Agenda item

The Committee will be requested to consider application 19/0083  for planning permission in respect of the Sands Venue, Palatine Buildings, Promenade details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

The Planning Committee considered application 19/0818 for external alterations and erection of a two-storey side extension and a two-storey extension to the roof to create a 3rd and 4th floor and use of the premises as altered to provide a restaurant, hotel reception and museum reception, themed bar at ground floor level, a museum and associated facilities at first floor and hotel accommodation on the upper three floors comprising 91 en-suite bedrooms and suites and associated facilities in the basement, including meeting rooms and a spa and a rooftop plant area at the Sands Venue, Palatine Buildings, Promenade.

Ms Parker, Senior Planner, provided the Committee with an overview of the application and explained that this application was a resubmission of application 18/0083 which had been refused by the Planning Committee on the 5 February 2019.  Ms Parker also presented an aerial view of the site, site location and layout plans and photographs depicting the setting of the proposed development on the Promenade.  Ms Parker reminded members of the outline planning permission that had been granted for a development on the site in April 2016, followed by approval of a reserved matters application in July 2017. Ms Parker highlighted the changes between the approved development and the current proposed development which included a reduction in height of the building, a reduction in the number of bedrooms, the introduction of a museum, the omission of retail use and car parking and the change in colour scheme.  Ms Parker referred to the presentation that contained photographs of the previously approved development and the current proposed development. Ms Parker highlighted the additional information submitted by the applicant after the submission of the update note and commented that the planning team had only just received this information including samples of materials. There therefore remained a number of questions to be dealt with and while there had been a degree of progress there remained

Ms Parker reminded members of the social and economic benefits of the scheme and its compliance with Policies CS17 and CS21 of the Core Strategy and Policy LQ4 of the Local Plan which were outlined at the meeting on the 3 February 2019.  She referred to the Head of Highways and Traffic Management’s concerns and advised that these concerns could be designed out or resolved by imposing conditions on the planning permission, if granted.  Ms Parker reported the planning department’s view that in common with the previous there were significant benefits that weighed in favour of the application. However the proposed colour of the materials for the building in view of the location of the site was considered to be in conflict with both national policy and guidance and local policy and as such weighed heavily against the proposal. Ms Parker reported that on balance given the size, prominence and setting of the proposed building in close proximity to the Tower, former Woolworth building and Town Centre Conservation Area, she considered that the disbenefits from the proposed colour scheme and its conflict with national and local policies outweighed the benefits of the development and justified the amended recommendation of refusal.

In response to questions from the Planning Committee- Ms Parker reminded members that as a result of the date on which some consultation requests were issued, the earliest date for a decision was the 18 March 2019. Therefore any decision of the Planning Committee would have to be

The applicant, Mr Peter Swann, accompanied by the agent, Mr Marcus Walker were in attendance. Mr Swann highlighted the samples of materials and the designs submitted. Mr Swann explained that the materials were of high quality and that branding and lighting would soften the black and grey material palette. Mr Swann further explained that in his view a balance had to be sought between the need for a building to blend in with the existing streetscene but also be striking and distinctive. Mr Swann reminded members that the building would house Blackpool’s first five star hotel and this required a strong and unique brand identity. Mr Swann expressed a wish to work with the planning department and highlighted the additional information including examples of materials and artist’s renderings of the proposed development.

The Planning Committee considered carefully the evidence submitted by the applicant. It considered that on balance that the additional information submitted by the applicant gave the Committee more confidence that the development would be sympathetic to neighbouring properties. It considered that on balance there were significant advantages to the application and that with suitable conditions the issues

The Committee considered that suitable conditions around highways and parking, materials, a construction plan and off-site parking provision would mitigate any problems and allow the impact of the development to be minimised.

Resolved:

1.That the application be approved in principal and the issuing of the decision notice be delegated to the Head of Development Management subject to the expiry of the consultation period and no representations being received

2.That the Head of Development Management be delegated subject to consultation with the Chairman, to agree suitable conditions.