Agenda and minutes

Apologies had been received from Councillor D Coleman who was engaged elsewhere on Council business.

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned either

(a)   personal interest

(b)   prejudicial interest

(c)    disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI)

and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

Councillor Stansfield declared that he had been contacted by residents in relation to Agenda Item 10, Planning Application 18/0156 – 411 Midgeland Road Blackpool, raising concerns regarding breaches of planning conditions at traveller sites but no discussions had taken place regarding this particular application.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 13 November 2018 as a true and correct record.

The Committee considered the minutes of the last meeting held on 13 November 2018.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 November 2018 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Committee noted that there had no planning or enforcement appeals lodged or determined since the last meeting.

Resolved:  To note the planning and enforcement appeals lodged and determined report.

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 October2018.

The report stated that 23 new cases had been registered for investigation, five cases had been resolved by negotiation without recourse to formal action and 12 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 enforcement notice had also been served within the period.

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

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Manager reminded the Committee of the concerns it had raised at its last meeting regarding compliance of planning conditions at the traveller site at School Road and at Marton Mere caravan park and asked that this be investigated.

Mr Johnston reported that in relation to the School Road traveller site, a condition had been attached to the planning permission which imposed a limitation on the number of caravans on the site to one static caravan and two touring caravans.  He advised the Committee of contact made by the site owner in August 2018 advising of the intention to replace the existing static caravan with a new static caravan.  The new static caravan had been installed but the old one still had to be removed and Mr Johnston confirmed that only one of the static caravans was currently habitable and that there were currently no touring caravans on site.  Ms Rigby, Planning Enforcement Manager, had reported no concerns regarding the site but had agreed to monitor the situation and contact the site owner if the static caravan had not been removed in the near future.  In response to a question from the Committee, Mr Johnston confirmed that the planning conditions only imposed a limit on the weight of the vehicles on site and not on the number of vehicles.  Mr Johnston agreed to visit the site with the Planning Enforcement Manager to assess compliance with planning conditions.

Mr Johnston reported that he had referred the matter regarding Marton Mere Caravan Park to colleagues in property services but had not received a response to date.  He agreed to pursue this and update the Committee on progress at its next meeting.

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.

To update the Planning Committee of the Council’s performance in relation to

Government targets.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management, presented the planning applications and appeals performance report and referred Members of the Committee to the performance figures for November 2018 which were reported in the update note.

Resolved:  To note the report.

The Committee will be requested to consider an application for planning permission,

details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management, referred the Committee to comments regarding student accommodation received from Blackpool and the Fylde College as detailed in the supplementary update note. He confirmed that this information had been provided to the applicant’s agent who had subsequently requested that the application be withdrawn to enable further discussions on alternative options to take place with planning officers.

Resolved:  To note that the application had been withdrawn.

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

The Committee will be requested to consider an application for planning permission,

details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

The Committee considered planning application 18/0736 seeking planning permission for the erection of a new part single storey/ part two storey school with associated hard and soft play areas landscaping, car parking, cycle store, refuse store and 2.4 metres high boundary fencing on the land at Langdale Road, Blackpool.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management, provided the Committee with an overview of the application and presented the site location, layout plans and footprint for the proposed development.  He also circulated plans showing the various elevations of the proposed building.  He explained that the proposed development would provide an educational facility for the town and bring back into use a brownfield site. The distances of the proposed school from neighbouring properties, the proposed parking provision, the provision of play areas and the number of pupils and staff employed at the school were reported.  Mr Johnston reported on the public consultation that had been undertaken and advised that no representations from residents on the application had been received.

Mr Johnston referred to the consultation responses received from Blackpool Services, Contaminated Land, United Utilities and Head of Highways and Traffic Management as detailed in the update note.  The update note also suggested amendments to the proposed conditions in response to the above consultees’ comments and as a result of the requirement to agree pre-commencement conditions with the applicant.

The Committee considered the application and noted the number of residents that had attended the public consultation event.  Members raised concerns at the lack of a designated grassed play area, however the Committee acknowledged the green space available within the site and the size of the hard surfaced play areas.  The Committee also noted comparisons with play areas for other special schools in the town and acknowledged the limitations of the site in terms of providing a grassed play area.

Resolved:  That the application be approved, subject to the conditions, including the amendments to the conditions as detailed in the update note, 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 will be requested to consider an application for planning permission,

details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

The Committee considered planning application 18/0683 seeking planning permission for the erection of single storey extension following partial demolition of existing building at the rear of 147-149 Highfield Road, Blackpool.

Mr Shaw, Principal Planning Officer, provided the Committee with an overview of the application and presented the site location and layout plans for the proposed development.  He also circulated photographs that had been taken from the garden of the neighbouring property.  He reported that the application sought to demolish part of a building to the rear of the site and replace it with a purpose built solid structure to maintain the style of the dance academy.  He advised of changes made to the original application to amend the roof of the proposed extension to a hipped roof to minimise the impact on the residents of neighbouring properties.  He reported that the key difference between the current and proposed structure was an increase in height to provide alignment with the existing building.  He referred the Committee to the distances between the proposed structure and neighbouring properties and highlighted that the proposed extension would sit to the north of adjacent properties thereby lessening the impact of reduced sunlight on neighbouring properties.  Mr Shaw referred to the proposed conditions to be attached to the planning permission, if granted, in terms of noise control and restrictions on the door in the western elevation of the extension.  He also highlighted that the two public objections received had not been from the immediate neighbours to the proposed development and that no objection had been received from the immediate neighbours.

The Committee considered the application and noted the proximity of the boundary to the garden of the adjacent property.  However, Members also noted that the resident of the adjacent property had been consulted on the application and had not raised any objections.  It also noted the improvements to the quality of the new proposed extension from the existing structure and the proposed environmental conditions aimed at minimising the impact on amenity of the residents of neighbouring properties in terms of noise and disturbance. 

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 will be requested to consider an application for planning permission,

details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

The Committee noted the information in the update note that stated that the applicant’s agent had withdrawn the application.

Resolved:  To note that the application had been withdrawn.

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

The Committee will be requested to consider an application for planning permission,

details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

The Committee considered planning application 18/0156 seeking planning permission for the use of land at 411 Midgeland Road, Blackpool as a traveller caravan site for two caravans and one chalet; use of the existing two storey building for communal facilities and the provision of four car parking spaces and associated landscaping.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management, provided the Committee with an overview of the application.  He referred to the aerial view of the site that had been attached to the agenda and presented the site layout and location plans.  Mr Johnston explained the intention for the site to be used to house one family, not currently living on the site but who had strong local connections. Mr Johnston reported that the application site fell within the designated Marton Moss Strategic Site and referred to the restrictions of Policy CS26 in terms of development in the area.  He also referred to the needs assessment for gypsies, travellers and travelling showpeople undertaken by Blackpool Council in conjunction with Fylde and Wyre Borough Councils that had identified a need for traveller sites and advised that this application would fulfil part of that need.  Mr Johnston acknowledged that whilst the location of the site was not ideally situated, on balance his view was that the application, if approved, would meet the need for one of the two required traveller sites within Blackpool which weighed heavily in its favour.

The Committee considered the application and noted concerns that the site was already occupied.  It acknowledged the need for traveller sites but was also mindful of the potential impact on residents of neighbouring properties in the event that conditions attached to planning permission, if granted, were not adhered to.  The Committee considered that it would not be appropriate to consider the application until it was satisfied as to the current position regarding the occupation of the site.  It also discussed the benefit of the applicant being in attendance during consideration of the case to respond to questions from the Committee.

Resolved:  That consideration of the application be deferred to a future meeting to enable additional information to be provided on the current status of the site.

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

To note the date of the next meeting as Wednesday 16 January 2019.

The Committee noted the date of the next meeting as Wednesday 16 January 2019.