Agenda and minutes

Members will disclose any pecuniary and any other significant interests they may have in relation to the matters under consideration.

Cllr Stirzaker declared that she was the ward councillor for Mount which related to Item 5a. She stated to the committee that she was not speaking in her capacity as ward councillor.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held 01 September 2021 (already circulated by email).

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 01 September 2021 were confirmed as a correct record.

The Schedule of Appeals lodged and decided between 15 August 2021 – 15 September 2021, is attached.

The Committee noted the Schedule of Appeals lodged and decided between 15 August - 15 September 2021 as set out on pages 3-4  of the agenda and in the supplement. Any member requiring any further details or clarification on any appeal should contact the relevant Case Officer.

The Corporate Director Environment has submitted a report regarding objections to the making of Wyre Council Tree Preservation Order No8 of 2021: Land at Bowses Hill Farm, Stalmine, FY6 0LW.

This item was moved to accommodate time for the second item.

The Corporate Director Environment submitted a report to help members to consider the objections to the making of Wyre Council Tree Preservation Order No8 of 2021: Land at Bowses Hill Farm, Stalmine, FY6 0LW.

A site visit was conducted that day to help members in making their decision.

The committee agreed to confirm the Wyre Council Tree Preservation Order No8 of 2021 concerning Land at Bowses Hill Farm, Stalmine.

Background Papers:

In preparing the reports on this agenda the following documents have been used:

1.            The Wyre Borough Local Plan (2011-2031)

2.            Draft Revised Joint Lancashire Minerals and Waste Local Plan

3.            Joint Lancashire Minerals and Waste Local Plan

4.            Statements of Government Policy/guidance (NPPF, NPPG, Ministerial Statements etc.)

5.            Supplementary Planning Guidance and evidence base documents specifically referred to in the reports

6.            The application file (as per the number at the head of each report)

7.            The forms, plans, committee reports and decisions as appropriate for the historic applications specifically referred to in the reports

8.            Any additional information specifically referred to in each report.

These background documents are available on line, or for inspection by a written request to Planning Services, Civic Centre, Breck Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, FY6 7PU.

Reports of the Head of Planning Services on planning applications to be determined at this meeting:

Erection of 44 residential dwellings with associated highway and landscaping infrastructure.

The application was brought before members of the committee for determination at the request of Councillor Paul Longton.

A site visit took place to enable members to understand the proposal beyond the plans submitted and the photos taken by the case officer.

An update sheet with additional information was published on the council’s website, this information only having become available after the original agenda was published. The committee considered the update sheet, which contained additional representations from the local education authority and a third party, references to additional plans that had been received and an update to conditions.

Dave Shepherd spoke in objection to the application on behalf of local residents.

Chris Robinson spoke in objection to the application.

Lawrence Barker spoke in objection to the application.

Wyre Borough Councillor for Mount Ward, Paul Longton, spoke in objection to the application.

Soulla Rose, the agent, spoke in favour of the application.

Several members of the committee noted their issues with the application, admitting that though the application would provide 100% affordable housing, it fell short of its expectations. Other points of discussion included:

·         Accessibility requirements for elderly and disabled residents

·         The height of the levelling

·         Mix of houses

·         Flooding and drainage problems

·         Greater number of houses proposed than what was allocated

·         Lack of Green Infrastructure (GI)

·         Not in keeping with the area

The Head of Planning Services clarified a number of points to members. On the lack of GI, he stated that the GI that is normally required is not being provided on site but is being provided elsewhere and an off-site financial contribution had been proposed by the applicant. On the number of houses, he explained that the allocated number of houses was a minimum as per government planning policy, and as long as other planning requirements and policies were being met, a larger number of houses could be acceptable. He also told members that the site was a site allocation detailed in the Local Plan and had been on the market. He also told members that a review of S106 agreements in respect of the occupancy criteria for affordable social rented housing was ongoing.

Following discussion, it was proposed by Cllr Le Marinel and seconded by Cllr O’Neill that the application be refused contrary to the recommendation for the following reasons:

1. The proposed development of 44 dwellings, which was far in excess of the site capacity figure of 25 dwellings identified in the Wyre Local Plan, would result in an over intensive and cramped form of development that was out of keeping with the local area and would result in increased risk of flooding on neighbouring land. This visual and flood risk harm would be further exacerbated by the proposed raising of land levels. The development would therefore be in conflict with Wyre Local Plan Policies CDMP2, CDMP3 and SA1/1.
2.  The lack of any on-site green infrastructure including children’s play area, with contributions instead being proposed to be made towards Memorial Park which was poorly accessible from the  ...  view the full minutes text for item PA.34