PARISH Shirebrook
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APPLICATION Pedestrian footbridge to link approved distribution centre with its associated car park
LOCATION
APPLICANT
Land at Weighbridge Road Shirebrook
Mr Trevor Hartley Unit A, Brook Park Shirebrook Derbyshire NG20 8RY
APPLICATION NO.
15/00097/FUL FILE NO.
PP-04007663
CASE OFFICER Mr Steve Phillipson
DATE RECEIVED 2nd March 2015
DELEGATED APPLICATION
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SITE
Land to facilitate a crossing over Weighbridge Road approximately 200 north of the Meadow
Lane/ Weighbridge Road roundabout at Shirebrook. The site is within Brook Park Industrial
Estate adjacent to the recently consented Unit C, a large warehouse building for Sports Direct which is currently under construction. Land to the west side of the highway is about 2m higher than the east side.
PROPOSAL
Erection of a footbridge for Sports Direct staff only to provide a direct link at first floor level between unit C and the Staff car park to the west side of Weighbridge Road.
The bridge will be constructed from steel with steel railings and preforated panels painted grey to match the warehouse. It will have a clearance height above the highway of 5.7m with an overall height of 7.8m above the road.
The Agent states that it is required for health and safety and general efficiency reasons as it will take pedestrians away from the highway at shift change time when there are a lot of extra pedestrians and cars using the highway.
The agent states that the Highway Authority originally objected to the inclusion of a pelican crossing and bus lay-by on Weighbridge Road and the bridge is proposed in-lieu of these and is now considered by the Applicant to offer a more appropriate access configuration and more in keeping with the aspirations of the Highway Authority.
AMENDMENTS
None
HISTORY (if relevant)
Various planning permissions for Sports Direct on the Brook Park Industrial Estate. The most recent is 14/00138/FULMAJ Proposed storage and distribution centre and retail, storage and training facility with ancillary parking.
CONSULTATIONS
Town Council: No response received.

DCC Highways:
The proposed bridge has been the subject of informal discussions between the applicant and the Highway Authority. Whilst no part of the proposed bridge will actually be within the highway, it will span the highway. As such, it will need to be constructed in accordance with a design approved by the County Highway Authority and covered by a Licence under S176 of the Highways Act 1980. The Highway Authority has been consulted on designs but approval has not yet been granted. However, it is not considered that this is reason to withhold the granting of planning permission.
Therefore, there are no objections to the proposal from the highway point of view subject to the following conditions being included in any consent in the interests of highway safety.
1. Notwithstanding the submitted drawings, prior to any works commencing on site, details of the footbridge design and construction shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local Planning Authority, in consultation with the County Highway
Authority.
2. The footbridge shall be laid out and constructed in accordance with the detailed designs approved under condition 1 above.
A note should be appended to any consent informing the applicant that a Licence under
Section 176 of the Highways Act 1980 will be required in order to provide a structure over the public highway. The applicant is required to contact the Legal Services Department at
Derbyshire County Council (01629 533190).
PUBLICITY
Site notice posted. No representations received.
POLICY
Bolsover District Local Plan (BDLP)
GEN1 Minimum Requirements for development
GEN2 Impact of Development on the Environment
National Planning Policy Framework
Makes a presumption in favour of sustainable development. Encourages quality design.
ASSESSMENT
The main impacts to consider are impacts on highway safety and on visual amenity.
The Highway Authority has no objections subject to approval of construction details. A condition as requested is considered necessary since it will provide a mechanism to amend the planning permission as may be necessary to secure licence under the Highways Act.
Subject to this condition there are no highway safety concerns and the bridge clearance height accords with the relevant standards.
With regard to impacts on visual amenity the bridge will be quite a stark, engineered structure which will have some adverse visual impact. However the site is well within an industrial estate and set against a very large industrial building and coloured to match. The existing highway verge hedgerows should be mostly retained and these will help soften the bridge

stations. A condition regarding hedge retention would be appropriate. On balance therefore the adverse visual impacts of the bridge are not considered to be so harmful as to warrant the refusal of planning permission.
Other Matters
A pedestrian crossing at road level which could also serve the general public is considered to be a far better alternative to a bridge with no adverse visual impacts. Unfortunately the
Highway Authority will not agree to this option other than a simple crossing point which is not sufficient to meet the Applicant’s wishes and so negotiations to secure this alternative have not been successful.
Other Matters
Listed Building: N/A
Conservation Area: N/A
Crime and Disorder: No significant issues
Equalities: No significant issues
Access for Disabled: Not provided for would need to use alternative access point.
Trees (Preservation and Planting): N/A
SSSI Impacts: N/A
Biodiversity: No significant issues
Human Rights: No significant issues
RECOMMENDATION
Approve
Subject to conditions:
1. Start within 3 years
2. Notwithstanding the submitted drawings, prior to any works commencing on site, details of the footbridge design and construction shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, in consultation with the County Highway
Authority. The footbridge shall be laid out and constructed in accordance with the detailed designs approved. (In the interests of highway safety and to enable any changes necessary for the licence under Section 176 of the Highways Act 1980 to be covered by the planning permission and to accord with policy GEN 1 and GEN 2 of the
Bolsover District Local Plan)
3. The existing hedgerows to the highway boundaries shall be retained and replanted in the event that removal of part of the hedgerows is required during construction.
Thereafter any replanted hedgerows shall be maintained and replanted as may be necessary for a period of five years from the date of planting. (In the interests of visual amenity and biodiversity in accordance with policy GEN 2 of the Bolsover District Local
Plan)
Notes
A Licence under Section 176 of the Highways Act 1980 will be required in order to provide a structure over the public highway. The applicant is required to contact the Legal Services
Department at Derbyshire County Council (01629 533190).

__________________________________________________________________________
Officer
S. Phillipson
Endorsing Officer Determining Officer
T Ball
Date
23/04/2015
Date
(refusals/objections/
referrals to 3 rd officer)
Date
27.04.15