Agenda item

Councillor MacGregor declared an interest in application 19/01180/FUL, Bakers Park Newton Abbot by virtue of his Executive Portfolio for Sport, Recreation and Culture and being consulted in relation to the project. Councillor Macgregor spoke but did not vote on the application.

Public speaker, Objector – Welcomed elements of the application, but raised objections in relation to the Pavilions building on the grounds of: loss of green space; 50 metres from dwellings; refreshment kiosk not needed because there is already a mobile coffee outlet on site; removal of shrubbery; and potential for increased anti-social behaviour.

In response the Business Manager advised that there would be no impact on landscape, and the commerciality of the refreshment kiosk was not a planning matter for consideration.

Comments for Councillors included: the existing car parking spaces are sufficient, it is a “walk to” park, and the proposed increase in spaces is unnecessary and a loss of green space; the pavilion building is unnecessary, footballers are already catered for; the mobile refreshment outlet would be put out of business; the Devon Air Ambulance lighting pole could be better located to avoid disturbance to wildlife; the toilet proposal is welcomed for visitors; the park is popular because it has multiple games facilities with the tennis courts and football pitches; the car park is at full capacity a lot of the time and the additional spaces are welcomed to avoid Stepps Meadow and Old Totnes Road being used for overflow parking; the proposed changing facilities should cater for use of both pitches and not just one; the pavilion and toilets are needed and the additional car parking spaces have been reduced from the original plans; there will be no loss of trees and additional will be planted; the lighting column is only for emergency landings by Devon Air Ambulance; the improvements have been requested by the community for many years; the existing changing rooms are unsuitable for disabled access and it is unviable to being the former toilet building back into use; the proposed toilet facilities will enable visitors, particularly those with children,  to stay at the park for longer; 

It was proposed by Councillor J Hook, seconded by Councillor Keeling and

Resolved

Permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

1. Development to begin before the expiry of three years from the date of this permission;

2. Development to be carried out in accordance with approved plans;

3. The works shall proceed in strict accordance with the precautions and measures described in the submitted Preliminary Ecological Appraisal

4. No external lighting shall be installed on, or in association with, the new building or car park, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the planning authority. No floodlighting shall be installed or used in association with the pitch, courts or elsewhere in Bakers Park, except for the air ambulance column and light. The air ambulance light shall be installed and maintained in strict accordance with the submitted details, shall be used only for air ambulance purposes and shall be switched off immediately when it is no longer required for air ambulance purposes.

5. Prior to commencement including site clearance, a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

6. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the submitted flood risk assessment and associated mitigation measures.

7. A buffer of at least 8m shall be retained between the top of the river bank and the proposed car parking spaces hereby approved.

8. The pavilion building hereby approved shall only be used for changing rooms and a refreshment kiosk.

9. Prior to its use on the building, a sample of the slate to be used on the pavilion building shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

(12 votes for, 4 against and 2 abstentions)