Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received by Councillors Mike Booth, Noordad Aziz, Ethan Rawcliffe and Joyce Plummer.

Councillor Munsif Dad BEM JP substituted for Councillor Aziz.

The Minutes of the last Planning Committee held on the 3^rd of September 2025 were submitted for approval as a correct record.

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

The Minutes of the last Planning Committee held on the 3^rd of September 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.

NOTE: THIS APPLICATION HAS NOW BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AT THIS MEETING.

Major Full: Proposed Change of Use of Land to Burial Ground, Erection of Pavilion Building, Staff Building, Store and Compound, Creation of New Access Points, Internal Roads, Car Parking, Hard and Soft Landscaping.

The Application was WITHDRAWN by the Applicant and was not discussed in the meeting.

Full: Change of use of existing building and site from A1- Showroom to Class E (a) Retail.

Mr Joshua Parkinson, Planning Manager (Development Manager), presented the application to the committee.

The application consists of a commercial property on Hyndburn Road within the urban boundary of Accrington. With the surrounding properties being mainly commercial.

The application seeks a change of use from a bathroom showroom to retail (Class E). The property would be occupied by East Lancashire Hospice Shops Ltd.

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

Mr Parkinson informed the committee that the applicant had submitted a sequential test alongside the application which satisfied officers that there were no other available sites located in the Town Centre which were of an appropriate size. This satisfied the requirements of policy DM3 of the Development management DPD.

Members discussed the application site and noted that its previous retail use did not cause any adverse parking issues and so shouldn’t cause any issues for nearby residents. Similarly, members agreed that it would be a benefit to see the site in use due to its visible location along a major road.

Resolved – The application was approved as per the officer recommendation with the subsequent conditions noted in the report.

N.B. – 1. Claire Shilton – Spoke in support of the application.

·         Emphasised the important work that East Lancashire Hospice undertake and informed the committee that their retail stores are an important part of funding the services offered.

·         The stores encourage recycling and sustainable practices by giving goods a second lease of life.

·         Provides Employment and Volunteering Opportunities.

·         The site layout is ideal for deliveries as it is all on one floor and visible from the main road.

Full: Change of use from public House to offices (Class E)

Mr Joshua Parkinson, Planning Manager (Development Manager), presented the application for the Railway Hotel in Huncoat.

The Railway Hotel is a two-story traditional public house with a basement, located adjacent to Huncoat Railway Station.

The application proposed a change of use from a public house to an office (Use Class E) to be occupied by Bridge It Housing who are said to be a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to addressing housing needs.

Mr Parkinson explained that according to policy BD1 of the Core Strategy individual proposals should adhere to the principle of Accrington Town Centre being the principal centre and providing for the Borough’s key services, retail and town centre needs

The site proposed is located out of Accrington Town Centre and an alternative site had been located by the Local Planning Authority (99–101 Blackburn Road) which would be of a suitable size to accommodate the proposed application. This property has not been considered within the submitted Sequential Search, and no justification has been provided for its omission. As such, the Sequential Assessment could not be regarded as comprehensive or robust.

Mr Parkinson also noted policy DM8 on page 5 of the report. The evidence provided by the applicant failed to demonstrate compliance with all the relevant criteria of Policy DM8. Insufficient evidence was provided to demonstrate the Railway Hotel had been appropriately marketed without success.

Additionally, Mr Parkinson noted that adequate alternative provision would not exist within the locality. The application is therefore considered to not accord with Policy DM8 of the Development Management DPD.

Members discussed the application and noted that while it is a shame to keep a building empty it would not be appropriate to approve the application with the insufficient evidence provided.

Resolved – The application was refused as per the officer recommendation.

Householder: Erection of single storey side and rear extension and raised decking area

Mr Joshua Parkinson, Planning Manager (Development Manager), presented the application for the erection of a single-story side and rear extension with raised decking area to the committee.

The applicant proposed to a single storey side and rear wrap around extension. The side extension would project 5m from the original side elevation of the property and would meet with the proposed rear extension which would project 4.3 metres (m) from the original rear elevation of the property. The extension would be topped with a mono-pitch lean to style roof that would feature two rooflights and would be constructed using grey tiles/slates. The elevations of the extension would be built using a matching brick to the existing dwelling. A 3m rear decking area was proposed which would be constructed using timber.

No Objections were received.

Mr Parkinson informed the committee that the proposed development is of an appropriate scale and design, sitting comfortably with the host property and its surroundings. The extensions would use materials that complement the existing dwelling and would not appear out of character within the street scene.

In terms of residential amenity, the proposals would not give rise to unacceptable impacts in respect of privacy, outlook, or loss of light for neighbouring properties.

Resolved – The application was approved as per the officer recommendation with the subsequent conditions noted in the report.

N.B – The application was brought before the committee in the interest of transparency as a member of staff in the planning department is closely related to the applicant.