Agenda and minutes

Agreed that Councillor Richard Rendell be appointed Chair of the Planning Committee for the municipal year 2024/25.

Agreed that Councillor Lady Dulcie Atkins be appointed Vice Chair of the Planning Committee for the municipal year 2024/25.

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

Councillor Raynor declared a Non-Registerable Non-Pecuniary Interest on Item 2 (24/00284/FUL) as her relative lived nearby.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on Wednesday 1 May 2024.

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on Wednesday 1 May 2024 were confirmed as a correct record by those who were in attendance.

The Schedule of Appeals lodged and decided between 15 April 2024 – 15 May 2024, is attached.

The committee noted the Schedule of Appeals lodged and decided between 15 April 2024 and 15 May 2024. The Chair invited any Member requiring any further details or clarification on the appeal 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) (incorporating partial update of 2022)

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:

The Chair welcomed Councillors Collinson and Swatton to the Planning Committee.

Change of use from residential dwelling (Class C3) to children's care home (Class C2) and provision of carparking with access to the rear.

The application was before members for determination for a second time after being deferred at a previous meeting so that officers could liaise with the applicant to give further consideration to noise mitigation and also await a response from Lancashire County Highways regarding County Councillor Alf Clempson’s comments.

The Assistant Director of Planning and Building Control confirmed that, in accordance with the council’s procedure rules, Councillors Collinson, Raynor and Swatton could not take part in the item because they were not in attendance at the last meeting, and therefore have not heard all the evidence.

An update sheet was published on the council’s website, the information only having become available after the original agenda was published. The committee considered the update sheet, which contained two additional representations of objection which were acknowledged by officers.

He explained that LCC Highways and the Council’s Environmental Health Officer responded to the reasons for the application being deferred at the May committee, and the application was not considered to result in an unacceptable impact on highways safety or residential amenity and would accord with Policies CDMP1 and CDMP6 of the WLP31 and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

As there had been no change and no new information on the application since it was previously presented, there was no opportunity for public speaking on this item.

Councillors raised concerns over noise and car parking.

Councillor Belshaw mentioned that noise would be produced from anyone living at the property and this method would be more controlled.

As the property was large with multiple bedrooms, Councillor Fielding commented that, if the application got refused, it might potentially be developed into a HMO in the future.

Councillor Belshaw proposed the recommendation to approve the application to the committee, and Councillor Livesey seconded the proposal. It was resolved to approve the application as per the Officers recommendation subject to the conditions set out below.

Conditions: -

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

Reason: This condition is required to be imposed pursuant to Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

2.        The development shall be carried out, except where modified by the conditions to this permission, in accordance with the Planning Application received by the Local Planning Authority on 21.02.2024 including the following plans/documents:

-       Proposed Plans Drawing No: 24003_110

-       Location Plan Drawing No: 24003_LOC

The development shall be retained hereafter in accordance with this detail.

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and so that the Local Planning Authority shall be satisfied as to the details.

3.        Prior to the first use of the development herby approved, details of the location and appearance of cycle storage area(s) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details, prior to first occupation of  ...  view the full minutes text for item PA.7

First-floor extension and internal alterations to existing light industrial unit (Use Class E) to provide first-floor ancillary office accommodation (Use Class E) - Resubmission of 23/00725/FUL.

The application was brought before members for consideration at the request of Councillor Duffy who cited concerns in relation to the height and scale of the proposal in comparison to adjacent properties.

A site visit occurred to enable members to understand the site context beyond the plans submitted and site photographs taken by the case officer.

The Planning Officer introduced the report. The application was for a first-floor extension and internal alterations to existing light industrial unit (Use Class E) to provide first-floor ancillary office accommodation (Use Class E). She highlighted that the application site related to a former car-repair garage which was accessed via an adopted alleyway off Promenade Road in Fleetwood. The application was a resubmission of the previously refused application, 23/00725/FUL.

Wyre Borough Councillor for Pharos ward, Ruth Duffy, spoke against the application.

The Chair ended the public speaking portion of the meeting and opened up the members’ debate.

Councillor Catterall raised concerns over the height and scale.

Following discussion and a proposal by Councillor Belshaw, seconded by Councillor Raynor, it was resolved to refuse the application as per the Officers recommendation for the following reasons:

1.    Due to the overall excessive scale of the proposed extension, in close proximity to residential properties, the development would result in an adverse detrimental impact on the residential amenity of the neighbouring properties to the east, namely 141-143 Promenade Road, by way of loss of light, loss of outlook and its overbearing impact. As a consequence the proposal would fail to comply with Policy CDMP3 of the Wyre Local Plan (2011-2031) along with the provisions of the NPPF.

2.    The proposed development by reason of its excessive scale sited within a predominantly residential area, would result in a highly prominent and obtrusive feature within the street scene, resulting in significant detrimental impact on the character and visual amenity of the surrounding area. As a consequence the proposal fails to comply with Policy CDMP3 of the Wyre Local Plan and the Supplementary Planning Guidance 4 along with the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework, in particular section 12.

Proposed change of use from a ground floor shop (Use Class E (a)) to a hot food takeaway (Use Class sui generis).

The application was brought before members for consideration at the request of Councillor Le Marinel who cited concerns in relation to the location of the site and the impacts upon residential amenity.

A site visit occurred to enable members to understand the site context beyond the plans submitted and site photographs taken by the case officer.

An update sheet was published on the council’s website, the information only having become available after the original agenda was published. The committee considered the update sheet, which contained one additional representation of objection which was acknowledged by officers.

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the report. The application was for a proposed change of use from a ground floor shop (Use Class E (a)) to a hot food takeaway (Use Class sui generis). He highlighted that the application site formed the end terraced and was within a row of properties which have been converted to the west and to the east is a detached house. The ground floor for the building was currently a vacant premises and at first floor was a residential flat providing separate living accommodation, unconnected with the ground floor commercial use.

Geoff Olsson spoke against the application.

Councillors Lady Atkins and Rimmer asked questions of the speaker.

Dr Andrea Arvanitis spoke against the application.

Councillors Swatton, Rimmer and Amos asked questions of the speaker.

Wyre Borough Councillor for Breck ward, Peter Le Marinel, spoke against the application.

Councillors Belshaw and Rimmer asked questions of the speaker.

Steven Geddes, acting as the applicant, spoke in favour of the application.

Councillors Lady Atkins, Belshaw, Rimmer and Rendell asked questions of the speaker.

Councillors Livesey and Swatton asked the Assistant Director of Planning and Building Control questions of clarification. He clarified that ownership matters and private property rights were not a material consideration for the planning decision.

The Assistant Director of Planning and Building Control also explained that the installation of any equipment inside the property did not require planning permission, and therefore anything done internally to a property was not a matter to take into consideration. Regarding highways matters, he confirmed that the lawful manoeuvre was to reverse onto the driveway and drive out onto the road.

The Chair ended the public speaking portion of the meeting and opened up the members’ debate.

Councillors raised concerns over car parking.

Councillor Catterall believed that it was a good idea which would create jobs.

Councillor Rimmer thought that the height of the flue would eliminate any odours.

Councillor Belshaw proposed the recommendation to approve the application to the committee, and Councillor Swatton seconded the proposal. It was resolved to approve the application as per the Officers recommendation subject to the conditions set out below.

Conditions: -

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

Reason: This condition is required to be imposed pursuant to Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by Section 51 of the Planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item PA.9