Mixed-use employment development at Land at Waterloo Park, Waterlooville

What was proposed

The application sought outline permission, with only access decided, for Class E, B2, B8 and B8 trade-counter development.

“The submission is supported by a Planning Statement, which outlines that the previous outline permission (APP/18/01072) set out at condition 19 the limits on the total amount of floorspace to be developed at the site, and also the total floorspace to be used within the different key uses, as follows: Notwithstanding the provisions of any Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, the development hereby approved should not result in more than 19,105 square metres of…”

“With regards the access to the site as applied for, the primary access is proposed to be from the existing roundabout junction off Elettra Avenue. The existing accesses into the site from Silverthorne Way are additionally proposed to be available to serve individual development plots if required or desired by occupiers.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The 4.04-hectare brownfield site is bounded by Elettra Avenue, Hambledon Road and Silverthorne Way, beside commercial and industrial uses.

“The Land at Waterloo Park site forms a parcel of land of some 4.04 hectares bounded by Elettra Avenue, Hambledon Road and Silverthorne Way. It sits adjacent to the Brambles Business Park, 1km north west of Waterlooville Town Centre. The land is a brownfield site - in 1982 planning permission was granted to Marconi for 28,300sqm of light industrial and research and development uses with ancillary buildings.”

“The primary access into the site is by way of a roundabout on Elettra Avenue. This route also serves a recently completed Lidl foodstore and adjacent McDonalds Drive Thru restaurant (see below for history). Elettra Avenue runs from Hambledon Road along the northern and western boundaries of the site, connecting to Silverthorne Way along the southern boundary and in turn back to Hambledon Road along the eastern boundary of the site.”

Officer report

Earlier permissions

Earlier permissions covered mixed employment, retail, leisure and food uses, while a foodstore and drive-through permissions remained relevant to the site.

“APP/21/00399 - Full application for erection of discount foodstore, drive through coffee shop and drive-through restaurant with associated car parking, service yard, landscaping, means of access and associated infrastructure. Permit 04/10/2024. Officer comment: This permission relates to the north western part of the site the subject of the current proposals.”

“APP/13/00893 Outline application for demolition of the existing main building and a mixed-use employment, leisure and retail development comprising of Class C1 hotel, Class D2 cinema, 3No. Class A3 restaurants, Class A4 public house, Class A3/A5 drive-thru restaurant, Class A1 food store and retention of E Block for use as Class B1 offices or conversion to Sui Generis bowling complex, Class D2 health and fitness centre, and Class A3 restaurant.”

Officer report

Why officers supported it

Officers considered the proposal sustainable because it would return vacant land to economic use without unacceptable effects on town-centre vitality, neighbours, highways, flooding or ecology.

“The proposed development would bring the site back into economic use and would support economic growth in compliance with the adopted allocations plan policy WA2 (BD54). The proposal is considered to accord with the sequential and impact tests in retail terms as set out in the NPPF and NPPG, and in Policy CS4 of the Local Plan (Core Strategy) 2011.”

“In terms of impact on the highway network, subject to mitigation measures required by S106 Agreement and conditions, the proposed development is considered to be sustainable in transport terms and would not have an unacceptable impact on highway safety; nor would the residual cumulative impacts on the road network be severe.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The applicant’s agent addressed the committee and answered questions about potential operators, leisure demand and environmental standards.

What members discussed

Members considered secondary access points, operator variety, highway contributions, development uses, environmental standards and the relationship with existing permissions.

“Members discussed the application and were minded to consider the importance of the secondary access points.”

Minutes

The vote

The committee voted to grant outline consent, subject to a legal agreement and conditions.

“Following a vote it was RESOLVED that application APP/24/00777 be granted outline consent subject to:”

“(B) the following conditions (subject to such changes and/or additions that the Development Manager considers necessary to impose prior to the issuing of the decision):”

Minutes