Committee Date: 12/06/2014 Application Number: 2014/02336/PA Accepted: 14/04/2014 Application Type: Full Planning Target Date: 14/07/2014 Ward: Kings Norton Unit 800, Catesby Park, Off Eckersall Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B38 8SE Continued use of site as a training centre (use class D1) for a period of seven years Applicant: Agent: Recommendation Approve Temporary EOS Works Ltd c/o Agent Harris Lamb Ltd 75-76 Francis Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 8SP 1. Proposal 1.1. This application seeks planning permission to continue the use of the premises (2150sq.m of floorspace) as a training centre (Use Class D1). Planning consent was granted under reference 2009/03274/PA for a temporary change of use from industrial building to training centre (see planning history). Condition C1 stipulates that the use shall be discontinued on or before 27 th August 2016. The applicant has explained that the purposes of seeking a further consent now approximately 2 years before expiry is due to the pending renewal of the lease of the premises. 1.2. The applicant, EOS Works provides, as part of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), services designed to return the longer term unemployed back into sustainable employment. This encompasses the Youth Contract Wage Incentive Scheme aimed at creating work opportunities for 18-24 year olds and Support for Families to overcome any issues families and lone parents may have that could be a barrier to finding work. 1.3. The work programme is part funded by the European Social Fund and is part of the Government s wider Welfare to Work initiative that seeks to reduce benefit dependency by addressing broader social issues and break the cycles of long-term joblessness. The site provides practical training for many job functions and tailored support to help unemployed people back into sustainable employment. This includes catering and light building work and fork lift truck driving and a full set of other activity based tuition. The centre is normally open between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday with no opening on weekends or Bank Holidays. The centre has up to 50 full time professional staff. Existing parking to the front and side would be retained. 1.4. The applicant has explained that the proposed use is for a further temporary period of 7 years only. They state that there is no intention to create a long term education use on the site, and as such it is intended that at the end of the 7 year period the site Page 1 of 6
will revert back to industrial use and therefore, industrial land supply will not be eroded over the long term by this proposal. Location Plan Proposed ground floor plan 2. Site & Surroundings 2.1. The site is located in Kings Norton and forms part of Catesby Park, a high quality Business Park. This lies immediately south of a larger industrial area off Eckersall Road. The area surrounding the site is of mixed use comprising industrial, offices, leisure, retail and residential uses. The River Rea and associated flood plain and parkland runs to the south and east of the site. 2.2. Catesby Park is a wide cul-de-sac road serving 8 industrial units and is accessed from Eckersall Road and Camp Lane. The road has Traffic Regulation Orders along the majority of its length. Camp Lane links to the Pershore Road South at Cotteridge/Kings Norton. 2.3. The site is accessible by public transport, with Kings Norton Railway Station located some 550m away, bus stops for a number of services within a 5 minute walk, or within 10-12 minutes walk for wider range of services. Site location map Street view 3. Planning History 3.1. 26/03/2001 2000/00819/PA Development for Use Class B2/B8 (General Industry/Storage and Distribution) with offices and site access. Approved within conditions. 3.2. 23/01/2003 2002/06185/PA Variation of Condition C1 attached to 2000/00819/PA to extend the period of approval for reserved matter for 2 years. Approved with conditions. 3.3. 22/05/2003 2002/06647/PA Variation of Condition C5 of 2002/06185/PA to allow B1/B2 and B8 uses in all phase 2 units and one phase 1 unit. Approved with conditions. 3.4. 22/02/2003 2002/065550/PA Reserved matters application for the erection of five industrial units as phase 2 of development. Approved with conditions. 3.5. 13/11/2003 2003/05382/PA Reserved matters application for the erection of four industrial units at phase 2 of development. Approved with conditions. 3.6. 20/04/2005 2004/02269/PA Reserved matters application for proposed landscape works to phase 2 Catesby Park. Approved with conditions. 3.7. 28/08/2009 2009/03274/PA Temporary change of use from industrial building to training centre (Use Class D1). Approved with conditions. 4. Consultation/PP Responses Page 2 of 6
4.1. Transportation Development No objection subject to a review of the travel plan. 4.2. Environment Agency No objection. 4.3. Letters of notification have been sent to surrounding occupiers, Kings Norton Ward Councillors and Planning Committee members from the Northfield Constituency. A site and press notice have also been posted. No comments have been received. 5. Policy Context 5.1. The following local polices are relevant. The Birmingham Unitary Development Plan (2005) Draft Birmingham Development Plan (2013) Loss of Industrial Land to Alternative Uses SPD. 5.2. The following national policy is relevant. The National Planning Policy Framework (2012) 6. Planning Considerations 6.1. Policy 4.31 of the UDP seeks to maintain the supply of industrial land and states that the loss of industrial land to retail or other non-industrial uses will be resisted except in cases where the site is non-conforming. The Loss of Industrial Land to Alternative Uses SPD further reinforces this protection. UDP Policy 4.24 notes that land within the designated Industrial Areas areas will be safeguarded for predominantly industrial uses. However, the SPD acknowledges that there may be exceptions to policy where it can be demonstrated that there are good planning grounds to depart from this general presumption. This could include educational uses where the site requirements make it difficult to find sites that do not involve the loss of industrial land. The Draft Birmingham Development Plan identifies the site to be part of the Core Employment Area. 6.2. At the time of considering the application in 2009, it was explained that there are specific operational requirements for training centres that mean that vacant industrial/warehouse buildings are the most appropriate. They require significant floorspace which can be easily sub-divided, sufficient height to enable specialised training, be in areas that will not impact on residential amenity through noise, and have areas of land outside for servicing. They would not be able to be located in more traditional office/education buildings due to the wide variety of both manual and service sector training to be undertaken all under one roof. 6.3. Given the above, and the clearly identified benefits to delivering much needed training to the long term unemployed, which includes industrial/warehouse type training in the form of forklift and light building work training, it was considered that the proposed temporary use would be acceptable as there were exceptional circumstances to depart from the main policy thrust of retaining industrial land, and because there would not be a permanent loss of industrial use. 6.4. Since the time of the last application the Government s guidance in PPG s and PPS s have been replaced by the NPPF. At the heart of the NPPF is the presumption in favour of sustainable development which is a material consideration Page 3 of 6
when determining planning applications. The NPPF includes three strands of sustainable development that form the golden thread of Government planning policy, one of which is the economic role. The proposal to continue to provide training and skills from the site will make a positive contribution to the local economy by improving the local skills base and by facilitating the return of people to work. The proposal is therefore considered to accord with the guidance in the UDP, the guidance contained within the Loss of Industrial Land to Alternative uses SPD, and the NPPF. 6.5. As there are no changes to the proposal since it was approved in 2009, there are no new highways or noise implications. I note that there are no objections from Transportation Development subject to a condition for a review of the travel plan. 6.6. The site lies entirely within Flood Zones 2 and 3, for the River Rea. The Environment Agency has confirmed that they have no objection to the proposal. With the continued use of an existing building, there can be no effect on the function of the floodplain. 7. Conclusion 7.1. The proposal provides important training facilities that will assist local people to develop skills to assist them with finding long term employment and is therefore an appropriate use of this site for a temporary 7 year period. 8. Recommendation 8.1. Approve subject to conditions. 1 Requires the scheme to be in accordance with the listed approved plans 2 Gym, creche and canteen to be ancillary only 3 Personal consent to EOS Works Ltd 4 Requires the review of the commercial travel plan 5 Requires the use to discontinue on or before the 12th June 2021. Case Officer: James Mead Page 4 of 6
Photo(s) Photo 1 View of application site Page 5 of 6
Location Plan This map is reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Birmingham City Council. Licence No.100021326, 2010 Page 6 of 6