Agenda and minutes

Councillor Clare Pritchard sent appologies with Councillor Stewart Eaves as substitute.

The Minutes of the last meeting of the Planning Committee held on the 19^th of March 2025 were submitted for approval as a correct record.

Reccomended – That the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

The Minutes of the last Planning Committee held on the 19^th of March 2025 were submitted for approval as a correct record.

Resolved – That the minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

The Chief Planning and Transportation Officer submitted a series of reports setting out the recommended action on the Planning Applications below.

Major Full:  Erection of a new food retail store (Use Class E(a)) with associated car

parking, servicing and landscaping. 

Mr Adam Birkett Chief Planning and Transportation Officer briefed the committee on application 11/22/0435.

The application proposed an erection of a new food store which would measure 2011 sq.m gross with a net sales area of 1424 sq.m. Alongside an associated carpark for 54 cars, 15 mobility spaces and 6 electric charging spaces, a servicing area and landscaping.

The building will be located in the south-east corner of the site with a flat roof with a maximum height of approximately 9 meters.

1The Frontier Park development is largely completed with a hotel, petrol filling station and a range of food and drink establishments.

This application was previously approved at the 17^th of April 2024 planning committee meeting against officer recommendations. The application was then brought for a Judicial Review on the 4th of September 2024 where this decision was quashed and returned to the Council for re-determination, having regard to the grounds of challenge.

The application in its current form was re-submitted by the applicant with amendments and consultees re-consulted in December 2024.

1 Letter of objection was received by a member of the public as well as 1 letter of support.

An additional letter of objection was received on behalf of a near-by supermarket chain.

Hyndburn Borough Councils Environmental Health team raised no objections alongside National Highways, Hyndburn Borough Councils Ecology Team, LCC Highways, United Utilities and Lead Local Flood Authority.

Blackburn with Darwen Council raised a number of objections as stated in the officer report.

Mr Birkett outlined the principle of development and identified that there was conflict with local and national planning policy given that the application site is allocated as part of a Strategic Regional Employment Site.

Mr Birkett set out that the planning application failed to satisfy the sequential test as a town centre site (former Thwaites Brewery site) within the neighbouring local authority area was considered to be suitable and available for the proposed development. Failure of the sequential test carried substantial weight against the proposals.

Mr Birkett set out some of the benefits of the development including temporary construction jobs, 120 permanent jobs as well as other benefits to the local economy and generation of business rates and biodiversity enhancements.

It was advised that the development plan is the starting point for decision-making and, whilst there were no objections on technical matters, the application was recommended for refusal as set out in the report as the schemes benefits would not outweigh the identified conflict with the development plan and NPPF.

Members of the committee discussed the merits of the application and the considerations presented by Mr Birkett.

The discussion highlighted the importance of attracting businesses to Hyndburn and the increased opportunities this provided to residents such as jobs and local investment.

Reference was made to the suitability of the former Thwaites Brewery site for the proposed development, taking into account the conflicting financial viability information that had been submitted by the applicant and the neighbouring local authority.

Similarly discussions were had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 432.

Major Full: Development of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and

Associated Infrastructure.

Mr Adam Birkett Chief Planning and Transportation Officer presented the report to the committee. The application detailed a development of a 60MW Battery Energy storage system (BESS) to provide an energy balancing service to the National Grid.

The application site is a 2.05ha parcel of agricultural land and woodland south of Stanhill Road and west of the M65 Motorway.

The proposal was amended on the 17^th of March with a new point of access further away from the motorway.

The compound would have 2 rows of battery clusters and transformers accessed by 2 internal tracks with 2 gates from the access road to the site. There would be one switch room at the end of a battery cluster row. The substation compound would lie to the south of the battery clusters while the remainder of the site would contain a SuDs pond and landscaping.

The operational period is 40 years from the date of energisation. A prior construction period is estimated at between 12 and 14 months. Plus a yet undescribed restoration period on decommission.

38 letters of objection had been received as well as 1 letter of support. A further 24 letters had been received after the agenda was published but the majority of these letters are duplications and no new points raised.

Objections have also been received by Lancashire Wildlife Trust and CPRE Lancashire.

No objections were given by the Local Flood Authority, Lancashire County Council Archaeology, Lancashire County Council Highways, National Highways, United Utilities and Hyndburn Borough Council Environmental Health Team.

Consultation with Lancashire Fire and Rescue highlighted areas of guidance regarding fire safety which the applicant should engage with a competent person to implement. Similarly Hyndburn Borough Councils Ecology Department suggested a list of conditions in the report.

The application was recommended for approval subject to conditions laid out in the report.

Mr Birkett informed the committee that significant weight is being given to technologies and developments which look to reduce our greenhouse gas production and that meeting net zero is a priority across the country.

Mr Birkett also highlighted the lack of other available sites which meet the requirements of a BESS.

Members agreed that BESS systems generally contribute positively to the climate and that they are not opposed to these types of installations being present in Hyndburn. However the location of the proposed site was a concern due to its vicinity to the Brookside Project. Members also highlighted concerns over fire safety and previous examples of fires at these sites.

Concerns were also raised regarding the proposed developments appearance in a rural location and it location in the Green Belt.

Resolved – Members voted against officer recommendations and refused the planning application with authority delegated to the Chief Planning and Transportation Officer to draft an appropriate reason for refusal for the following reason:

1)    Impact of the development on the Green Belt.

N.B. –  1. Andy Barnes – Spoke against the application.

·         Chair of Stan Hill Village Community Association.

·         Agreed in a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 433.

Full: Change of use from dwelling house (Class C3) to residential institution for supported living (Use Class C2)

Mr Adam Birkett Chief Planning and Transportation Officer presented the application for a Change of use from a Dwelling House (Class C3) to a residential institution for supported living (Class C2).

The application related to a detached building located at 4 Blackburn Road, Rishton, BB1 4BS. The building is of 2/3 storeys with an attached single story building to its side. The site features substantial grounds with a hard surfaced car park and lawned areas to the front, west side and rear.

The development proposes to offer a service to female resident’s ages 18 to 65 and will hold 6 residents. The report details the proposal and applicant’s statement.

No objections have been received from Lancashire County Council Highways or Hyndburn Borough Councils Environmental Health Team.

8 Objections have been received from neighbouring residents and a Local Councillor.

The application is recommended for approval.

Members discussed the need for these kinds of move on facilities and were happy to hear that residents will be encouraged to get out into the local community. They found that he site was an appropriate location in its contained grounds and lack of attached neighbours.

Resolved – Members voted to agree with officer recommendations subject to the conditions listed in the report.

N.B.     1. – Peter Crisp – Spoke against the application.

·         Neighbouring resident.

·         3 Other supported living facilities are located in viewing distance which creates pressure on the local community.

·         Highlighted increased noise and antisocial behaviour concerns from previous experience with other facilities.

·         Neighbourhood demographics are rapidly changing which is changing the community spirit of the area.

2. Councillor Kate Walsh – Spoke against the application.

·         Highlighted traffic concerns as existing facilities in the area use street parking rather than the parking on site due to safety concerns of leaving the entrance gates open.

·         The presence of 3 care facilities so close by to each other creates pressures on local services. Increasing demand and frustrating local residents.

3. Scott Wilkinson – Spoke in favour of the application.

·         C2 is a very broad category of use and the site plans to house women who are nearing the end of their journeys.

·         The site intends to support women in integrating with the local community which may mean work experience or simply getting to know the area. Residents are referred by the NHS and have all been assessed before placement to ensure they are the ready for taking this next step.

·         The staffing ratio of the facility is lower than that of its neighbouring facilities due to the increased independence of its residence. This will therefore result in less parking and the gates to the property being open for parking.

Full: Change of use from dwelling house (C3) to residential institution (C2) in connection with adjoining care home.

Mr Adam Birkett Chief Planning and Transportation Officer presented the report to the committee which detailed a change of use from a dwelling house (C3) to residential institution (C2) in connection with adjoining care home.

The property 138 Whalley Road, BB5 1BS is attached to an existing care home which is currently in use as a residential institution for supported living with complex care.

The proposed application intends to being the neighbouring dwellinghouse into use as part of the care home as a step down facility, to enable residents to live more independently.

1 Objection was received by the neighbouring property.

No objections were raised by Lancashire County Councils Highways or Hyndburn Borough Councils Environmental Health Team.

The application states that there will be no increase in staffing and therefore no increase in the parking already in use.  

Resolved – Members voted to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation subject to conditions listed in the report.

N.B. – 1. Mohammed Razaq – Spoke against the application.

·         Owns the neighbouring property to the proposed site.

·         Informed the committee had he known this was the plan for the property he never would have purchased his property.

·         Highlighted concerns over a lack of privacy to his back garden where his children regularly play.

·         Informed the committee that the development would significantly reduce the value of his home.

            2. Scott Wilkinson – Spoke in favour of the application.

·         Informed the committee of the plan to use the attached building as a step down facilities for the existing residents of the care home.

·         Emphasised that the staffing quantity would not change and so no additional parking will be needed.

·         The residents of the home are all assessed before placement to ensure they are ready for the move.