Lagness nursery refused permission to increase production

Newlands Nursery and adjoining field Butterlees, Pagham Road, applied for an outdoor container tree production facility with multi-span polythene greenhouse to accommodate multiple horticultural crops and a new reservoir.

Arun planning officers said it was proposed to erect a 23,598m2 multi-span polythene greenhouse on the western side of the site.

A reservoir with a capacity of 11,300m3 (4m deep) is proposed for rainwater harvesting in the corner of the site near to Butterlees Barn. Close to this will be two tanks, a pump house), staff toilets and a supervisor's office but there are no details of these proposals. The remainder of the site will be used to grow trees in the open.

Access will be through the existing private Newlands Nursery entrance off Pagham Road to existing internal roadways and new permeable tracks running alongside the existing glasshouse and around the outside of Butterlees Field.

A perimeter access track is proposed around the edge of the site. This requires an existing ditch to be crossed in two places and for the removal of two small sections of hedgerow.

Pagham Parish Council did not object but was concerned by the applicant's statement that this development will not generate vehicle movements which could be deemed material. The council said the access is on Z bends and residents regularly watch lorries struggle to leave the site safely.

Two objections were made on the grounds of increased flooding. They state the current drain and culvert system around the site boundary is unsatisfactory, needs to be dredged, regularly overflows, and has caused flooding to the road and properties in recent months.

In their refusal report officer said there was insufficient information regarding surface water drainage to determine if the development is implementable whilst meeting policy requirements and ensuring that flood risk is not increased on site or elsewhere. The proposal conflicts with Arun Local Plan.

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"Whilst these issues may be capable of being resolved through the submission of further information and layout changes, it is not possible to allow the applicant time to amend the submission," they said.

"The applicant states the proposal will consolidate existing operations and bring about a reduction in traffic movements which could result in benefits to the highway network and in terms of carbon footprint. In practice, there is little detail supplied as to where the existing satellite sites are or what the likely carbon reduction will be. This benefit is of little weight at the current time."

To see the decision on the Arun District Council planning portal use search reference P/187/22/PL.