Agenda and minutes

Councillor Jackson declared a prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 8, Planning Application 17/0276 – Site of Wilkinson’s Store bounded by Queen Street, High Street, Talbot Road and Dickson Road, Blackpool.  The nature of the interest being that he was a member of the Tramway Extension Project Board.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 13 June 2017 as a true and correct record.

The Committee considered the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 13 June 2017.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 June 2017 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Committee noted the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to dismiss an appeal against the Council’s refusal to issue a Certificate of Lawfulness for a Proposed Use of nine existing holiday flats and owners accommodation for permanent occupation and refusal to remove conditions 3 and 5 from Planning Application 80/0013, which restricted out of season occupation and required one of the flats to be occupied by a resident manager/caretaker.

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 May 2017.

The report stated that 39 new cases had been registered for investigation, 15 cases had been resolved by negotiation without recourse to formal action and 28 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 Breach of Condition notice had been authorised 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 Johnston, Head of Development Management, updated the Committee on performance for June and the quarter April 2017-June 2017. The speed of major development decisions for June was 100% and for minor development was 88%, with other applications at 100%. For the quarter period from April 2017-June 2017, the speed of major development decisions was 83%, minor developments was 93% and other applications was 100%.

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 16/0490 for the creation of 31 additional static caravan pitches with associated access roads and parking areas, landscaping and footpath improvement.

Mr Johnston presented the Committee with an overview of the application and the proposed site layout, location plans and aerial views of the site. He advised the Committee that the application was part of a wider area of land that had been designated as open land meeting community and recreational needs in the Blackpool Local Plan 2001-2016 and was covered by Policy BH8 which sought to prevent development of the land unless the proposed development only covered a small part of the land and enhanced the land’s community or recreational use.  Mr Johnston reported that the application site would involve the loss of approximately 25% of the designated open land.  Footpath enhancements that would make the footpaths available for all year round use were also included as part of the proposed development.

Mr Johnston referred to the amendments to the original application made principally in response to concerns raised by local residents.  The amendments included a reduction in the number of proposed caravans from 55 to 31 and areas at the northern end of the site being omitted from the revised proposal.  Mr Johnston referred the Committee to the significant reduction in the number of objections to the revised proposal.  He referred Members to the additional proposed conditions and the letters from the Applicant’s Agent that had been included in the Update Note.

Mr Thompson, Applicant’s Agent, spoke in support of the application.  He advised the Committee of the Applicant’s intention to continue to invest in its holiday parks, the amendments to the application that had been made in response to local residents’ concerns and the measures taken to minimise the impact on the park’s neighbouring residents.  He also reported his view on the wider social and economic benefits of the development.

In response to questions from the Committee regarding wider consultation with the general public, Mr Thompson confirmed that consultation had been undertaken with residents of properties adjacent to the park.  Mr Johnston added that all local residents and objectors to the original application had been notified of the consultation event.

A Member of the Committee questioned the issue of drainage and potential for flooding at the site and Mr Thompson referred to the statutory consultees that had raised no concerns with regarding to drainage and flooding.  The Chairman also referred the Committee to the proposed conditions covering drainage and flooding that would be attached to the planning permission, if granted.  Mr Johnston added that the site was not located in a flood risk zone and referred the Committee to the Applicant’s Agent’s letter that detailed the proposal for dealing with surface water by sustainable dispersal methods.

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 17/0247 for the external alterations and use of ground floor as altered as one self-contained permanent flat at the property at 26 Dale Street.

Mr Shaw, Principal Planning Officer, presented the Committee with an overview of the application and the proposed site layout, location plans and aerial views of the site.  He reported that the site of the proposed development was within the Foxhall Main Holiday Accommodation Area and Foxhall Conservation Area.  He advised the Committee that the property frontage was on Dale Street which was mainly residential in character.  The proposal related to the conversion of a former shop on the ground floor of the premises into a two bedroomed self-contained flat.  He reported on amendments made to the internal plans since the application had been submitted to address concerns relating to privacy.  Mr Shaw reported his view that one of the benefits of the proposal would be the improvement to the visual appearance of the area by bringing a property back into use.  The proposed alterations were designed to be sympathetic to the character of the period property.

In response to a question from a Member of the Committee, Mr Shaw confirmed that the internal floor area of the proposed flat met the minimum requirement in the Government’s Housing Technical Standards. In response to a further question from the Committee, Mr Shaw reported that the ground floor had never been in holiday use and it was not now considered viable for use as a shop.

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 17/0276 for the erection of a six storey building to form a new 142 bedroom Class C1 hotel incorporating restaurant, bar and conference accommodation, together with Class A1 retail uses at the lower ground floor, rooftop plant with associated external works, including hardsurfacing, temporary public car parking with vehicle access from Queen Street, a widened pedestrian underpass to Blackpool North Railway Station and replacement pedestrian steps and ramp between the Station and High Street following demolition of existing buildings and subway.

Mr Shaw provided the Committee with an overview of the application and the proposed site layout and location plans and aerial views of the site. Artistic impressions of the proposed development were shown which included images of the overall proposed development of the area following completion of future phases.  He advised the Committee that the application was seeking approval of a six storey ‘L’ shaped hotel with restaurant, bar and conference accommodation with retail units and a temporary car park.  It was intended that a tram station would be located on the lower ground floor, although it was noted that the tram station was not part of the application.  The proposal also included alterations to the existing underpass under High Street to the railway station.

Mr Shaw referred the Committee to the Update Note which listed a range of issues raised by the Head of Highways and Traffic Management and a number of proposed conditions to address those concerns, including the agreement of a Travel Plan, off-site highways works, car park layout and reference to demolition works to be included in the Construction Management Plan.  It also proposed an amendment to proposed Condition 5 to reflect the temporary nature of the proposed car park.  He confirmed that the additional conditions and amendment to Condition 5 would be included into the conditions attached to the planning permission, if granted.

The Committee was advised that the proposed development was in accordance with the Central Business District Policy within the Core Strategy and sought to maximise the relationship with Blackpool North Railway Station. Mr Shaw reported that this was Phase 1 of several phases in the development of the site and was also the commencement of Phase 2 of the Central Business District development.

During consideration of the application, the Committee commented favourably on the benefits of the proposed development for the town. 

NOTE:  Prior to consideration of this item, Councillor Jackson, having declared a prejudicial interest left the room and took no part in the consideration or the decision on this item.

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.