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.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 22 March 2022 as a true and correct record.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 22 March 2022 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

The Planning Committee considered a report on planning enforcement appeals lodged since the last meeting. Two appeals had been lodged and seven appeals determined. Of the seven appeals determined two had been allowed in respect of Squires Gate Industrial Estate and the Gypsy and Traveller site at Midgeland Road and Ms Susan Parker, Head of Development Management, provided the Committee with an overview of these two appeals. In relation to Squires Gate, the Inspector had attached conditions which dealt with most of the Planning Officers’ concerns and the Planning Enforcement Team would remain vigilant in respect of the site.

In relation to the Gypsy and Traveller site refused by the Council and noted at paragraph 7.2 of the officer report, Ms Parker advised the Committee that although the Council had met its requirements in respect of Gypsy and Traveller provision, should a site be deemed suitable, planning permission could still be granted, as each application would be determined under its own merits.

In response to questions from the Committee, Ms Parker confirmed that when the Inspector allowed an appeal, the Council would only incur costs if the Inspector determined that the Council had acted in an unreasonable manner, which had not been the case for either of these appeals.

Resolved:

To note the update.

The Committee will be asked to note the outcomes of the cases and support the actions of the Service Manager, Public Protection in respect of the March 2022 update.

The Planning Committee considered an update on enforcement activity in Blackpool from 1 March 2022 to 31 March 2022.

In total 56 new cases had been registered for investigation in March 2022 and as at 31 March 2022, there were 439 “live” complaints outstanding.

Resolved:

To note the update.

The Committee will be asked to note the outcomes of the cases and support the actions of the Service Manager, Public Protection in respect of the April 2022 update.

The Planning Committee considered an update on enforcement activity in Blackpool from 1 April 2022 to 30 April 2022.

In total 54 new cases had been registered for investigation in April 2022 and as at 30 April 2022 there were 422 “live” complaints outstanding.

Resolved:

To note the update.

To consider planning application 22/0037 for the erection of a single storey convenience store and provision of associated parking and landscaping following demolition of existing petrol station and convenience store.

The Planning Committee considered application number 22/0037 for the erection of a single storey convenience store and provision of associated parking and landscaping following demolition of the existing petrol station and convenience store at Anchorsholme Service Station, 332 Fleetwood Road, Blackpool.

Ms S Parker, Head of Development Management outlined the report and provided a summary of the application and details of the proposal and noted that the existing retail unit had a floor space of 161 square metres and the proposed new unit would have a floor space of 490 square metres, which was approximately three times bigger. The application site was located on the edge of the defined Anchorsholme Lane local centre, however this did not fall within a defined shopping area.

The Committee was advised that paragraph 20 of the National Planning Policy Framework and policy CS4 of the local plan required a proposal such as the proposed development to be located in accordance with a sequential test. Preference was given to in-centre locations, edge-of-centre locations, and then to out-of-centre sites. Although the applicant had submitted a sequential appraisal in support of the proposal, the appraisal only considered the nearby Anchorsholme Lane local centre and Cleveleys town centre. No justification for limited the area of search to the northern part of the town had been given and the Committee was reminded that the identity of the end-retailer was not a material planning consideration.

Ms Parker advised that it was the responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate that no suitable, available, and sequentially preferable alternative sites were available. Planning Officers considered that this had not been satisfactorily demonstrated and that there may be sites capable of accommodating the proposed development within designated shopping centres elsewhere in the borough. As these had not been considered by the applicant’s assessment, the sequential test had not been passed.

Ms Parker noted that the applicant had not undertaken an impact appraisal and existing convenience shopping provision already existed within the local centre in the form of a Lidl supermarket and a McColl’s convenience store. Both of these stores could be affected detrimentally by the proposed application and the Committee was advised that the application had not carried out an assessment of this potential impact.

The site fell within flood zone 3 and a sequential test applied to any development within flood zones with the order of preference given to development within zones 1 and 2 before development in flood zone 3 could be permitted. Ms Parker advised the Committee that the applicant had not undertaken a sequential appraisal in relation to flood risk.

Ms Parker noted that the applicant had contacted Committee members in respect of the benefits of the application, however, Planning Officers remained of the opinion that their letter did not raise any substantive new points had not already been addressed in the report or were not already in the public domain. Although the scheme would result in job creation and economic development, this did not weigh sufficiently in favour  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider planning application 22/0054 for the erection of 5 detached bungalows for people of the age of 55, with associated garages, landscaping and utilising existing access from Midgeland Road (via Birchwood Gardens).

The Planning Committee considered planning application 22/0054 for the erection of 5 detached bungalows for people of the age of 55, with associated garages, landscaping and utilising existing access from Midgeland Road (via Birchwood Gardens) at the former Baguley’s Garden Centre, Midgeland Road, Blackpool.

Ms S Parker, Head of Development Management, outlined the report and provided a summary of the application and details of the proposal. The application was in respect of land bound by Stockydale Road to the east, houses to the north and south, and the former Baguleys garden centre to the west. The site had an extensive planning history and Ms Parker provided a brief summary of this, drawing the Committee’s attention to an outline planning permission granted in 2012 for 36 dwellings covering both the application site and adjoining land. This had been granted during a time when the council had been unable to demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land and consequently the ‘tilted planning balance’ had applied. Although reserved matters approval was granted in 2016, the permission was never implemented and lapsed in September 2018. By then, the Council was able to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply and the tilted planning balance no longer applied to override the policies which prevented development on Marton Moss. In 2019 planning permission was granted for 12 bungalows on the former Baguleys site as the site was previously developed land and in poor condition. The land outlined in the application remained as undeveloped greenfield land and the applicant was advised that development of this site would not be supported until a Neighbourhood Plan, identifying it as suitable for housing, had been adopted.

The current application sought planning permission for five bungalows each with an attached garage, and the bungalows would accommodate people over 55 years of age. Ms Parker drew the Committee’s attention to the Update Note, which stated that the garages had been repositioned to pull them away from Stockydale Road to alleviate the concern that they would appear overly-prominent in the street scene. Two garages would be linked, which would make two of the properties effectively semi-detached and in terms of design and levels of amenity and car parking, no objections were raised, biodiversity could be appropriately safeguarded for or compensated for and no undue impacts on environmental quality were anticipated.

The proposal did not generate a requirement for contributions towards local education or health provision and included sufficient public open space to meet identified needs. A financial contribution towards affordable housing would be required and the Committee was advised that until a Supplementary Planning Document was in place, there was currently no method with which to calculate a contribution.

The Committee was informed that nine representations of support, four of which come from residents of the new development on the old Baguleys site had been received. One representation had raised concerns about drainage and flooding and if the Committee was minded to approve the application then these could be dealt with by planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To note the date of the next meeting as 26 July 2022.

Resolved:

To note the date of the next meeting as 26 July 2022.