Address:       Staples Wholesale Nursery, Fordfield Road, Millbrook, Bedford, MK45 2HZ

Change of use of land from garden centre, to a Sui Generis use for the storage, refurbishment and hire of temporary and portable buildings, including erection of office, workshop and formation of open storage area, parking, improvements to access and landscaping, following the demolition of existing structures.

Applicant:     Forte Developments

The Committee had before it a report regarding Planning Application CB/17/05480/FULL for the change of use of land from a garden centre to a Sui Generis use of temporary and portable buildings, including erection of office, workshop and formation of open storage area, parking improvements to access and landscaping, following demolition of existing structures on Staples Wholesale Nursery, Fordfield Road, Millbrook, Bedford, MK45 2HZ.

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee’s attention was drawn to additional/publicity responses, additional comments and an additional informative as set out in the Late Sheet.

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee received a representation from the applicant under the public participation scheme.

A Member sought clarification from the applicant regarding the extra number of Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) movements from his company’s other depots to compensate for the current lack of a suitable depot site in the Ampthill area to service their market and what number of HGV movements could be expected from the application site.  In response the applicant stated that, on average, there four HGV movements a day from the application site although this might not occur every day and would certainly be no more than was experienced at the existing depot.  He added that the figure excluded other vehicle movements such as those by vans.

The Chairman asked for clarification on how certain the envisaged increase in employment was.  In response the applicant stated that the increase was extremely certain as some of the companies surrounding depots were using their own labour to provide buildings for the Ampthill area and this was putting those depots under strain.  They were not able to fulfil all of the orders that they could take.

The company’s market position as a major supplier and a recent agreement with a customer clearly indicated that there were additional opportunities for the growth of the Ampthill depot.  However, there was insufficient capacity on the existing site.

The Chairman next asked the applicant to indicate what other sites within the Ampthill area they had considered.  In reply the applicant stated that no sites had been looked at because none had been available.  He also made clear that it was not question of price when looking at sites.   The company had been searching for a replacement depot site for over four years with agents searching within a 15 mile radius and nothing suitable had been found.  He referred to the conclusion reached by the Business Investment Officers which confirmed that.

Following a further query by the Chairman the applicant confirmed the action taken to attempt to secure alternative premises and the failure to locate a site apart from that before the Committee.  He stressed that it was not a question of price as the company would pay whatever the relevant value was within the area.  The Chairman commented that he would have expected the Council’s economic development officers to have assisted with the finding of an alternative site for a depot if they could have done  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8