Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from County Councillor Holgate and County Councillor Berry.

Members are asked to consider any Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

The Chair declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 5 as he was the Deputy Chair of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Joint Advisory Committee.

County Councillor Yates declared a non-pecuniary interest in Items 8 and 9 as he was on South Ribble Borough Council's Planning Committee.

County Councillor Kay declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 6 as she was on Wyre Borough Council's Planning Committee.

The minutes of the last meeting held on 7December 2022 will be included on the agenda for the meeting to be held on 18 January 2023.

It was noted that the minutes of the meeting held on 7^th December 2022 would be included on the agenda for the meeting to be held on 18 January 2023.

In relation to comments made by Committee Members regarding security arrangements following the meeting on 7^th December, it was reported that, for future contentious meetings where there were a large number of speakers attending, the members of the public would be escorted out of the Committee room away from Committee Members to avoid Members being approached and  security personnel would be present in the Committee room at the time decisions were made, in addition to any other necessary adjustments for such meetings.

The Update Sheet will be considered as part of each related agenda report.

The Update Sheet was circulated prior to the meeting (copy attached).

A report was presented on an application for a revised quarry restoration scheme incorporating tunnel arisings from the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme,  namely the Bowland and Marl Hill tunnel sections at Waddington Fell Quarry, Slaidburn Road, Waddington.

Committee noted the tunnelling proposal was the subject of separate planning applications across Lancashire. Of direct relevance to the Waddington Fell application was an application for the Bowland and Marl Hill tunnels, which would be determined by Ribble Valley Borough Council. 

The report included the views of Ribble Valley Borough Council, Newton-in-Bowland Parish Council, Waddington Parish Council, County Landscape Service, County Ecology Service, the Environment Agency, LCC Highways Development Control, Natural England, the Lead Local Flood Authority and the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside. Fifteen representations objecting to the proposal had been received.

Committee's attention was drawn to the Update Sheet which included details of a number of changes requested by the applicant to the proposed conditions.

The Development Management Officer presented a Powerpoint presentation showing a site location plan, tunnel compound locations, aerial view of the site and photographs of the quarry, site entrance, Slaidburn Road heading down to Waddington, Slaidburn Road at the top of Waddington Fell, Slaidburn Road heading towards Newton, Hallgate Hill rising up from Newton. Details of the current approved final restoration, proposed site restoration and cross sections were also presented.

It was noted that an error within the planning database had resulted in the creation of an additional condition number, from the point at which there was a sub-heading 'Ecology and Restoration'; the condition numbering would be amended accordingly. 

It was reported that the number of HGVs stated under condition 14 was considerably lower than had been initially requested by the applicant, to ensure the safety of the local highway network and protection of the amenity of local residents.

Concerns were raised about comments in the report referring to the state of Slaidburn Road and that it would ordinarily be unsuitable for significant numbers of HGV movements. A question was asked about why the developers were not being asked to contribute towards improving the highway. Committee were informed that the main scheme for engineering works for the tunnelling application was being dealt with by Ribble Valley Borough Council who would take responsibility for assessing the need for passing places, construction traffic management plans, any Section 106 agreements for road improvements, road monitoring and road condition surveys which would be carried out through the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme Scheme. The application before Committee today was purely for a decision on whether Waddington Fell was a suitable location for disposal of the tunnel waste. The county council could control vehicle movements in and out of the site but anything beyond that was for Ribble Valley Borough Council to control.

The Development Management Officer answered questions from Committee.

After a discussion, County Councillor Yates Proposed to Defer the application until either more information was provided on highway safety or a site visit took place. County  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

A report was presented on an application for the excavation of a lake and change of use of land to allow a commercial fishing lake associated with Pheasants Wood Fishery. Fisheries at Crane Hall Barn Estate, Rawcliffe Road, St Michaels-on-Wyre.

The report included the views of Wyre Borough Council, Out Rawcliffe Parish Council, Jacobs UK Ltd (Ecology comments), the Environment Agency and LCC Highways Development Control. One representation objecting to then proposal had been received.

The Development Management Officer presented a Powerpoint presentation showing a location plan and aerial view of the site, proposed site plan and photographs of the view of the junction of Crow Lane and Rawcliffe Road and view of Rawcliffe Road in St Michaels on Wyre (looking east).

The Development Management Officer answered questions from Committee.

County Councillor Kay requested that the start time in Condition 7 be amended to 9.00am, in order to allow time for travelling to work and school.

Resolved: That planning permission be granted subject to:

(i)  Conditions controlling time limits, working programme, depths and area of excavation, highway matters, hours of operation and landscaping/ecology, as set out in the Committee report.

(ii)  The following amendment to condition 7:

7. No heavy goods vehicles associated with the export of excavated materials from the site, as defined in this permission shall leave the site outside the hours of :

09:00 to 17.00 hours Monday to Friday

No heavy goods vehicles shall enter or leave the site on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays.

A report was presented on an application for the erection of a two storey teaching block at Colne Primet Academy, Dent Street, Colne, including a Special Educational Needs unit; internal modifications and refurbishment to several areas of the existing main building; additional staff car parking and vehicular entrance off Cuerden Street.

The report included the views of Pendle Council, Colne Town Council, Cadent Gas, the Lead Local Flood Authority, the Coal Authority, Sport England, LCC Highways and United Utilities. Seven representations objecting to the proposal had been received.

Committee's attention was drawn to the Update Sheet which included revised wording in the note relating to highways matters.

The Development Management Officer presented a Powerpoint presentation showing a site location plan and aerial view of the site detailing the existing and proposed access, proposed new car park and entrance and location of proposed new teaching block, proposed elevations of teaching block. Also presented were photographs of the view of the proposed site entrance from Cuerden Street, location of the proposed new 2 storey teaching block, proposed car park, proposed CDT workshop, replacement store and proposed covered walkway.

The Development Management Officer answered questions from Committee.

Resolved: That subject to the Secretary of State confirming that the application will not be called in for his own determination, that planning permission be granted subject to conditions controlling time limits, working programme, materials, surface water drainage, highway matters and landscaping, as set out in the Committee report.

A report was presented on an application to divert of public rights of way 9-12-FP12 and 9-12-FP8, to allow the development of the proposed mixed use Cuerden  strategic employment site on land east of Stanifield Lane, North of Clayton Farm, West of Wigan Road, Lostock Hall.

Details of the public footpaths to be stopped up and the alternative routes to be public bridleway were provided on the Committee plans attached to the agenda papers.

The Development Management Officer presented a Powerpoint presentation showing the application boundary, a site location plan and aerial view, proposed site parameters and proposed strategic landscaping.

The Development Management Officer answered questions from Committee.

Resolved:  That Orders be made under Section 257 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013, to divert public rights of way 9-12-FP12 and 9-12-FP8. Provided no objections are received following advertisement of the Orders, the Orders be confirmed, should planning permission be granted for the proposed development.

A report was presented on an application to divert footpaths nos. 7-4-FP5, 9-12-FP2 and 9-12-FP1, to allow the development of a proposed new cricket facility on land at Land at Woodcock Estate, Stanifield Lane, Farington.

Details of the public footpaths to be diverted and the alternative footpath routes were provided on the Committee plans attached to the agenda papers.

The Development Management Officer presented a Powerpoint presentation showing the application boundary, a site location plan with the current footpath alignments and nearest residential properties, proposed development plan, proposed site landscape design and proposed footpath diversions.

Resolved: That Orders be made under Section 257 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013, to divert public rights of way nos. 7-4-FP5, 9-12-FP2 and 9-12-FP1.  Provided no objections are received following advertisement of the Orders, the Orders be confirmed if planning permission is granted for the proposed development.

It was reported that, since the meeting of the Development Control Committee on 19^th October 2022, eight planning applications had been granted planning permission by the Head of Planning and Environment, in accordance with the county council's Scheme of Delegation.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the Minutes, the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.  Wherever possible, the Chief Executive should be given advance warning of any Member’s intention to raise a matter under this heading.

There were no items of Urgent Business.

The next meeting of the Development Control Committee will be held on Wednesday, 18 January 2023 at 10.30am in Committee Room A - the Tudor Room, County Hall, Preston.

Resolved: That the next meeting of the Committee be held on Wednesday 18^th January 2023 at 10.30am in Committee Room A – The Tudor Room, County Hall, Preston.