Agenda item

Outline application for the erection of up to 330 dwellings and associated infrastructure (all matters reserved).

This application was before the Planning Committee for determination for the third time. The Committee originally deferred the application at the 2 December 2020 meeting because more information from the applicant and Lancashire County Highways on traffic and transport issues was needed. In particular, information on what highway mitigation had been proposed including the Blackpool Road/Blackpool Old Road junction and how this feeds into the wider highway improvements planned for the allocated (Poulton) sites. The application was then deferred again at the 6 January 2021 meeting to seek confirmation by the Secretary of State whether or not to call-in the application for his determination.

The application was brought back before committee as members were informed that they needed to resolve the application before the Secretary of State could request to call-in and decide if a formal referral is or is not required.

As the Committee had visited the site previously and due to the current COVID-19 Government lockdown restrictions a site visit did not take place on this occasion. However, site photos and plans were displayed by the Development Manager to familiarise Members of the site and its surrounding. 

The Development Manager updated members that since the publication of the agenda, the Planning Department had received an updated education statement and a written statement from the applicant.

Alf Clempson, the Lancashire County Councillor for Poulton-Le-Fylde spoke in objection to the application.

Councillor McKay, Wyre Borough Councillor for Tithebarn, spoke in opposition to the application and expressed a desire for the Committee to refuse the application.

The County Councillor for Cleveleys South and Carlton, Alan Vincent, spoke in opposition to the application.

The agent, Alexis De Pol, attended the meeting not to make a statement, but to answer any questions members posed.

A discussion took place where members expressed their concerns over traffic and highway safety issues remained.

Following further deliberation, on being put to vote to approve the application, as per the officer’s recommendation, was lost.

It was proposed by Councillor Le Marinel, seconded by Councillor Orme, and a decision was taken to refuse the application (contrary to the Officers recommendation), under the provisions of Town and County Planning Act 1990, on the grounds that the traffic that would be generated by the development, together with the traffic generated by other committed developments in Poulton-le-Fylde, would cause an unacceptable impact on highway safety in particular at the Blackpool Road / Blackpool Old Road junction. The impact at this junction would be made worse by the frequency of the level crossing barrier being lowered and the time for it to be raised again, and the resultant unacceptable impact of the queueing and traffic generated at this junction cannot be adequately mitigated by the measures proposed by the applicant. The harm from this cumulative impact would be an unacceptable and severe impact on highway safety and on the local highway network. This is contrary to policy CDMP6 of the Wyre Local Plan (2011-31) and the NPPF (in particular paragraph 109).