Contractor’s local base at Bradfield Grove Farm, Cow Lane, Grove

What was proposed

A two-year temporary contractor base would store materials and use two moveable cabins for water-meter installation work in the local area.

“PROPOSAL 2.1 This application seeks a temporary permission for the use of the land as a contractor base for contractors installing water metres in homes in the local area. A temporary permission of two years is sought.”

“The land will be used to store materials and two moveable cabins will be placed on the land, one to be used as the administrative base and the other as a welfare room. Contractors will arrive at the site in the morning to collect materials and then travel to the meter installation location, not returning until the following morning.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The proposed area is hardstanding at Bradfield Grove Farm, accessed from the A338 along a road passing dwellings, a bridleway and a footpath.

“The application site is an area of hardstanding within Bradfield Grove Farm. The hardstanding is within the parish of West Hanney whereas the access road is within the parish of Grove.”

“The site location plan is shown in Figure 1 below. The hardstanding is to the west of agricultural buildings forming part of the agricultural unit and to the north of the Thames Water sewage treatment works. The site is accessed via the A338 to the east, along an access track that passes through a group of dwellinghouses, some of which are former agricultural buildings.”

Officer report

Earlier permissions and site history

The hardstanding relates to approved agricultural building permissions, while earlier applications included a withdrawn anaerobic digestion facility and a refused permanent HGV yard nearby.

“The site has existing permissions for agricultural barns (P20/V0057/FUL and P20/V0060/FUL), but these have not been built nearly six years after approval. • The land has instead been used for unauthorised parking and machinery storage. • Another nearby hardstanding area is also being used for machinery storage without visible planning permission, despite a public footpath crossing it.”

“The approved area for a tractor shed was 1,600 m², but the current proposal claims over 9,400 m². This nearly fivefold increase is not justified and raises concerns about intensification beyond what was originally permitted. • The single‑track access road is already used by residents, farm machinery, Thames Water vehicles, and large grain lorries. It is narrow, poorly maintained, prone to flooding, and lacks adequate passing places.”

Officer report

Why officers recommended approval

Officers considered the temporary use acceptable because conditions would control its duration and hours, avoiding significant harm to neighbours, landscape, highways and ecology.

“It is considered that the likely number of trips generated by the proposed use and the fact that trips by larger vehicles will be infrequent will prevent significant harm to the amenity of the dwellings close to the access road.”

“The statement submitted with this application outlines that the site will be in use between 7.00 and 16.00 Monday to Friday with occasional Saturday morning working. These hours will prevent disturbance at unsocial hours. However, without a restrictive condition deliveries etc could take place at unsocial hours during the temporary period which has the potential to harm the nearby dwellings.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A representative of West Hanney Parish Council spoke against the application, the agent spoke in support, and the ward councillor spoke on the application.

What members discussed

Members considered the two-year limit, enforcement, agricultural permissions, traffic, screening, lighting, countryside employment and the difference from earlier cases.

“Members asked officers to clarify the effect of the two-year temporary permission. Officers confirmed that the permission had a hard end date, after which all temporary structures and materials must be removed and the land returned to its current hardstanding condition. Any continued use beyond that point would be subject to enforcement action.”

“Members debated the proposal. Some members expressed reservations about the impact on nearby residents, noting that although the site was rural, the access road passed close to homes and would experience regular vehicle movements during the two-year period. Members noted that the complex history of site management and stressed the importance of enforcing the time limit once the permission expired.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee approved the application with temporary permission, approved plans, restricted hours, boundary screening and lighting conditions.

“RESOLVED: to approve planning application P25/V2747/FUL subject to the following conditions:”

“Temporary Permission 2. Approved plans 3. Restricted Working Hours Pre-commencement: Boundary screening detail Prior to the first use of the development hereby approved, the site's external boundaries shall be enclosed in accordance with a detailed scheme which shall first have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.”

Minutes