Development Control approval

St Edmundsbury's Development Control Committee has approved the planning application by Centros Miller to redevelop the Cattle Market site in the centre of Bury St Edmunds.

The meeting was held at the Athenaeum and around 65 members of the public attended. Professional experts, objectors, supporters, Bury St Edmunds Town Council, ward members and the applicant all had opportunities to address the committee.

Members then debated issues highlighted in the Development Control schedule (the full report is on our website www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk) including retail assessment, design, traffic flows and car parking.

The recommendation for approval comes with a long list of conditions which need to be satisfied before work can start. Centros Miller also needs to formally sign up to the Section 106 agreement, which covers the financial contribution the company will make towards areas such as:

·         affordable (low rent or shared cost) housing where it's needed in town;

·         marketing initiative to promote one town centre, including the historic core and independent traders;

·         town bus service improvements, such as a Sunday bus service;

·         variable message signing (VMS) by Christmas 2005 to guide drivers to available parking spaces;

·         improved Parkway underpass, complementing the surface crossing by the cinema;

·         public art commissioned by a local selection panel.

The committee asked for a further study by independent consultants of traffic flows and car parking which will be reported to the Car Parking Working Party.

Many conditions have also been attached, with some of them - such as final design details - coming back to the Development Control Committee for decisions. These are brief details of some of the other conditions:

• Details of design and surfacing of works to St Andrews Street South to be agreed and implemented, including bus stop, service bays, pedestrian crossing facilities and measures to restrict flow of vehicles through development.
• Layout of car parking and design of cycle parking to be approved – car park to include dedicated spaces for blue badge holders.
• Design of new roadway from Kings Road/Risbygate Street to be agreed and implemented.
• Variable message signing to car parks to be agreed and implemented.
• Travel Plan to be agreed and implemented.
• Samples of materials to be used in construction of all buildings and working drawings to be submitted and agreed.
• Roundhouse to be dismantled in accordance with agreed scheme and set aside for re-erection.
• Materials from demolition of other buildings and structures to be set aside for reuse elsewhere on site.
• Archaeological investigation to be agreed and implemented.
• Details of lighting and CCTV scheme to be agreed and implemented.
• Replacement public toilet facilities to be provided.
• Full details of public building to be agreed and implemented – to include hours of operation and opening, servicing arrangements and measures to minimise escape of noise.
• Strategy for achieving access for people with disability to be agreed.
• Scheme to protect  residents from environmental, servicing and entertainment noise sources to be agreed and implemented.

The next steps

This Development Control Committee's decision is a major step in the redevelopment of the Cattle Market site, but it is not the final step. There are a number of important matters of detail which will go back to the Development Control Committee in the coming months for their decision so there is a busy time ahead for its members.

The application will now be referred to GO East (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister)  and we will know within a month whether we can formally issue consent.

Meanwhile we will soon be signing the revised Development Agreement with Centros Miller, which will be another major step along the way.

Emailed newsletter

One of the most important jobs for the Impact Management Group (a team including town and borough councillors, staff, traders and representatives from the local community) is making sure everyone is kept in touch with what's going on when construction work starts. The team's currently looking at various ways of communicating with as many people as possible (any suggestions gratefully received). This emailed Town Centre Newsletter is a relatively quick and simple way of reaching a wide range of people. If you know of anyone (business, voluntary group, residents' association or individual) who would like to be included in the distribution list then please contact me through the email address at the end of this newsletter.

Pigeon spotting

English Heritage has been working closely with St Edmundsbury Borough Council to protect and maintain the Abbey Gate in Bury St Edmunds. The intention is to proof the scheduled ancient monument against pigeons to stop them damaging the stonework and fouling the passage through to the Abbey Gardens.

The work is being carried out following advice from PICAS (Pigeon Control Advisory Service) on the best way to control pigeon numbers. PICAS has done similar work with other councils facing the same problems. English Heritage started work, expected to last four weeks, earlier this week.

During the first week the Abbey Gate entrance to the AbbeyGardens will be closed while scaffolding is erected. It will also be closed for three days at the end for the scaffolding to be removed. During this time visitors will be able to use the entrance by the public toilets, a few yards from the Abbey Gate.

St Edmundsbury's Cabinet has agreed to recommend to full council (on 24 February) that improvements are made to the AbbeyGardens, including a wildlife sanctuary area and an alternative nesting site - a dovecote. The aim is to encourage feeding of birds in this area which will in turn, over a period of time, encourage them to use the dovecote to roost once the Abbey Gate netting and maintenance work has been completed.

It will take time for the birds to get used to feeding and roosting in a new area and for a short while owners of buildings may find a temporary increase in pigeon numbers on their properties. PICAS can give non-commercially based advice (they will charge a fee) on simple but effective proofing methods businesses can carry out. They can be contacted on 02392 583540.

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Newsletter: This newsletter is from St Edmundsbury Borough Council, owner of the Cattle Market redevelopment site. Please forward it to anyone you think may be interested in the topic or contact me if you wish to be taken off the distribution list:

marianne.hulland@stedsbc.gov.uk