Agenda and 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 20 October 2020 as a true and correct record.

The Planning Committee considered the minutes of the last meeting held on 20 October 2020.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the last meeting held on 20 October 2020 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

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

The Committee noted that an appeal had been submitted against the Council’s refusal of planning permission for the installation of seven dormers and five roof lights to Bond Street and Station Road elevations; reconfiguration of an approved flat and alterations to form three self-contained flats in the roof space at 92-100 Bond Street, Blackpool.

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 between 1 October 2020 and 31 October 2020.

The report stated that 32 new cases had been registered for investigation with 531 complaints remaining outstanding by the end of the period, 9 cases had been resolved by negotiation without recourse to formal action and 36 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.

The report also stated that a Section 215 notice had been authorised and an enforcement notice issued between 1 October 2020 and 31 October 2020. 

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 consider a planning application for the erection of 90 x two storey detached, semi-detached and terraced dwellings with associated car parking, garages, boundary treatment, landscaping, including attenuation basin, and highway works.

The Committee considered planning application 20/0021 that sought permission for the erection of 90 x two storey detached, semi-detached and terraced dwellings with associated car parking, garages, boundary treatment, landscaping, including attenuation basin, and highway works.

Ms Parker, Head of Development Management, provided an overview of the application and presented the site location and layout plans and an aerial view of the site. She reminded the Committee that it had considered the application at its last meeting and reported on the key elements of the proposal that had been presented at that time. The application formed part of a previous hybrid application that had been granted planning permission for residential development on the northern part of the site and employment development to the south, which was the location of the current application. Ms Parker referred Members to the original officer report and Update Note that had been submitted at the last meeting and which was appended to the officer’s current report.  Ms Parker also drew Members’ attention to the additional representations included in the recently circulated update note and the responses from the applicant and officers on the points raised in the representations.

Ms Parker advised that the officer recommendation remained that the Committee resolve to grant planning permission but defer the issuing of the decision notice to the Head of Development Management, subject to delegation from the Secretary of State, as it represented a departure from the Local Plan as the land was currently allocated for employment development.  Ms Parker also reminded the Committee that the land had been proposed for allocation for housing development in the emerging Part 2 of the Local Plan and that the applicant’s marketing of the land had demonstrated the lack of appetite for development of the land for employment use.  Whilst Ms Parker acknowledged that the five year housing supply could currently be demonstrated she reported her view on the benefits of the current proposal in contributing to meeting future housing needs.

Ms Parker referred to Members’ previous concerns that the proposal did not meet the Council’s expectations for planning obligations and reported on the viability assessment, verified by independent consultants, that had demonstrated that the proposed financial contribution of £125,000 (which would be allocated towards improvements to off-site public open space and local healthcare provision) represented the maximum contribution consistent with the viability of the development. Ms Parker also reported on the alternative option that had been suggested by the applicant to provide more on-site public open space as detailed in the report, however, this would be at the expense of the £100,000 contribution towards improvements to off-site public open space.  Ms Parker reported her view that the preferred option was the original recommendation which would retain the financial contribution towards improvements to the off-site public open space.

Ms Parker concluded by reporting her view that on balance the benefits of the development in terms of housing supply and contribution to green infrastructure were sufficient to outweigh the lack of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The Committee to note the date of the next meeting as Tuesday 15 December 2020 at 6pm.

The Committee noted the date of the next meeting as Tuesday 15 December 2020 at 6pm.