The Corporate Director - Communities submitted a report, which confirmed that on 30 August, 2018, the Development Control Committee considered planning application P/18/520/FUL as a departure from the Local Development Plan. The Development Control Committee resolved not to refuse planning permission, so the application is referred to Council which is requested to approve the application subject to conditions.

A copy of the Development Control Committee report on this matter was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

The Group Manager Development advised that Members were familiar with him attending the Development Control Committee to provide updates on the Local Development Plan (LDP) and other development planning matters, whereby the importance of compliance with and delivery of the LDP was emphasised. Occasionally however, reports relating to development that does not comply with the LDP where the above Committee have resolved to approve were required to be considered by Council, as the Committee is unable to make a determination on certain applications (that depart from the LDP).

The above application related to an extension to the existing Rockwool factory site at Wern Tarw, Bridgend, a major employer in the County Borough.  The extension will involve developing land currently outside the allocated area for the factory and into the open countryside.  As such the proposal does not comply with the LDP.

The extended area will provide a larger and more accessible external storage area for the finished Rockwool product immediately to the south of their existing factory, with access from a new entrance off Wern Tarw Road.

A multi-million pound investment from Rockwool Global Headquarters in Denmark had been secured to undertake this extension in order to improve the efficiency of the site in terms of deliveries, unloading and loading and to meet an increased demand for the product.

The area of new development revolves around a new concrete hardstanding area (including an asphalt entrance and access road/parking area/loading area for HGV’s) of approximately 20 acres of relatively low grade agricultural land to the immediate south of the current facility. The development will also include an enclosed and insulted conveyor belt into the main factory site, driver welfare facility, forklift garage and security hut. The new storage space facility will also allow the company to free up some space at the current site entrance opposite Wern Farm Road; maximise the capacity of the factory to produce, store and deliver their products and employ an extra 65 permanent full time workers (on top of the existing 404 employees) on the site. Production at the plant was scaled down following the economic downturn and this proposal does not involve increasing production facilities, rather the improving the efficiency of the current operation.

The proposal was subject to extensive pre-application discussion and community consultation. The application was also accompanied by the necessary detailed reports including traffic assessment, ecological assessments (including bats, dormouse, great crested newt, reptiles and breeding birds), lighting study, Design and Access Statement, Visual Impact Assessment, Noise Assessment Report Stage 1-2 Road Safety Audit, ground investigation report, flood risk assessment and construction management plan.

The proposal has been thoroughly assessed including the input from statutory consultees and the Council’s own internal experts.  It was not considered that the development will give rise to any overriding issues of amenity, design or safety.

A number of concerns have been raised by residents, the Town Council and local member. These concerns are highlighted and addressed in the planning report and were discussed at length during the Development Control Committee meeting.

The Group Manager Development  confirmed that on balance, having regard to the above and weighing up of all material considerations relevant to this scheme, in planning terms it is considered that development is acceptable in this specific location due to the justification for the expansion of this established employment site within the County Borough and in regard to any potential impacts on surrounding residents by way of noise, air quality and lighting; any impact on the character and appearance of the site and surrounding countryside; its potential impact on biodiversity in and around the site; and its potential impact on the highway network and drainage in and around the site.

Therefore, there was a reasoned argument for the extension of the factory site into the adjacent land within the countryside.

Planning law dictates that planning applications must be determined in accordance with the LDP, unless material circumstances state otherwise. In this case the expansion of this established industrial facility and the associated economic benefits in terms of additional employment, he felt outweighed the general countryside protection policies in this case and will provide a degree of resilience to the plant.

The Group Manager Development concluded, that the Local Planning Authority can grant permission for development which does not accord with the provisions of the LDP in force in the area, subject to ratification by Council.  The Development Control Committee were not minded to refuse planning consent. 

The Member for the area in question, raised some concerns regarding the existing highway infrastructure in the Heol-Y-Cyw/Wern Tarw area and the detrimental effect the extension of the development may have on this, due to an increase in large vehicular traffic to/from the application site. Whilst he supported the extra employment opportunities the development would bring, he felt that the application should not be approved, unless a Condition was added to the consent that would give rise to improvements being made to the highway network at the above mentioned location. He therefore moved an amendment to the recommendation to this effect, which was duly seconded.

A further Member who supported this proposal, asked if a recorded vote could be undertaken on the amendment.

An electronic  vote was therefore taken on whether or not there should be a recorded vote, the result of which was as follows:-

For                                 Against                            Abstentions

36                                     0                                          0

The Group Manager Development advised that the proposal so made by the Member was not an amendment to the recommendation, as what was being proposed did not form part of the report’s recommendation. He also pointed out that there would not be an increase of vehicles to/from the Rockwool site as a result of the application. He added also that the condition of the highway pre-existed the submission of the application, and therefore it was not incumbent upon the developer to necessarily address any pre-existing highway network issues.

With the advice of the Monitoring Officer, it was therefore agreed that the vote be ‘yes’ for those in favour of the recommendation, and ‘no’ for those who wish it to be refused.

The result of the recorded vote was as follows:-

For (approval of the report)            Against                      Abstentions

28                                                       14                                   1

RESOLVED:                    That Council approved the report (and the development), and that the Corporate Director – Communities be given delegated authority to issue a decision notice in respect of the proposal, subject to the Conditions contained in the report.