Councillors to decide on planning application for L3 Harris
Next week councillors are being asked to consider a planning application submitted by manufacturing company L3 Harris for their premises at Emblem House at Home Farm Business Centre.
The application for the permanent retention of the previously approved temporary extension to the building will be decided by councillors at a Planning Committee meeting on 5 June 2024.
The application was originally due to be heard at committee in March but was delayed while councillors sought legal advice on the potential implications of the application.
The legal advice that has since been provided says that it is open to Planning Committee members to determine, as a matter of their planning judgment, the weight given to equalities issues and the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty. In this case, they need to consider whether granting or refusing this application for planning permission could have a disproportionate impact on individuals or groups with protected characteristics.
The Public Sector Equality Duty requires the council to pay due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, and victimisation and to the fostering of good relations between persons of one race and another, or of one religion and another.
Details of the application
Planning permission is sought to retain an extension that was granted a temporary, five year permission in 2018 to the existing industrial building.
The extension is located to the rear of the site in the north-western corner and forms a subservient addition to the main building. It is set back some 21m from its front façade, and measures 15m x 15m with a pitched roof to 7.6m in height and eaves to 5.2m in height. It has a large roller shutter door in the frontage measuring 4.5m in height and 4m in width.
The main building is some 10.4m in height, with eaves sloping down to 7.6m adjacent to the extension the subject of this application.
The application seeks approval for operational (built) development. No change of use is sought.
Consultation
The application was open to the public for consultation from December 2023. In total 603 comments were received, including 602 objections and 1 in support. A petition with 130 signatures was also received. These, and all documents relating to the application, can be viewed through our online Planning Register by searching for application BH2023/03236.
The recommendation
The recommendation from officers in their report to Committee Councillors is “the retention of the extension on a permanent basis is considered acceptable, and to accord with the development plan and other material considerations”.
Officers have given further consideration to the equality impacts of the development in the General Equality Impact Assessment Form.
How the application will be decided
Councillors will vote on the decision for the application at the Planning Committee meeting. If a majority vote in favour, then the application is approved.
In the meeting, after a presentation from planning officers and input from any speakers for and against the scheme, committee members will then have the opportunity to ask questions and debate before voting to grant or refuse the application.
Key considerations in that decision will include: the principle of the development; the design and impact on character of the area; and other material considerations.
Read the Planning Committee agenda and view the report and supporting documents.
You can watch the Planning Committee webcast live on our website from 2pm on Wednesday 5 June 2024.
This is a meeting in public but there is limited seating, so we’d recommend watching online.
