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 18/0333 for the retention of a log flume ride on land to the north of the pier at South Pier, Promenade.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management provided the Committee with an overview of the application and presented site location and elevational plans and an aerial view of the site.  He reminded the Committee of the temporary permission that had been granted for the log flume and advised that this had expired in April 2018.  He also reminded the Committee that a key consideration in the decision to grant the temporary permission had been that it would enable the applicant to undertake improvements to the western end of the pier and that this had justified supporting the temporary relocation of the ride.  However, it was noted that the proposed improvement work to the western end of the pier had not been undertaken, nor were there any known plans in place for this to happen.  Furthermore a new ride had been installed on the site of the relocated log flume.

Mr Laister, on behalf of the Pleasure Beach, spoke in objection to the application.  He presented his view of the reasons that the proposal conflicted with Policy CS21 and CS7 of the Core Strategy and Policy RR4 of the Local Plan and expressed concerns at the unsuitability of the location of the ride and the potential impact it would have on the Pleasure Beach. 

Mr Shepherd, the Applicant’s Agent, spoke in support of the application.  He reported on the constraints on development at the pier due to the existence of an Article 4 Direction.  He referred to Policy RR11 of the Local Plan that set out the areas to be comprehensively improved and enhanced and reported his view that the ride was an appropriate leisure activity for the area and not detrimental to the Promenade.  He also provided comparisons with other leisure activities that had received planning permission in the area which included a temporary permission at the adjacent Go-Kart site and 18 hole mini golf course.  He asked the Committee, if it was not minded to approve a permanent permission, to grant a further temporary permission until May 2021, the same time period as the Go-Kart site.

Mr Johnston responded by informing the Committee that the Policy in relation to the location of rides was very prescriptive and as the ride was not within any of the designated locations, granting planning permission would be contrary to Policy.  In response to a question regarding the granting of planning permission for the Go-Kart site, Mr Johnston explained that the Go-Kart track had had to be relocated to facilitate erection of the tram depot and that an alternative long term location for the Go-Kart track continued to be sought.

The Committee noted that no objections had been received from residents for the current application. However, it also noted that the intended improvements to the pier that had been a key justification in granting the original temporary permission had not been undertaken and that the proposal conflicted with several policies in the Blackpool Local Plan and Core Strategy.

Resolved:  To refuse the application for the reasons set out in the Appendix to the minutes.

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