Agenda item

The Committee considered the above-mentioned full application for redevelopment of Mount Browne headquarters including demolition of existing dog school and operational policing buildings and development of replacement dog school with associated staff accommodation, replacement core operational police buildings, ground maintenance compound and refurbishment of core operational building including courtyard wing, old building and sports building.  Construction and refurbishment of associated parking including new decked car park.   Associated landscaping, engineering operations and ancillary works.

The Committee received a presentation from the Senior Planning Officer, Morgan Laird.  The Committee noted the supplementary late sheets which detailed the 31 emails of objection which had been received since the agenda was published and two further objections received since the late sheets were published.  It was also pointed out by a resident in a memo to members that Artington Parish Council’s objection was not logged on the Guildford Borough Council planning portal.  The comments were reviewed by planning officers, with the exception of one comment with respect to drone use, which was not part of this application, the remaining comments had already been considered in the officer’s report.  The late sheets also summarise a few changes, particularly with further assessment of air quality.  The officer’s report, as published, did not come to a conclusion on the impact of air quality because further clarification was being sought from the applicant.  In this case, it had been provided with respect to the impact on the Town Centre Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and the Council’s Environmental Health Officer raised no further concerns.  Condition 7 had also been amended, for clarity, to make it clear that it related to biodiversity net gain.  A further condition, no.32, was also being recommended which would require the access road to come forward before first use of any of the buildings on the main site.  This was to address the highway impact associated with the increased trip generation.  The County Highway Authority considered that the access road would mitigate that harm because it would take vehicle movements from Sandy Lane and The Ridges.  The access road was fundamental to that which was why this condition was recommended.

The Committee noted that the site was located to the south of Guildford’s urban area.  The College of Law was located to the northeast with Old Portsmouth Road running along the eastern boundary.  The site was located on a steep topography with dense vegetation and ancient woodland to the east with a woodland belt running centrally through the site. 

The main site was comprised of previously developed land and was inset from the Green Belt.  Part of the site was also allocated for housing with ancient woodland to the east. St Catherine’s Conservation Area was situated to the north of the site and the development was outside of the Conservation Area.  A public right of way ran along the western side of the site and the southern boundary.  The lower half of the site was known as the valley bottom and was located in the Green Belt, the Surrey Hills National Landscape Area and an Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV).   

The site also contained a non-designated heritage asset known as the Old House.  The development would not include any alterations to this building.  The Old House would be renovated internally and have a minor alteration to the roof made to provide a connecting corridor between the wings.  The Conservation Officer had reviewed the proposal and considered that no harm was associated with the works proposed to the Old House.  The Courtyard Wing would have an additional staircase to the side and be retained in its current footprint.  The main building would be demolished, and the multi-storey car park set down below the existing tree line.  Owing to their poor condition, the existing dog school and kennels would be demolished as part of the application.   The kennels were also currently set-up so that the dogs could see each other and set each other off barking.  There was no acoustic insulation or a way to reduce the noise from the dogs.  Therefore, there was a need to provide and improve facilities for the dog school.  The applicant had undertaken an assessment of alternative sites for the dog school, but the site proposed was intrinsically linked with other operational requirements, including firearms training and drug relocation.

The existing sports field remained, and its use would not change.  The proposal included a new maintenance compound as well.  The multi-storey car park to the north-east of the site had a split-level design, three to four storeys in height, to work with the levels of the site.  An ancillary building was proposed to provide amenities to staff onsite, including showers and lockers storage.  The Munstead building would replace the existing dog school and was situated in an enclosed woodland setting.

Throughout the pre-application and application process, planning officers had raised concerns regarding the extent of development within the Green Belt.  As a result, the development had been made smaller and more compact.  The extent of the footprint was also largely contained to the area of previously developed land.  Planning Officers acknowledge that harm would be caused to the Green Belt by virtue of this development.  It was an open site that was visible from the public footpath.  However, in this case, an assessment of alternative sites had been undertaken and were not found to be appropriate.  The site already had a dog school and would not result in an increase in the number of kennels which amounted to 50 in total.  Owing to the open landscape, noise would travel differently.  However, the noise assessment submitted demonstrated that there would not be an unacceptable impact on surrounding sensitive areas.  The dog kennels would also be located some distance from Sandy Lane and The Ridges, as well as the properties located there.  The new kennels would have acoustic controls in place to help mitigate concerns regarding noise which included insulation by acoustic fencing surrounding it and between the kennels.  In addition, the dogs would no longer have sight of each other.    

In conclusion, it was the planning officer’s view that the application did result in harm and represented an inappropriate form of development in the Green Belt.  There would be harm to the Surrey Hills National Landscape although this was only identified as moderately adverse by the landscape and visual impact assessment.  This still represented harm and was afforded significant weight.

Planning Officers nevertheless considered that there were exceptional circumstances for a public need for the proposed development.  Planning Officers had made that assessment and concluded that the benefits, which included the need for the new dog kennels, ensured the secure ongoing operation of the Police Headquarters and provided improved welfare and facilities for staff retention and its associated economic and employment benefits.

The scheme had also been designed to be BREEAM excellent with the associated sustainability benefits.  The scheme proposed enhancements to the Surrey Hill National Landscape Area which included sign boards to be erected near the public right of way.  It also included additional planting above and beyond what was originally proposed with the scheme.  It would consolidate car parking and remove car parking from ancient woodland.  In this case, planning officers were satisfied that the benefits of the scheme would clearly outweigh the harms, and subject to the conditions and Section 106 as detailed in the report and late sheets, was recommended for approval.  

The Committee considered the application and noted comments that the redevelopment proposed appeared to fit in better with the overall environment and appeared less intrusive.  There was no overall increase in height or visibility of the buildings from any significant vantage point.  The development was therefore commended.

The Committee noted a query raised in relation to the fact that the site had been allocated in the Local Plan.  What was the potential reduction in housing that would result from the sites continued use by the Police and what weight should be applied to that?

Planning Officers confirmed that the site had been allocated for 116 houses in the Local Plan and the development proposed by the Police would impact the Borough’s overall housing supply given they were not moving from that site.  It was for the Committee to decide what weight they wished to apply to that.  The Police would also be moving from the existing town centre site which would therefore be available for redevelopment. 

The Committee noted comments of support for the proposed redevelopment of the site which would bring cohesion to what was currently a piecemeal and aged set of buildings.  The Committee recognised the concerns that had been raised by residents but overall commended the scheme for approval.  

The Chairperson, Councillor King therefore moved the officer’s recommendation to approve application 24/P/00564, subject to a S106, and updated conditions 7 and 32, as detailed on the supplementary late sheets, and Councillor Steven Lee seconded the motion which was carried.

In conclusion, having taken consideration of the representations received in relation to this application, the Committee

RESOLVED to approve application 24/P/00564 subject to the S106 and to the updated conditions 7 and 32 as detailed in the supplementary late sheets and to the following:

(i)                That delegated authority be granted to the Assistant Director of Planning to grant permission and make minor amendments to the wording of conditions subject to the applicant entering into a Section 106 Agreement to secure:

·        Monitoring of onsite Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

·        Implementation of the proposed landscaping

(ii)              That upon completion of the above, the application be determined by the Joint Assistant Director of Planning.  The recommendation is to approve planning permission subject to conditions.