Agenda item

Demolition of existing car park island and creation of new proposed ticket machine island, installation of 1 no. new hub pay station and 2 no. main entry lane hub ticket machines and associated works within the existing east car park at Chichester Marina.

PERMIT

Miss Taylor presented the report to Committee. She drew their attention to the Agenda Update Sheet which included; confirmation of the Applicant; Additional Consultation Responses from WSCC Highways Authority and WSCC Public Rights of Way and; an additional informative.

Miss Taylor advised the Committee of a verbal update on Condition 3, which would be amended to state; ‘Notwithstanding the submitted details, the island and entry and exit barriers….’

Miss Taylor explained that Agenda Item’s 5 and 6 were related and showed the Committee the relationship between the two application sites. She reminded the Committee that the site was located within the Chichester Harbour AONB.

Miss Taylor explained the application and what was being proposed. She informed the Committee that the applicant had indicated that there would be reduced charges for staff.

She confirmed that officers considered the size and scale of the application to be acceptable and would be unlikely to cause any harm on the surrounding AONB. However, Miss Taylor explained WSCC Public Rights of Way had submitted an objection to the proposed barrier structure over concerns it would impact within the width of the public footpath and therefore restrict lawful access. In response, to these concerns Condition 3 was amended clarifying that, if the application were permitted, further consent would be required from WSCC Public Rights of Way team. The applicant had also submitted further plans showing how the footpath could be accommodated.

Miss Taylor highlighted the land ownership of the site; she drew attention to the area of land on the eastern side of the access road which was in the ownership of West Sussex County Council. The applicant would be required to obtain separate permission from WSCC as the freeholder before undertaking any works on site.

WSCC Estates had also advised of an existing covenant which would need to be maintained, Miss Taylor highlighted that the applicant would be made aware of this through Informative 5 of the report (page 41).

Miss Taylor showed the Committee the proposed car park layout.

The following representations were received;

Cllr Graham Campbell – Birdham Parish Council

Mr Andy Pearce – Agent

Cllr Adrian Moss – CDC Member

Officers responded to Members comments and questions as follows;

On the matter of a potential impingement from the barriers when down on the Public Rights of Way; Miss Bell acknowledged the concerns raised. She assured the Committee officers had spent much time considering the application and talking to WSCC PROW officers. Following further discussions with the applicant, officers were confident that any issue of impingement could be resolved. Ms Bell confirmed further permission would be required from WSCC PROW in addition to the requirements of Condition 3 and this requirement was set out in the informatives included within the report.

With regards to ticketing arrangements; Ms Bell informed the Committee this was a management arrangement and not a planning issue.

On the issue of the barrier width; Ms Taylor referenced the figures quoted within the Committee report. She informed the Committee further details had been provided by the applicant and an additional plan had been submitted which showed the public rights of way to measure 1.7m in width. 

On the matter of the Public Right of Way classification; Ms Bell confirmed the right of way was a footpath. Users of the footpath would be expected to travel along the footpath in both directions.

With regards to lighting on the barrier; Ms Taylor informed the Committee that information on this matter had not been supplied by the applicant. However, a further Condition would be included to ensure any lighting scheme was approved before installation.

On the matter vehicle movement on site; Ms Bell agreed a Condition would be included to manage the movement of vehicles on site and address capacity concerns in order to ensure that vehicles were not unable to enter the site and therefore forced to turn on the access road leading to the marina.

Following a vote, the Committee voted in favour of the report recommendation to permit.

Resolved; Permit; subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report, as well as the amendment to condition 3 and additional informative set out on the Agenda Update Sheet, and the two new conditions to address lighting and vehicle movement on site.

*Members took a ten-minute break