STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

LAND NORTH OF BURGH ROAD, AYLSHAM

DEMOLITION OF EXISTING COMMERCIAL BUILDING AND ERECTION OF

PETROL FILLING STATION WITH ANCILLARY SALES KIOSK AND

ASSOCIATED CAR PARKING

FEBRUARY 2016

Contents Statement of Community Involvement

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Contents

1. Introduction

2. Public Consultation Strategy

3. Press Coverage

4. Consultation Feedback

5. Conclusion

Lindum Group Ltd,

Lindum Business Park,

Station Road,

North Hykeham,

Lincolnshire,

LN6 3QX

T: 01522 500300

E: planning@lindumgroup.co.uk

Project Title:

Demolition of existing commercial building and

erection of Petrol Filling Station with ancillary sales

kiosk and associated car parking.

Client:

Aylsham Development Ltd

Prepared By: Checked By:

Robert Jays (Development Planner) Mark Foster (Planning Manager)

1. Introduction Statement of Community Involvement

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Introduction

1.1 The aim of this Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) is to detail how the local

community and other stakeholders have been engaged regarding the proposals for land to

the north of Burgh Road in Aylsham.

1.2 This SCI includes analysis of the feedback received during the consultations, as well as

a response to the issues that have arisen, ensuring that the views of the community and

stakeholders have been taken into consideration when finalising the scheme.

1.3 The application proposal is for a Petrol Filling Station with ancillary sales kiosk and

associated car parking following the demolition of the existing kitchen and bathroom

showroom which currently occupies the site. The application includes an access from Burgh

Road including a new right hand turn lane. The development is well related to a new

roundabout junction to be constructed on the Burgh Road/A140 Junction due to be

delivered as part of a residential development to the north of the site.

1.4 Local Community Groups and key stakeholders have been consulted by way of an online

public consultation, with assistance of Aylsham Town Council who have also facilitated

contact with the relevant district councillors. As well as this the local planning authority

have been engaged through a formal pre-application process.

Fire Damaged Kitchen and Bathroom Showroom which occupies site.

2. Public Consultation Strategy Statement of Community Involvement

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Public Consultation Strategy

2.1 It was decided at an early stage that key stakeholders and local residents should be

consulted on the proposals to assist in the development of the scheme and to identify local

issues moving forward.

2.2 Initial consultation was first undertaken with Aylsham Town Council and the relevant

District Councillors. Members of the project team attended a meeting with councillors and

Broadland District Council on the 29th of September 2015 at the District Council Offices. The

meeting enabled the project team to outline initial development proposals and seek initial

feedback from the councillors. At this stage the proposals were at a very early stage with

councillors reserving comment until detailed proposals has been produced. However an

undersupply of petrol provision in and around Aylsham was noted and the principle of such

a proposal was supported.

2.3 The public consultation for the proposals took the form of an online consultation

detailing the development proposals and providing plans and visual illustrations

highlighting the development scheme. Following the meeting in September, as detailed

above, further discussions between the development team the Town Council took place.

During these discussions the Town Council agreed to advertise the consultation to the local

population. This advertisement included the following:

� Social media via Twitter post.

� Displaying a poster on the Town Council notice board and within the Town Council

office.

� Consultation information emailed to Aylsham Schools, Aylsham Library and the

local enterprise and business forum.

� Notifications sent to North Norfolk News and Just Regional (online news provider).

2.4 The online consultation was provided on the Lindum Group website, with the relevant

web-link detailed in the advertising described above. The website included a high level

description of the proposed development along with a downloadable PDF document

providing more detail on the proposals. A copy of the PDF is included as Appendix 1 of this

statement and includes plans and visuals of the proposed design and layout alongside

further text detailing the proposed development. The consultation website is shown below.

2. Public Consultation Strategy Statement of Community Involvement

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2.5 The online consultation included two options of providing feedback. The first

was via a comments tab on the bottom of the website and the second being the

option to send comments directly to the Lindum Group via the

planning@lindumgroup.co.uk email address.

2.6 The consultation ran for two weeks from Monday the 4th of January to Friday

the 15th of January.

Application Site View of the current site frontage from Burgh Road. The extent of the damage to the current buildings on site.

Example of the Consultation Poster

3. Press Coverage Statement of Community Involvement

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Press Coverage

3.1 As indicated above part of the consultation included the town council issuing the

relevant information to local news outlets. News articles were published on the North

Norfolk News, Just Regional and the Street Life Aylsham websites.

3.2 All three news articles were factual in nature and did not look to make either positive

or negative comment on the proposals. As is the case with modern online news coverage,

people reading the articles are able to provide comment. A number of comments have been

made on the news websites, particularly the Just Regional website article which attracted

37 comments.

3.3 The comments made on the news articles do not form part of the consultation and have

not been considered as formal consultation responses. However it is worth noting that the

majority of comments were of a positive nature, indicating that a petrol station on Burgh

Road would be welcomed by the bulk of respondents.

3.4 The comments described above included discussion on the merits of fast food provision

on the site with particular reference made to the potential for a McDonalds or Subway

being provided on site. It is worth noting that at no stage have the proposals put forward

as part of the planning application or detailed in the public consultation referenced any fast

food provision on site. As such, no provision of fast food or restaurant premises is included

as part of the planning application.

4. Consultation Feedback Statement of Community Involvement

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Consultation Feedback

4.1 Aylsham Town Council

4.1.1 Aylsham Town Council discussed the development proposals at a Town Council

meeting on the 11th of February 2016. At the time of writing, the minutes of the meeting

were not available. However feedback was provided via email from the Town Clerk with the

indication that the concept of a petrol filling station was supported by councillors. It was

noted that a final judgement from the Town Council would be reserved until full details of

the application was available. In addition to this the Clerk conveyed comments from the

local residents including concerns on the road network and landscaping of the scheme.

4.2 Results of the Public Consultation

4.2.1 The responses to the development proposals have been relatively significant in terms

of numbers with the vast majority of responses being very positive. In total 87 responses

were received by a combination of emails to the planning@lindumgroup.co.uk email

address and through the consultation website.

4.2.2 Of the 87 responses received 80 people expressed support or support with

reservations for the scheme, which equates to a 92% support rate. The other 7 responses

included 6 people (7%) objecting to the proposals with one person (1%) neither supporting

or objecting to the proposals. This clearly highlights the overwhelming levels of support for

the scheme.

4.2.3 The consultation responses included a number of further comments from people in

addition to their support or objection to the scheme. It is worth noting that in line with the

92% support rate for the proposals, the vast majority of additional comments were in

support of the scheme. This support includes a large number of people confirming the need

for petrol provision in Aylsham.

79%

13%

1%

7%

CONSUTLATION RESPONSES - DO YOU

SUPPORT THE PROPOSALS?

Yes Yes with reservations. Neutral No

4. Consultation Feedback Statement of Community Involvement

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Comment Response

Petrol Station in Aylsham needed. Noted.

Under provision of petrol in the local area. Noted. Proposals put forward to help meet the shortfall of petrol provision around

the town.

HGV provision should be included in the proposals. The end operator of the scheme has looked at the potential for HGV provision on

site. It is felt that such provision would not be economically viable in terms of the

business model for a Filling Station in this location.

Support for a Food Store on site. Noted. Ancillary sales kiosk to be taken forward in application proposals.

Welcome the road improvements proposed as part of the development. Noted. Right hand turn lane proposed to enable satisfactory road conditions in

relation to the proposals on Burgh Road. Scheme will also relate well to the future

delivery of the A140/Burgh Road roundabout.

Opposition to fast food provision on site. A fast food retail unit is not included within the development proposals and will

not be part of the application. The Lindum Group have never indicated that such

provision will be included in the development proposals.

Screening along the site boundary needed to mitigate impact on local properties. A detailed landscaping scheme is not included as part of the application proposals.

The Lindum Group would accept a condition that would allow a soft landscaping

scheme to be considered once/if permission is granted.

Support for a petrol station in Aylsham, but consider better locations to be

available.

The Lindum Group and the end user of the scheme both consider the site on Burgh

Road to be an ideal location for a petrol filling station. Development of the scheme

not only provides a much needed filling station but also replaces an eyesore on a

prominent entrance to the town.

Burgh Road is not suitable, road is too narrow and very busy. A transport assessment has been completed for the site. The assessment shows

that the additional traffic generated by the scheme will not reduce highway safety

and can be accommodated in the local road network. The provision of a right hand

turn lane will improve conditions on Burgh Road.

Petrol filling station will help local businesses and bring business into the town. Noted. The Lindum Group believe that the proposals will have a positive impact on

the economy in the area.

Opposed to petrol filling station provision. Research has indicated a shortfall in petrol provision in Aylsham. This has been

supported by the vast majority of people responding to the public consultation.

Object to standard designs. Proposals should have more architectural merit. The design proposals are very much in accordance with the business model of the

end user and we consider them to be a suitable design response to the constraints

of the site. When considered in conjunction with the proposed new roundabout

the proposed filling station will provide a significant visual improvement to this

prominent location on the entrance to Aylsham.

4. Consultation Feedback Statement of Community Involvement

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4.2.4 As highlighted earlier in paragraph 4.4, the majority of the comments made during

the application focused on positive aspects of the proposed development, particularly the

need for petrol provision in Aylsham. In addition to this strong support was shown for the

retail outlet element of the proposals. The level of positive comments made during the

consultation was commensurate with the level of support shown on the proposals.

Therefore at least 90% of the comments made during the consultation where of a positive

nature and again highlights the considerate support for the scheme highlighted by the

consultation process.

4.2.5 Some concern has been expressed from people responding to the consultation

regarding the suitability of the local road network, particularly Burgh Road. A transport

assessment has been submitted as part of the planning application which indicates that the

traffic generated by the proposed development will not adversely affect highway safety and

can be accommodated within the local road network. Part of the development proposals

include for a ghost island arrangement junction with a right hand turn lane for traffic

accessing the site travelling into Aylsham. There proposals will improve the conditions on

Burgh Road and prevent congestion created by traffic accessing the petrol station. In

addition to these direct improvements, the scheme will also benefit from the planned

roundabout junction on the Burgh Road/A140 Junction. This roundabout will further assist

in improving road safety on what is perceived to be dangerous junction in responses to our

public consultation.

4.2.6 Several responses to the public consultation showed concern regarding the proposed

design of the development with views expressed that the scheme should be of a higher

standard of design. The Lindum Group believe the design is of high quality and the proposals

represent a suitable design response in relation to the constraints posed by the site. The

design fits with the business model of the end user and is a suitable proposal for a petrol

filling station. The Lindum Group certainly believe that when combined with the new

roundabout, the development proposals will result in a significant visual improvement

when considered against the current site including the derelict and dilapidated building.

5. Conclusion Statement of Community Involvement

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Conclusion

5.1 An extensive process of consultation has been completed as part of the planning

application, including a meeting with the town council and a widely publicised online

consultation. In total 87 comments were made during the two week consultation period.

5.2 Alongside the formal consultation process, a number of news outlets detailed the

development proposals. The Just Regional, North Norfolk News and Street Life Aylsham

websites all featured news articles on the consultation including details of the development

proposals. All three websites attracted comments from readers and whilst these have not

been considered as part of the consultation, it is worth noting that in the main the

comments were very positive.

5.3 The response to the consultation was overwhelmingly positive with 92% of the

consultees supporting the development proposals. The prominent theme of the responses

was a focus of support for a petrol filling station in Aylsham which was considered to be

much needed and long overdue. This support was replicated in an initial response from the

Town Council who expressed support for the principle of a petrol filling station while

reserving final judgement until the full plans become available.

5.4 Some concern was expressed about the design of the scheme and highways safety on

the local road network, but there concerns were expressed by a small minority of the

consultees who responded. Responses to these comments are included in section 4 and do

not necessitate any changes to the development proposals at this stage.

Appendices Statement of Community Involvement

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Appendix 1

Appendices Statement of Community Involvement

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