Flats plan for Fleets Industrial Estate building refused

Council planners found that applicants, hoping to turn the first and second floors of the three-storey Creditplus building in Fleets Industrial Estate into flats of a “modern standard”, had overlooked a key contamination report.

The building itself was purchased as the headquarters the car finance firm in early 2019. Creditplus operate from the ground floor, with the upper floors being refurbished in March 2020 and sub-let on a one-year tenancy to Codestone Solutions Ltd.

However, since March last year the upper two floors have been vacant. Despite being marketed for more than a year a new tenant could not be found, triggering the application for the space to be redeveloped into flats.

52 Willis Way at Fleets Industrial Estate, Poole. Picture: Google

The proposal was assessed by BCP Council’s environmental health officer, who advised that the site was historically adjacent to an area of marshland.

Council records indicate that building rubble may have been used in reclaiming the site from the marshland. In addition, there was a landfill site to the west accepting commercial and household waste between 1977 and 1985.

Site investigations revealed elevated concentrations of ground gases requiring the installation of remedial measures. When the building was erected, remedial measures were not undertaken as this was prior to the introduction of a section of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

A contamination report was not included in the application, leading to council officers refusing the plans.

Creditplus building at Willis Way, Poole

An officer said: “It is not known if there are any current design features in the construction of the existing building that would afford any degree of protection to the building from the ingress of ground gas.

“In the absence of the submission of a contamination report, the applicant has failed to demonstrate that the site would be brought into a safe and suitable condition for the intended residential use by the removal of potential unacceptable risks to human health and buildings.

“In this regard, the applicant has failed to demonstrate that in the event of any ground gas ingress into the building at ground floor level, the proposed development would not result in unacceptable risk to the health of prospective occupiers from the accumulation of ground gas.”

The proposed 13 units would have included five studio flats, four one-bedroom flats and four two-bedroom flats.