Agenda item

20/02082/VARYCO

Removal of Condition 8 (Restrictions of types of flying) - to allow flying training, circuits, touch-and-go manoeuvres to take place at the site on a permanent basis.

 

Variation to Condition 4 (Current Restriction is 120 days) - to allow the number of aircraft arrivals and departures to 150 days per year on a permanent basis.

 

Variation to Condition 5 (Restriction on take offs and landings) - to increase daily aircraft movements to 50 movements in a 24 hour period to accommodate flying training and add 200 movements within a 24 hour period to support air rallies to take place at the site on a permanent basis.

 

Variation to Condition 7 (no air rallies) - to allow the site to be used for up to 4 air rallies, festivals or similar charitable activities per year on a permanent basis on approved planning application 17/03436/VARYCO (revised description 05.08.2020).

 

Poultry Farm, Atheys Moor, Longframlington, Morpeth Northumberland

NE65 8EG

 

Minutes:

REMOVAL OF CONDITION 8 (RESTRICTIONS OF TYPES OF FLYING) - TO ALLOW FLYING TRAINING, CIRCUITS, TOUCH-AND-GO MANOEUVRES TO TAKE PLACE AT THE SITE ON A PERMANENT BASIS.

 

VARIATION TO CONDITION 4 (CURRENT RESTRICTION IS 120 DAYS) - TO ALLOW THE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES TO 150 DAYS PER YEAR ON A PERMANENT BASIS.

 

VARIATION TO CONDITION 5 (RESTRICTION ON TAKE OFFS AND LANDINGS) - TO INCREASE DAILY AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS TO 50 MOVEMENTS IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD TO ACCOMMODATE FLYING TRAINING AND ADD 200 MOVEMENTS WITHIN A 24 HOUR PERIOD TO SUPPORT AIR RALLIES TO TAKE PLACE AT THE SITE ON A PERMANENT BASIS.

 

VARIATION TO CONDITION 7 (NO AIR RALLIES) - TO ALLOW THE SITE TO BE USED FOR UP TO 4 AIR RALLIES, FESTIVALS OR SIMILAR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES PER YEAR ON A PERMANENT BASIS ON APPROVED PLANNING APPLICATION 17/03436/VARYCO (REVISED DESCRIPTION 05.08.2020).

 

 

POULTRY FARM, ATHEYS MOOR, LONGFRAMLINGTON, MORPETH NORTHUMBERLAND

NE65 8EG

 

V Cartmell, Planning Area Manager - Development Management introduced the application to the Committee with the aid of a Power Point presentation.  Updates were provided as follows:

 

·       The map shown on the Committee report was out of date, however the map shown on the presentation to the Committee was accurate.

 

·       Condition 1 – proposed to include an additional plan to the list of approved plans. The plan shows circuit patterns in the noise sensitive areas.

 

·       Condition 5 – proposed to add the definition of a touch and go manoeuvre. The additional sentence to be included was “The touch and go manoeuvre will be classed as two movements.”

 

D. Lathan, Senior Environmental Health Officer advised Members that there was a legal definition of what microlights were and this was tied to the original permission provided in 2010 which limited what could fly from the site.  Details were provided on the three types of microlights.  The touch and go manoeuvre would allow the aircraft to touch down on the runway and then take off again, it was an important part of training and would be classed as two movements.  A circuit was a manoeuvre where the aircraft would take off and then it would fly a circuit to ensure everything was ok and then it would fly off to its destination.  On approach to the airfield, the aircraft would do a circuit to see which landing strip was being used and to ensure everything was ok before coming into land.  In each instance it would be a single circuit of the airfield.

 

Statements submitted in objection to the application from Dene House Farm and Embleton Steads were read to the Committee by L. Little, Senior Democratic Services Officer and would be filed with the signed minutes and uploaded to the Council’s website.

 

A statement in support of the application from Mr D Coppin was read to the Committee by J Sharp, Planning Officer and would be filed with the signed minutes and uploaded to the Council’s website.

 

In response to questions from the Committee the following information was provided:

 

·       The wider public benefit had not been considered as part of the application.  The main issues taken into consideration in coming to the recommendation were the impact on amenity and landscape.  It was proposed that rallies would be held over 24 hours four times per year with micro pilots flying in to the airfield to raise funds for local charities and then flying back out to the respective air fields, there would be no training flights during this time and the events would be open to the public.

·       The increase of 40 movements per day to provide 50 in total had been easy to assess.  The accumulative impact was well within levels at which Public Protection would be concerned. The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that 55 decibels was the upper limit for annoyance and the predicted levels for 50 movements would be less than 50 decibels. The noise assessment had stated that it caused low harm in Framlington Park this also included the training flights and would not impact on amenity.  The application had been assessed using  the WHO standards and it was well below levels which would impact on amenity.  The 200 movements would get closer to the 55 decibel level with 54.5 decibels at Framlington Park, but whilst it was close to the upper limit it was still below the level Public Protection would look at unless this was a daily occurrence, but these events would only be permitted on four occasions per year.  With the conditions to be attached to any permission given, Public Protection were satisfied and raised no objection to the application.

·       The original planning permission was submitted in 2010 and approved in 2011 however flying had already been taking place from the site under the 28 day rule, so had been going on a lot longer.

·       Public Protection advised that on his system within the last 5 or 6 years it showed there had been 2 temporary event notices and no complaints found on that system in relation to the premises.

·       It was clarified that the view of officers was that the proposed changes did not give rise to significant effects on the environment and would not require an Environmental Impact Assessment to be undertaken.

·       The micro lights would be powered by liquid fuel, either kerosene or petrol, however the effects of these, due to the size, would not impact on air quality.

 

Councillor Castle proposed acceptance of the Officer’s recommendation to approve the application with the conditions as outlined in the report and amended above, which was seconded by Councillor Hill.

 

Members understood some of the concerns which had been put forward from the objectors, however considered that the micro light centre had been in the area for a long period of time and with the conditions would not have a significant impact.  In respect of a suggestion made to allow the application for the period of 12 months and then have a review, Members were advised that a reason for this would need to be provided and exactly what was to be achieved at the end of this time would also need to be identified.  Due diligence had been undertaken by officers in relation to noise with modelling undertaken based on a worst case scenario and conditions to be attached to any permission given.  If there was a problem in relation to noise identified during the operation of the site in breach of the conditions then enforcement action could be taken.

 

A vote was taken on the proposal to approve the application and it was unanimously

 

RESOLVED that the application should be GRANTED for the reasons and with the conditions as outlined in the report and amended above.

 

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