Agenda item

The Chief Planning and Transportation Officer submitted a report setting out

recommended action on the following Planning applications.

3A. 11/24/0200 - 46 Bluebell Way, Huncoat, Accrington, BB5 6TD

Certificate of Lawful Use; Proposed: Use of a (3a) dwelling as a children's home for up to two children, with up to three carers, two sleeping overnight working on a rota basis (C2). 

3B. 11/24/0177 - 463 Whalley Road, Clayton Le Moors, BB5 5RP

FULL: Proposed change of use from dwellinghouse (Class C3) to Children’s Care Home (Class C2) for 3 children; construction of rear dormer roof extension and insertion of roof lights on front roof slope to provide two additional bedrooms on the second floor.

3C. 11/23/0180 - Land Parcel, Coach Road, Meadow Coach Road, Church Lancashire, BB5 0EH

Major Full: Community owned solar generating facilities with a capacity of up to 2mw including solar panels, security fencing, CCTV, underground cabling, string inverters, connections to substations, environmental enhancement and ancillary development.

3D.  11/23/0200 - Parsonage House, 142 Blackburn Road, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 0AD

Major Full: Conversion of existing 2 storey and basement of nursery and development of new 4 storey extension to form 18no apartments and including parking, landscaping and bin storage areas..

3E. 11/23/0486 - Former Gas, Storage Facility, Heys Lane, Great Harwood

Full Major: Retail Store with Garden Centre, Servicing and Car Parking Areas and Associated Works.

The Chair requested introductions around the table at the start of the meeting.

An update sheet was presented at the start of the meeting for all applications.

3A – 11/24/0200 – 46 Bluebell Way, Huncoat, Accrington, BB5 6TD

Mr Simon Prideaux, Chief Planning and Transportation Officer presented the report to the Committee.

The application was brought to the Committee on a request from Councillor Parkins.

The application was for a lawful development certificate. The proposal is for a use of a (3a) dwelling as a children’s home for up to two children, with up to three carers, two sleeping overnight working on a rota basis (c2).

The proposed use would be materially different from that of likely use by a single household and therefore fails to satisfy that the new use in the application would be lawful. 

Resolved – That the application be refused.

3B – 11/24/0177 – 463 Whalley Road, Clayton Le Moors, BB5 5RP

The item was withdrawn.

3C – 11/23/0180 – Land Parcel, Coach Road, Meadow Coach Road, Church, Lancashire, BB5 0EH

Mr Adam Birkett, Planning Manager presented the report to the Committee.

The application was a Major Full application for a community owned solar generating facility with a capacity of up to 2MW including solar panels, security fencing, CCTV, underground cabling, string inverters, connections to substations, environmental enhancement and ancillary development at land known as Coach Road Meadow, Coach Road, Church.

The application site is owned by The Prospects Foundation, a registered charity.

Mr Birkett discussed the proposed site, the railway line close by and residents on Hill Street and the work that has been done to ensure all parties are happy. The Glint and Glare study suggested a 10 degree rotate to the west, this has been accepted and changed.

Councillor Steven Button declared an interest in this item as the Councillor who sits on the Outside Body for Prospects.

Councillor Kath Pratt declared an interest as a member who is part of Prospects.

Resolved – That the application be approved subject to conditions within the report.

N.B – 1. Councillor Zak Khan spoke in favour of the application.

2. Mr Phil Vincent, applicant spoke in favour of the application.

3D. – 11/23/0200 – Parsonage House, 142 Blackburn Road, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 0AD

Mr Adam Birkett, Planning Manager presented the report to the Committee.

The application was for a Major Full conversion of existing 2 storey and basement of nursery and development of new 4 storey extension to form 18no apartments, including parking, landscaping and bin storage areas.

The building had been used as a nursery since 1996 but the number of children attending the nursery had fallen and the business is now considered to be no longer viable by the applicant.

A under croft parking area for 8 vehicles was proposed and Members raised concerns that there wasn’t enough spaces.

Due to the closeness of the town centre and the cycle storage spaces LCC Highways were happy with the provision supplied.

Financial contributions were sought as part of a S106 agreement detailed within the report.

Resolved – That the application was approved subject to a S106 being agreed and the conditions set out in the report.

3E – 11/23/0486 – Former Gas, Storage Facility, Heys Lane, Great Harwood

Mr Adam Birkett, Planning Manager presented the report to the Committee.

The application sought a full planning permission for the erection of a new retail store with garden centre, servicing and car parking areas and associated works.

The application proposed the ercetion of a Class E (a) retail store with the operator identified as Home Bargains. The store would provide 2,323sqm of floor space incorporating sales/display areas, storage facilities and staff areas. Externally an open garden cnetre area of 932sqm.

The current access into the site from Heys Lane would be relocated further west.

The Committee were informed the site falls within an employment site in the Local Plan but at a larger scale than it is proposed. The site will look to create between 70-80 jobs however, there was also a benefit to developing the site as it is proposed instead of leaving it vacant as it has been for the past 6 years.

The update sheet informed the Committee the reduction down to £40K as a financial contribution towards loss of biodiversity at the site.

Councillor Judith Addison asked for the trading hours of the business, Mr Adam Birkett responded that these will be added into the conditions.

Resolved – That the application be approved subject to the plans and conditions outlined in the report.

N.B – 1. Mr Miles Parkinson spoke in favour of the application.

2. Mr Alastair Skelton, Planning agent, spoke in favour of the application.