Agenda item

60823: Former Yelland Power Station, Lower Yelland, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 3EZ

Hybrid planning application: (A) Full application for the access, scale & layout of site including raising of the ground levels, site access works & highway infrastructure to site, together with purpose built bat building. (B) Outline application for 250 dwellings (Use Class C3(a)), Space of up to 3000sqm employment (Use Class E(g)(i) and E(g)(ii) was Use Class B1). Retail Space of up to 250sqm gross floorspace (Use Class E(a) was Use Class A1); Space for the Sale of food and drink of up to 2000sqm Gross floorspace (Use Class E(b) Was Use Class A3); Service and Community Space of up to 500sqm Gross floorspace (Use Class E(d) E(e), E(f) and F1(a), F1(b), F1(e), and F2(b)was Use Class D1 and D2); (C) all the associated infrastructure including removal of any contamination, roads, footpaths, cycleway, drainage (including attenuation works), flood defence works, landscaping & appearance, public open space, utilities & vehicle parking & including demolition of buildings (amended scheme & supporting documents) (Amended description).

 

Minutes:

The Committee was presented with a virtual site visit by the Lead Planning Officer (South) which included various photographs and maps of the site, of the site as it was currently, and as it would be if the planning was approved.

 

As part of the site visit, the Committee was shown:

 

·         A map of the B3233 Instow to Bickington, with the site outlined in red.

·         The access to the site from the main road (B3233) junction to Yelland Quay.

·         Existing access and bus-stop- showing good levels of visibility.

·         Ariel view of the junction.

·         A map showing the slight change to the alignment of the access road. The road would meet full highways standards, with footpath and cycleway to one side.

·         Drone footage along the access road, past the existing employment sites, around the flooded turbine hall area and jetty. The footage then showed the areas across the concreted area and jetty, across to the mud flats and then back to the residual buildings from the demolished power station.

·         The location of the Tarka Trail where it crossed the coastal footpath. This included views of the Isley Marsh and the ash-beds.

·         An eye-level walkthrough of the site as it currently stood – this included the storage and large piles of sand and gravel, and areas of concrete.

·         Still photos – identified the location on the south west edge of the site where the pond would be situated.

·         The main road through the site to the jetty.

·         Areas to be designated for open space.

·         Key viewpoints from Northam Burrows, Crowpoint, Blackstone Rock and the South West coast path. Images were shown of each as at ‘year zero’ and ‘year ten’ following the completion of the development.

 

The Lead Planning Officer (South) advised that:

 

·         The at the point where the Tarka Trail crossed the Coast path, the levels of the Tarka Trail would be raised/sloped upwards to the path, and then sloped downwards. The location of the crossing had been chosen to minimise the effect on any mature trees and also to minimise any ecological impact.

·         A new carpark would be provided (as part of the Section 106 agreement) for those using the Tarka Trail and coast path, which would replace the current on-street parking along the access road. This parking was currently permissive only.

·         The site was currently used for commercial use and was covered with residual waste from the power station. The preparation of the site would include lots of filling in of the areas, which included the flooded turbine hall which would need to be filled and capped.

·         The site level would be raised by approximately 2.6m.

 

 

In response to questions from the Committee, the Lead Planning Officer (South) advised the following would be presented at the Committee meeting on 28th April 2021:

 

  • Flood defence measures
  • Technical drawings of the levelling of the site.
  • Details of the operation of the proposed carpark for users of the Tarka Trail.
  • Removal of asbestos and any dangerous materials.
  • Tree protection, and monitoring thereof.

 

Supporting documents: