Agenda and minutes

Councillor Hutton declared a prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 6 relating to planning application 17/0457 – Site of Former Arnold School, Lytham Road, Blackpool.  The nature of the interest being that he was a Governor of Mereside Primary School, part of the Fylde Coast Academy Trust.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 26 September 2017 as a true and correct record.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2017.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2017 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Committee noted that two appeals had been lodged against the refusal of planning permission in respect of application 17/0034 relating to 29 Cocker Street, Blackpool and application 17/0069 relating to Land to the rear of 150 Harcourt Road, Blackpool.

Resolved:  To note the planning appeals lodged.

Background papers:  Letters from the Planning Inspectorate dated 5 October 2017 and 6 October 2017.

The Committee is requested to consider the summary of planning enforcement activity within Blackpool during September 2017.

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

The report stated that 51 new cases had been registered for investigation, eight cases had been resolved by negotiation without recourse to formal action and 20 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. 

There had also been one Community Protection Notice served during the 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.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management reported on the Council’s performance in relation to the determination of planning applications and planning appeals for September and the quarter period from July to September 2017. 

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

Background papers: None

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 17/0457, Site of Former Arnold School, Lytham Road, that sought planning permission for the re-development of existing school site including erection of three storey building north of Arnold Avenue to form secondary school block, erection of single storey front extension to existing primary school building, south of Arnold Avenue, and external alterations including replacement windows, doors and cladding, refurbishment of existing sports hall and design centre including replacement windows and doors and installation of new external escape staircases to side elevations of design centre, formation of three Multi Use Games Areas ( MUGAs) and associated landscaping, cycle stores and car parking, including formation of new 36 space car park accessed from Arnold Avenue, following demolition of existing secondary school buildings.

Mr Shaw, Principal Planning Officer, presented the Committee with an overview of the application and the proposed site layout, elevational plan, location plan and aerial views of the site.  He reported on negotiations that had addressed initial safety concerns raised by the Head of Highways and Traffic Management, subject to an amendment to proposed condition 12 to include reference to the relocation of the existing pedestrian crossing on Lytham Road.  Mr Shaw added that Sport England had also withdrawn its initial objection, subject to a condition being attached to the permission, if granted, requiring the approval of the design and layout of the playing fields.  Mr Shaw also reported on the Locally Listed buildings within the site and confirmed that the former headmaster’s house, considered to be the most significant heritage asset, together with the cobbled wall and existing trees south of Arnold Avenue would be retained. 

In response to the Chairman, Mr Shaw confirmed that the Multi Use Games Areas would be restricted to use by the school to safeguard the amenity of nearby residents.

Ms Middlemiss, the Development’s Project Manager, spoke in support of the application and reported on the achievements of the Fylde Coast Academy Trust in terms of improving educational standards within Blackpool and the consultation events that had demonstrated a high level of support for the development. Ms Delaney, the applicant’s agent, also spoke in support of the application and advised on the amendments made to the original application to address concerns raised by Environmental Protection, the Head of Highways and Traffic Management and Sport England and presented her view that there were no outstanding technical matters to prevent the application being approved.  She advised that the expected opening date for the school was September 2018.

Responding to questions from the Committee, it was noted that there would be allocated spaces for pick up/drop off for nursery children and that there would be no restriction on the community use of the playing fields.  Mr Patel, Group Engineer, Traffic Management reported on the availability of bus stops near the school and confirmed that a travel plan would be undertaken in the long term which would include a review of parking provision. 

Resolved:  That the application be approved, subject to the  ...  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 17/0505, 40 Chorley Road, Blackpool that sought planning permission for the erection of a two storey building to form a freezer cold storage and office space, with associated equipment compound, 15 space car park, new vehicular access from Chorley Road, and a 2 metre high boundary fence.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management, presented the Committee with an overview of the application and the existing site layout plan and the proposed site layout, elevational plan, location plan and aerial views of the site.  He reported on previous planning approval granted at the site which included permission in 2003 for the building on the main part of the site that had no restriction on its hours of operation.  He also advised Members that an application for a building on the site now proposed had been approved in 2008 and that the current application represented a variation on the previous approval.  Further approval in 2011 for a refrigeration/cold store at the back of the site imposed a condition to restrict the hours of delivery to the cold store from 6pm and 8.30am on Mondays to Fridays and not at all on Sundays.

The Committee was referred to the site layout plans which demonstrated the relationship between the site and neighbouring properties and the proposed vehicle movement within the site. The measures undertaken to safeguard the amenity of residents of neighbouring properties in terms of noise were reported and Mr Johnston referred to a sound report that had indicated that the level of noise would be below the ambient background noise level.  He also confirmed that Environmental Protection had not raised any concerns with the development.  Mr Johnston highlighted the intended hours of operation of the extended site which were 6.00am to 01.00am on Mondays to Fridays, 8.30am to 1.30pm on Saturdays and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Mr Wolfe, the applicant’s agent, accompanied by Mr Hitchen, Managing Director, Trevors Foodservice and Ms Lovatt, Business Support Manager, Trevors Foodservice, spoke in support of the application.  Mr Wolfe advised the Committee on the need for expansion due to the growth in business and reported on the benefits to the community in terms of increased local employment opportunities and apprenticeships.  He also reported on close working with the Council’s planning officers and the design changes made to the application to address concerns relating to visual impact and noise.  He reported on the requirement for the requested hours in sustaining the future viability of the business.  He clarified that he did not anticipate that vehicle movements would normally take place during the later hours of operation on weekdays.

The Committee questioned the feasibility of vehicles manoeuvring within the site and was advised that a tracking plan in the transport assessment confirmed that it was achievable.  Mr Johnston reported on his view of the advantage of the current proposal in easing traffic congestion on Chorley Road.

The Committee considered the proposed operating hours and noted the issues raised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.