Agenda item

The Planning Manager:

a.    advised that planning permission was sought for the erection of a five storey building to provide a higher education facility (Use Class D1), including ancillary facilities and associated plant, including a biomass boiler, access and servicing, cycle parking and hard/soft landscaping

b.    reported on the location of the proposed development to the South East corner of the Brayford Campus adjacent to the Ropewalk, with the Art, Architecture and Design buildings and the Delph Pond to the West

c.    highlighted that for some time, it had been the University's goal to develop a medical school for Lincolnshire and on 20th March 2018, the Higher Education Funding Council England (HEFCE) and Health Education England (HEE) confirmed that the University of Lincoln's collaborative bid with the University of Nottingham to establish a new medical school was successful

d.    advised that permission was therefore sought to erect a five storey, zero carbon building to accommodate The Lincoln Medical School; the unique internal use of the building had dictated some of its external appearance as had the University’s desire for a highly sustainable building

e.    reported on the relevant site history to the proposed development, as detailed within the officer’s report

f.     provided details of the policies pertaining to the application, as follows:

·         National Planning Policy Framework

·         Central Lincolnshire Local Plan

·   Policy LP26: Design and Amenity Standards

·   Policy LP32: Lincolns Universities and Colleges

g.    outlined the responses made to the consultation exercise

h.    referred to the update sheet which contained a further response received from Lincolnshire County Council Transport Planning in respect of the proposed development

i.      presented a video fly-through of the proposed finished scheme to give members an insight to the feel of the external/internal layout of the building

j.      advised members of the main issues to be considered as part of the application as follows:

·         National and Local Planning Policy

·         Design and Appearance

·         Environmental Credentials

·         Landscaping

·         Archaeology

·         Drainage

k.    concluded that:

·         Ongoing development of Universities within the City was supported by Policy LP32 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.

·         Lincoln University had been successful in becoming one of 5 regions chosen to have a new medical school following a long bidding process.

·         The expansion of medical school provision was hoped to provide for 25 % more medical students throughout the UK.

·         The proposed Lincoln Medical School would deliver a comprehensive new teaching facility across five storeys and would be an environmentally friendly ‘Zero Carbon’ building.

·         The design integrated a number of environmental principles whilst achieving a high quality, unique design which would further enhance the University campus.

Professor Andrew Hunter, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Lincoln, addressed Planning Committee in support of the proposed development, covering the following main points:

·         His position included responsibility for the medical school proposals.

·         There was a pressing need for the medical school; the first 95 students would register from September 2019.

·         By 2021 there would be a total of 250 students and staff.

·         The proposed development would be a zero carbon scheme.

·         The exact relationship/proportion of windows to light would be used to provide natural day light and natural ventilation to the building.

·         Planting would be applied to the upper edges of the external building to soften the skyline.

·         Use of materials had been revisited to provide detail and interest.

·         An enclosure round the exhaust chimney would be illuminated at night.

·         There would be ample public footpaths/cycle ways.

·         Staffing numbers would start at 30 rising to 60 in the year of operation.

·         Existing car parks already had capacity for staff car parking.

·         Staff would be encouraged to walk/cycle; a fleet of E bikes would be provided for staff use.

·         The University would continue to work with the Council to minimise any impact on the transport system.

·         The proposed development focussed on sustainability as a key design driver.

Members discussed the content of the report in further detail.

Members commented/raised questions in relation to the proposed development as follows:

·         The Mayor of London had promoted the banning of wood burners for environmental reasons. What impact would a biomass boiler powered by locally sourced wood have on pollution?

·         The presentational video of the development looked very impressive.

·         It would be good to see a Medical School in the city.

·         The school would act as a catalyst to improve healthcare in Lincolnshire.

·         Congratulations were offered to everyone involved in the project which offered a highly sustainable building with environmental benefits.

The Planning Manager offered the following points of clarification:

·         Officers’ understanding in terms of a biomass boiler was that it operated differently from domestic log burning stoves. The building as a whole focussed on carbon neutrality, and although it was not a requirement of the planning authority for it to be zero carbon, it was indeed a positive move for the city.

RESOLVED that planning permission be granted, subject to the following conditions:

• Carried out within 3 years
• Carried out in accordance with the plans 
• Foul water drainage works
• Archaeology
• Finished floor levels
• Contaminated land