Agenda and minutes

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.

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 21 November 2017 as a true and correct record.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 21 November 2017.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 November 2017 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Committee noted that an appeal had been lodged against the refusal of a householder prior approval for the erection of a single storey extension at 30 Douglas Avenue, Blackpool.

It also noted that another appeal had been lodged against the refusal of planning permission for the erection of a rooflift to form second floor, and use of second floor of premises as altered as a self-contained permanent flat with integral roof garden and balcony to front elevation at 4 Bloomfield Road, Blackpool.

Resolved: To note the planning appeals determined.

Background papers: Letters from the Planning Inspectorate dated 27 November 2017 and 4 December 2017.

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 November 2017.

The report stated that 34 new cases had been registered for investigation, 21 cases had been resolved by negotiation without recourse to formal action and 39 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 Enforcement Notice authorised, three s215 Notices and two Community Protection Notices 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 on the Council’s peformance 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 November 2017 and the quarter period from July to September 2017.  He advised the Committee of the successful end to the year in so far as the reporting period to Committee was concerned with 100 per cent performance against the Government’s targets in the speed of determination of both major and minor applications.

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.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management advised the Committee that he had requested United Utilities to comment upon the suitability of the proposed drainage scheme for the proposed development in light of the recent torrential rainfall that had resulted in flooding on Warren Drive.  It was requested that the application be deferred to allow the opportunity for United Utilities to respond. Mr Johnston confirmed that the applicant had indicated that he would be content for the application to be deferred.

Resolved:  That the application be deferred to a future meeting of the Committee. 

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 was informed that correspondence had been received from the applicant’s agent withdrawing the application.

Resolved:  To note that the application had been withdrawn.

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

Mr Shaw, Principal Planning Officer, referred the Committee to the Update Note which outlined a further objection that had been received in support of the objection from the owner of the Elgin Hotel.  He also reported on the responses received from the Police, the Council’s Environmental Protection and Head of Highways and Traffic Management departments.  He confirmed that a noise assessment had been received from the applicant on the day prior to the meeting and that this had been forwarded to the Council’s Environmental Protection department and other interested parties.  Further late information had also been submitted which included an updated plan and supporting statement and updated comments from the Council’s Licensing Officer.

Mr Shaw recommended that the application be deferred to the next meeting of the Committee to allow the opportunity for interested parties to consider and respond to the noise assessment and additional late information.

Resolved:  That the application be deferred to the next meeting of the Committee.

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 an application for the use of premises at 42 Abingdon Street, Blackpool as an amusement centre.

Mr Tunnicliffe, the Applicant, had not applied to speak on the application but was in attendance at the meeting to respond to any questions from the Committee if necessary.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management, presented the Committee with an overview of the application.  He also presented the site location and layout plan, a street view image of the premises showing the current site frontage and the proposed front elevation.  He informed Members that the application site was defined as being within the retail and café zone as detailed in the Council’s Local Plan 2001-16 proposals map and that Policy SR6 was relevant to the application.  He also referred to Policy BH18 of the Local Plan which identified secondary shopping areas of the town centre as an appropriate location for amusement centres.   He reported on material considerations that weighed in favour of the application which included the high vacancy rate on Abingdon Street, the length of time the premises had been vacant, the premises’ small frontage and employment opportunities. 

The Committee considered the application and raised concerns relating to conflicts with a number of the Council’s Policies. The Committee did not consider that the proposed development was in accordance with Policy CS15 of the Council’s Core Strategy that sought to support developments that provided health and educational facilities to address the Council’s health priorities. It was also of the view that the location of the proposed amusement centre did not meet the objectives of Policy CS17 which sought to re-establish the town centre as a first choice shopping destination. The Committee also noted the aim of Policy BH18 to locate amusement centres away from the main shopping areas of the town centre. It also noted that Abingdon Street was not specifically mentioned as a secondary shopping area within Policy BH18 and therefore considered the proposal to be contrary to that Policy. Members considered based on their experience and knowledge of the town that the area was a popular and important retail area of the town centre. The Committee consequently concluded that the proposed location of the amusement centre on Abingdon Street would not protect the integrity and function of the town centre.

The Committee considered the material considerations that had been suggested to weigh in favour of the proposal but considered on balance that the conflicts with Policies CS15 and CS17 of the Council’s Core Strategy and Policy BH18 of Blackpool’s Local Plan outweighed the perceived benefits of the application.

Resolved:  That the application be refused for the reasons set out in the Appendix to the minutes.

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