Agenda item

To consider the report of the Service Lead City Development.

 

The Principal Project Manager (Development) (PJ) presented the application for the construction of a six storey research and education building.

 

The Principal Project Manager stated that the development met the requirements of Development Planning Policy and was included within the University of Exeter Masterplan. Permission would include construction to a BREEAM excellent standard and he referred to a minor amendment in condition 11 relating to noise levels during construction.

 

Mr McCann spoke in support of the application. He raised the following points:-

 

·         project will accommodate 627 academic colleagues in six research institutes including core research themes in the Government’s Industrial Strategy and help drive the local economy in the post Covid recovery phase by supporting the LEP’s Local Industrial Strategy;

·         will support 4,000 students;

·         will help challenges in recruiting foreign students, the Government is to allow 105% of predicted growth for 2020/21 to come from Home/EU students. Nursing and allied health places are excluded from the 105% cap and the University’s College of Medicine and Health is well placed to benefit from this;

·         an additional demand of 300,000 Higher Education places is predicted through to 2030;

·         the University’s Research activity this year will be circa £97million projected to expand to £120-125million over next five years;

·         continued investment by the University together with Further Education Partners has seen recent successful projects for research and education including the South West Institute of Technology, with a focus on Computer Science, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence; and

·         the project is required to ensure the University will continue to be a “Forever Destination Institution” tohelp ensure it is in a position to realise our Core Strategy of being a Top 10 UK and Top 100 Global Research Intensive University.

 

Responding to a Member, he advised that the 400 seat auditorium was flexible and could be divided into two areas of 200 seats each as well as being able to move all seating back to create a single standing space. This would be of value in view of the current COVID 19 crisis.

 

A Member made the following comments:-

 

·         welcome the contribution the research facility will bring to the local economy;

·         because of the dominant nature of the building in relation to the surrounding residential area, regard should be given to its impact on the wider community. As such, similar mitigation measures, as introduced for the adjoining East Park development on the campus, are necessary including the need to ensure that noise levels are kept to a minimum during construction and that floodlighting is kept to appropriate hours; and

·         seek the updating of the University’s Traffic Management Plan prior to the opening of the building, particularly to ensure that car parking does not occur in neighbouring residential areas. Suggest also that the University could consider becoming a car free University.

 

The recommendation was for approval, subject to the conditions as set out in the report and additional conditions in respect of drainage and landscape.

 

The recommendation was moved and seconded.

 

RESOLVED that, subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for a highway contribution of £30,000, planning permission for the construction of a six storey research and education building be APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1)         The development to which this permission relates must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date on which this permission is granted.

Reason: To ensure compliance with sections 91 and 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

2)         Samples of the materials it is intended to use externally in the construction of the development shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority. No external finishing material shall be used until the Local Planning Authority has confirmed in writing that its use is acceptable. Thereafter the materials used in the construction of the development shall correspond with the approved samples in all respects.

Reason: To ensure that the materials conform with the visual amenity requirements of the area.

 

3)         The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out otherwise than in strict accordance with the submitted details received by the Local Planning Authority on 8 January 2020 ( dwg nos. UoE-ASL-IT-01-DR-A-1001 rev P09; 1002 rev P07; 1003 rev P03; UoE-ASL-IT-ZZ-DR-A-1050 rev P04; UoE-ASL-T-01-DR-A-1011 rev P03; UoE-ASL-IT-ZZ-DR-A-9905 rev P02; UoE-ASL-IT-ZZ-DR-A-1080 rev PO4; 1081 rev P02 & 1082 rev P02 ) as modified by other conditions of this consent.

Reason: In order to ensure compliance with the approved drawings.

 

4.         No development (including ground works) or vegetation clearance works shall take place until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Statement shall provide for:

 

a)The site access point(s) of all vehicles to the site during the construction phase.

b) The parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors.

c) The areas for loading and unloading plant and materials.

d) Storage areas of plant and materials used in constructing the development.

e) The erection and maintenance of securing hoarding, if appropriate.

f) Wheel washing facilities.

g) Measures to monitor and control the emission of dust and dirt during construction.

h) No burning on site during construction or site preparation works.

i) Measures to monitor and minimise noise/vibration nuisance to neighbours from plant and machinery.

j) Construction working hours and deliveries from 8:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays and at no time on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

k) No driven piling without prior consent from the LPA.

l)  Lighting detail/timings during construction phase.

Reason: Insufficient information has been submitted with the application and in the interests of future amenity.

 

5.         No development shall take place on site until a full investigation of the site has taken place to determine the extent of, and risk posed by, any contamination of the land and the results, together with any remedial works necessary, have been agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The building(s) shall not be occupied until the approved remedial works have been implemented and a remediation statement submitted to the Local Planning Authority detailing what contamination has been found and how it has been dealt with together with confirmation that no unacceptable risks remain.

Reason: Insufficient information has been submitted with the application and in the interests of future amenity

 

6.         Prior to occupation of the building hereby approved place until details of provision for nesting swifts has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Upon written approval of the details, the scheme shall be fully implemented as part of the development and retained thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of preservation and enhancement of biodiversity in the locality.

 

Reason: Insufficient information has been submitted with the application and in the interests of future amenity

 

7.         Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority the building hereby approved shall achieve a BREEAM excellent standard. A BREEAM design stage assessment report has been submitted confirming that the uses will achieve a BREEAM Excellent Standard. The building must now be completed fully in accordance with any approval given. A BREEAM post completion report of the building shall be carried out by a licensed BREEAM assessor within three months of substantial completion of the building and shall set out the BREEAM score achieved by the building and the equivalent BREEAM standard to which such score relates.

Reason: To ensure that the proposal complies with Policy CP15 of Council's Adopted Core Strategy and in the interests of delivering sustainable development. The design stage assessment must be completed prior to commencement of development because the findings may influence the design for all stages of construction.

 

8.         Prior to commencement of the development, details shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority of sheltered secure covered cycle parking provision for the development. Development shall not be commenced until such details have been agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and prior to occupation the cycle parking shall be provided in accordance with the submitted details                           

Reason:  To ensure that adequate facilities are available for the traffic attracted to the site 

 

9.         Prior to commencement of the development, details shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority of changing facilities/lockers for the development. Development shall not be commenced until such details have been agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and prior to occupation the changing facilities/lockers shall be provided in accordance with the submitted details. 

              Reason: To provide adequate facilities for sustainable transport

 

10.         A comprehensive Travel Plan/Management Plan for the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in advance of occupation of the development. The approved travel plan measures will be implemented to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority. A review of travel patterns for the site shall be undertaken within 3 months of occupation of the development and updated on a basis as agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority thereafter.

              Reason:  To promote the use of sustainable transport modes, in accordance with paragraph 111 of the National Planning Policy Framework

 

11.       Noise from mechanical building services plant shall not exceed a rating noise level (measured in accordance with BS4142:2014) of 38dB (07:00 to 23:00) and 37dB (23:00 to 07:00) at 1m from the façade of any residential receptor.

Reason: In the interest of amenity.

 

12.       An operational noise impact assessment shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to occupation of the development. Any noise mitigation required shall be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority and implemented in full prior to occupation and maintained thereafter.

Reason: In the interest of amenity.

 

13.       Pre-commencement condition - No development shall commencement until an air quality assessment based on the AECOM brief dated 7 May 2020 has been submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Any mitigation measure required following the completion of the assessment shall be agreed in writing and implemented in in full prior to occupation and maintained thereafter.

Reason: Insufficient information has been submitted with the application and in the interests of amenity.

 

 

14.       A detailed scheme for landscaping, including the planting of trees and or shrubs, the use of surface materials and boundary screen walls and fences shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority and no dwelling of buildings hall be occupied until the Local Planning Authority have approved a scheme; such scheme shall specify materials, species, tree and plant sizes, numbers and panting densities, and any earth works required together with the timing of the implementation of the scheme. The landscaping shall thereafter be implanted in accordance with the approved scheme in accordance with the agreed programme.

Reason: To safeguard the rights of control by the Local Planning Authority in these respects and in the interests of amenity.

 

15:       In the event of failure of any trees or shrubs, planted in accordance with any scheme approved by the Local Planning Authority, to become established and to prosper for a period of five ears from the date of completion of implementation of that scheme, such trees or shrubs shall be replaced with such live specimens of such species of such size and in such number as may be approved by the Local Planning Authority.

            Reason: To safeguard the rights of control by the Local Planning Authority in these respects and in the interests of amenity.

 

16.       No part of the development hereby permitted shall be commenced until the detailed design of the proposed permanent surface water drainage management system has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The design of this permanent surface water drainage management system will be in accordance with the principles of sustainable drainage systems, and those set out in the Tech Note Drainage Strategy (Ref. PNP-ACM-XX-XX-TN-CE-000001-P01; dated 18th May 2020). No part of the development shall be occupied until the surface water management scheme serving that part of the development has been provided in accordance with the approved details and the drainage infrastructure shall be retained and maintained for the lifetime of the development.

Reason: To ensure that surface water runoff from the development is managed in accordance with the principles of sustainable drainage systems.

 

17.       No part of the development hereby permitted shall be commenced until the full details of the adoption and maintenance arrangements for the proposed permanent surface water drainage management system have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To ensure that the development’s permanent surface water drainage management systems will remain fully operational throughout the lifetime of the development.

 

18.       No part of the development hereby permitted shall be commenced until the detailed design of the proposed surface water drainage management system which will serve the development site for the full period of its construction has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. This temporary surface water drainage management system must satisfactorily address both the rates and volumes, and quality, of the surface water runoff from the construction site.

Reason: To ensure that surface water runoff from the construction site is appropriately managed so as to not increase the flood risk, or pose water quality issues, to the surrounding area.