HGV limits at the new borough were dropped at the council

Councilors have dropped a ban on HGVs on narrow residential roads in a huge new 24/7 district, despite more than 200 objections from residents. South Gloucestershire Council’s spatial planning committee last month overturned a decision which would have maintained restrictions on the hours when lorries and large delivery vans can drive through Ladden Garden Village in Yate, a development of more than 2,000 homes as well as industrial estates .

In April, a lower committee rejected an application by the developers to remove a planning condition which said HGVs could only use the roads on the estate between 7.30am and 6pm on weekdays and 8pm :00 and 14:00 on Saturdays and never on Sundays or public holidays. As this was against officers’ advice to approve the application, it went to the council’s peak planning committee for the final say, which rejected the decision.

While it opens up the prospect of non-stop lorry movement, another condition means any new company moving into a facility will have to get delivery times and vehicle types signed off by council officers. Senior planning officer Charmian Eyre-Walker told the committee on Thursday, May 23, that this gave the local authority control to assess any impact on residents and to spread HGV movements over a 24-hour period so that they not be concentrated at one time. .

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She said time restrictions on large vehicles, introduced by councilors last summer when they granted permission to allow more general industry because no businesses wanted to rent the existing office space, were discouraging more firms from moving in, such as be those that need deliveries at night. . Ms Eyre-Walker said they also applied to all HGVs which were defined as over 3.5 tonnes and included “low loads, flatbeds and supermarket and other delivery vehicles”, such as Amazon and Ocado.

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She said the planning condition should be removed as it was not necessary or relevant, as the 2023 change of use agreement for more general industry would result in fewer vehicles and was also unenforceable and unreasonable. But Yate North ward Lib Dem Cllr Chris Willmore, who supported objections from 210 neighbors and the town council, told the meeting: “It’s not about small delivery vans under seven tonnes, it’s about HGVs, things big.

“It doesn’t affect Amazon, Ocado or any of the other firms that deliver to our homes in vehicles of various sizes, it’s just the vehicles that go to and from work. And it’s not even about daytime or Saturday mornings, it’s about what happens in the evenings and on weekends.”

She said that while developers claimed the condition prevented businesses from moving into the units, she had spoken to a “major employer” who wanted to set up a base there. Cllr Willmore said: “We have three major employers who have tried to locate this site and they do not feel this condition is restrictive.”

She said trucks were forced onto the wrong side of the road because of 90-degree turns on residential roads. “The lights of the HGVs at night will go straight into people’s homes,” said Cllr Willmore.

“Residents are deeply concerned about cars coming along the narrow roads past their bedroom windows.” The applicants, BDW Trading’s planning agent Rachel Robinson, said the time limit condition for the carriage of vehicular vehicles was not “lawful” as it did not meet the required tests under national planning policy.

She said it was added by councilors last year despite “clear and indisputable evidence” that the change of use from light industry to more general industry would lead to fewer cars and other vehicles, so it was “illogical”. . Cllr John Bradbury (Labour, Bradley Stoke South) said he was reasonably satisfied that the condition could be removed, while the other condition requiring delivery times and vehicles to be approved by the council would remain in place and protect residents adequately.

Cllr Paul Hughes (Conservative, Bitton & Oldland Common) said: “If the committee rejects this, they will no doubt appeal.” Members voted 6-0 in favor of lifting the restrictions, with one abstention.