Agenda and minutes

Agreed that Councillor Paul Moon be appointed Chairman of the Planning Committee for the municipal year 2022/23.

Agreed that Councillor Howard Ballard be appointed Vice Chairman of the Planning Committee for the municipal year 2022/23.

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

Councillor Raynor expressed an interest in item 7b, as she was a member of Fleetwood Town Council and the newly elected Chairman. She made the committee aware that although the town council had submitted a representation of support to the application, she had not taken part in its deliberations on this application.

Councillor Stirzaker also declared an interest in item 7b as she was a member of Fleetwood Town Council. She confirmed that she had not taken part in its deliberations on this application.

Councillor Orme expressed an interest in item 7b as he knew a resident of the street next to the application site, but told the committee that this would not impact on his decision on the application.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 06 April 2022 (already circulated by email).

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on the 6 April 2022 were approved as a correct record.

The Schedule of Appeals lodged and decided between 15 March 2022 – 15 May 2022, is attached.

The committee noted the Schedule of Appeals lodged and decided between 15 March – 15 May 2022, as set out on pages 3-8 of the agenda pack. Any member requiring any further details or clarification on any appeal was invited to contact the relevant case officer.

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 equine buildings and change of use of land to form car parking area (retrospective).

The application was before members for determination at the request of Councillor Turner.

A site visit occurred to enable members to understand the proposal beyond the plans submitted and the photographs 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 Senior Planning Officer introduced the report. He explained to members that this was a retrospective application for equine buildings and the change of use for a car park. He explained to members that the site had been originally granted planning permission for a horse trecking site in 2009, and was situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Francis Fitzherbert-Brockholes, the Chairman of the Claughton-on-Brock parish council, spoke in objection to the application.

Wyre Borough Councillor for Brock with Catterall ward, Shaun Turner, spoke in objection to the application.

The following points/issues were raised by the committee:

·         The site of the application being situated within an AONB, and the potential harmful impact of it

·         The sustainability of the site

·         The welfare of the horses in accordance with para 9.3, which gave details of the recommendations of the British Horse Society for one horse per 1-1.5 acres of land

·         The change of use for the area to be used as the car park which was, as of the date of the meeting, not completed.

Members also raised their concerns over retrospective applications and the potential issues that could arise from these.

The Head of Planning Services responded to the comments and issues raised by both the committee and the representations. He clarified to members that the fact that the development was applied for retrospectively was not a material consideration, and that they had to consider the application in front of them regardless if it had already been completed; likewise, the potential for further future development to be carried out, whether authorised or not, and the character of applicants were not material considerations. He explained to members that any allegations of breach of planning control were not a material consideration; he said that there was existing authorisation for some accommodation on the site, but any additional issues on this would be a matter for investigation and monitoring by planning enforcement officers and was not a material consideration.

He responded to a query from Cllr Le Marinel that the guidance on welfare of horses had been issued by the British Horse Society not the council but that it fell within policy EP10 of the local plan and was a material consideration.

Following discussion, it was proposed by Councillor Orme, and seconded by Councillor Le Marinel, that the application be refused, contrary to officer recommendations and the application was refused for the following reasons: for

1.The proposed development of the building and car park area would, by reason of the scale of the proposed extension and resultant cumulative scale of buildings on the site, together with the extended car parking  ...  view the full minutes text for item PA.7

Erection of two-storey youth centre building with detached garage for storage, and car parking provision (sui generis)(resubmission of 20/00101/FUL).

The application was brought before members for determination at the request of Councillor Fairbanks.

A site visit occurred to enable members to understand the proposal beyond the plans submitted and the photographs 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 consultation responses from United Utilities and the council’s Head of Engineering Services on drainage issues and neither had objections to the application. There had also been a revised Flood Risk Assessment and surface water attenuation plan submitted by the applicant, and thus additional conditions agreed by officers on drainage and a flood risk assessment.

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the report. An application for a similar development had previously been refused in 2020, and had been re-submitted with revised plans regarding concerns over the position of the building.

Anthony Kelly spoke in objection to the application.

Councillor Orme asked the speaker to clarify the demography of the local area.

Councillor Kay asked the speaker to clarify the amount of anti-social behaviour the residents had experienced.

Colin Newton spoke in objection to the application.

Laurance Hancock, on behalf of the applicant, spoke in favour of the application.

The Chairman asked the speaker to clarify the opening times of the youth centre.

Councillor Lady Atkins asked the speaker to clarify the amount of staff that would be employed by the youth centre.

Councillor Le Marinel asked the speaker to clarify their noise mitigation strategy for when children went home.

Councillor O’Neill asked the speaker to clarify their behaviour practices and policies.

Councillor Stirzaker asked the speaker to explain their relationship with Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS).

The Chairman asked the speaker to clarify their plans regarding external lighting.

Members expressed their agreement with the need for more youth centres in the area, and were satisfied with the plans proposed.

The Head of Planning Services responded to queries raised by members. He told members that condition 11 in the report made it a requirement for a lighting scheme to be submitted to officers for approval prior to any installation of external lighting. He also responded to the question of whether this was the most appropriate location for the development, in which he replied that the consideration of the most appropriate location was not a planning consideration. He also reminded members that the potential future issue of anti-social behaviour, and the volume of objections were also not planning considerations, but the grounds of objection could be a planning consideration if they were material.

Following discussion, it was proposed by Councillor Kay, and seconded by Councillor I Amos, that the application be approved, as per officer recommendation, and the application was approved subject to the following conditions.

Conditions: -

1.           The development must be begun before the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission.

Reason: This condition is  ...  view the full minutes text for item PA.8

Report of the Corporate Director Environment.

The Corporate Director Environment submitted a report for the committee to consider the objection to the making of Wyre Council Tree Preservation Order No 3 of 2022: Land at Little Poulton Lane, Poulton-le-Fylde.

A site visit occurred to enable members to understand the details of the report.

It was proposed by Councillor Le Marinel, and seconded by Councillor Moon, that the Wyre Council Tree Preservation Order No 3 of 2022 be confirmed with modification, the modification being the addition to the Schedule of the following: “Woodland comprising ash, oak, alder, silver birch, and wild cherry” for the reasons set out in the report.