Agenda item

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 18/0202 requesting permission for the demolition of the existing public house, relocation of the vehicular access and erection of a bingo hall (Use Class D2) and a drive-thru cafe/restaurant (Use Class A3) with associated reconfiguration of the existing car park and provision of new landscaping.

Miss Parker, Senior Planning Officer, gave an overview of the application and presented the site location, layout and elevational plans for the development. She referred Members to the Update Note which amended the officer’s recommendation to request a deferral of the application to its next Committee meeting to enable the applicant the opportunity to satisfy the officer’s concerns regarding the appearance of the building and demonstrate compliance with the sequential test. Further plans were circulated to Committee relating to the lower ground floor of the former BHS unit in the town centre and the proposed elevations for the bingo hall building as well as a computer generated image of the proposed development. Miss Parker reported on the grounds for the original recommendation for refusal which were the failure to satisfy the sequential test and the design of the development.  As regards the design, Miss Parker advised that in her view the revised plans would address the design concerns and reported on the likelihood that the applicant would now be in a position to provide information to satisfy the sequential test.  A deferral to the next meeting would allow the opportunity for the applicant to amend the application to the revised design and provide information to satisfy the sequential test.

Mr Smith, the applicant’s agent spoke in support of the application.  He reported on the redesign of the development which in his view addressed the concerns raised in this regard and the unsuitability of the identified sequentially preferable sites. He reported on the benefits of the development which included a significant investment in the area and employment opportunities.

In response to a question from the Committee, Miss Parker reported on more recent surveys that had been submitted regarding highway activity and car park usage that now satisfied the Head of Highways and Traffic Management.

The Committee noted that the application had been recommended for refusal on the grounds that the development had failed to satisfy the sequential test and the design of the development. However, it also noted that the revised elevations as shown on the amended plans had resolved the planning officer’s original concerns regarding the design and that it was considered likely that the applicant would be able to demonstrate compliance with the sequential test requirement.  Concerns were raised regarding the impact on the amenity of the neighbourhood from the proposed design of the bingo hall in terms of the glare from the proposed external illumination of the building.

The Committee agreed that the application be deferred to its next meeting on 17 July 2018 to allow the applicant the opportunity to submit evidence to demonstrate compliance with the sequential test and give further consideration to the design of the proposed bingo hall.

Resolved:  To defer the application to the next meeting on 17 July 2018.

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