Application Number: 18/0183                    Ward: Village

Officer Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

GRANTED Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Installation of artificial grass on existing rugby pitch with associated hard and soft landscaping, fencing and floodlighting.

The Committee noted the officer’s report and presentation and additional information in the Supplementary Agenda. The Committee received verbal presentations from 3 objectors (who shared the maximum time of 6 minutes) and the Applicant and Agent.

The Objectors raised points including:

·         Will affect and have huge impact on the openness of the MOL (Metropolitan Open Land)

·         Will reduce access across the space

·         A much less intrusive application for Cricket Nets was refused in 2016

·         There is no travel plan, despite requests. The site Ptal rating is 0

·         Private streets cannot be considered as available for parking. These streets have no pavements

·         The site does not have the capacity for 178 cars parking on the grass in the MOL.

·         Application will cause loss of grass and is detrimental to the MOL

·         Residents see no difference between this application and the refused previous application

·         Procedural flaw in process as the Transport Survey was late. There are other pieces of information missing.

·         The proposed floodlighting does not fall into a defined exception and must be deemed inappropriate. There are recent appeal decisions where floodlights have been considered inappropriate in the Greenbelt

The Applicant and Agent made points including:

·         This application is part of the ‘Rugby 365’ program to create high quality accessible Rugby venues

·         LBM supports the playing field strategy

·         There is no detrimental impact on the character of the area.

·         This is an upgrade of existing facilities, the existing floodlighting is to be replaced by new that creates less light spillage. The fencing is to be upgraded to blend in.

·         Other such pitches in MOL land have been allowed

·         The club provides many opportunities for local adult and children’s sport.

·         This application will improve community engagement and allow for increased participation

·         It has been demonstrated that it will not cause any detrimental impact on local parking

·         Floodlight training already takes place

·         No use after 10pm, supported by LBM Environmental Health

·         Large number of supporting representations sent in

In reply to Members’ questions, Officers replied:

·         The application for Cricket Nets was refused because they were proposed in a different area, an area that currently does not have any facilities on it. This application is proposing to replace an existing rugby pitch with another, and therefore Officers can support.

·         We asked the applicant for their busiest peak  times and carried out transport survey at those times. Not aware of Residents being asked about these times. After 8pm the traffic disappears

·         The Parking Survey was done by Highways Engineers and was a technical request, this was not re-consulted on. There was a delay getting this onto the web-site as Highways Officers were reviewing the document.

·         Cars can park on the grass

·         This main benefit of this scheme for the Club is year round usage of the pitch.

Members made comments including:

·         The Transport Survey does appear to be skewed towards the Rugby Club, another survey should be carried out to include and represent residents

·         The all-weather pitch will mean more use but still only one match at a time will be played. Saturdays and Sundays 9am -3pm would still be the busiest time. Can see no reason to refuse, and will always support increased sporting facilities for residents.

·         Attach weight to the comments of the Wimbledon and Putney Downs Conservators, who subject to the hours of floodlighting, are content with the application

RESOLVED

The Committee voted to GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions