Site:
Application No:
Target Date:
Agent:
Applicant:
Development:
West Common, Carholme Road, Lincoln, LN1 1SE
2015/0304/RG3
09 June 2015
Core Architects
City of Lincoln Council
Erection of a single storey building to accommodate a
new cricket pavilion.
Background
Site Location and Description
The application site is located to the north of Carholme Road within the wider
West Common area of public open space; it lies to the west of the tennis
courts and bowling greens and is located within the area enclosed by mature
trees around the cricket pitch.
The proposals are for a modest single storey square building (6.044m x
5.944m) that would be used as a cricket pavilion. It would include a simple
pitched roof creating an overhang to the entrance on the lower side of the
building. The building would be of block construction with cement fibre
horizontally profiled cladding in a timber effect to the external façades and
dark green waterproof layer to the roof. The main elevation facing the pitches
includes a double door, scoreboard and windows; the other elevations have
no openings.
Case Officer Site visit
Undertaken on 30th April 2015.
Issues
In this instance the main issues to consider are as follows:1) The Principle of the Development;
2) Design;
3) Amenity; and
4) Land Drainage
Policies Referred to
Policies 34 and 52A of the City of Lincoln Local Plan 1998; and the National
Planning Policy Framework.
Consultations
Consultations were carried out in accordance with the Statement of
Community Involvement, adopted May 2014.
Responses
Positive comments have been received from the Carholme Cricket Club,
which is based at the West Common. It is suggested that a small pavilion
would significantly enhance the offer to their club, as well as Ruston’s Cricket
Club, to the Social Services Team and to other teams who may wish play
cricket on the West Common. It is suggested that, along with the bowls club
and the numerous users of the public tennis facilities, West Common is one of
the most highly utilised areas of the City in terms of leisure and recreation in a
beautiful setting.
Comments are awaited from Sport England in relation to the proposals. Their
response is expected to be received by 20th May 2015. As a statutory
consultee in relation to development of playing fields, the Council must not
approve the application until their response has been received.
Consideration of Issues
1) General Planning Matters
a) Relevant Local Plan Policy and the National Planning Policy Framework
The policy principles within the Framework and the Local Plan need to be
weighed up alongside one another.
Initially, Paragraph 70 sets out the government’s priorities with regard to
recreational facilities, suggesting that planning decisions should “plan
positively for the provision and use of shared space, community facilities
(such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public
houses and places of worship) and other local services to enhance the
sustainability of communities and residential environments”.
Paragraph 73 of the Framework refers to the access to high quality open
spaces and opportunities for sport and recreation and suggests that this can
make an important contribution to the health and well-being of communities.
Paragraph 74 goes on to say that:“Existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land, including
playing fields, should not be built on unless:



an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the open
space, buildings or land to be surplus to requirements; or
the loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by
equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a
suitable location; or
the development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the
needs for which clearly outweigh the loss.”
In terms of local policy principles, Policy 52A (Major Areas of Informal Open
Space) outlines that areas such as West Common are “devoted primarily to
casual or recreational use”. The policy goes on to suggest that “planning
permission will only be granted for development in these areas where it is
small scale and ancillary to the casual or informal recreational use of the
area.”
The elements of the aforementioned policies with respect to the use of the
land will be referred to in the principle of the development and other matters
will be covered in the sections that follow.
b) The Principle of the Development
The proposals are for a new cricket pavilion which is on the slab of a former
timber pavilion which burned down some time ago. It will clearly serve a very
specific need in relation to the use of the cricket pitch in terms of storage and
use by players, as well as an overhang for sheltering spectators. Upon the
basis of the nature of the use and its relationship with the cricket pitch, officers
would advise Members that there would not appear to be any conflict with the
abovementioned policies.
However, as alluded to above, given that the proposals relate to development
upon land used as playing fields, the Council must not approve the application
until Sport England have responded upon the application. Their response is
expected to be received by 20th May 2015.
c) Design
So far as this issue is concerned, the Council, in partnership with English
Heritage, have undertaken the Lincoln Townscape Appraisal (the LTA), which
has resulted in the systematic identification of 105 separate “character areas”
within the City. The application site lies within the West Common Character
Area. While the associated LTA for this area does not have the status of a
formally-adopted development plan policy, the Planning Inspector for an
appeal in December 2012 found that it “represents a valuable tool to enable
appropriate decisions on individual planning applications to be made, in
support of “saved” Local Plan Policy 34.
The proposals would be visible from within certain parts of West Common but
primarily from within the area of the cricket pitch that is enclosed by
substantial mature trees. Having regard to this and in light of the established
character and appearance of the area, officers consider that the scale, form
and external appearance of the building would be appropriate within its
context. In particular, the building would not result in any harmful implications
upon the more natural feel of West Common, especially as this is for a
replacement pavilion to replace that lost previously by fire. Consequently,
officers consider that the proposals would accord with the aforementioned
policies.
d) Amenity
Further to the aforementioned policies, Policy 34 of the Local Plan refers to
the amenities which occupiers of neighbouring properties may reasonably
expect to enjoy and suggests that these must not be harmed by, or as a result
of, the development. This supports Paragraphs 17 and 123 of the Framework.
The proposed building is situated a significant distance from the nearest
residential properties to the east. Given this relationship, upon the basis of the
scale of the building, the nature of the use and the location of windows,
officers are satisfied that there would not be unacceptable harm caused to the
occupants of those properties in terms of the amenities that they would expect
to enjoy. There would therefore be compliance with these policies.
e) Land Drainage
The application suggests that the surface water from the proposal would be
disposed of by soakaway. As the proposals are for a very small building the
run-off will be relatively minor. As such, this would be very unlikely to
negatively impact upon adjacent land users. Consequently, there is no reason
to suggest that soakaways would not be suitable in the context of Paragraph
103 of the Framework.
Conclusion
The principle of the development would be acceptable and the design of the
building would be appropriate in the immediate setting. There would also be
no harm resulting from the scheme upon amenity.
Financial Implications
None.
Legal Implications
None.
Application Negotiated Either at Pre-Application or During Process of
Application
No.
Equality Implications
None.
Application Determined Within Target Date
Yes, subject to consideration by the Members of the Planning Committee.
Recommendation
It is recommended that permission be granted subject to the planning
conditions below and the satisfactory receipt of the consultation response
from Sport England with respect to the principle of the development.
Conditions
1. Time
2. Plans (materials are listed on the plan)
Report by: Planning Manager
Application Plans:
Site Location Plan
Block Plan
Elevations and Floor Plan
Site Photographs
Location of Photographs
2
4
3
1
Photographs
1
More distant view looking northwest from the Carholme Road entrance toward
the site
2
Looking east across the bowling greens toward the site
3
View from adjacent to the tennis courts looking north toward the site
4
View into the cricket pitch with the concrete base of the pavilion visible in the
foreground
Responses Received