Agenda and draft minutes

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned either

(a)   personal interest

(b)   prejudicial interest

(c)    disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI)

and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 1 October 2019 as a true and correct record.

The Committee considered the minutes of the last meeting held on 1 October 2019.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2019 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Planning Committee received a report on the planning appeals lodged and determined since the last meeting.

The reported stated that an appeal had been lodged by Melrose Developments Limited against the refusal of planning permission for the erection of a single storey retail store with 21 car parking spaces and associated vehicle access and service access from North Drive including loading bay, service yard, external plant area with associated landscaping and boundary and service yard fencing at the former Anchorsholme Methodist Church, North Drive, Blackpool.

The Committee noted that an appeal made by Mr Palmer against the Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the erection of 1.83 metre high fencing to Warbreck Drive boundary and part of Shaftesbury Avenue boundary had been dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate.

Resolved:  To note the report.

The Committee will be asked to note the outcomes of the cases and support the actions of the Service Manager – Public Protection.

The Committee considered the summary of planning enforcement activity within Blackpool during September 2019.

The report stated that 28 new cases had been registered for investigation, eight cases had been resolved by negotiation without recourse to formal action and 83 cases had been closed as there had either been no breach of planning control found, no action was appropriate or it had not been considered expedient to take action.

It was noted that a Section 215 Notice had been served in September 2019.

The report also provided comparative information for the same period last year.

The Committee noted the continued high level of enforcement activity undertaken.

Resolved: To note the outcome of the cases set out in the report and to support the actions of the Service Manager, Public Protection Department.

To receive a quarterly update on the Council’s performance in relation to Government targets.

The Committee considered an update report on the Council’s performance in relation to Government targets.

The report stated that for the quarter July – September 2019 the Council’s performance in terms of speed was 100% of major applications determined with 13 weeks or an agreed Extension of Time against a target of 60% and 93% of non-major applications determined within eight weeks or an agreed Extension of Time against a target of 70%.

Miss Parker, Head of Development Management, reminded the Committee of the intention to report performance on a quarterly basis in future and that this report represented the first quarterly report.

Resolved:  To note the report.

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 19/0163 requesting permission for internal and external alterations to the former post office including erection of two x 3 storey rear extensions, including one with roof terrace to Abingdon Street elevation, erection of first floor level hotel terrace within existing service yard area, installation of replacement windows, new hotel entrance and entrance to Class A3 restaurant/ cafe use to Edward Street elevation, re- cladding of roof level to Edward Street and conversion of buildings to provide 102 bed hotel with ancillary bar, leisure uses, retail uses, restaurant/ cafe within Use Classes A1, A3, D2 with associated Class B1 administrative offices, car parking for 46 vehicles, landscaping, boundary treatment, refuse storage, access, servicing, plant and associated demolition works at Former Post Office, Abingdon Street and Edwards Street, Blackpool.

Miss 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. Miss Parker advised that there were two applications relating to the proposed development which comprised this application that sought full planning permission and the application at Agenda Item 7 for Listed Building Consent.  

Miss Parker reminded the Committee of the two previous applications for planning permission and Listed Building Consent that been approved for the site and advised that the current application represented a revision and re-submission of the previous applications.  She also advised that the application remained speculative and that no end user for the proposed development had as yet been identified.  The Committee was also reminded of the property’s status as a Grade II Listed Building.  Miss Parker reported on her view that the proposal represented an appropriate re-use of the premises in principle, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions. 

The Committee noted the current concerns relating to potential enforcement action and acknowledged the need to ensure no further deterioration of the property. Miss Parker referred to the applicant’s continued endeavours to identify an end user for the proposed development which provided the potential to bring the building back into beneficial use and thereby safeguard its future which, in her view, weighed significantly in favour of development.  She also reported on the lack of objection from the Head of Highways and Traffic Management, subject to appropriate conditions being attached to the permission, if granted and referred to the amended and additional conditions as detailed in the update note.  She also reported on the additional objections that had been received since publication of the update note.

Mr White, Member of the Public, spoke in objection to the application.  He reported on the reasons for objection which included the oversupply of bed stock in the town, the number of approved applications for new hotels combined with the decrease in the number of overnight visitors.  Further concerns related to his view of the inadequate parking provision and overall impact on the community, which in his view extended beyond the independent hoteliers.

Mr Taylor, member of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Committee will be requested to consider an application for listed building consent, details of which are set out in the accompanying report.

The Planning Committee considered application 19/0164 requesting Listed Building Consent for internal and external alterations to the former post office including erection of two x 3 storey rear extensions, including one with roof terrace to Abingdon Street elevation, erection of first floor level hotel terrace within existing service yard area, installation of replacement windows, new hotel entrance and entrance to Class A3 restaurant/ cafe use to Edward Street elevation, re- cladding of roof level to Edward Street and conversion of buildings to provide 102 bed hotel with ancillary bar, leisure uses, retail uses, restaurant/ cafe within Use Classes A1, A3, D2 with associated Class B1 administrative offices, car parking for 46 vehicles, landscaping, boundary treatment, refuse storage, access, servicing, plant and associated demolition works at Former Post Office, Abingdon Street and Edwards Street, Blackpool.

The Committee noted that that this application was similar to the application at Agenda Item 6 with the exception that it was requesting Listed Building Consent.  Miss Parker drew the Committee’s attention to the information already reported at Agenda Item 6.

Resolved:  That the application be approved, subject to the conditions, including the amended and additional conditions reported in the update note, and 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=documents&keyVal=_BLCKP_DCAPR_63042

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

To note the date of the next meeting as Tuesday 10 December 2019.

The Committee noted the date of the next meeting as Tuesday 10 December 2019.