Agenda item

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

The Planning Committee considered application 17/0466 for the erection of 86 dwellings with associated open space and landscaping and formation of new access to Warren Drive at Land at Warren Drive.

Mr G Johnston, Head of Development Management, introduced the planning application and provided an update to the Committee. He reminded members that the application had been deferred at the last meeting to enable further consultation with United Utilities and the Lead Local Flood Authority in response to the recent flooding event on 22 November 2017 . Following the further consultation it remained the case that neither organisation had an objection to the application. He expressed his view as an officer that on balance the application should be approved.

Mr Leary and Mr Kennaugh, local residents, both spoke in objection to the application and highlighted concerns regarding the recent flooding event, concerns as to the capacity for the local roads to deal with the additional car journeys generated and concerns at the removal of open space and any associated impact on

Mr Paul Sedgwick, Applicant’s agent, accompanied by Mr Phil Wooliscroft, Highways Engineer, spoke in support of the application and explained that the applicant had worked with the Council’s planning officers to bring a suitable application and felt that this was the case.

The ward Councillors, Councillors Callow and Mrs Callow from Bispham ward and Councillors Galley and T Williams of Anchorsholme ward all spoke in objection to the application. They highlighted concerns regarding the potential for flooding especially given local residents’ recent experiences and there would be significant additional pressure on the transport network.

In response to questions from the Committee, Mr Latif Patel from Traffic and Highways highlighted that while a number of issues had been resolved it remained the Traffic and Highways department view that the application would still have significant negative impact on traffic in the areas. 

The Committee considered carefully all the evidence before it. It considered that there were significant concerns regarding the application. Namely that it would be detrimental to highway and pedestrian safety in that it would generate additional traffic movements on a busy distributor road and in particular it would cause congestion and be detrimental to safe pedestrian movements at the roundabout junction of Warren Drive and North Drive.

The Committee also considered notwithstanding the representations received from United Utilities that the application and notably the introduction of additional hard surfacing would exacerbate the existing problems of flooding in the locality to the detriment of existing local residents.

The Committee noted that the Council had a five year supply of housing land, relevant housing policies could be considered up to date and the proposed development would be detrimental to wildlife through the loss of an area of natural scrub that is connected to a wider area of open space.

The Committee felt that these concerns would not be mitigated by the imposition of the proposed conditions nor could they be addressed by the imposition of further conditions. It therefore agreed that the application should be refused.

Resolved:

That the application be refused for the reason set out in the Appendix to the minutes.