This application had been submitted on behalf of Hallmark Care Homes (Ingatestone) Limited, for the erection of a headquarter office with associated Centre of Excellence and care home.

The proposal has been subject to extensive pre-application consultation with Council officers, and discussion with Parish Council and Local Ward Councillors. A virtual public consultation took place in February 2021 and the scheme was presented twice to the Essex Quality Review Panel (EQRP).

Ms Kathyrn Williams was present at the meeting and presented the report.

The Committee then heard from Mr Paul Brailsford, Agent on behalf of the applicant.

Cllr Jane Winter, Ingatestone & Fryerning Parish Council, raised concerns including the heavy workload of the GP Practice and local concern around the use of the A12 slip road given the 3 development sites in close proximity.

Cllr Sankey addressed the Committee as Ward Councillor opposing the application commenting the application would be detrimental to the ward for reasons including considerable increase of vehicular use and lack of parking.

Cllr Wagland also spoke as Ward Councillor, raising issues such as parking, flooding and the NHS provision and offer of an Impact Assessment, and the need for acoustic glazing and fencing.

Cllr Tanner, spoke in favour of the application and MOVED that the application be APPROVED.  This was SECONDED by Cllr Barber.

Following a full discussion Members voted as follows:

FOR:  Cllrs Barber, Dr Barrett, Gelderbloem, Hones, Jakobsson, Murphy, Tanner, Wiles (8)

AGAINST: Cllrs M Cuthbert, Fryd, Mynott, Sankey (4)

ABSTAIN:  (0)

The motion to APPROVE the application was RESOLVED subject to the conditions and S106 agreement outlined in the report, plus 2 additional conditions agreed as follows:

40 NOISE

Prior to occupation of the office building and the care home, details of the proposals for noise mitigation as set out in the submitted Noise Impact Assessment by Create Consulting Engineers Ltd (ref. BD/CS/P20-2019/03 Rev A August 2021) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA. Such details shall include specifications for the glazing and mechanical ventilation to habitable rooms within the care home, the external noise barrier and other provisions to reduce noise levels in external amenity areas (these will also need to be shown on a site plan), specifications for the internal noise levels within the office areas and details of the location and screening of external plant and equipment. The details shall be implemented as approved and retained thereafter.

Reason: In order to protect the amenity of future occupiers.  

41 NOISE

Prior to occupation of the office building and the care home, the following information shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority: an acoustic assessment to be undertaken by a competent qualified acoustic engineer, in order to demonstrate that, further to the noise mitigation measures being implemented, the internal noise levels for the habitable rooms in the care home and external amenity areas have met the guideline values contained in BS8233:2014 Table 4 and paragraph 7.7.3.2, and that the office accommodation meets the noise criteria for external noise intrusion contained in the British Council for Offices (BCO) Guide to best practice in the specification for offices Seventh Edition 2019. 

Reason: In order to protect the amenity of future occupiers.  

42 Boundary treatment

Prior to commencement of above ground works, a detailed scheme for the siting and design of all boundary treatments and way finding shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The approved scheme shall be fully implemented before the use hereby permitted commences and retained for the lifetime of the development, unless otherwise approved, in writing, by the local planning authority.

Reason: In order to ensure high quality landscaping for the boundaries of the site in the interests of visual amenity.