Agenda and minutes

None received.

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors T Aldridge and P Hayhurst.  

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.

None declared.

The committee are asked to agree that the Minutes of the last meeting held on 1 March 2017 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

In respect of item 2 of the Minutes, Councillor Snape advised that she had declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda Item 9 as a member of Chorley Borough Council and not as the electoral division member as reported in the Minutes.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting held on the 1 March 2017 with the amendment now reported, be confirmed and signed by the Chair of the Committee.

A report was presented on an application for the erection of a building with lean-to-canopy and walking floor fuel feed for a biomass boiler with an 11.5m high exhaust stack and an associated drying unit and the siting of 10 metal drying containers at Blackpool Skip Hire, Beacon Road, Poulton Industrial Estate, Poulton-le-Fylde.

The report included the views of Wyre Borough Council, the Environment Agency, the County Council's Highways Development Control and details of one letter of representation received.

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 site layout plan and photographs of the site from various viewpoints.

Mr John Williams, the agent for the applicant, addressed the Committee and spoke in support of the application. He advised that the application was compliant with national and local planning policies and that adequate mitigation measures were proposed to address any impacts that may arise from the proposed development.  In addition, the proposed development would create 3 full time jobs.

Following questions to officers by the Members with regard to the proposed ventilation system it was:

Resolved:  That planning permission be Granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the Committee.

A report was presented on an application for the erection of a building to house four 1MW biomass boilers each with a 7.2m high exhaust stack, and four associated fuel silos and a drying floor, and the provision of photovoltaic solar panels on the southern half of the roof of the building at City Centre Commercials, Tower House, Simonswood Industrial Estate, Stopgate Lane, Simonswood, Kirkby.

The report included the views of West Lancashire Borough Council, Simonswood Parish Council, the Environment Agency and the County Council's LCC Specialist Advisor (Ecology). The Committee noted that no letters of representation had been received in respect of the application.

The Development Management Officer presented a PowerPoint presentation showing an aerial photograph of the site, an illustration of the proposed building elevations and photographs of the site from various viewpoints.

It was reported that since the dispatch of the agenda papers, the applicant had advised that in addition to the dried chipped wood that would be produced and exported from the site for use as a feedstock for biomass boilers generally, the heat to be generated by the biomass boilers would also be used to dry aggregates.  Further details about the process were set out in the Update Sheet circulated at the meeting and attached as Annex A to the Minute book.

In response to the above, the Officer advised that the applicant's comments be noted.

Mr Lee Whittingham, the agent for the applicant, addressed the Committee and spoke in support of the application. He took the Committee through the process for the recycling and re-use of the waste materials. He advised that the application was fully compliant with both national and local planning policies. He also advised that the site would be operated under the appropriate licenses and in addition, would create a number of jobs.

Resolved: Thatplanning permission be Granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the Committee.

A report was presented on an application for the variation of condition 31 of planning permission 06/07/1197 to extend the hours of working to between 0630 to 1800 hours, Mondays to Fridays (except Public Holidays), and 0800 to 1300 hours on Saturdays at Bradley’s Sand Pit, Lightfoot Green Lane, Fulwood, Preston.

The report included the views of Woodplumpton Parish Council, Preston City Council, the County Council's Highways Development Control and details of one letter of representation received from a housing developer who objected to the application due to the negative impact upon the amenity of the residents of the new housing development.

The Development Management Officer presented a PowerPoint presentation showing an aerial photograph of the site. The committee was also shown an illustration of the proposed housing development and photographs of the housing development in relation to the quarry access.

The Officer advised that subject to the re-imposition of all other conditions from the existing permission, the proposal to vary condition 31 was considered to be acceptable subject to the start time being limited to 0700 hours.

Resolved: That subject to the applicant first entering into a Section 106 Agreement for details of aftercare and a ten year aftercare period following completion of restoration, planning permission be Granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the Committee.

A report was presented on a retrospective application for a 150mm diameter borehole for groundwater sampling, water level and water quality monitoring on agricultural land on a field to west of Roseacre Village, Roseacre, nr Kirkham.

The report included the views of Fylde Borough Council, Treales, Roseacre and Wharles Parish Council, County Councillor Liz Oades and details of one letter of representation received.

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 photographs of the site and access road and an illustration showing the applicant's data taken from the borehole.

The Officer advised that the views of the County Council's Development Control (Highways) and the further views of Roseacre, Wharles and Treales Parish Council had been received. These were set out in the Update Sheet circulated at the meeting and set out at Annex A to the Minute Book.

County Councillor Liz Oades addressed the Committee and raised concerns with regard to the conflicting advice she had received about the purpose of borehole.  She maintained that as the application was not a mineral or a waste application, it should have been determined by the Borough Council.  She also maintained that as the applicant had already captured a full year of groundwater monitoring data, there was no reason for the development to be retained especially as there was no provision for shale gas development in this area. 

In response to the above, the Officer advised that Fylde Borough Council had agreed that the County Council should determine the application. The committee was also advised that although some background data had already been captured, the main purpose of the borehole was to allow ongoing monitoring of the impacts of shale gas development during the period when the exploration activities were being undertaken and therefore the borehole needed to be retained to allow this to happen.

Resolved: That theapplication be Granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the committee.

A report was presented on an application for a retrospective application for the retention of a workshop building atLancaster Waste Water Treatment Works, Stodday Lane, Lancaster.

The report included details of one letter of representation received.

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 site plan and photographs of the workshop.

Following discussion with regard to the retrospective nature of the application, it was:

Resolved: That planning permission be Granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the Committee.

It was reported that since the last meeting of the committee, 8 planning applications had been granted planning permission by the Head of Service 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 7 June 2017 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 7 June 2017.

Update Sheet attached as a Supplementary agenda item.