Notes accompanying local validation checklist (advisory)

Jump to:

• Note 1: Air quality assessment
• Note 2: Archaeological assessment
• Note 3: Community involvement statement
• Note 4: Community use (loss of) assessment - including pubs
• Note 5: Construction waste and materials
• Note 6: Contamination assessment
• Note 7: Environmental impact assessment
• Note 8: Licensed premises development
• Note 9: Lighting assessment
• Note 10: Locally listed buildings statement
• Note 11: Noise and vibration impact assessment
• Note 12: Police neighbourhood team
• Note 13: Public art proposals
• Note 14: Regeneration statement
• Note 15: Retail impact assessment
• Note 16: Services connections
• Note 17: Sewerage and surface water drainage, including ground water impact assessment
• Note 18: Site survey plan
• Note 19: Telecommunications - plans and elevations to describe the proposal
• Note 20: Telecommunications - supplementary information
• Note 21: Thames Basin special protection area appropriate assessment information
• Note 22: TV/radio/radar interference assessment
• Note 23: Ventilation/extraction statement

Formally adopted by the Planning Committee on 17 March 2009.

Items may be requested by Woking Borough Council at the pre-application stage, at validation or during the assessment but not specifically required for validation of an application. Items requested by the Council will be considered essential to the full and proper assessment of your planning application.

Note 1: Air quality assessment

Where the development is proposed inside, or adjacent to an air quality management area (AQMA), or where the development could in itself result in the designation of an AQMA or where the grant of planning permission would conflict with, or render unworkable, elements of a local authority's air quality action plan, applications should be supported by such information as is necessary to allow a full consideration of the impact of the proposal on the air quality of the area. Where AQMAs cover regeneration areas, developers should provide an air quality assessment as part of their planning application.

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Note 2: Archaeological assessment

For all applications involving the disturbance of ground within an Area of Archaeological Potential as defined in the development plan or in other areas in the case of a major development proposal or significant infrastructure works, an applicant may need to commission an assessment of existing archaeological information and submit the results as an Archaeological Statement.

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Note 3: Community involvement statement

Applications may need to be supported by a statement setting out how the applicant has complied with the requirements for pre-application consultation set out in the local planning authority's adopted statement of community involvement and demonstrating that the views of the local community have been sought and taken into account in the formulation of development proposals.

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Note 4: Community use (loss of) assessment - including pubs

When a redevelopment proposal or a change of use involves the loss of a community facility, Woking Borough Council Local Plan 1999 Policy CUS2 Loss of Community Facilities requires a demonstration that:

• there is no identified need for the community facility that could be satisfactorily accommodated on the site, with or without sharing facilities

• that adequate alternative provision can be made or exists or

• that a replacement is ensured in any redevelopment scheme.

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Note 5: Construction waste and materials

Proposals involving the movement of more than 3,000m³ of inert waste or materials (in combination) on to or off the site should be accompanied by a Site Waste Management Plan covering sources, means of movement, routes, sites for disposal and measures to minimize waste movements by local sourcing and disposal, recycling, on site disposal and design efficiency measures. This may be part of the Sustainability Assessment (see notes accompanying the local validation checklist (mandatory)). The Surrey County Council Waste Officer will be consulted on such proposals.

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Note 6: Contamination assessment

Proposals on previously developed land or sites with historically contaminative uses will be required to demonstrate that the land is suitable for its proposed use in accordance with Planning Policy Statement 23 (Planning and Pollution Control). PPS 23 states that it remains the responsibility of the landowner/developer to identify land affected by contamination and to ensure that remediation is undertaken to secure a safe development. The Local Planning Authority will need to be satisfied that the potential for contamination is investigated appropriately, any risks arising are properly assessed and that the development incorporates any necessary remediation and subsequent management measures to deal with unacceptable risks. Annex 2 to PPS 23 requires that an investigation and full assessment of risk should be carried out by the applicant for consideration by the LPA before the application is determined. Any existing or unacceptable new risks should be identified and proposals made to deal with them effectively as part of the development process. You will, therefore, need to demonstrate that you have fully addressed the issue of potential contamination.

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Note 7: Environmental impact assessment

The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (SI 1999/293), as amended, set out the circumstances in which an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required. EIA may obviate the need for other more specific assessments.

Where an EIA is required, Schedule 4 to the regulations sets out the information that should be included in an Environmental Statement. The information in the Environmental Statement has to be taken into consideration when the local planning authority decides whether to grant planning consent. It may be helpful for a developer to request a 'screening opinion' (i.e. to determine whether EIA is required) from the local planning authority before submitting a planning application. In cases, where a full EIA is not required, the local planning authority may still require environmental information to be provided.

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Note 8: Licensed premises development

Proposals will be forwarded to the Council's Licensing Manager for comment on the use and design proposed. Outdoor areas should be well designed in terms of their contribution to the vitality and appearance of the street scene. Particular attention will be paid to potential nuisance to neighbours and any associated crime risks. Also see Note 12: Police neighbourhood team.

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Note 9: Lighting assessment

Proposals in the vicinity of residential property, a listed building or a conservation area, open countryside or recognised wildife site, where external lighting would be provided or made necessary by the development, should be required to be accompanied by details of external lighting and the proposed hours when the lighting would be switched on. These details shall include a layout plan with beam orientation and a schedule of the equipment in the design. Lighting in the Countryside: Towards Good Practice (1997) is a valuable guide for local planning authorities, planners, highway engineers and members of the public. It demonstrates what can be done to lessen the effects of external lighting, including street lighting and security lighting. The advice is applicable in towns as well as the countryside. Applications for advertising consent for illuminated signs should include details of the proposed hours when lighting would be switched on as well as the mandatory requirements in the application form.

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Note 10: Locally listed buildings statement

Locally listed buildings are not covered by the statutory requirenments but have been recognised for their architectural qualities, character and contribution to local character and amenity. The characteristics are often defined by the original architectural detail of the building and its overall architectural style, often characteristic of the area or a particular historic period. Alterations and extensions should therefore respect the characteristics and original architecture of the building. Additions should be subordinate to the original in both scale and sitting. Materials should be specified and should match and restore the originals as far as possible. Full elevations and plan details including large scale details of items such as doors and door frames, windows and frames, eaves, verges and fascias should be included.

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Note 11: Noise and vibration impact assessment

Applications for developments that raise issues of disturbance by noise and/or vibration to the occupants of nearby existing buildings, and for developments that are considered to be noise sensitive and which are close to existing sources of noise should be supported by a noise assessment prepared by a suitably qualified acoustician.

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Note 12: Police neighbourhood team

Development designers should consider the scope to design out crime in residential or commercial layouts. Developers of licensed premises should give the earliest consideration to minimizing the potential for street crime and nuisance to neighbours. When these elements are not required as part of a mandatory Design and Access Statement e.g. when a change of use is proposed, it is advised that separate statement is submitted.

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Note 13: Public art proposals

Woking Borough Council Local Plan 1999 Policy WTC6 applies to developments in Woking town centre, where public art is expected as part of the contributions to local infrastructure (see Note 20: Section 106 and Heads of Terms under the notes accompanying the local list (mandatory)). Public art in the context of open space design is encouraged in other forms of development.

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Note 14: Regeneration statement

Applications for the regeneration of sites, town centre redevelopment or significant business proposals may need to be accompanied by a supporting statement of any regeneration benefits from the proposed development, including: details of any new jobs that might be created or supported; the relative floorspace totals for each proposed use (where known); any community benefits; and reference to any regeneration strategies that might lie behind or be supported by the proposal.

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Note 15: Retail impact assessment

Retail development is subject to Woking Borough Local Plan 1999 Policies SHP1,2 and 3 and Surrey Structure Plan Policy LO8. Government advice is given in Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres. When new or extended retail floor space is proposed either within or outside the defined Town Centre or District Centres, it is likely to require a Retail Impact Assesment, including an application of the Sequential Test, designed to ensure that new floor space is firstly directed to town centres. It will include an assessment of all existing available floor space and sites within the proposed catchment of the retail operation and their suitability for the operation concerned.

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Note 16: Services connections

An application should indicate how the development connects to existing utility infrastructure systems. Most new development requires connection to existing utility services, including electricity and gas supplies, telecommunications and water supply, and also needs connection to foul and surface water drainage and disposal. Two planning issues arise:

1. firstly, whether the existing services and infrastructure have sufficient capacity to accommodate the supply/service demands which would arise from the completed development, and
2. secondly, whether the provision of services on site would give rise to any environmental impacts, for example, excavations in the vicinity of trees or archaeological remains.

The applicant should demonstrate:

• that, following consultation with the service provider, the availability of utility services has been examined and that the proposals would not result in undue stress on the delivery of those services to the wider community
• that proposals incorporate any utility company requirements for substations, telecommunications equipment or similar structures
• that service routes have been planned to avoid as far as possible the potential for damage to trees and archaeological remains and
• where the development impinges on existing infrastructure the provisions for relocating or protecting that infrastructure have been agreed with the service provider.

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Note 17: Sewerage and surface water drainage, including ground water impact assessment

All new buildings need separate connections to foul and storm water sewers. If an application proposes to connect a development to the existing drainage system then details of the existing system should be shown on the application drawing(s). It should be noted that in many circumstances surface water is not permitted to be connected to the public foul sewers. Full details, including plans, of sustainable surface water drainage arrangements (SUDS) should be included. An assessment of any impact of discharges to ground or excavations that may affect ground water may be required.

Where the development involves the disposal of trade waste or the disposal of foul sewage effluent other than to the public sewer, then a fuller foul drainage assessment will be required including details of the method of storage, treatment and disposal. A foul drainage assessment should include a full assessment of the site, its location and suitability for storing, transporting and treating sewage and should demonstrate why the development cannot connect to the public mains sewer system and show that the alternative means of disposal are satisfactory. Guidance on what should be included in a non-mains drainage assessment is given in DETR Circular 03/99 and Building Regulations Approved Document Part H and in BS6297.

If the proposed development results in any changes/replacement to the existing system or the creation of a new system, scale plans of the new foul drainage arrangements will also need to be provided. This will include a location plan, cross sections/elevations and specification. Drainage details that will achieve Building Regulations Approval will be required. If connection to or provision of any of the above requires land or crossing land that is not in the applicant's ownership, other than on a public highway, then notice may need to be served on the owners of that land.

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Note 18: Site survey plan

Where development or the site contains existing features e.g. trees, archaeology, historic buildings buildings, protected wildlife habitat or known contamination, then a site survey plan showing the existing features, as appropriate, may be required. This should correspond with the site plan showing the proposals both in scale and by the use of fixed datum points, identifiable on or adjacent to the site. (Also see Note 21 notes accompanying the local validation checklist (mandatory) for site levels.)

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Note 19: Telecommunications - plans and elevations to describe the proposal

Applications for telecommunications masts and equipment are best conveyed to the LPA and public by the provision of detailed plans and elevations at a recognised scale, describing the proposal and its immediate surroundings. A site plan at 1:100 or 1:200 and elevations at 1:50 or 1:100 and details to show the proposed access from the public road, colour of any mast, materials and landscaping are advised.

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Note 20: Telecommunications - supplementary information

Planning applications for mast and antenna development by mobile phone network operators in England should be accompanied by a range of supplementary information including the area of search (alternative site search and reasons for rejection and a location plan), details of any consultation undertaken, details of the proposed structure and technical justification and information about the proposed development.

Planning applications should also be accompanied by a signed declaration that the equipment and installation has been designed to be in full compliance with the requirements of the Radio Frequency (RF) Public Exposure Guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

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Note 21: Thames Basin special protection area appropriate assessment information

Where development may have a significant effect leading to an adverse impact on the species or habitat of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area and is non-residential and therefore not covered by the adopted Interim Woking Borough Strategy for residential development, developers must provide sufficient information on the proposals in order to inform an appropriate assessment of the potential impacts, to be carried out by WBC, in consultation with English Nature.

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Note 22: TV/radio/radar interference assessment

Proposals for substantial buildings or wind turbines may have implications for the reception of television and radio signals. Significant and irremediable interference with other electrical equipment of any kind can be a material planning consideration. The LPA will need to be satisfied that the potential for interference has been taken into account in the siting and design of the development.

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Note 23: Ventilation/extraction statement

Details of the position and design of ventilation and extraction equipment, including odour abatement techniques and acoustic noise characteristics, will be required to accompany all applications for the use of premises for purposes within Use Classes A3 restaurants and cafes, A4 drinking establishments, A5 hot food takeaways, B1 general business and B2 general industrial. This information (excluding odour abatement techniques unless specifically required) will also be required for retail, business, industrial or leisure or any other development where substantial ventilation or extraction equipment is proposed to be installed.