Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Economy, Transport and Environment regarding an application for variation of numerous conditions of previous permissions to enable the continued use of the site for composting and other ancillary uses at Little Bushywarren Compost Site, Bushywarren Lane, Ellisfield RG25 2NS (Site Ref. BA103).

1) Variation of conditions 2 and 14 of planning permission BDB/56369 (No.18/03065/CMA);

2) Variation of condition 2 of planning permission 14/00398/CMA (No.18/03067/CMA);

3) Variation of condition 3 of planning permission 15/03422/CMA (No.18/03069/CMA); and

4) Variation of condition 5 of planning permission 17/03430/CMA (No.18/03073/CMA)

to enable the continued use of the site for composting and other ancillary uses at Little Bushywarren Compost Site, Bushywarren Lane, Ellisfield RG25 2NS (Site Ref. BA103)

As a previous Chairman of Project Integra, Councillor Roland Dibbs abstained from voting on this item.

The Committee considered a report from the Head of Strategic Transport (Item 8 in the minute book) which considered four separate planning applications forvariation of the conditions on previous temporary permissions to enable the continued use of the site for composting and other ancillary uses up to 31 December 2030 inline with the Veolia contract.

A location plan was shown with local areas of interest highlighted. Photos of the site were shown along with machinery, as well as of the access to and from the site.

It was confirmed that Ellisfield Parish Council had objected to the variations, but no other statutory consultees had issues with the proposals.

The current conditions were on pages 110-113 of the pack, which would be updated if the application was to be approved as some would require further information before being changed.

An update report had been circulated and published online, which provided clarification from the application on objections relating to odour and traffic. There were also some minor amendments including that to Conditions 10 and 12.

The Committee received four deputations on this item. Patricia Pegg, a local resident, told Committee how the site was in a highly sensitive area with significant ecological importance and the site had been allocated as one unsuitable for permanent development. There was concern over the decline in dormice in the area and fears that the adjacent ancient woodland was contaminated because of operations on the site.

            Susan Deane spoke as the nearest living resident to the site, and also on behalf of the Ellisfield Village Association. Mrs Deane enforced that the site was not suitable for permanent development and temporary permissions had gone on for long enough already following a previous extension. The number of vehicle movements caused concern, as well as the weighbridge, which caused delays in vehicles getting onto the site. The smells from the site had increased over the years and was an issue regularly brought to the liaison panel, but was not something that had/could be mitigated. There had also been complaints from residents that they had not been consulted regarding the 2021-2025 extension.

            Gordon Dunse spoke on behalf of Ellisfield Parish Council against the proposals and reiterated that the previous extension had not gone out to consultation. Mr Dunse also had concerns that a restoration plan had not been submitted in October 2018 as it should have.

            Simon Mckee was in attendance at the meeting to speak on behalf of the applicant. He  ...  view the full minutes text for item 137