Agenda item

An Amendment Sheet was provided to the Committee in advance of the meeting, detailing changes since the publication of the original report.

     The representative of the Head of Development Management made the following points by way of introduction:-

         1. The application related to an existing metal processing facility within the               Avonmouth Principle             Industrial and Warehousing Area as designated by the              Bristol Local Plan. The existing facility is 30 years old and out of date;

         2. The proposal was to expand the facility onto an adjacent piece of land, to             add new plant and to            upgrade and acoustically enclose existing plant. It                                  proposed a 3.5m high fence to limit dust escape and a pre-shredder to                       reduce occurrence of explosions in the Fragmentiser;

         3. The application attracted 18 objections concerning air quality and dust and          noise pollution;

         4. The applicant undertook robust community engagement and their                          responses to concerns were set out in the report;

         5. In summary, there were no adverse design, sustainability or ecology                       impacts envisaged. The business would become more efficient if planning                  permission was granted and this was recommended.

         The following points arose from debate:-

1. The only part of the development appropriate for renewable energy was the office. As the main part of the proposal was for recycling and the structures were acoustic houses and not buildings and the renewable energy was small for the office. However, the report set out other sustainability measures they had offered;

2. The Head of Development Management confirmed that no weight should currently be given to the emerging Local Plan as policies were not yet formulated;

3. Councillor Mead referred to St Andrews Church which had been there long before this development and there had been concerns about dust in Avonmouth for some time. In response, he was informed that the applicant had worked well with officers to balance the needs of the business with residential amenity and the application was now at the stage where this hadbeen achieved;

  4. Councillor Davies stated the acoustic barrier would improve the noise break out and   noted that the a 6-8 db reduction was a significant reduction for residents;

 5. The representative of the Head of Development Management confirmed that weight should be given to the fact that the site was already a recycling plant as if refused and appealed the Inspector would take this into account;

6. The Chair observed that the residents of Avonmouth had suffered from dust and noise pollution for some time and this would not happen in central Bristol. He commended Sims for the effort they had put into community engagement. He noted the assurances that things would not be made worse and noted there was a brand reputation to protect. He was therefore minded to support the officer recommendation;

7. Councillor Wright supported the officer recommendation;

8. Councillor Mead was minded to abstain as he could not be satisfied it would not be worse but equally he did not want to refuse the application in light of an appeal;

9. Councillor Breckels stated his support for the officer recommendation as he believed there would be sound reduction improvements and an established use would be difficult to defend at appeal. He therefore moved the officer recommendation and this was seconded by Councillor Windows. On being put to the vote it was:

RESOLVED (10 for, 1 abstention) – That planning permission be granted            subject to a Planning Agreement as set out in the report and amendments as set out in the Amendment Sheet.