Issue - meetings

Proposal Description: Item 11: Development of an Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS) with associated means of access, internal parking and roadways, siting of ancillary power generation, storage and distribution infrastructure, landscaping and engineering works, erection of ancillary restaurant, outdoor seating and play area.

It was noted that members of the committee were encouraged to visit the application site independently and drive past using the access points to and from the A34 to enable members to gain a better appreciation of the proposals.

The application was introduced. Members were referred to the Update Sheet which set out in full details of the email and attachments submitted by the agent on 6 December 2023 and 8 December 2023.

In addition, a verbal update was provided by the case officer at the meeting following the submission of an odour assessment by the applicant to address the objections raised by the council’s environmental protection team in relation to the impact of odour levels from adjacent land use on the proposed development and visitors to the site. The assessment submitted had been reviewed and it was considered that this overcame the objection previously raised by environmental protection, as a result, the reason for refusal No.5 as set out in the report, has been removed.

During public participation, Steven Bainbridge spoke in support of the application and answered Members’ questions thereon.

Councillor Learney spoke as Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency (which included responsibility for transport). In summary, Councillor Learney raised the following points:

·       This was an application for a use on which the council’s planning policy had little guidance.

·       The provision of service stations facilities to enable those on long journeys without home or rapid charging provision was a recent innovation, but was needed infrastructure where policy had yet to catch up.

·       Referred to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which stated that local authorities should be planning to support necessary transport infrastructure, which would include included rapid charging facilities on major trunk roads.

·       Referred to the aims quote within the emerging plan.

·       Suitable locations had not been identified in either the existing or emerging policies which Councillor Learney stated was a clear gap that the council needed to progress going forward.

·       The site was just outside the area covered by the Winchester Air Quality Strategic Planning Document approved in 2021 which aimed to ‘attract investment in clean technology, sustainable travel and renewable energy’.

·       Under other policy, the council had declared a climate emergency and the Carbon Neutrality Action Plan committed the council to the rapid decarbonisation of our own transport and facilitate others with action required sooner rather than later.

·       The council’s Electric Charging Strategy was published in 2018 and was out of date.

·       It was recognised that although the council was looking at fast charging, there was limited scope for this on land under the council’s control, due to access to sufficient power.

·       The Winchester Movement Strategy needed to be considered when looking at rapid charging locations to reduce unnecessary car journeys into the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10