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 Committee considered application 14/0608 for the erection of a single storey retail food store (Use Class A1) with main pedestrian access from the Blackpool Retail Park, creation of vehicular access through from the Blackpool Retail Park to the Squires Gate Lane Industrial Estate, creation of 44 car parking spaces and associated servicing area and landscaping, following demolition of existing buildings.

Members were reminded that at its last meeting the Committee had resolved to defer consideration of the application to this meeting to enable further information to be received relating to the sequential test, particularly in relation to the Booths Store on Highfield Road and the cumulative impact on the Local and District Centres in the Southern part of Blackpool.

Mr Johnston, Head of Development Management provided the Committee with an overview of the application and the site location plan. He reported that the proposed development, if approved, would involve the loss of 0.7 hectares of employment land and would represent a departure from Policies DE1 and DE2 the Council’s Local Plan and policies CS3 and CS24 of the Council’s Core Strategy.  It was also located within the proposed Enterprise Zone which was due to come into effect in January 2016. Mr Johnston advised Members that the proposed development would open up a new vehicular link to the retail park which was currently closed.  There would be 44 parking spaces and parking availability would be shared with other retail stores which would provide a total of 524 spaces.  Mr Johnston advised Members that the applicant’s agent had confirmed that the new store if approved would provide employment for up to 40 people.

Mr Johnston referred to additional information that had been provided by Savills, Aldi Stores Ltd, Steven Abbott Associates and Hollis Vincent in relation to the sequential test and the cumulative impact on the Local and District Centres in the Southern part of Blackpool.  He reported that he was satisfied that the applicant had demonstrated that there would not be a significant impact on the Local and District Centres in the Southern part of the town.  However, the main issue remained that, in Mr Johnston’s opinion, there was a sequentially preferable site available based on location, transport links to the town centre and a greater residential catchment area.  Mr Johnston reminded Members that satisfying the sequential test was a key element of the National Planning Policy Framework and that there was a requirement for flexibility on both parties on issues such as format and scale of any proposed development.  Mr Johnston considered that the application should be refused on the grounds that it had failed the sequential test.

Mr Hollis, representing Baxter Group Ltd spoke in objection to the application. 

Mr Sobic, the applicant’s agent and Mr Isherwood, on behalf of Aldi spoke in support of the application.

The Committee carefully considered the representations made by all parties both in writing and at the meeting. 

During consideration of the application, Members acknowledged the loss of employment land for retail purposes, particularly in an area identified as being within the Enterprise Zone.  The Committee also considered the relevant policies within the Local Plan and Core Strategy. 

The Committee noted that the application site currently had units that had been vacant for some time and considered that the location of the proposed development would be segregated to a certain extent from the rest of the industrial estate. Members felt that the application site was more closely related to the retail park. Members also acknowledged that the development, if granted, would create employment opportunities in the near future. 

The Committee considered at length the issue of whether there was a sequentially preferable site available.  Members accepted the view from Aldi that the premises that had been identified as being sequentially preferable would not be a viable option for the applicant. 

The Committee agreed that the proposed redevelopment would provide employment opportunities in the near future.  It also acknowledged the length of time that the units had been vacant with no present prospect of development and the fact that the proposed site was to some extent segregated from the rest of the industrial estate and would represent a rounding off of the retail park.  Members also agreed that the redevelopment would enhance the appearance of the area and would contribute to linked trips to the retail park.  Taking into account all of the above material considerations, Members considered on balance that the benefits of the proposed development outweighed the disadvantages of the loss of employment land and justified a departure from policy.  The Committee did not consider that the development would prejudice any future redevelopment of the industrial estate and was not satisfied that there was a sequentially preferable site available.

The Committee went on to discuss the requirement for conditions on the development should be application be granted and agreed that if Members were minded to approve the application, relevant conditions would need to be imposed.

The Committee therefore agreed to consider conditions proposed by officers separately at its next meeting.

Resolved:  That the application be granted in principle, subject to the Committee agreeing relevant conditions to be attached to the development at its next meeting.