DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE – 18 NOVEMBER 2009
APPLICATION NO DC/08/1330/FUL
10
LOCATION
Asda Stores Limited
Belvedere Road
Lowestoft
Suffolk
NR33 0PX
EXPIRY DATE
14 January 2009
APPLICATION TYPE
Full Application
APPLICANT
Asda Stores Ltd
PARISH
Lowestoft
PROPOSAL
Construction of a petrol filling station in conjunction with existing foodstore
DO NOT SCALE
Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s
Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may
lead to prosecution or civil proceedings.
SITE DESCRIPTION
The site is located within the store car park, adjacent to its southern boundary and alongside part
of the Horn Hill frontage. The car park access road forms the northern boundary of the site. The
site is within a predominantly commercial area of car sales, petrol station and office use. Directly
opposite the site, on the south side of Horn Hill, is a terrace of residential properties.
PROPOSAL
This application seeks consent for a petrol filling station comprising a four island forecourt
providing 8 dual sided dispensers with fuel delivery on both sides. The fully automated operation of
the fuel pumps means that there is no requirement for a sales kiosk/shop. The forecourt canopy
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measures 12.7m x 12.2m x 5.1m high. Illumination is provided by downlighters and there would be
no illumination of the canopy fascia. A control unit would be located adjacent to the forecourt.
Access is proposed off the carpark main entrance which will require some minor modification. A
1.5m high fence would be erected between the site and Horn Hill and additional landscaping is
proposed.
CONSULTATIONS/COMMENTS
Neighbour consultation/representations
Two responses have been received. One response states that the proposal is not needed in this
location, is contrary to the planning designation for the site, does not comply with the aspirations
set out in the Action Area Plan and the development will have a detrimental impact on the highway
network and safety, contrary to Policy S1. The other response objects to the proposal on the
grounds that further traffic will exacerbate existing congestion problems and the risk of fuel being
released into Lake Lothing in the event of a flood.
Consultees
Suffolk County - Highways Department
No objection
Environment Agency - Drainage
No objection
Urban Regeneration Company / 1st East
No objection. This element is unlikely to generate a significant number of additional vehicle trips
and is likely, in the main to be used by vehicles already visiting the store or already within the
highway network.
WDC - PM Regeneration
No objection
Natural England
No objection
Essex And Suffolk Water PLC
No objection although we advise the applicant/agent that we do have mains within the boundary of
the site.
SITE NOTICES
The following site notices have been displayed:
WDC General Site Notice
Reason for site notice: Public Interest, Date posted Expiry date
RELATED APPLICATIONS
Reference No
Proposal
Decision
DC/08/1315/F
UL
Provision of a mezzanine floor to
allow internal reorganisation of store
Pending - see report
on this agenda
Date
PLANNING POLICY
CS01 – Spatial Strategy
CS02 – High Quality and Sustainable Design
31
CS05 Lake Lothing and Outer Harbour Area Action Plan
LP1 Physical limits (Waveney Interim Local Plan, May 2004)
Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk (2006)
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
The main issues to consider in the determination of this application are the siting and appearance
of the proposal and loss of car parking.
The proposed petrol station will be located close to the Horn Hill frontage and therefore would be
visually prominent within the local environment. However the Asda store is located within a mainly
commercial area, including an existing petrol station on the opposite side of Horn Hill, and as such
it is not considered that a new petrol station here would be inappropriate or detrimental to the
visual qualities of the locality and it is acknowledged that the omission of a shop/sales kiosk
lessens the visual impact. Whilst there is an existing petrol station nearby any concerns about
commercial competition are not material planning considerations by which this application can be
determined. The applicant has explained that the proposal will primarily serve existing customers
to the store and it is agreed that this is likely to be the case.
The proposed petrol station is directly opposite residential properties across a busy road. With a
separation distance of approximately 30m and on the opposite side of a busy road, and with the
intervening landscaping and proposed 1.5m high fence, it is not considered that the proposal will
have a detrimental impact on residential amenity.
The proposal will result in the loss of approximately 50 car parking spaces. However the site is
located within the least used part of the car park and furthest from the store. The Suffolk Advisory
Parking Standards stipulate 1 space per 14 sqm of gross floor area which equates to 585 car
parking spaces for the store. Currently there are 673 car parking spaces at the store. Therefore it
is not considered that the proposal will result in an under provision of spaces or on the operation of
the car park generally.
The site is located within the Area Action Plan area for Lake Lothing which envisages employment
led regeneration within an attractive environment. The proposed petrol station is contained within
an existing retail outlet site and does not involve any land beyond its existing boundaries. It is
therefore considered that the proposal will not prejudice the wider aims of the AAP.
CONCLUSION
It is common for large supermarkets to provide petrol stations for the benefit of existing customers
and it is considered that the proposal will not detract from the character and appearance of the
surrounding area.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve subject to conditions requiring full details of landscaping and the 1.5m high fence.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
CONTACT
Case File DC/08/1330/FUL held in Planning Office, Mariners
Street, Lowestoft
Phil Perkin, Principal Planning Officer, 01502 523073
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