12/08/2026
UPDATE ON THE PLANNING APPLICATION FOR THE CHANGE OF USE FOR A PET CREMATORIUM 26/00476 UNIT K NORTHWAY TRADING ESTATE, BY SAXON PARK
Feedback from Environmental health and Highways is now available, their current recommendations are (Environmental Health)
At this stage the Environmental Health Department would recommend refusal to this application in its current form, due to concerns that the site would result in a loss of amenity to nearby residential premises
(Highways) Highway Recommendation: Holding Objection
I have put more detail from them below FYI
I have also checked as asked about County Council involvement in the planning due to it being an incinerator/crematorium and have been informed that this application falls to the Borough
If anyone wants any more information or me to pursue any questions etc for them feel free to contact me at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
CLLR Graham Bocking
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
In relation to 26/00476/FUL, Unit K, Northway Trading Estate, Northway Lane, Northway, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8JH. Please could the below also be added to my consultation response.
Air Quality Impact Assessment (ACG Ref No: 70325 - Ricardo Ref No: ED 22292138)
Environmental Health would like to note that the AQ assessment has been reviewed, and whilst any increases in pollutants are below national objectives, the report identifies that the increase in prescribed
pollutants (NO2, PM10, PM2.5) at sensitive receptors is generally forecast to be negligible or slight, with the slight increase being of concern.
In relation to 26/00476/FUL, Unit K, Northway Trading Estate, Northway Lane, Northway, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8JH, please note the below consultation response from Environmental Health.
Environmental Health:
The submitted technical reports have all been reviewed, and the department has the below comments/ concerns.
Noise Impact Assessment (ref: 15030/NIA/1/260507):
In order to appropriately consider the assessment and subsequent conclusion, please could the applicant provide their justification for the -36db for time correction within the vehicle noise assessment.
1
Additionally, the report states the attenuation from the proposed equipment, although the specification for each of this equipment is not provided, which would be expected to be available for review and to ensure compliance with the assessment.
In line with BS4142, the background has been undertaken for the daytime period (07:00-23:00), but there are concerns regarding use of the site until potentially 22:00, a time where the background noise level would have reduced, meaning that disturbance to residential premises is more likely. Also, the assessment has only predicted the noise levels from 07:00 onwards, so this assessment does not evidence that an opening of 06:00 would be acceptable.
External lighting:
The department is satisfied with the proposed external lighting plan.
Dust Management Plan (Ref: 70163-Dust Management Plan)
The DMP has been reviewed and includes suitable controls. However, for transparency, section 5 of the plan incorrectly refers to odour rather than dust, and should be amended.
Odour Management Plan (Ref: 70163-OMP):
Some of the controls identified within this OMP are not clear, for example the applicant needs to confirm whether any waste will be stored externally, and if so, what controls are in place to ensure hazardous waste is stored securely and to prevent causing a nuisance.
In addition to the above, the application is not supported by an Odour Impact Assessment, which would be required to appropriately assess the application, especially given the proximity and sensitivity of nearby receptors, coupled with the associated high offensiveness of odour from the site. This assessment would be expected to be in line with relevant guidance including IQAM. Therefore, odour effects will need to be forecast using predictive tools (e.g. qualitative risk based assessments, dispersion modelling), to determine the sites' acceptability/ whether further odour control measures are required.
Please note that if the applicant was to provide an Odour Impact Assessment, in support of the application, the department would review and comment accordingly. However, at this stage the Environmental Health Department would recommend refusal to this application in its current form, due to concerns that the site would result in a loss of amenity to nearby residential premises
HIGHWAYS
The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England)
Order 2015 | Article 18 Consultation with Highway Authority
Change of use of existing Class E warehouse to pet crematorium with associated stack
Unit K Northway Trading Estate Northway Lane Northway Tewkesbury
Gloucestershire GL20 8JH
Anima Care UK Ltd
Gloucestershire County Council, the Highway Authority, acting in its role as Statutory Consultee has undertaken a full assessment of this planning application. Based on the appraisal of the development proposals, the Highways Development Management Manager — on behalf of the County Council — under Article 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, makes the following comments.
Highway Recommendation: Holding Objection
Summary
The Transport Statement relates to the proposed change of use of an existing Class E(g) commercial unit to a pet crematorium (sui generis) at Unit K, Northway Trading Estate. The application site extends to approximately 1,726m² and contains an existing building providing approximately 780m² of floorspace, together with a proposed 120m² mezzanine floor. The proposed facility would comprise a reception and waiting area, two chapels of rest, pet mortuary and preparation areas with cold storage, office and meeting room accommodation, a cremator hall, ash packing and engraving facilities, dry goods storage and waste storage areas. The development is therefore a mixed operational and customer-facing facility rather than solely a cremation process building.
Whilst the principle and scope of the highway assessment are acknowledged, further clarification is required on several matters before a fully informed recommendation can be made.
Trip Generation
The submitted Transport Statement estimates that the existing lawful use could generate approximately:
• AM peak: 6 two-way vehicle trips
• PM peak: 4 two-way vehicle trips
• Daily: 63 two-way vehicle trips
The proposed pet crematorium use is forecast to generate:
• AM peak: 12 two-way vehicle trips
• PM peak: 12 two-way vehicle trips
• Daily: 52 two-way vehicle trips
The applicant therefore concludes that the proposal would result in a net reduction of 9 daily trips compared with the existing lawful use.
However, the trip generation methodology warrants further scrutiny.
The proposed trip generation relies on a first-principles assessment using operational data from another pet crematorium operated by the applicant rather than a recognised TRICS land use category. Whilst this approach is understandable given the absence of a dedicated TRICS category for pet crematoria, insufficient information has been provided to allow independent verification of the assumptions used.
In particular clarification is required regarding:
• The location, size and operational characteristics of the comparator facility.
• Whether the comparator facility contains customer reception facilities and chapels of rest.
• The basis for the predicted visitor numbers.
• The basis for the operational vehicle assumptions.
• Daily arrival and departure profiles.
The submitted Design and Access Statement identifies:
• Reception area.
• Sales element.
• Two chapels of rest.
• Public waiting area.
The Local Highway Authority notes that only 4-5 customer visits per week are forecast in Year 1 and 8-10 visits per week in Year 5. Given the nature and scale of the facilities proposed, including dedicated reception and chapel facilities, these assumptions appear low and require further justification.
The assessment also refers to approximately four daily deliveries of controlled veterinary waste and regular waste collections. Further information should be provided regarding the anticipated frequency of animal deliveries, customer appointments and operational servicing movements.
Parking Provision
The Transport Statement states that the proposal will provide:
• 11 standard car parking spaces.
• 2 disabled spaces.
• 2 visitor spaces.
• 4 EV charging spaces.
• 4 operational van parking spaces.
• 6 cycle parking spaces.
The Year 5 operational scenario identifies:
• 17 on-site staff.
• 5 operational vehicles.
• Customer visits.
• Delivery and servicing activity.
The submitted assessment concludes that parking provision is sufficient. However, concerns remain regarding the robustness of this conclusion.
No parking accumulation assessment has been provided demonstrating parking demand throughout a typical operational day. Furthermore, review of the submitted layout plan suggests that the proposed customer entrance may occupy
an area formerly used as a parking bay. It is therefore not immediately apparent from the plan that the scheme delivers the stated total car parking spaces. A detailed parking schedule should therefore be submitted identifying:
• All standard parking spaces.
• Disabled spaces.
• Visitor spaces.
• EV charging spaces.
• Operational vehicle spaces.
This should be accompanied by dimensioned parking bay drawings demonstrating that all spaces remain fully usable.
The applicant should also clarify how the fifth operational vehicle will be accommodated. The Transport Statement indicates that only four dedicated van spaces are proposed and relies upon assumptions regarding vehicle movements throughout the day. A more robust operational parking assessment is required.
Internal Layout and Pedestrian Movement
The proposed customer entrance is located directly within the parking forecourt. No dedicated pedestrian route is shown connecting visitor parking spaces to the customer entrance. Customers are therefore likely to walk through vehicle manoeuvring areas between parked and reversing vehicles.
While speeds within the site are likely to be low, the proposed use differs from a conventional industrial use in that visitors may be elderly, mobility impaired or attending emotionally sensitive appointments.
The applicant should therefore demonstrate:
• Safe pedestrian access from visitor parking spaces.
• Suitable accessibility arrangements for disabled users.
• Details of any pedestrian prioritisation measures.
• Confirmation that the customer entrance does not conflict with adjacent parking bays.
Visibility and Access
The application proposes retention of the existing access arrangements. The Transport Statement adopts a design speed of 10mph and provides visibility splays of 2.4m x 11m based upon Manual for Streets guidance.
Whilst the access serves a private internal estate road where low vehicle speeds would generally be expected; no speed survey information has been provided to support the adopted 10mph design speed. Clarification should therefore be provided explaining the basis of the design speed assumption and confirming expected operating speeds on the adjacent estate road. Notwithstanding this, the LHA acknowledges that the access is existing and the proposal represents a change of use rather than creation of a new access.
Swept Path Analysis
Swept path assessments have been submitted for:
• A 3.5 tonne panel van.
• A large estate car.
The submitted analysis demonstrates that these vehicles can manoeuvre within the site and access and egress in a forward gear. No concerns are raised regarding the submitted swept-path assessment. However, whilst the swept-path analysis demonstrates that vehicles can circulate within the site, no parking accumulation assessment has been provided to demonstrate that sufficient parking capacity exists for staff, visitors and operational vehicles during peak operational periods. Further justification of the proposed parking provision and operational parking arrangements is therefore recommended.
Recommendation
Based on the information currently available, insufficient evidence has been provided to fully verify the operational parking demand and trip generation assumptions associated with the proposed use.
The Local Highway Authority therefore recommends that the applicant provide the following additional
information:
1. Detailed justification of the pet crematorium trip generation assumptions.
2. Parking accumulation assessment based on Year 5 operation.
3. Clarification regarding accommodation of the fifth operational vehicle.
4. Details of pedestrian access arrangements to the proposed customer entrance.
5. Justification of the adopted 10mph design speed.
6. Please confirm that the proposed customer entrance does not compromise any parking spaces and that all proposed parking remains usable Subject to satisfactory resolution of the above matters, the development is not currently considered likely to result in a severe residual cumulative impact on the highway network. However, further evidence is required to verify the submitted transport conclusions before a final recommendation can be made
