Agenda item

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval

(Councillor Philip Houldsworth and Councillor Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey declared a personal interest in this item)

Proposal:  Full planning application for the demolition of existing building and erection of 102-bed Premier Inn hotel, with internal bar/restaurant area and Costa drive-thru, with associated parking and landscaping.

Applicant:Whitbread PLC

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 35 to 56

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included: 

·         Proposed deletion of Condition 13, and

·         Proposed additional condition to secure lighting details.

Members had visited the site on 6 October 2017.

David Wetherill, Agent, spoke in favour of the application, explaining that the site had been vacant since 2012.  It was in a major development location with bus and train connections so the application was acceptable on principle.  The facility would offer mid-range accommodation not currently available in the area and would create up to 76 full time equivalent (FTE) positions.  The scale, bulk mass and design of the development and the flood risk were acceptable and there were no other sites in the area that were suitable, viable and available.  A flood response plan had been conditioned in the application.  Site access and trip generation assessments indicated that there was sufficient parking and the impact on traffic would be minimal.  There would be a peak demand of up to 28 vehicles during the morning for the drive-thru.

Prue Bray, Ward Member, spoke in favour of the application.  She welcomed more facilities in Winnersh and the re-development of a vacant site.  The new building would have better drainage system than the current building and there was sufficient landscaping.  There would be an increase in traffic movements but this would be alleviated when the Winnersh Relief Road was in place.

In response to Member questions regarding flooding, the Case Officer stated that the new development had Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs) and had been assessed for mitigation.  The Service Manager, Highways Development Management, went on to state that following the Environment Agency’s change in climate change allowances the scheme had met this additional requirement and that the proposed scheme actually provided more storage than the amount required.

In response to Member queries regarding traffic, the Service Manager, Highways Development Management, explained that a full assessment had been carried out with sensitivity testing to review the worst case, which included the scheme being considered as a completely new scheme.  The results showed that there would be very little difference in the amount of traffic generated and was very comparable with the existing use. Junction assessments showed that the access operated well within capacity.  In regards to the Costa drive-thru, similar sites had been assessed to determine the level of use; the results showed approximately 200 movements per day from 6am to 7pm with a peak time occurring between 8.30-8.45 am with 10 vehicles being recorded.  The Costa Restaurant element was shown to generate approximately  370 vehicles to a site during the same 13 hour period, with its peak being between 8:15 – 8:30.  As the site had been vacant for 5 years, to provide the committee with additional supporting information officers reviewed accident data over an extended period, the results highlighted one driver-fault accident at the site entrance in 2007 resulting from a u-turning vehicle.  The current office building could be re-occupied at any time with full use and the vehicle movements it would entail. 

Members asked that Highways look at the traffic on the road and to consider the use of a ‘keep clear’ marking.  The officer acknowledge to that this request away to be considered but advised that it was not necessary to be linked to this planning permission and could be dealt with under a separate process.

In response to Member questions regarding foul water, the Service Manager, Highways Development Management, indicated that drainage was being adopted by Thames Water and that systems were in place to prevent foul drainage escaping during a potential flooding event. 

In response to Member questions regarding the environment, the Case Officer stated that the Ecology Officer was happy with the report.  Ornamental planting associated with the existing car park would be removed and there would be some thinning of trees.  A historic hedgerow was being retained and there was a large highway verge.  The fine detail would be agreed with the landscaping team.

Resolved:  That Application no 171240 be approved, subject to the conditions laid out in Agenda pages 35 to 56, and the proposed deleted condition and new condition as laid out in the Members’ Update.