Agenda item

Planning Reference – 131483

Planning application documents can be viewed here - http://planning.aberdeencity.gov.uk/PlanningDetail.asp?ref=131483

The Committee had before it a report by the Head of Planning and Sustainable Development which recommended:-

That the Committee approve the application for an extension to Aberdeen Science and Energy Park to provide 48,000sqm of office, industrial and warehouse floor space, subject to the following conditions:-

(1) That no development shall be undertaken in any phase of the development hereby approved unless a detailed phasing programme, outlining the delivery programme for the key elements of strategic infrastructure required for the entire site, has been submitted to, and approved in writing by the planning authority via a formal 'Matters Specified in Conditions' application.  The phasing programme shall include any platforming/regrading, strategic landscaping, delivery programme for buildings, open space and roads infrastructure.  The development shall not be implemented otherwise than in accordance with any such approved phasing programme unless the planning authority has given written consent for a variation - in order to ensure development is progressively accompanied by appropriate associated infrastructure, and to inform the timescale for submission of further applications for 'Matters Specified in Conditions' specified in the planning authority's direction stated in this notice; (2) that none of the elements of the strategic infrastructure referred to in Condition 1, that are to be implemented prior to any development in direct connection with the construction of any individual building, shall take place unless the details of any such element (along with any supporting studies or information) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority.  Development shall not occur otherwise than in full accordance with any such approval unless the planning authority has given written consent for a variation - in order to ensure development is progressively accompanied by appropriate associated infrastructure, and to enable the coherent development of the entire site; (3) no development in connection with any individual building of the planning permission hereby approved shall take place until full details of the: siting, design, external appearance of buildings; hard and soft landscaping within the relevant phase of the development and the means of access serving the relevant phase/block of development have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority. The development shall then be implemented in complete accordance with the approved details, or those subsequently approved. Depending on the phase/block, and unless otherwise agreed in writing with the planning authority, the MSC applications shall include:

(a) A detailed levels survey of the respective site, subject to any individual application, and cross sections showing proposed finished ground and floor levels relative to existing ground levels and a fixed datum point within the relevant phase/block of development, as well as sectional details giving a contextual position relative to surrounding land; (b) A detailed Drainage Plan for the relevant phase/block of development, including full details of the proposed means of disposal of surface water from the relevant phase/block of development, including how surface water run-off shall be addressed during construction, as well as incorporating the principles of pollution prevention and mitigation measures. The final location of SUDs, including ponds, should be appropriately positioned in accordance with an agreed flood risk assessment; (c) Full details of the connection to the existing Scottish Water foul water drainage network for the relevant phase/block of development; (d) Details of all cut and fill operations in the relevant phase/block of the development; (e) The details of all roads, footpaths and cycleways throughout the relevant phase/block of the development and how they will connect to wider such networks; (f) Details of any screen walls/fencing to be provided within the relevant phase/block of the development; (g) Details of all landscaping, planting and screening associated with the relevant phase/block of the development; (h) Full details of the layout, siting, design and finish of all buildings, including: energy centres, pumping stations, and water treatment works, throughout the relevant phase/block of development; and (i) Full details of all waste/recycling storage and collection points, for all plots/buildings.

- In order to comply with Section 59 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, as amended by the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006;

(4) the landscaping details to be submitted pursuant to Condition 1 and 2 above shall include: (a) Existing and proposed finished ground levels relative to a fixed datum point; (b) Existing landscape features and vegetation to be retained, particularly linear and boundary elements. Where trees are to be retained, measures for their protection and maintenance both during and after construction shall be provided; (c) Existing and proposed services including cables, pipelines and substations; (d) The location of new trees, shrubs, hedges, grassed areas and water features; (e) A schedule of plants to comprise species, plant sizes and proposed numbers and density; (f) The location, design and materials of all hard landscaping works including walls, fences, gates, street furniture and play equipment; (g) An indication of existing trees, shrubs and hedges to be removed; (h) A Biodiversity Action Plan; (i) A Management Plan detailing appropriate management measures for all watercourse buffer strips; (j) A programme for the completion and subsequent maintenance of the proposed landscaping.  All soft and hard landscaping proposals shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme and shall be completed during the planting season immediately following the commencement of each respective phase of the development or such other date as may be agreed in writing with the Planning Authority. Any planting which, within a period of 5 years from the completion of each phase of the development, in the opinion of the Planning Authority is dying, being severely damaged or becoming seriously diseased, shall be replaced by plants of similar size and species to those originally required to be planted - in the interests of protecting trees and ensuring a satisfactory quality of environment; (5) the details to be submitted pursuant to Condition 3 for each respective phase of the development shall show the proposed means of disposal of foul and surface water from the relevant phase of the development within the form of a Sustainable Urban Drainage System and include a development impact assessment and detailed design and methodology statement. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Planning Authority, in consultation with SEPA, the development shall connect to the public sewer and the relevant phase of the development shall not be occupied unless the agreed drainage system has been provided in its entirety and maintained thereafter throughout the lifetime of the consent in accordance with the approved maintenance scheme. The details required shall also include details of the future long term maintenance of the system covering matters such as: (a) Inspection regime relating to matters such as outlets/inlets; (b) Frequency and method of cleaning of filter trenches, removal of silt, etc.; (c) Grass cutting (and weeding) regime for swales; (d) Means of access for future maintenance; (e) How to ensure that planting will not be undertaken over perforated pipes; (f) Details of the contact parties for future factoring/maintenance of the scheme; - to protect the water environment and help reduce flooding; (6) prior to the commencement of any phase of development, as identified in the approved phasing programme required by condition 1, for each respective phase full details of the proposed road design, which shall contain, but not be limited to, a parking strategy, road junctions and visibility splays, cycleway provision, gradients, level details, finishing/surfacing materials and crossing points, shall be provided for the further written approval of the Planning Authority in consultation with the Roads Authority. The development shall be carried out in complete accordance with such a plan and buildings shall not be occupied unless the roads and parking areas for the respective phase are complete and available for use - in the interests of road safety; (7) no more than 7,200m2 of the proposed floor space shall be occupied until: both the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) and Third Don Crossing (TDC) are completed and open to traffic; and such time that the trunk road status of the A90 Parkway and A90 Ellon Road has been removed – as required by the Roads Authority; (8) Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Planning Authority, the following restrictions on the phasing of development shall apply: No more than 7,200sq.m. of gross floorspace shall be occupied until such time as mitigation to the following has taken place, or contributions in lieu are made:

• A90 Parkway / Balgownie Road Junction Improvement (generally in accordance with Drg. No. 92071/sk1009);

• A90 Parkway / Whitestripwes Avenue / Buckie Farm Roundabout Improvement (generally in accordance with Drg. No. 96377/8001-1);

• A90 Parkway / Laurel Drive Junction Improvement (generally in accordance with Drg. No. 96377/8014-1);

Following this occupation in excess of 21,600sq.m. shall not take place until such time as mitigation to the following has taken place, or contributions in lieu are made:

• A90 Parkway / Ellon Road Roundabout Improvement (generally in accordance with Drg. No. 88000/1302); and

Thereafter occupation in excess of 31,200sq.m. shall not take place until such time as mitigation to the following has taken place, or contributions in lieu are made:

• A90 Ellon Road toucan crossing (at a location to be determined, unless it can be incorporated into the above A90 Parkway / Ellon Road Roundabout Improvement);

• A90 Murcar Roundabout Improvement (generally in accordance with Drg. No. 96377/8010-1A);

• A90 Parkway / Scotstown Road Roundabout Improvement (generally in accordance with Drg. No. 96377/8004-1B); and

• A90 Parkway / Laurel Drive Junction Improvement (contribution to improvement which will likely be required to be built by Grandholme developer prior to this threshold being met by Aberdeen Energy Park).

Such mitigation works shall be in complete accordance with a scheme to be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority - In the interests of road safety; (9) that the uses within the approved development shall be restricted to those falling within Classes 4 and 5 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1997 or any subsequent replacement Order; or, the provision of services that can justifiably be located on the application site, including ancillary support services related to the management and operation of the science and energy park; or ancillary educational activities/facilities; or other activities that can be demonstrated to be ancillary to, in support of, and provide enhancement to the development as a science and energy park - in order to preserve amenity levels and to ensure an appropriate focus and high standard of development within the Aberdeen Science and Energy Park; (10) that the level of any class 6 use, of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1997, or the equivalent Classes in any subsequent replacement Order, within any individual plot shall be limited to 20% of the floor/operational site area, any breach of this limitation shall require to be considered on their merits by way of a further application for planning permission - in order to preserve amenity levels and to ensure an appropriate focus and high standard of development within the Aberdeen Science and Energy Park; (11) prior to the commencement of development there shall be submitted a Public Transport Strategy (PTS) indicating the bus service provision to the site for each phase of the development and details of temporary bus stops within the site. The PTS shall also incorporate the timing for a bus service link through the site, such timing to be agreed before the occupation of more than 15% (7,200m2) of the hereby approved floorspace therein – In the interests of sustainable transportation; (12) prior to the commencement of development there shall be submitted details of a 3m wide shared use foot/cycleway which shall be provided along the length of one side of the internal loop road, as well as the link road to the north, and to the costal path (Core Path 18), such details shall include a phasing plan, all of which shall require to be approved in writing by Aberdeen City Council as Planning Authority – In the interests of sustainable transportation, connectivity and as required by the Roads Authority; (13) that the number of parking spaces (car/motorcycle/bicycle/etc.) laid out in each individual site shall be in accordance with the standards set out within the relevant Aberdeen City Council document at the time of consideration of each individual phase of development - in the interests of sustainability and to encourage the use of transport modes other than the private car, all to ensure appropriate parking standards; (14) prior to commencement of development on any one plot a ‘vehicle routing plan’ shall be submitted and approved in writing by the Planning Authority, detailing access and egress arrangements during the construction period and means put in place to avoid materials (Mud/Dust/Etc.) being transferred to the public road network – in the interests of road safety and to avoid adverse impacts on road drainage systems; (15) that prior to the commencement of development, a Framework Travel Plan, setting out proposals for reducing dependency on the private car, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority – in the interests of reducing travel by private car; (16) that no part of the development shall be occupied unless there has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority, a comprehensive Travel Plan for that part of the development, setting out proposals for reducing dependency on the private car. Each Travel Plan shall identify measures to be implemented, the system of management, monitoring, review and reporting, as well as the duration of the plan - in the interests of reducing travel by private car; (17) prior to the commencement of development an assessment of any private drainage systems or private water supplies which occupy any part of the site, which is at that time to be developed, shall be undertaken and any potential impacts upon them mitigated, the preferred solution being their connection to the main sewage disposal system or water supply, which may be constructed/improved as part of the proposed development. Details of any such measures shall be submitted to and approved in writing by Aberdeen City Council as Planning Authority, in consultation with SEPA – to ensure no adverse impact on existing private drainage arrangements and water supplies; (18) that no development of any individual plot shall take place unless there has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority a scheme for the external lighting of that site both during and after construction. No individual site shall be occupied unless the approved scheme of external lighting has been implemented and is operational. None of the access roads shall be constructed unless a scheme of street lighting has first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority and no individual site shall be occupied unless the street lighting thereto has been implemented and is fully operational - in order to preserve the amenity of the neighbourhood and in the interests of residential amenity and public safety; (19) that no development shall take place on any individual site unless a detailed scheme for the storage (including recycling facilities) and collection of waste arising from within that site has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority. No individual site shall be occupied unless the scheme approved in compliance with such an approved scheme has been implemented and is fully operational - in the interests of sustainability; (20) all phases of the development shall be connected the public mains sewage system – to ensure appropriate disposal of sewage; (21) no development on any individual plot shall commence until full agreement has been reached between the developer and the Planning Authority in terms of a signed Section 75 legal agreement or other agreement, or the developer has paid a cash contribution to cover the impact of the development as assessed against the Council's Policies and Supplementary Guidance on developer contributions in relation to core paths to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority – in order to ensure appropriate upgrades to the core path network, such that impacts associated to the development can be addressed; (22) that no development shall take place unless a Flood Risk Assessment for the whole site has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority. No part of the site shall be occupied unless any mitigation measures identified in the approved Flood Risk Assessment have been implemented and are fully operational - to ensure that the site is not adversely affected by flooding; (23) no development shall take place within any individual phase until the applicant has secured the implementation of a programme of archaeological work in accordance with a written scheme of investigation which has been submitted by the applicant and approved by the Planning Authority. The programme of archaeological work will include all necessary post-excavation and publications – in order to adequately address archaeological interests; (24) that no development in any individual phase/block shall commence unless a detailed and finalised Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP) including site specific construction method statements, measures to minimise the risk of sediment entering watercourses, and the mechanism for compliance, for that phase. The mitigation measures outlined in the CEMP shall be informed by the result of a full ground (water and soil) investigation study. All works on site must be undertaken in accordance with the approved CEMP unless otherwise agreed in writing with the planning authority - in order to prevent potential water pollution and to minimise the impacts of construction works on the environment – in the interests of protecting the environment; (25) all development shall be carried out in general accordance with the recommendations outlined in the Ecology Report dated October 2013, but supplemented by site specific mitigations reflective of the individual development proposed. Full details of such mitigations shall be set out in relation to each phase of development and shall relate to both flora and fauna issues – in the interests of the environment; (26) unless otherwise agreed in writing by the planning authority the water tower detailed on drawing number (SK)021 shall be retained – in the interests of preserving bat habitat; (27) a detailed Badger Protection Plan shall be submitted prior to any development taking place, such a plan shall contain matters such as: details of suitable buffers during periods of construction, as well as post development; lighting arrangements; details for storage of chemicals; measures to deal with exposed trenches, open pipes, etc. Such a Plan shall be updated as necessary through the course of development – in the interests of protecting badgers; (28) development in any individual phase shall not commence until a Bird Hazard Management Plan (BHMP) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. The submitted plan shall include details of: any flat/shallow pitched/green roofs on buildings within the site which may be attractive to nesting, roosting and "loafing" birds; SUDS scheme bird deterrent measures; and details of how landscaping schemes shall not include plants which would attract birds. The management plan shall comply with the Advice Note 8 'Potential Bird Hazards from Building Design'. The Bird Hazard Management Plan shall be implemented, as approved, on completion of the development and shall remain in force for the life of the development. No subsequent alterations to the plan are to take place unless first submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority - it is necessary to manage the site in order to minimise its attractiveness to birds which could endanger the safe movement of aircraft and the operation of Aberdeen Airport; (29) prior to the commencement of development a strategic and plot enclosure framework, including a phasing plan for non-plot elements, shall be submitted for the prior written approval of Aberdeen City Council as Planning Authority – in the interests of visual amenity; (30) that no individual plot within the application site shall be occupied unless there has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority, a scheme showing details of the proposed boundary enclosures for that plot and the approved scheme has been implemented in full, such submissions shall demonstrate compliance with the plot enclosure framework required by condition 29 - in the interests of visual amenity; (31) that no development within any individual phase shall commence unless a scheme detailing compliance with the Council's 'Low and Zero Carbon Buildings' supplementary guidance has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority, and any recommended measures specified within that scheme for the reduction of carbon emissions shall thereafter be implemented in full - to ensure that this development complies with requirements for reductions in carbon emissions specified in the City Council's relevant published Supplementary Guidance document, 'Low and Zero Carbon Buildings; (32) that no development pursuant to the planning permission hereby approved shall be carried out unless there has been submitted to and approved in writing for the purpose by the planning authority a detailed scheme of phased structural landscaping for the site, which scheme shall include indications of all existing trees and landscaped areas on the land, and details of any to be retained, together with measures for their protection in the course of development, and the proposed areas of tree/shrub planting including details of numbers, densities, locations, species, sizes and stage of maturity at planting. The landscaping scheme shall also include screen planting, of varying width but a minimum of 20 metres wide, unless otherwise agreed (such reductions below 20m shall be clearly indicated in any submissions), along the boundaries of the application site and proposals for the maintenance thereof. The scheme shall further include specific proposals for visual screening and sound attenuation through landscaping in the vicinity of the private house located adjacent to the north boundary of the application site - in the interests of the amenity of the area; (33) that 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 5 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 - in the interests of the amenity of the area; (34) that any buildings shall be of a height or design, or be set back from the eastern boundary of the site in line with a visual impact and landscape assessment which shall be submitted to and approved by Aberdeen City Council as Planning Authority - in order to minimise the visual impact of the development in views from the adjacent golf course and dunes and to preserve the amenity of the coastal area.

Informatives

(1)  It will be expected that the landowners/developers will contact and work with other landowners/developers/interested parties in the formulation of proposals associated to matters such as bus route/penetration, shared footpath/cycleway routes and road network mitigations. Such processes should be set out in any submissions relating to these relevant matters which will require such co-operation between parties.

(2)  Unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Planning Authority, during the construction of any phase of the development, the normal hours of operation for all activity audible at the boundary of the nearest noise sensitive premises shall be between 07:00 to 19:00 hours Monday to Friday; 07:00 to 12:00 hours on Saturday, with no working on Sundays.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.