A proposal to build a new headquarters for the Department of Parks at Marsh Folly Road has been granted planning approval.

Planning documents showed that the application involved demolishing existing buildings at the parks industrial yard, the former solid waste depot, and erecting three new buildings on the site.

The project would include the construction of a two-storey administration building along the northern border of the property and a two-storey industrial building on the eastern boundary.

The third building, a single-storey workshop, would be built on the property’s southern border.

The proposal also included the creation of a new access point to Marsh Folly Road at the eastern side of the northern boundary.

Planning documents said: “This new access is to allow the public a safer, more convenient and separate entrance from the industrial yard operations which also include heavy vehicle access to the Works and Engineering depot also based to the south of the application site.

“The upper parking area also allows staff to park their private vehicles outside of the secure yard which was a requirement of the Department of Parks.”

While the application said the site was a “tight fit” for the facilities required by the department, it said the design would maximise utility without compromising safety and security.

“We believe we have also provided a good level of design for the areas that have a public face,” the applicant said in documents.

“However, in order to facilitate the movement of heavy vehicles in the yard the buildings have been forced to encroach within the boundary setbacks.”

A technical officer recommended the application was approved and the legislated criteria were met.

In a report, the technical officer said: “For one, the proposal is for the purpose of rehabilitating, upgrading and improving the standard of the existing development.

“At present, the buildings are in a dilapidated state. Any new development is viewed as an improvement. The proposal will provide for a larger and more orderly arrangement for administration offices, industrial staff facilities as well as a workshop.

“Two, the proposal exhibits a high standard of design and landscaping. The proposal provides a layout which strives to make efficient use of the site for the entire parks department operations which uses a range of various heavy equipment vehicles.”

The technical officer said the grading of the site would mean the two-storey buildings would appear to be single storey from neighbouring properties and that the proposal would not harm the area with noise, traffic, odour or vibrations.

“Instead, the application proposes to demolish the rundown buildings, remove the shipping containers and replace them with functional industrial buildings which are aesthetically pleasing,” the report said.

“It should be noted that the site is largely intended to accommodate offices and storage of vehicles and not for carrying out activities that incur nuisances typically associated with heavy industrial use.”

The technical officer added that there had been no objections to the proposal and the nearest residential neighbour had seen the plans and was in approval.

“Overall, the proposal will be an improvement to the site by providing a more organised layout which can accommodate the full staff of the parks department,” the report concluded.