Agenda item

Prior to consideration of the application, the following persons addressed the Committee in accordance with Public Speaking Procedure Rules 3(b):

·         Mr David Alexander (on behalf of the Royal Horticultural Society) (to object);

·         Ms Imogen Jamieson (Ockham Parish Council) (to object) and;

·         Mr Antonis Pazourou (Taylor Wimpey) (in support)

The Committee considered the above-mentioned full detailed application for engineering operations to form a new roundabout and stub road.

The Committee noted the supplementary late sheets which contained an update in relation to the Highways England Investment Strategy relating to the M25 junction 10 and the A3 Wisley interchange development consent order which was due to be decided by the 12 May 2021.  A ministerial statement was laid in Parliament on that day which stated that the deadline would be further extended to 12 November 2021.  The additional 6 months would allow for further consideration of environmental matters.  Planning officers considered that the delayed Highways England Development Consent Order (DCO) did not affect the ability to determine the application on the basis of the Grampian condition 4.  An objection had also been received on behalf of RHS Wisley and some very minor amendments had been made to a number of the conditions proposed which also detailed the reasons for those changes.

The Committee noted that the new access proposed was to serve the former Wisley Airfield strategic site and would be taken from the Wisley Lane Diversion, which formed part of the DCO and for this reason the application was only acceptable if the DCO was approved and built out, secured by a Grampian condition.  The DCO would therefore form the appropriate baseline to assess the impacts of the proposal.  The new access would serve the former Wisley Airfield site allocated in the Local Plan.  The vast majority of the SNCI overlapped the boundary of the DCO. To the north of the site was Elm Corner Woods which were designated as ancient woodlands SNCI, was Green Belt and close to the TBHSPA.  The roundabout incorporated a cycle and pedestrian facilities along the southern side of the wisley lane diversion and a crossing.  Surrey Highway Authority had assessed the scheme and were satisfied that the interchange would accommodate traffic flows and was safe.

Grampian Condition 4 was a key aspect of the proposal and had been agreed by both Highways England and Surrey Highway Authority as an appropriate way to control the development.  The condition stated that: ‘No development shall take place until (a) the Highways England Investment Strategy (RIS) improvement to M25 Junction 10/A3 Wisley Interchange Development Consent Order (DCO) has been granted and (b) written confirmation has been obtained from the Local Planning Authority (in consultation with Highways England and Surrey County Council) that the relevant part of the DCO, being the Wisley Lane Diversion, has been implemented/commenced on site.  Reason: The proposed development is only acceptable as part of the diverted Wisley Lane.’  The Council had sought legal advice and it was confirmed that the application could be considered now, with the use of Grampian condition 4 despite the 6-month delay to the decision of the DCO.  There were two key issues in considering the application now. The first was that the construction of the roundabout and stub road simultaneously with the Wisley Lane diversion would limit construction impacts upon the local community and RHS Wisley and would ensure that they were built at the same time providing both economic and environmental benefits.  If the decision was delayed until after the DCO was made it would potentially put time constraints on the developer and the Council in discharging conditions prior to works commencing on the DCO.  The material planning issues were the same now as they will be after any grant of the DCO.  In conclusion, it was the planning officers view that the proposal was in accordance with the specific access requirements of Policy A35 as well as the Strategic Development Framework Supplementary Planning Document which recognised that the access for the airfield would be from the realigned Wisley Lane.  The benefits of the proposal outweighed the identified harm and the application was therefore recommended for approval.

The Committee considered the application and noted that the DCO scheme proposed was for the building of a large bridge over the A3 and going into Wisley which would be four lanes wide.  The construction of a stub road at this stage, when the above had not yet been implemented was therefore considered as premature.  The Committee also agreed that this should be considered at the same time as the full planning application for the Wisley Airfield site when the stub road and roundabout could be fully assessed to ascertain whether it would meet the needs of the development. 

The Committee received advice from the Head of Place who confirmed that an extension of time for consideration of this application could be sought from the applicant.  The Committee wished for the application to be deferred until 12 November 2021 to coincide with the DCO outcome.  It was noted that the applicant may not agree and could seek non-determination and launch an appeal.  The Committee nevertheless agreed that it made more sense to determine the application once the DCO outcome was known.

A motion was moved and seconded to defer the application which was carried.

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

RESOLVED to defer application 20/P/01708 until 12 November 2021.