The site of the former Fuller’s Earthworks, at Odd Down on the outskirts of the City, continues to be the subject of considerable planning controversy. BPT has resisted development on this site since 2002, when application 00/02417/FUL for residential and office development was overturned by the Secretary of State following a public inquiry.

 

2023 – Planning Application for Land Remediation & Ecological Enhancement Works

New application 23/00021/FUL has come forward for remediation works across the site: to re-profile the northern land parcel by distributing the existing spoil heaps on the site and plant new woodland, and to enhance existing grassland habitat across the south-east and south-west land parcels. It comes after similar application 21/02813/FUL was refused on grounds that insufficient information had been submitted to assess impact to landscape character, the openness of the Green Belt, and existing habitats and wildlife on the site.

BPT has objected to the application, highlighting concerns that proposals may result in the spreading of contaminated material across the site when the spoil heaps should have already been removed from the site. We noted an ongoing lack of assessment regarding how works would affect the ecological value not only of the site, but the surrounding area.

Read our objection response here.

 

2021 – Planning Permission Granted for New Fibre Exchange Unit

Application 21/03978/FUL for the siting of fibre exchange telecommunications infrastructure on the site was permitted in 2021.

 

2017 – Proposals for Increased Car Parking & Alterations to Existing Buildings

Further car parking and an extension to the reception building was permitted in 2017 under application 17/00858/FUL.

 

2014 – Proposals for New Residual Waste Facility

In 2014, application 14/00839/EMINW was delegated to permit at Development Management Committee for the erection of residual waste facility on the northern corner of the site, to which BPT continued to object. Read our objection summarised on p.4 of the Committee Report here.

 

2013 – Enforcement Action Against Unauthorised Development Works & Judicial Review

In 2013, a judicial review was brought forward against enforcement action from B&NES Council. B&NES Council had asserted, as summarised by the inspector, that the land had been changed from agricultural and general industrial (B2) use to a mix of uses including waste processing (within use class B2) and storage and distribution, as well as works for concrete hardstanding and other infrastructure such as sub-bases, fences, and storage bays, and piles of waste soil, aggregates, etc. The Owner of Fullers Earth, and another, successfully argued in the High Court that the Council’s decision to issue the notices was unfair and irrational, and the High Court quashed both enforcement notices.

Application 13/02141/CLEU was later submitted to secure a Certificate of Lawful Existing Use (CLEU) for “General Industrial (B2) Use for the whole application site with the exception of one building which has a lawful use for Storage and Distribution (B8).” BPT objected to the scheme on grounds of the extent of the proposed site having increased since 2002, extending beyond areas already covered by buildings and hardstanding. The application was subsequently withdrawn.

Read our response to the 2013 application here.