Meeting documents

The erection of a single storey Waste Transfer Station (WTS) containing three designated waste halls to accept green, food and bulky waste, a segregated area for fly tipped waste and space for internal waste shredding and the reorientation of four external storage bays, the placement of hardstanding, the creation of a quarantine area, the retention and refurbishment of the existing BCC office, and construction of a new contractors office and ancillary development including internal access roads, parking, a gatehouse, two weighbridges, cycle and smoking shelter, fire water tanks, waste water tank, wheel wash, drainage and attenuation systems, HGV laybys and the continued use of an existing workshop

Ms C Kelham, Planning Graduate, presented the application which sought agreement for the erection of a waste transfer station and ancillary development at High Heavens Waste Management Complex (HHWMC).

Ms Kelham highlighted the following points:

• Since the publication of the report she had received one comment from a member of the public which objected to the planning application on the basis of air quality, effect on health, noise, residential amenity, traffic and highways.  Ms Kelham stated that she considered all the points had been addressed in the report.
• Since the publication of the report, she had received further comments from WDC noting that the County Council would need to be satisfied with regard to the acceptability of the development in the Green Belt and commenting on the importance of the landscaping strategy and lighting with regard to the Chilterns AONB.

Ms Kelham gave an overview of the application and the Committee received a presentation showing the proposed site plans and photographs highlighting the following:

• A main element of the proposed development was the waste transfer building, which would manage up to 107,306 tonnes per annum of municipal waste.
• A table in the presentation set out the increase in waste which was anticipated to be gradual and it was not anticipated that the capacity of the building would be met until after 2038/39.
• Ms Kelham referred to the waste streams proposed to be managed inside the waste transfer building; these were already managed at the High Heavens Waste Management Complex under the certificate of lawful development.
• The increase in HGV movements was included in the presentation and Ms Kelham confirmed that after comments from BCC Highways and WDC EHO, HGV movements would be limited to those proposed by the applicant. No condition to limit non HGV movements to and from the site was recommended.
• There was a proposed change to hours of operation on Saturdays and Sundays, though these changes would bring the site more in-line with those already permitted at the Residual Waste transfer station.

Public Speaking

Mr C Lecointe, on behalf of the applicant, attended the meeting and spoke in support of the application.  Mr Lecointe advised that the proposal was a resilient one, tested out by officers and would meet the identified need.

The Committee raised and discussed the following points:

• The need for green planting was discussed and perhaps climbing plants could be used.  It was confirmed that Condition 11 set out the landscaping conditions
• The change to Saturday hours was discussed and it was confirmed that this only brought it in line with the waste transfer site already operating longer Saturday hours on the site.
• A Member of the Committee asked if there was the means for a plastic waste in the future.  Mr Lecointe suggested that there could be in the short to medium term and that the applicant would want to respond to the needs of the County Council.
• A Member of the Committee highlighted that the draft Wycombe District Local Plan (2013-2033) indicated the District’s intention to remove limited areas of land from the Green Belt, including the High Heavens Waste Management Complex.

The Chairman reiterated that the Committee were being asked to indicate their support for the application to be forwarded to the Secretary of State rather than approval, as set out in the recommendation below:

Recommendation:

Subject to no over-riding objections being received from outstanding consultees or new issues raised through representations, the Development Control Committee is invited to:

a) INDICATE SUPPORT for application CM/0001/18 at High Heavens Household Waste Site Clay Lane, Booker, Buckinghamshire SL7 3DJ

b) RESOLVE that the application be forwarded to the Secretary of State for HCLG in accordance with the provision of the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009;

c) In the event that the Secretary of State for HCLG does not intervene, DELEGATE authority to the Head of Planning & Environment to APPROVE application CM/0001/18 subject to the conditions set out in Appendix A.

RESOLVED: All Members of the Committee SUPPORTED the application and for it to be forwarded on to the Secretary of State and to the delegate authority to the Head of Planning & Environment to approve application if the event that the SoS did not intervene.