Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 9 May 2017 as a true and correct record.

The Committee considered the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 9 May 2017.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 May 2017 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Committee noted the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to allow an appeal against the decision of the Council to refuse planning permission for the erection of an extension at second floor level on top of the roof of 1 St. Lukes Road, Blackpool.

It also noted the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to allow an appeal against the decision of the Council to refuse advertisement consent for the display of an internally illuminated high level fascia sign and a non-illuminated aluminium panel at Sainsbury’s, 80 Red Bank Road, Blackpool.

Resolved:  To note the planning appeals lodged and determined.

Background papers:  None

The Committee will be asked to note the outcomes of the cases and support the actions of the Service Manager – Public Protection.

The Committee considered a report detailing the planning enforcement activity undertaken within Blackpool during April 2017.

The report stated that 45 new cases had been registered for investigation, 14 cases had been resolved by negotiation without recourse to formal action and 18 cases were closed as there was either no breach of planning control found, no action was appropriate or it was not considered expedient to take action.  One Community Protection Notice had been issued during the same period.

The report also provided comparative information for the same period last year.

Resolved:  To note the outcome of the cases set out in the report and to support the actions of the Service Manager, Public Protection Department, in authorising the notices.

Background papers:  None

To update members of the Planning Committee of the Council’s performance in relation to Government targets.

The Committee considered an update report on the Council’s performance in relation to Government targets.

Mr Shaw, Principal Planning Officer, advised the Committee that two appeals to the Planning Inspectorate had been allowed during April and May 2017.  He reassured the Committee of the Council’s overall success in winning the majority of appeals submitted to the Planning Inspectorate and that the two recently allowed appeals had been related to matters of visual amenity which, in his view, were subjective.

The Committee noted that the Council’s performance in relation to the quality of development decisions was within Government targets.

Resolved:  To note the report on planning applications and appeals performance.

The Committee is requested to consider an application for planning permission, details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

The Committee considered planning application 17/0011 for the erection of a single storey building to form a drive through coffee shop to rear of the existing petrol filling station utilising existing access and egress, with associated landscaping, bin and cycle stores and parking for 25 cars, following demolition of existing residential caravan park.

Mr Shaw presented the Committee with an overview of the application and the proposed site layout, location plans and an aerial view of the site. He reported on a previous refusal of planning permission for the erection of a single storey retail unit with associated parking for six cars within the existing petrol station site with the reason being its close proximity to the site access and the potential for vehicle conflicts within the site and on the public highway.  Mr Shaw advised the Committee that the current proposal would utilise the existing access and egress points serving the petrol filling station and that although it was primarily designed as a road side facility there would also be indoor seating within the proposed coffee shop. Mr Shaw reminded Members that outline planning permission had been granted for the nearby Whyndyke Farm development, subject to the completion of a legal agreement.

Mr Shaw reported on significant ongoing discussions that had been held involving the Agents, their highways consultant and Council officers from Planning and Highways and Traffic Management departments and the changes made to the proposal as a result of those discussions.  He referred to the Head of Highways and Traffic Management’s comments on the amended plans as detailed in the Update Note which recommended conditional approval subject to the provision of a pedestrian crossing. Mr Shaw also referred Members to the Agent’s response to the Head of Highways and Traffic Management request for a pedestrian crossing which in his view did not meet the planning test requirements as outlined in paragraph 204 of the National Planning Policy Framework.  The Agent considered that the pedestrian trips to the site would be minimal as the proposal had been designed as a drive through facility and as such he did not consider that the provision of a formalised pedestrian crossing was proportionate or directly related to the development.  Mr Shaw reported on the absence of any quantification as to how many pedestrians might be attracted to the development and the requirement for payment and provision of any off site highway works being proportionate and directly related to a need arising from the development itself to accord with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework. 

The Committee was also referred to the objections made by Mr Gordon Marsden MP and Mr Mark Menzies MP as detailed in the report.

Mr Shaw reported on concerns relating to the loss of existing mobile home dwellings which was subject to a separate ongoing legal dispute between the site owners, the former lessees and the residents.  The lease for the site had expired in January 2016.  He advised the Committee that the granting of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Committee is requested to consider an application for planning permission, details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

The Committee considered planning application 17/0105 for the formation of an attenuation basin with associated outfall structures, vehicle access from Moss House Road, temporary vehicle access off Florence Street and landscaping and boundary treatments.

Ms Johnson, Planning Officer, presented the Committee with an overview of the application and the proposed site layout, location plans and an aerial view of the site.  She reminded Members that the application had been deferred from the previous meeting to allow the opportunity for a Construction Management Plan to be produced.  She advised the Committee that a Construction Management Plan had now been submitted and reported on the specific elements of the Plan that sought to address previous concerns.  She confirmed that the Head of Highways and Traffic Management was satisfied with the Construction Management Plan.

In conclusion, Ms Johnson presented her view that on balance it was considered that the benefit of the scheme in terms of improvements in the bathing water outweighed the concerns raised and therefore the application was recommended for approval.

Ms Allen, accompanied by Mr Edwards, spoke in support of the application on behalf of the applicant. She reported on the benefits to the bathing water from the proposal and advised on a number of other similarly approved schemes.  She advised the Committee that the proposal had been designed to be in keeping with the residential aspect of the area and to maintain the green landscape.

Ms Whitlock also spoke in support of the application on behalf of ‘LOVE My BEACH’.  She advised the Committee of the campaign to improve bathing waters across the Fylde Coast and the lack of certainty that the bathing water would meet future required bathing standards.  She reported on the requirement to have cleaner, safer seas in the interests of public safety.

In response to concerns raised by the Committee regarding safety, particularly in relation to the potential for children to access the site, Ms Johnson confirmed that the site would be surrounded by a 1.4 metre high fencing, similar to fencing used around reservoirs.  In response to further safety concerns relating to the site, Mr Powell, Senior Technician, Traffic Management, advised that the Head of Highways and Traffic Management would monitor the applicant’s compliance with the Construction Management Plan, which would be updated as necessary throughout the development.

Mr Edwards, on behalf of the applicant, responded to further concerns by advising the Committee of the drainage system which would prevent the presence of surface water except for extreme weather when there would be surface water present at the site for a couple of hours at most.

Resolved:  That the application be approved, subject to the conditions, and for the reasons set out in the appendix to the minutes.

Background papers:  Applications, plans and replies to consultations on the application.

The Committee is requested to consider an application for planning permission, details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

The Committee considered planning application 17/0118 for the construction of an attenuation basin, inlet weir and outlet structures, headwall structure  and access road off Chapel Road with associated landscaping and boundary treatments.

Ms Johnson presented the Committee with an overview of the application and the proposed site layout, location plans and an aerial view of the site.  She reminded Members that the proposal was similar to the previous application and that it had also been deferred from the previous meeting to allow the opportunity for a Construction Management Plan to be produced.  She advised the Committee that a Construction Management Plan had now been submitted and reported on the specific elements of the Plan that sought to address previous concerns.  She confirmed that the Head of Highways and Traffic Management was satisfied with the Construction Management Plan.

Ms Johnson referred to the objection to the proposal from Mr Ashworth of Runnell Farm, Chapel Road as detailed in the Update Note.  She confirmed that the Head of Highways and Traffic Management had confirmed that the road was not suitable for the requested traffic calming measures and that the anticipated vehicle movements following construction, and the speed of the vehicles during construction, would not warrant the requested traffic calming measures.

In response to a question from the Committee, Mr Powell confirmed that traffic calming measures were in place on Chapel Road but the request had been for speed humps to be installed which was not considered justified for the above reasons.

Ms Allen, accompanied by Mr Edwards, stated that as this was a similar scheme to the previous application she had nothing further to add to her earlier comments regarding the benefits to the bathing water from the proposal, the existence of a number of other similarly approved schemes and the design of the proposal to be in keeping with the residential aspect of the area and to maintain the green landscape.

Resolved:  That the application be approved, subject to the conditions, and for the reasons set out in the appendix to the minutes.

Background papers:  Applications, plans and replies to consultations on the application.