Planning Commentary May 2008
Site and Surroundings
The site accommodates a Jet petrol filling station and is located on the south side of Binley Road. The site is accessed from Binley Road by both east and west bound traffic. The petrol filling station forecourt supports a four-square layout, a jet wash and a sales building (approximately 40sq m), providing a very limited range of convenience goods (mainly chilled drinks and confectionary). The site operates on a 24 hour basis.
The site is bound to the north and east by two storey, terraced houses. A cricket ground and open space is located to the south and west respectively. To the north-west of the site, on the opposite side of the road, is a vacant Somerfield Supermarket (which has permission to be demolished and, a food store and single retail unit to be built in its place), and beyond (further to the west) is a parade of shops within a three storey building. The site is located between the local centre to the west and the predominantly residential area to the east.
Planning History
Investigations at the Council’s offices have confirmed that the site was established as a petrol filling station in 1961, and since this date there have been a number of applications seeking improvements to the petrol filling station (a schedule of planning history is below as Appendix 1).
Planning Policy
The relevant development plan is the Coventry Unitary Development Plan, which was adopted in December 2001. The Council are currently preparing a Local Development Framework, which will ultimately replace the Development Plan, albeit it is currently at an early stage and there are no documents relevant for development control purposes at present.
The Proposals Map of the adopted Plan confirms that the site does not benefit from a specific allocation, or any wider designation. It also confirms that Binley Road local centre lies immediately to the north west of the site. Additionally, the land to the west of the site is in a Conservation Area.
Policies within the UDP generally seek to ensure the efficient use and reuse of land and buildings, and that development is compatible with nearby uses.
Elsewhere, the adopted UDP confirms:
- That the Council will promote new housing, and permit residential development on windfall sites to achieve its minimum housing targets (Policies H2 and E17);
- Proposals for the redevelopment of employment sites for non-employment uses will normally be resisted (Policy E8), and
- That existing retail centres will be protected, albeit it is acknowledged that retail floorspace in out of centre locations can be supportable subject to tests of need, scale, sequential appraisal, impact and accessibility. In these terms, shops outside existing centres with less than 250sq m floorspace are considered to have a local significance, and larger shops a wider significance (S1, S9 and S11).
In addition, there are a number of policies which seek to ensure that development is physically in keeping with its surroundings, and that the amenities of neighbouring residents are protected.
Officers View
Discussions have been held with Martin Trewinard, Senior Planning Policy Officer at Coventry City Council, who confirmed petrol filling stations were not considered an employment uses in terms of policy, and therefore the principle of the loss of the petrol filling station was likely to be acceptable. The Officer further confirmed that the Council would not have a favoured alternative use for the site, and the character of the surrounding area would be a significant factor in assessing development proposals.
Mr Trewinard confirmed that a residential scheme is likely to be considered acceptable in principle, and that there might also be scope to introduce an increased retail offer on the site, subject to the usual retail policy tests. In these terms, he advised that any retail offer with a floorspace less than 200sq m would be considered in terms of local impact (and require assessment only in respect of the sequential approach), whereas units above this threshold would be considered against the full range of considerations, set out within the UDP and PPS6. On the basis of current occupancy levels within the local centre, he felt that a local shop may be acceptable, albeit he indicated that the Council were likely to consider that there was insufficient quantitative need for a larger store. Finally, the Officer advised that there was scope for motor trade uses such as a car showroom, subject to amenity considerations.
Further to this advice, a submission for pre-application advice (relating to a mixed use retail/residential scheme, comprising a retail unit at ground floor level of 330 sq m, and ten residential apartments above) was made to the Council, and a response was received at the end of November 2007. The letter advised that in principle, residential development is likely to be considered acceptable on the site. However, the Planning Officer requested justification for the retail space in terms of policy and also made comments on the detailed design of the building proposed.
Subsequently, a full application was submitted to the Council in March 2008 for a three storey building on the western part of the site. The building comprised a retail unit at ground floor level (of 335 sq m) and ten residential apartments above. As part of the validation requirements for the site, the Council asked for additional information to validate the application, including a full Retail Study to assess the usual tests contained in PPS6. The application has not been pursued.
Planning Discussion
The site is located between a residential area to the east and Binley Road local centre to the west, and development on the site may provide an opportunity to integrate the two areas. It is also located in a relatively prominent position, adjacent to an area of open space immediately to the west. Surrounding development to the north and east is predominantly two storey. In these terms, the scale of any proposals on the site would need to respect the bulk and scale of its surroundings.
The change of use of the site to alternative uses is likely to be considered acceptable in principle, and any alternative use would be assessed in light of its likely impact on the character of the local area and residential amenity. In these terms, residential has been confirmed as acceptable by Officers, and certain motor trade uses (such as car showroom use) may also be considered acceptable, subject to normal development control considerations.
There may be scope for securing retail consent on the site, subject to local and national policy tests. In these terms, Officer advice suggests that a smaller store (200sq m or less) may be more readily supported by the Council than a larger scheme, due to Officer perception of quantitative need. Any retail proposal would therefore need justification in terms of the usual retail policy tests –need, sequential test, scale, impact and access. It must therefore be noted that the Somerfield site, in close proximity to our site, was granted planning permission, on the 23rd January 2008 for the erection of a food store (Lidl) and a single retail unit. This therefore removes one potential sequentially preferable site, albeit the additional retail unit may impact on need. This needs further investigation.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The loss of the petrol filling station is likely to be acceptable in principle, and alternative uses will be considered by the Council, having regard to surrounding development (including the adjacent Conservation Area and open space to the side and rear of the site). In these terms, there may be scope to secure consent for residential, retail use or car showroom. Alternatively, a mixed use scheme combining retail and residential elements may be acceptable, albeit retail use (if greater than 200 sq m of floorspace) will need to be justified in terms of need, sequential test, scale, impact and access.
APPENDIX 1 - SCHEDULE OF PLANNING HISTORY
| REFERENCE | DESCRIPTION | DECISION | DATE |
| S/1960/0137 (15200) | Erection of PFS | Refused | 11/04/1960 |
| S/1960/0136 (15200/A) | Erection of PFS with lubrication and wash bays | Refused | 17/06/1960 |
| S/1960/0138 (15200/B) | Erection of PFS and showroom | Approved | 18/07/1960 |
| S/1965/0227 (AD/2734) | 6ft identification sign with revolving head | Refused | 26/05/1965 |
| S/1968/0275 (AD/2734/A) | Pole sign | Refused | 06/12/1968 |
| S/1969/0419 (24530) | Installation of underground tank | Approved | 15/08/1969 |
| S/1970/0257 (AD/2734/B) | Box sign on pole | Refused | 03/12/1970 |
| S/1971/0246 (AD/2734/C) | Pole sign | Approved | 20/04/1971 |
| S/1971/0472 (24530/A) | Demolition of pumps, construction of canopy over forecourt and extension of forecourt and new pumps | Approved | 19/02/1971 |
| S/1972/0321 (AD/2734/D) | Pole sign | Refused | 26/05/1972 |
| S/1972/0322 (AD/2234/E) | Fascia signs | Refused | 06/09/1972 |
| S/1972/0574 (24530/B) | Change of use from showroom to tyre fitting bay | Refused | 12/06/1972 |
| S/1974/1759 (G/C/24530/C) | Continued use of coin operated petrol pump | Approved | 30/12/1974 |
| S/1981/0638 (G/C/AD/2734/F) | Illuminated fascia signs | Refused | 19/02/1981 |
| S/1985/0574 (G/C/AD/2734/G) | Twin poled company sign and fascia signs | Approved | 08/08/1985 |
| L/1989/1904 (S/24530/D) | Installation of fuel tank | Approved | 31/10/1989 |
| R/1999/0908 (2453/E) | Provision of jet wash machine, concrete hardstanding and associated drainage | Approved | 27/04/2000 |
| R/2001/4787 (24530/F) | Replacement underground petrol storage tanks | Approved | 08/02/2002 |