At the Commerce Park, in planning application 2015/2871/FUL, Acheson & Acheson have proposed to extend their successful beauty products factory (a B1/B2/B8 development) to the south west. This is within the zone currently reserved for B1 uses (businesses compatible with a residential area) under conditions 30 and 32 of the outline planning permission, but because this is a new full planning application, the outline conditions can be overridden. I attended a consultation meeting in November with other councillors and the Chair of Coalway Lane Residents Association. When the application was submitted soon afterwards, I asked for more information on the noise report and objected to the B2/B8 (general industry and warehousing) development in this zone, so that residents are not put at risk from noise too close to their homes.

The noise report for the application states that noise from the development would be lower than previously expected when the outline masterplan (dated 2001) was re-assessed in 2009, but it does not assess the noise levels that residents would be expected to experience or compare them to the noise limits for the site. So I still have serious concerns that the noise report is inadequate and misleading, and that noise from the development will affect residents. Working hours are also not clear – the planning application form states the proposed working hours for the extension are from 7am to 10pm, but the noise report assumes the working hours will be the same as the current factory’s, 7.30am to 5pm. So I am maintaining my objection and will again request further information and clarification.

New sections have been prepared to respond to concerns raised on visual impact, but may be misleading. But as the full application is likely to be decided at MDC’s next Planning Board meeting on Weds 20^th April, and the planning officer’s report is being finalised this week, so there is little or no time to respond.

The only objections are from the CLRA and me, and no residents have currently objected. Over 30 residents objected to the proposed removal of the two planning conditions that keep this area for B1 uses (ref. 2015/1946/VRC, which I also objected to, and which is still under consideration) but those are for a different planning application and are not being looked at by MDC for this application. So if any resident wants to comment or object to the factory extension being proposed within the B1 zone, you will need to contact Mendip urgently – please email customerservices@mendip.gov.uk with planning reference 2015/2871/FUL in the subject, or log onto the MDC planning page http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/3203/Applications-Comments–Decisions, read the documentation, and have your say, before 11^th April.  To contact the Coalway Lane Residents Association, please email clra.frome@gmail.com.

I will ask for MDC officers, and Planning Board, to delay determination until the above issues are resolved. If the Planning Board does approve the application, residents will be upset that the promises made when the Commerce Park was approved in 2005, to not site industry and warehousing in the zone closest to residents, are being broken.  If it does get approval, I will be asking that a planning condition be imposed to limit working hours, and that the current noise monitoring arrangements are maintained.

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