily integrate the development into its surroundings, help screen the development from homes at Macaulay Grange and maintain the visual amenity of the area.

 

Councillor Boulton, seconded by Councillor Farquhar, moved as an amendment:-

 

That the application be refused as the loss of trees and woodlands would be contrary to policies 1, 3, 4 and 6 of National Planning Framework 4 and policies NE3 and NE5 of the Aberdeen Local Development Plan by virtue of the adverse effects on biodiversity, landscape, amenity and climate.

 

The additional access onto Countesswells Road would have an adverse impact on pedestrian and traffic safety due to the proximity to the nearby primary school and due to driveways immediately opposite which would result in a breach of the guidance in the interim Aberdeen Planning Guidance on Transport and Accessibility.  

 

On a division, there voted – for the motion (7) – the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillors Allard, Alphonse, Cooke, Copland and Lawrence – for the amendment (5) – Councillors Blake, Boulton, Clark, Farquhar and Thomson.

 

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the application conditionally.