Issue - meetings

Report by Head of Planning Services.

To consider and determine the following application:

WSCC/027/18/F         Proposed New Access Road.  New Circular Technology Park (formerFordBlockworks),Ford AirfieldIndustrial Estate, Ford, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 0HY

WSCC/027/18/F     Proposed New Access Road.  New Circular Technology Park (former Ford Blockworks), Ford Airfield Industrial Estate, Ford, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 0HY

78.1   The committee considered a report by the Head of Planning Services, as amended by the agenda update sheet (copy appended to the signed copy of the minutes).  The report was introduced by James Neave, Principal Planner, who gave a presentation on the proposals, details of the consultation and key issues in respect of the application.

78.2   Councillor Colin Humphris, Clymping Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application.  The objections included: the effect of increased HGV numbers on Church Lane on historic buildings, increased risks to pedestrians, cyclists and other road users; no safe controlled crossing points on Church Lane; no mitigation measures being recommended; extended delivery hours, and no control over delivery schedules; traffic surveys being undertaken on a quiet day during the summer school holidays, and the substantial increase in local traffic and pedestrian footfall once the new homes proposed for Yapton and Ford are constructed.  Councillor Humphris asked for the following on Church Lane: speed limit reduction; footpath and pavement redesign; safe crossing points; and junctions to be redesigned.  He also requested that current delivery hours and number of daily vehicle movements remain the same.

78.3   Jenny Betteridge, a local resident, spoke in objection to the application.  At the Chairman’s discretion, three photographs provided by Miss Betteridge were circulated to all members of the committee. The objections included: the effect of increased HGV numbers on residents living on Church Lane in terms of additional noise and increased vibrations very close to their only amenity areas (the properties do not have rear gardens); increased danger to road users (Church Lane is part of the national cycle network and the south coast cycle route) and pedestrians; the traffic survey was flawed because it was undertaken on a quiet day in August; the impact on listed buildings and other protected historical assets and their settings.

78.4   The Democratic Officer read out a letter of concern from Vince Anderson, Friends of the Old Ford to Hunston Canal to the committee.  The letter referred to the Arun Local Plan 2011-2031 which stated that development would be permitted where it would not adversely affect the remaining line and configuration of the canal and features along it.  The letter asked that the remainder of the canal be protected and restored for other uses including a footpath, cycleway, ponds, open spaces, hedgerows and trees which would help people get to work, benefit wildlife and preserve canal features.  Committee members were invited to visit the site of the old canal.

78.5   Veronique Bensadou, Senior Planner for Grundon Waste Management Ltd, spoke in support of the application.  The new access route meets the Arun District Local Plan criteria, joins the existing service road used by the sewage works and Viridor’s waste recycling site and will move the site traffic away from existing and proposed residential areas.  As a result, an increased number of permitted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78