Agenda item

5d.       21/04246/FUL               Retention of the existing marquee for a maximum of 30 events each calendar year.

The Watermill Hotel London Road Bourne End Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire HP1 2RJ

The Case Officer, Nigel Gibbs introduced the report to Members and said that the application had been referred to the Committee as in the opinion of the Assistant Director, given the decision to grant temporary permission in respect of application 4/00206/17/MFA was taken by DMC, the extension to the temporary grant of permission be also taken by Development Management Committee.

It was proposed by Councillor Wyatt-Lowe and seconded by Councillor Stevens to GRANT the application.

Vote:

For:  5              Against:            2           Abstained: 2

Resolved: That planning permission be GRANTED.

RECOMMENDATION

That planning permission be Delegated with a view to approval subject to notification being sent to the Secretary of State in accordance with The Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009 and subject to the following conditions:

Condition(s) and Reason(s):

 1.        The marquee hereby permitted shall be totally dismantled and permanently removed from the site on or before 1 September 2024.

            Reason: In the interests of safeguarding the Green Belt in accordance with Policy CS5 of the Dacorum Core Strategy. The marquee represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt. Such development is by definition harmful to the Green Belt. There are very special circumstances for the local planning authority to support this inappropriate development in the Green Belt for this specified period.

 2.        The marquee hereby permitted shall only be used for the holding of functions by the Watermill Hotel for a maximum of 30 events in each calendar year, with 18 events until 24.00 hours (midnight) and 12 events until 23.00 hours. There shall be no use between 24.00 hours and 9.00 hours.

            Reason: To safeguard the character of this part of the Green Belt countryside and its local environment, including the residential and canalside amenity, in accordance with Policies CS 5 (criteria ii), CS10, CS12 and CS25 of the Dacorum Core Strategy ( 2013) and saved Policy 106 of Dacorum Borough Local Plan (2004).

 3.        Following the last use of the marquee subject to this planning permission the land used for the installation of the marquee shall be reinstated by re-seeding grass during the planting season starting 1 October 2024. Following this, an ecological management plan for the land the area shall be carried out fully in accordance with a scheme submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

            Reason: In the interests of safeguarding character and appearance of this part of the Green Belt and biodiversity in accordance with Polices CS5, CS25 and CS29  of the Dacorum Core Strategy (2013).

 4.        Prior to the first use of the marquee hereby permitted a written Noise Management Plan shall be submitted and agreed by the Local Planning Authority which specifies the provisions to be made for the control of noise emanating from the site. The Noise Management Plan shall include, but not be restricted to, the use and operation of a noise limiting device. Thereafter, the use shall not commence or continue until the approved Noise Management Plan has been fully implemented.

            The music noise level at any noise sensitive receptor shall not exceed the levels set out in Table 3 of the Assessment of Potential Noise Impact report prepared by 24 Acoustics Limited (reference R8764-1 Rev 0 dated 27/10/2020) at any time.

            The rating noise level from plant or other equipment shall not exceed the levels set out in Table 5 of the Assessment of Potential Noise Impact report prepared by 24 Acoustics Limited (reference R8764-1 Rev 0 dated 27/10/2020) at any noise sensitive receptor. All measurements, computations, and corrections shall have regard to the latest version of BS4142.

            Reason: To safeguard the character of this part of the Green Belt countryside and its local environment, including the residential and canalside amenity, in accordance with Policies CS 5 (criteria ii), CS12 and CS 32 of the Dacorum Core Strategy (2013) and saved Policy 106 of Dacorum Borough Local Plan (2004).

 5.        The marquee hereby permitted shall only be used in accordance with an approved emergency planning and rescue evacuation plan which shall include all the Environment Agency's and Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue's operational requirements.

            Reason : To ensure that in the public interest that the marquee and the associated land is only used at all times in accordance with all safety expectations of the Environment Agency and Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service in accordance with Policies CS8, CS9 and CS12,  saved Policies 51 and 54 of the Dacorum Borough Local Plan (2004) and Paragraph 112 (d) of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).

 6.        The plan subject to Condition 5 shall include full details of the emergency access route from the existing car park to the edge of the river bridge. All of this access route shall be subject to approved emergency warning signage and at all times during the use of the marquee to be demarcated to ensure that it is free from any customer/ visitor parking.

            Reason: In the interests of ensuring that all times during the use of the marquee this emergency access route is kept clear of any obstruction to prevent access by emergency vehicles. This is to ensure that in the public interest that the marquee and the associated land is only used at all times in accordance with all the safety expectations of the Environment Agency and Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service in accordance with Policies CS8, CS9 and CS12 of Dacorum Core Strategy (2013) and saved Policies CS51 and CS54 of the Dacorum Borough Local Plan (2004) and Paragraph 112 (d) of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).

            7.The additional exterior lighting in the interests of public safety in accordance with the requirements of Condition 5 shall be installed and maintained at all times fully in accordance with details submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. All the approved lighting shall be removed  permanently from the site in accordance with the requirements of Condition 1.

            Reason: To safeguard the character and appearance of the locality, the local environment, in the interests of biodiversity, road and rail safety to accord with the requirements of Policies CS5, CS12 , CS25, CS26, and CS32 of the Dacorum Core Strategy (2013) , Policy 113 and Appendix 8 of the Dacorum Borough Local Plan (2004) and Paragraph 112 (d) of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).

             8.Land hatched by the approved drawing shall be used for no more than 30 times each calendar year for car parking to serve the hotel marquee hereby permitted and notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2016 (Class B Temporary Uses of Land: any Order amending or re-enacting that Order with or without modification) the land crosshatched by this drawing shall not be used for any temporary purpose without the prior written approval of the local planning authority.

            Reason: In the interests of safeguarding the Green Belt and the residential amenity of the locality in accordance with Policy CS5 of the Dacorum Core Strategy (2013).

 9.        At least 1 month prior to the first use of the approved development a detailed Travel Plan Statement for the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with the Highways Authority. The approved Travel Plan Statement shall be implemented in accordance with the timetable and target contained in therein and shall continue to be implemented as long as any part of the development hereby permitted is used.

            Reason: To ensure that sustainable travel options associated with the development are promoted and maximised to be in accordance with Policies 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of Hertfordshire's Local Transport Plan (adopted 2018), Policy CS8 of the Dacorum Core Strategy (2013) and Part 9 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).

10.       The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

            1002A

            1001B

            Reason: To safeguard and maintain the strategic policies of the local planning authority and for the avoidance of doubt.