Agenda item

REPORT OF THE SENIOR PLANNING OFFICER

Erection of one Class E (g (ii) and (iii)), B2 and B8 unit with associated service yard, car parking, landscaping and ancillary works

RESOLVED: That application 22/00750/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the reasons and conditions set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager, with an additional requirement for the agent to provide an Environmental Management Statement, to cover the installation of EV chargers and PV panels on site, and a relevant condition added subject to confirmation from the Chair of the Planning Control Committee. Should this not be agreed then the application would be brought back to the Committee for determination. As well as the deletion of Condition 19, the re numbering of Condition 20 to 22 to Conditions 19 to 21 and the following amendments to Informative 1 and conditions 19 and:

“Informative 1:

Charging points shall be installed by an appropriately certified electrician/electrical contractor in accordance with the following specification. The necessary certification of electrical installation should be submitted as evidence of appropriate installation to meet the requirements of Part P of the most current Building Regulations. Cable and circuitry ratings should be of adequate size to ensure a minimum continuous current demand for the vehicle of 16A and a maximum demand of 32A (which is recommended for Eco developments)

·       A separate dedicated circuit protected by an RBCO should be provided from the main distribution board, to a suitably enclosed termination point within a garage or an accessible enclosed termination point for future connection to an external charge point.

·       The electrical circuit shall comply with the Electrical requirements of BS7671: 2008 as well as conform to the IET code of practice on Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment installation 2012 ISBN 978-1-84919-515-7 (PDF). This includes requirements such as ensuring the Charging Equipment integral protective device shall be at least Type A RCD (required to comply with BS EN 61851 Mode 3 charging).

·       If installed in a garage all conductive surfaces should be protected by supplementary protective equipotential bonding. For vehicle connecting points installed such that the vehicle can only be charged within the building, e.g. in a garage with a (non-extended) tethered lead, the PME earth may be used. For external installations the risk assessment outlined in the IET code of practice must be adopted, and may require additional earth stake or mat for the EV charging circuit. This should be installed as part of the EV ready installation to avoid significant on cost later.

·       A list of authorised installers (for the Government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme) can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-low-emission-vehicles.

·       UK Government is intending to issue legislation in 2021 to require domestic EV charge points to be smart, thus we recommend that all charge points will be capable of smart charging, as detailed in UK Gov consultation response.

Condition 18:

·       Demolition/development shall take place in accordance with the Written Scheme of Investigation approved under condition (17).

·       The development shall not be occupied until the site investigation and post investigation assessment has been completed in accordance with the programme set out in the Written Scheme of Investigation approved under condition (17) and the provision made for analysis, publication and dissemination of results and archive deposition has been secured.

Reason: To safeguard the archaeological record.”

Audio recording - 44 minutes 44 seconds

The Senior Planning Officer provided an update from the Historic Environmental team at Hertfordshire County Council, who had advised of the following, that:

·       The site was within an area that may have archaeological potential, particularly related to a significant prehistoric landscape.

·       The site was close to Ermine Street, a Roman road, the Icknield Way, a prehistoric routeway and Therfield Heath, where prehistoric archaeology of national significance had been found.

·       Roman and medieval remains had previously been found in Royston and the site was judged as having potential for Roman remains.

·       Proposed conditions for this application included archaeological monitoring of all areas of groundwork, archaeological investigation should any remains be encountered, an analysis of the archaeological work and the production of a report on any remains, and such other provisions required to protect any archaeological find.

The Senior Planning Officer advised that:

·       The archaeology implication closely followed National Planning Policy framework 199-205.

·       Three conditions had been added to the application in anticipation of this report, Condition 17 which was correct and Condition 18 and 19 which would be deleted and replaced by a new Condition 18.

·       The remaining Conditions 20 to 22 would be renumbered Conditions 19 to 21.

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report in respect of Application 23/00750/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

The following Members asked points of clarification:

·       Councillor Tom Tyson

·       Councillor David Levett

In response to the points of clarification the Senior Planning Officer advised that:

·       Under the Local Transport Plan 5% of parking space were required for EV Parking, the Highways provision was stated under condition 16.

·       The typographical error on Informative 1 would be changed.

·       Condition 16 stated the requirement for 4 passive parking spaces.

The following Members took part in debate:

·       Councillor Michael Muir

·       Councillor Daniel Allen

·       Councillor Nigel Mason

·       Councillor Sean Nolan

·       Councillor Louise Peace

Councillor Michael Muir proposed that the application be approved, subject to additional conditions regarding the installation on EV chargers and PV panels on site.

In response to this proposal, the Area Planning Officer advised that an Environmental Management Statement could be requested from the applicant to cover the requested additions. The wording of further conditions could then be agreed with the Chair of the Planning Control Committee, once agreed with the applicant. Failure to agree a condition on this would mean the application return to the Committee for determination.

Councillor Michael Muir proposed the application be approved, subject to the provision of an Environmental Management Statement, and Councillor Sean Nolan seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That application 22/00750/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the reasons and conditions set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager, with an additional requirement for the agent to provide an Environmental Management Statement, to cover the installation of EV chargers and PV panels on site, and a relevant condition added subject to confirmation from the Chair of the Planning Control Committee. Should this not be agreed then the application would be brought back to the Committee for determination. As well as the deletion of Condition 19, the re numbering of Condition 20 to 22 to Conditions 19 to 21 and the following amendments to Informative 1 and conditions 19 and:

“Informative 1:

Charging points shall be installed by an appropriately certified electrician/electrical contractor in accordance with the following specification. The necessary certification of electrical installation should be submitted as evidence of appropriate installation to meet the requirements of Part P of the most current Building Regulations. Cable and circuitry ratings should be of adequate size to ensure a minimum continuous current demand for the vehicle of 16A and a maximum demand of 32A (which is recommended for Eco developments)

·       A separate dedicated circuit protected by an RBCO should be provided from the main distribution board, to a suitably enclosed termination point within a garage or an accessible enclosed termination point for future connection to an external charge point.

·       The electrical circuit shall comply with the Electrical requirements of BS7671: 2008 as well as conform to the IET code of practice on Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment installation 2012 ISBN 978-1-84919-515-7 (PDF). This includes requirements such as ensuring the Charging Equipment integral protective device shall be at least Type A RCD (required to comply with BS EN 61851 Mode 3 charging).

·       If installed in a garage all conductive surfaces should be protected by supplementary protective equipotential bonding. For vehicle connecting points installed such that the vehicle can only be charged within the building, e.g. in a garage with a (non-extended) tethered lead, the PME earth may be used. For external installations the risk assessment outlined in the IET code of practice must be adopted, and may require additional earth stake or mat for the EV charging circuit. This should be installed as part of the EV ready installation to avoid significant on cost later.

·       A list of authorised installers (for the Government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme) can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-low-emission-vehicles.

·       UK Government is intending to issue legislation in 2021 to require domestic EV charge points to be smart, thus we recommend that all charge points will be capable of smart charging, as detailed in UK Gov consultation response.

Condition 18:

·       Demolition/development shall take place in accordance with the Written Scheme of Investigation approved under condition (17).

·       The development shall not be occupied until the site investigation and post investigation assessment has been completed in accordance with the programme set out in the Written Scheme of Investigation approved under condition (17) and the provision made for analysis, publication and dissemination of results and archive deposition has been secured.

Reason: To safeguard the archaeological record.”