Agenda and minutes

County Councillors S Holgate and R Shewan replaced County Councillors K Snape and B Dawson on the committee for this meeting.

None received.

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.

County Councillors D Howarth and B Yates declared a non pecuniary interest in agenda item 5 as a member of South Ribble Borough Council.

County Councillor M Green declared a non pecuniary interest in agenda item 5 as he is acquainted with one of the objectors to the application.

County Councillor T Aldridge declared a non pecuniary interest in agenda items 4 and 7 as a member of West Lancashire Borough Council.

County Councillor P Rigby declared a pecuniary interest in agenda items 9a and 9b of the agenda as the applicant had been allowed to access his land for testing purposes.

The committee are asked to agree that the Minutes of the last meeting held on Wednesday 14 October 2015 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the last meeting held on 14 October 2015 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

A report was presented on an application for a low temperature pyrolysis plant to convert low worth waste plastic into diesel and petrol, and to comprise a fuel reception hall, conveyors, chemical treatment, fractionation columns, fuel storage tanks, a generator set and offices. West Quarry Railway Pad, Appley Lane North, Appley Bridge.

The Development Management Officer advised that the application had generated a large number of representations and that a site visit would provide the Committee with a clearer understanding of the development proposal, any issues raised, and the relationship of the site to the surrounding area before the application was determined.

Resolved: That the Development Control Committee visits the site before determining the application.

A report was presented on an application for a proposed roof alteration to house additional tanks at 117-118 Clydesdale Place, Moss Side Industrial Estate, Leyland.

The report included the views of South Ribble Borough Council, the County Council's Developer Support (Highways), the Environment Agency and two letters of representation received.

The Development Management Officer presented a PowerPoint presentation which included an aerial photograph of the site and the nearest residential properties. The committee was also shown photographs of the site and the access road.

Following debate during which concerns were raised with regard to the potential adverse impact of the proposals on neighbouring businesses, it was Moved and Seconded:

'That the Development Control Committee visits the site before determining the application.'

On being put to the vote the Motion was Carried, whereupon it was: 

Resolved: That the Development Control Committee visits the site before determining the application.

A report was presented on an application for a single storey extension to provide 8 new classrooms, new hall, storage and toilet/cloakroom areas, infill to existing building to provide extended teaching area and office, new playground, multi-use play area including 2m high fence, extension to car park and formation of new playing field area with 2m high fencing at Primrose Hill Primary School, Primrose Hill Road, Euxton.

The report included the views of Chorley Borough Council, Sport England, Lancashire County Council's (LCC) Developer Support (Highways), LCC Specialist Adviser (Ecology), LCC Flood Risk Adviser and details of 3 letters of representation received. 

The Committee visited the site on Monday 23 November 2015.

The Development Management Officer presented a PowerPoint presentation which included an aerial photograph of the site and the nearest residential properties. The committee was also shown the site layout plan, proposed elevations and traffic management plan together with photographs of the site and the access roads.

A local resident addressed the committee and raised several objections, reiterating concerns raised in the committee report, specifically:

·  That the Council should have anticipated the need for additional school places and that these should be located were required on Buckshaw Village.

·  That the traffic impact assessment was inadequate; as was the on-site parking for staff;

·  Adjusting the timing of the traffic lights on Runshaw Lane was not a solution;

·  That parking problems associated with the school were not limited to the beginning and the end of the school day

·  Cycling to school was not an option as it required pupils to cross the A49 or use Runshaw Lane, neither of which would be safe for primary age children.

The resident maintained that in addition to the proposed waiting restrictions at the junction of Primrose Hill Road with Laurel Avenue and Beech Avenue, waiting restrictions were also required at the junction of Cedar Avenue with Primrose Hill Road, Yew tree Avenue, Laurel Avenue and Popular Avenue where such parking resulted in visibility issues.

The resident requested that the committee disregard the officer recommendation and reject the planning application.

In response to concerns raised by the committee, the Development Management Officer advised that it was not within the remit of the Committee to impose a condition requiring a statutory one way system on Primrose Hill Road. This could only be achieved by the imposition of a Traffic Regulation Order. However, it was suggested that an advisory note could be added to the conditions recommending that the LCC Developer Support (Highways) promote the Order.

Following lengthy debate, during which the committee raised further concerns with regard to the parking situation, and the associated impacts on highway safety and residential amenity, it was Moved and Seconded that:

"Planning permission be granted subject to the following amendments:

i)  The formalisation of the proposed one way system to manage the traffic impacts on Primrose Hill Road; and

ii)  The imposition of waiting restrictions at the junction of Cedar Avenue with Primrose Hill Road, Yew tree Avenue, Laurel Avenue and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

A report was presented on an application for the erection of a modular building with decking area and access ramp at Burscough Village Primary School, Colburne Close, Burscough.

The committee was reminded that consideration of the application was deferred at their last meeting on 14 October to allow additional information of the need for the building and choice of location to be submitted.

The Development Management Officer presented a PowerPoint presentation showing an aerial photograph of the site and the nearest residential properties. The committee was also shown an illustration of the proposed development and a photograph of the site.

The Committee was advised that the school had revisited the proposed location for the building and had proposed that it be moved a further two metres into the school grounds. This would result in the building being located 6 metres from the boundary with the properties on School Lane.  

Resolved: That planning permission be granted subject to conditions set out in the report to the committee.  

A report was presented on an application for a non-material amendment of planning permission 13/10/0627 to allow an increase in the hours of operation of the school lights between 06:30hrs to 18:30 with a boost option required to 22:30hr for occasional events at Laneshawbridge Primary School, Emmott Lane, Laneshaw Bridge, Colne.

The report included the views of a local resident who had previously raised concerns.

The Development Management Officer presented a PowerPoint presentation which included an aerial photograph of the site and the nearest residential properties. The committee was also shown photographs of the site.

It was confirmed that the boost option would only be required to 22:15hr for occasional evening events and not 22.30hr as stated in the title and executive summary to the report.

Resolved: That:

i) The proposed amendment is considered to be non-material and is acceptable.

ii) The developer be advised that the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved non-material amendment and in accordance with all other approved documents and conditions to the planning permission ref: 13/10/0627.

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.

The Chair informed the committee that he had agreed that the following report should be considered at the meeting as item of urgent business. The special circumstances for the use of the urgent business procedure were set out under the heading to the report.

Exclusion of Press and Public

The Committee was asked to consider whether, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, it considered that the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs 3 and 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.

Resolved:  That the press and members of the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs 3 and 5 of Part 1 of schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.  It was considered that in all the circumstances the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Councillor P Rigby left the room during consideration of the following items of business as he had declared a pecuniary interest in the items.

Special circumstances for use of urgent business procedure:

The Committee was informed that the Planning Inspectorate has set a bespoke timetable for the submission of documents and the conduct of the shale gas planning inquiry.  If the Committee did not see the Statements of Common Ground now it would not have an opportunity to do so before they were submitted as there were no further Development Control Committee meetings scheduled before the deadline for submission.  The Statements would be subject to further amendment before the submission dates on 29 and 30 November 2015.  The documents before the Committee were the most recent drafts which had been submitted by the Appellant for amendment/agreement before being finalised and submitted to the Planning Inspector.

The report and draft statements to four appeals relating to planning applications for shale gas exploration sites and associated monitoring arrays were reported for the Committee's information.  The Committee was informed that as part of the appeal process, the County Council must agree joint 'Statements of Common Ground' with the appellant for each appeal identifying those matters where there is no disagreement and those matters where there is disagreement between the two parties.

The Committee was invited to submit any views or comments on the Statements of Common Ground to officers by 9.00am Friday 27 November 2015.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

(Not for publication – Exempt information under paragraphs 3 and 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.  It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

Oral report.

Special circumstances for use of urgent business procedure:

The Council had been asked to complete a questionnaire by the Planning Inspectorate in respect of an appeal against the decision of the Council with regard to planning application LCC/2014/0084 - Grange Road Shale Gas Exploration Site on the south side of Grange Road, Singleton.

Given the timescales involved it was necessary for the views of the Committee to be sought as a matter of urgency to enable a response to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

The Officers presented an oral report on an appeal lodged against the Development Control Committee's decision to refuse of planning application LCC/2014/0084 - Grange Road Shale Gas Exploration Site at Grange Road, Singleton, Preston. The appellant has requested that the appeal be dealt with by written representations and which has been found acceptable by the Planning Inspectorate. The County Council has been invited to agree or otherwise to this process as part of a questionnaire on the appeal that it must complete and return to the Planning Inspectorate. 

Resolved: That the views of the Committee be noted and included in the response to the Planning Inspectorate.

The next meeting of the Development Control Committee will be held on Wednesday 9 December 2015 at 10.00 a.m. in Cabinet Room B - the Diamond Jubilee Room, County Hall, Preston.

Resolved: That the next meeting of the Committee be held on Wednesday 9 December 2015.