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ITEM NUMBER 1
APPLN. NO.: :PA/01/0633 Mead Farm, Chertsey Road, Shepperton
VALID DATE :14/08/2001
EXPIRY DATE :09/10/2001 Change of use of buildings and yard from
CTTEE DATE :07/11/2001 (WH) use in connection with pig farm for parking,
repairs and maintenance of lorries and skips
used for collection of waste food, to the use
of land and buildings for a skip hire business
(RETROSPECTIVE).
As shown on drawing nos 319/5A & 319/6C
for R. Reynolds.
WARD :Shepperton Town
1. Borough Local Plan
- Green Belt
- Area of Special Landscape Character
- Area liable to flood
2. Relevant Planning History
SP/95/0269 Erection of a storage barn. Approved August 1995
(not implemented:
lapsed August 2000)
3. Description of Current Proposal
3.1 The application relates to Mead Farm, which is situated off the southern side of
Chertsey Road. The overall Farm site covers a fairly extensive area, up to Dockett
Eddy Lane to the west; but this application relates to a part of the north east section of
the overall site. The north east section is where the farmhouse and farm outbuildings
are located. To the west of this section are scattered residential properties fronting the
southern side of Chertsey Road, to the east is open land.
3.2 Mead Farm has operated as a pig farm, but this has ceased as a result of the current
foot and mouth outbreak. Acorn Skip Hire has been operating a skip hire business from
the south eastern part of the north east section of Mead Farm since mid-1999, and
permission is being sought retrospectively for this use as detailed in this application.
Two high single-storey buildings by the eastern site boundary would be used. The
northernmost of these buildings is open sided on the western side. This would have a
portakabin office at the northern end used by the skip hire business, with skips stored in
the remaining area. The next building southernwards is fully enclosed and would be
used as a workshop by the business’s lorries. These buildings face an internal yard
with other farm buildings opposite. Car parking would be provided in this area, plus 2
lorry spaces, with 2 more between the workshop and open fronted building to the east.
A 3m high screen fence (with gates) would be erected at the southern end of the yard.
Overspill skip storage in the open would be confined to a restricted area to the north of
the fence. Planting would be undertaken on the southern side of the fence. Vehicular
access is off Chertsey Road along an access road running along the eastern side of the
farm.
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3.3 The applicant’s agent has submitted a statement in support of the application; relevant
extracts from this are set out below:-
“The pig farm that operated from this site involved the fattening of pigs inside buildings
in an intensive pig rearing operation. The average number of pigs kept at the farm was
approximately 1,500. The pigs were fed on swill comprising of waste food collected
from restaurants, caterers and other sources, and which was brought back to the site to
be cooked and then fed to the pigs. This type of feeding practice is no longer
acceptable and the pigs that were on the site at the beginning of the foot and mouth
epidemic have now all been fattened and sold from the site. They have not been
replaced at this stage due to the fear that new pigs brought to the site might introduce
foot and mouth disease to this farm.
The waste food was collected in the applicant’s own fleet of four lorries that were sent
out during the night and returned to the farm in the late mornings, having collected
waste food from premises in and around London. This activity took place six days a
week and in addition to this, heavy goods vehicles also delivered waste food in bulk to
the farm throughout the day and night.
The proposals in this application are for the retention of the use that has operated at this
site during the past 2 years. The business now operated at this site by Acorn Skip Hire
is the hire of skips to building contractors and householders for the disposal of waste
material. The premises are used as a base for this business where the lorries will be
operated and maintained, and as a base for the storage of skips when they are not out
on hire. The premises will also act as the administrative centre for this business.
The proposal is that the lorries will be maintained and repaired in the existing farm
workshop. An adjoining open fronted storage barn will be adapted for the storage of
skips and the end bay of this building will be adapted to provide an office and mess
room facility for the staff employed in this business. The lorries will be parked overnight
on an existing concrete hardstanding.
The business operates 6 days per week and does not operate on Sundays or Bank
Holidays. On Monday to Friday the business operates between 7.00 and 18.00, and on
Saturday it operates between 7.00 and 13.00. The business employs 4 drivers, 1 yard
man and 1 administrator/manager. The maintenance and repair work is carried out by a
self-employed mechanic.
The business has some 200 skips ranging in size from 2 – 5 yards and the majority of
the skips are almost continuously out on hire. Accordingly, there are normally only a
maximum of 30 skips stored at the site at any one time. The normal practice is for skips
to be delivered to a customer and when collected, they are then taken direct to Thames
Waste, where they are emptied. However, this facility closes at 16.00 hours each day
and therefore some full skips are collected from customer’s premises too late in the day
to arrive at the reception facility prior to 16.00 hours. These are brought back to the
application site and stored overnight ready for dispatch to Thames Waste on the
following day.
It is therefore apparent that the proposed use of this site is very similar to the use of this
part of the site in connection with the waste food operation at the pig farm.
The use of these premises as set out in this application has been operating for the past
2 years without complaint from the local community. It is considered that this
demonstrates that it does not cause any significant harm to the amenity of this locality.
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Although it is accepted that the previous use in connection with the collection of waste
food was an agricultural activity it was nevertheless very similar to the use that is now
operating at this site. In this context, the proposed activity will not give rise to any
additional harm to the locality but the recent cessation of cooking swill at this site has
resulted in a significant improvement to this locality.”
4. Consultations
4.1 County Highway Authority – no highway requirement
4.2 Environment Agency – no objection.
5. Third Party Representations
5.1 None received at the time of writing this report.
6. Issues
- Green Belt
- Area of Special Landscape Character
- Flooding
- Effect on residences in the locality
- Parking provision
7. Planning Considerations
7.1 In assessing the proposal in Green Belt terms, PPG2 is relevant, especially paras 3.7,
3.10 and Annex D paras D1 and D2. PPG7 (The Countryside – Environmental Quality
and Economic and Social Development) is also relevant, especially paras 3.14 and 3.16
and Annex G. The advice in PPG2 notes that the re-use of buildings inside a Green
Belt is appropriate development provided it fulfils 4 criteria. These criteria require the
new use to have no greater impact materially on the Green Belt than the previous use;
an evaluation of the impact of ancillary elements e.g. parking, open storage; the relevant
buildings are to be permanent, substantial and require no major works; and be in
keeping with their surroundings. This is reiterated in PPG7; and is translated to the
Spelthorne context in Local Plan Policies GB1 & GB4.
7.2 Given the previous use of the relevant land and buildings by the farm, it is not
considered that the current proposal would have a materially greater impact on the
openness of the Green Belt and the purposes of including land in it. This is particularly
so because the majority of the activities associated with the use would occur within the
existing buildings. There is only a small overspill skip storage area and parking spaces
proposed outside the buildings and these are located within the existing yard area. The
buildings to be used do not need any major modifications. I do not consider that there
would be an adverse impact on amenity, either visually or in terms of residential
amenity; and traffic generation would be similar to the farm use. These conclusions are
subject to the imposition of conditions 2-5 below; but otherwise I consider the proposal
is appropriate development in the Green Belt and would not be in conflict with the
Policies noted in para 7.1 above.
7.3 The site is within an Area of Special Landscape Character. Given the previous use of
this part of the farm, the proposals impact on the landscape character should be
somewhat similar. Provided the parking and skip storage is constrained to the areas
shown on the submitted plans, with appropriate fencing and planting, then there should
not be an adverse effect on landscape character, and Policy RU2 of the Local Plan
would not be infringed.
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7.4 The proposal should have no material impact in terms of flooding, and the Environment
Agency has raised no objection. Accordingly the proposal is acceptable in terms of
Policy BE29 of the Local Plan.
7.5 The nearest residence outside the farm curtilage is a chalet bungalow (“Sunnyside”)
beyond the entire complex of farm buildings, some distance to the north west of where
the skip hire business operates. The only complaint received by Environmental Health
concerned a bonfire on site; otherwise there have been no complaints in relation to the
use as such. Whilst the proposed use does not appear to have impinged upon the
residential amenities of nearby dwellings in Chertsey Road, it has operated the days
and hours noted in para 3.3. above. Provided these are adhered to; which would also
protect the amenities of the existing farmhouse; then I consider the proposal would not
create a detrimental effect upon residences in the locality. Accordingly it would not
conflict with Policies EM3 and BE31 of the Local Plan.
7.6 It is considered that the provision of 4 car and 4 lorry parking spaces for the proposed
use is adequate, and can be accepted in relation to Policy M8 of the Local Plan.
7.7 Whilst it has been stated by the applicant that the skip hire business has been operating
on site without complaint for 2 years, I consider that the nature of the use, and the
modified form it would operate as now proposed i.e. with fencing, planting, and more
confined parking and storage areas, justify a temporary permission in the first instance
rather than a permanent permission. This will safeguard the Green Belt, landscape, and
residential amenity situation, by allowing the use to be monitored. I consider 3 years
would be a reasonable period for permission.
8. Recommendation
GRANT, subject to the following conditions:-
1. LIMITED PERMISSION USE (C8)
Insert “3 years” and “30th November, 2004”
2. The car and lorry parking spaces shown on the submitted plan shall be marked out
within 3 months of the date of this permission. Car and lorry parking associated
with the use hereby permitted shall be confined to those spaces, and the approved
facilities together with the means of access thereto shall be maintained and be
reserved for the benefit of the development hereby permitted.
3. The 3 metre high fence (& gates) shown on the submitted plan shall be erected
within 3 months of the date of this permission, in accordance with the submitted
details, and thereafter such fencing shall be maintained.
4. Details of the species of planting to be used on the southern side of the fence
referred to in condition 3 above shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority
for approval within 2 months of the date of this permission, and once approved
such planting shall be undertaken within the first available planting season. Such
planting shall be maintained for the next 5 years.
5. Skips to be stored in the open in connection with the use hereby permitted shall be
confined solely to the area shown hatched on the submitted plan and shall not
exceed 3m in height.
6. The skip hire business hereby permitted shall not operate on Sundays or Public
Holidays, and only between the hours of 7am to 6pm on Mondays to Fridays and
7am to 1pm on Saturdays, unless the prior consent of the Local Planning Authority
is otherwise given.
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7. The existing stables building on the application site shall not be used in connection
with the skip hire business hereby permitted without the prior consent of the Local
Planning Authority.
8. The existing workshop shown on the plan hereby approved, shall only be used for
the ancillary maintenance of vehicles associated with the skip hire business and/or
agricultural vehicles associated with Mead Farm.
REASONS
1. (a) To safeguard the amenities of the Green Belt.
(b) To safeguard the landscape character of the locality.
(c) To safeguard the amenities of residences in the locality.
2. (a) R14
(b) To protect the appearance and openness of the Green Belt and Area
of Special Landscape Character.
3&4 To protect the appearance of the Green Belt and Area of Special Landscape
Character.
5&8 To protect the appearance and openness of the Green Belt and Area of
Special Landscape Character.
6. To safeguard the amenities of residences in the locality.
7. (a) To safeguard the amenities of the Green Belt.
(b) To comply with the terms of the application.
INFORMATIVES TO APPLICANT
1. The applicant is advised that in reaching this decision the Council has had
regard to the following policies and/or proposals in the development plan.
Each is considered relevant to the decision.
Spelthorne Borough Local Plan 2001: Policies GB1, GB4, RU2, BE29, BE31,
EM3 & M8.
Surrey Structure Plan 1994: PE2
2. The Environment Agency advise that the change of use may require the issue
of a waste license for the site. If any waste is to be transferred, transported or
stored on site a waste license may need to be issued. For further information
please contact Miranda Wyncherly on 01276 454384 in the Environment
Agency’s WASTE REGULATION function.
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