Approval in principle for the creation of two plots for commercial use, one for a motor sales outlet and the other for a business park...

Refusal Reasons

• ✗The proposal involves the creation of an access onto the A24 Cooil Road to serve the proposed development. Such an access would be contrary to the Department of Transport's policy which precludes the construction of new frontage access onto a Primary Distributor Road, which the A24 will become when construction works are completed in 2010. This is in order that traffic using the A24, and any other Primary Distributor Road can be allowed to flow freely and efficiently with as few junctions and secondary accesses (and resultant traffic thereto and therefrom) as possible. No evidence has been provided to suggest why the existing access through the Business Park, in accordance with the original layout, is not satisfactory. This route into the site is visually less intrusive and preferable in road safety terms. Note: whilst there are existing accesses onto the A24 in the vicinity of this site, these are generally historic or more recent accesses which replace historic access points or which serve development which has no other means of access onto a main road. The creation of an access onto the A24 would result in a breach in the roadside hedge which, with the required visibility splays, reduce the effectiveness of the 10m landscaped strip which the Planning Authority has attempted to establish on this side of Cooil Road in conjunction with the various developments which have occurred alongside the road, and which contribute to soften the visual impact of the various developments in this area.
• ✗The Planning Committee is not satisfied that the site is suitable for the operation of a car sales outlet in that the development and particularly the required landscaping will be required to provide a limited and heavily screened visual impact of the development as viewed from Cooil Road. In the experience of the Planning Committee in respect of vehicle sales outlets in the vicinity, the operation of such a business will wish to benefit from the attraction of the passing public and as such will seek to raise the profile of the business by way of the installation of signage which, along with the proposed breach in the roadside hedge will reduce the effectiveness of any landscaping and will detract from the amenities of the area. Whilst the Planning Authority can control the erection of such signage in the future, it is considered unreasonable to permit a usage in the knowledge that there will be resistance to future proposals for developments which will enable the proposed use to operate satisfactorily.
• ✗The Planning Committee is not satisfied that two separate operations could be accommodated on the site along with the requisite car parking and landscaping which is generally required in conjunction with the parkland setting in developments in this development area.