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 Planning Committee considered planning application 20/0187 that sought permission for alterations to the front elevation and use of ground floor premises as altered as an adult gaming centre.  Ms Parker, Head of Development Management, provided the Committee with an overview of the application and presented the proposed site layout, location and elevation plans and aerial views of the site.  She reminded Members that the Committee had considered the application at its last meeting and had been minded to refuse the application and defer the decision to this meeting to allow the drafting of reasons for refusal that reflected the Committee’s concerns.  Ms Parker referred to a further letter of objection from Quilligans Café Bar that had been included in the Update Note, advising that it had not raised any issues which had not already been dealt with in the report.

Ms Parker referred to the officer’s recommendation for approval but also highlighted the suggested reasons for refusal at paragraph 1.3 of the report that encapsulated the concerns raised by Members at the last meeting.  She also highlighted the alternative suggested reason for refusal at paragraph 1.16 of the report that in her view was a more appropriate and more robust reason for refusal.  Ms Parker also referred to the Planning Inspectorate’s decision regarding the neighbouring property that had made no reference to Policies CS15 or CS17 of the Core Strategy.  Members were also reminded of the limited weight that could be attached to emerging Policy DM13 due to its early stage of development.  Furthermore, as the uses defined in Policy DM13 were comparable, the proposed conversion to an adult gaming centre was not considered to conflict with this Policy.

Mr Deegan, Agent acting on behalf of the Applicant, spoke in support of the application.  He referred to the conclusions in the Inspector’s appeal decision in relation to the adjacent property and presented his view of the material weight that could be placed on the appeal decision.  He also presented his view that the application, if approved, would not have a detrimental impact on the character of the area.  He asked the Committee to support the officer’s recommendation for approval to enable the social, economic and environmental benefits of the proposal to be realised.

Mr Etchells spoke in objection to the proposal.  He referred to the Committee’s decision at the previous meeting to be minded to refuse the application and referred to a number of additional objections that had been received from businesses in the area following the lifting of lockdown restrictions, which in his view further justified refusal of the application. 

The Committee considered the application and noted that there had been no changes to the application since the Committee had been minded to refuse the application at its last meeting, with the exception of an additional objection having been received from Quilligans Café Bar. It acknowledged the aims of emerging Policy DM13 but also had regard to the limited weight that could be attached to the Policy due to it being in the early stages of development.  It also noted that the proposal could not currently be considered to conflict with Policy DM13 due to the proposed change to a comparable use as defined in the current Policy.  The Committee considered the application and was satisfied that the reasons for refusals offered at Paragraph 1.16 of the officer’s report were appropriate, taking into consideration current policies and the key issues identified by the Committee.

Resolved:  To refuse the application for the reasons outlined in the decision notice which can be accessed via the link below:

https://idoxpa.blackpool.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_BLCKP_DCAPR_63888

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