Service yard hours at The Martlets Shopping Centre, Burgess Hill

What was proposed

The application sought to extend service-yard delivery and collection hours to 06:00–20:00 Monday to Saturday.

“Proposal: Variation of condition no 14 relating to planning application DM/25/1327 - to extend the hours in the condition to between 06:00 - 20:00 hours Monday to Saturday.”

Officer report

The site

The site is a 2.46-hectare town-centre shopping centre with existing residential units nearby and a multi-storey car park.

“The site is bounded by Church Walk to the north and Civic Way to the south and east. Adjoining the site to the east is the Market Place Shopping Centre, a covered shopping centre containing amongst other occupiers, Waitrose. To the south of the application site is largest of the town centre car parks.”

“The largest building on the application site is Martlets Height, an 8-storey former office building that is now vacant, the remainder of the site is of a much lower scale, although the multi-storey car park is equivalent to 4 storeys (including a lower ground floor). Due to the fall in levels across the site the apparent scale of the existing built form is masked to a degree, although it is more noticeable when viewed from Civic Way.”

Officer report

Earlier permissions

Earlier permissions approved redevelopment including retail space, homes, leisure uses, a hotel, car parking and public-realm improvements.

“DM/15/3858 - Demolition of multi-storey car park, public library, community building and offices. Provision of additional retail floor space (Class A1-A5), residential units (Class C3), a multi-screen cinema (Class D2), public library (Class D1), a hotel (Class C1), the reconfiguration and expansion of existing car park, amendments to the site access, public realm improvements including landscaping and other associated works. Approved 14th March 2016.”

“DM/19/3331 - Demolition of multi-storey car park, public library and offices. The conversion of existing buildings and erection of new buildings to provide, additional retail floor space (Classes A1 and A3), residential units (Class C3) with undercroft car parking, a multi-screen cinema (Class D2), bowling alley (Class D2), gymnasium (Class D2), a hotel (Class C1), the reconfiguration and expansion of existing public car park, amendments to the site access, public realm…”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission because mitigation would prevent significant or substantial residential harm and the change would not create highway safety problems.

“Your Planning Officer has no reason to disagree with this assessment. It is considered that with the measures outlined in the Noise Management Plan being secured by condition, the proposed change to the hours of use of the service yard would not cause either significant or substantial harm to either the amenities of the existing occupiers that adjoin the site, or the amenities of the future occupiers of the apartments that are permitted by application DM/25/1327.”

“As the physical development is not changing as a result of this application, this assessment remains the same and there are no grounds to come to a different conclusion on this issue now. The key issue is the impact of the proposed increase in the use of the service yard on the amenities of the adjoining properties.”

Officer report

Who spoke

Steve King, Team Leader Major Development, introduced the application and noted there had been no objections.

The committee vote

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Marsh, seconded by Councillor Bates, and approved by 11 votes to one.

“The Chairman took Members to a vote on the recommendation, which was proposed by Councillor Marsh and seconded by Councillor Bates, this was agreed with 11 in favour 1 against.”

Minutes

The decision

Planning permission was granted subject to the conditions listed in the report’s appendix.

“That Planning permission be granted subject to the conditions listed at Appendix A of the report.”

Minutes