Agenda and minutes

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Venue: Committee Room 'B' - The Diamond Jubilee Room, County Hall, Preston. View directions

Contact: Cath Rawcliffe  Tel: (01772) 533380, Email:  cath.rawcliffe@lancashire.gov.uk

Media

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Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

None received.

2.

Disclosure of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests

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.

Minutes:

County Councillor M Pattison declared a non pecuniary interest in agenda item 6 as a member of Lancaster City Council.

 

County Councillor A Schofield declared a non pecuniary interest in Item 5 as his daughter is a teacher at the school.

 

3.

Minutes of the last meeting held on 14 November 2018 pdf icon PDF 85 KB

The committee are asked to agree that the Minutes of the last meeting held on 14 November 2018 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

Minutes:

Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 2018 be confirmed and signed by the Chair of the Committee.

 

4.

West Lancashire Borough: Application number LCC/2018/0055
Construction of an electricity generating facility of up to 5MW from five generators powered by mains gas, and associated plant and equipment consisting of five radiators, five transformers, a high voltage (HV) client building, a gas kiosk, a distribution network operator (DNO) building, an oil tank, an amenity cabin and closed-circuit television (CCTV) on three x four metre high support posts all enclosed by 2.4m high palisade fencing to form a compound area. West Quarry Railway Pad, Appley Lane North, Appley Bridge. pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

A report was presented on an application for a gas powered standby facility for the generation of electricity located within part of an existing fenced compound on the edge of the West Quarry Railway Pad, Appley Lane North, Appley Bridge.

 

The Committee was informed that the proposal had attracted some interest in the local area and that County Councillor John Fillis had requested that the Committee visit the site before determining the application.

 

Several members of the Committee commented that they had already had the opportunity of visiting the site and its locality on a previous occasion when it was the subject of a separate planning application.  It was therefore Moved and Seconded that:

 

'The request for a site visit to land adjacent to West Quarry Railway Pad, Appley Lane North, Appley Bridge be refused'.

 

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

 

Resolved: That the request for a site visit to land adjacent to West Quarry Railway Pad, Appley Lane North, Appley Bridge be refused.

 

5.

Ribble Valley Borough: Application Number. LCC/2018/0028
Two single storey extensions with link corridors to the main building. Extension to the existing car park, the provision of an all-weather multi use games area and 2.4 metre high security fencing.
St Mary's RC Primary School, Whalley Road, Langho, Blackburn. pdf icon PDF 131 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

A report was presented on an application for two single storey extensions with link corridors to the main building, an extension to the existing car park, the provision of an all-weather multi use games area and 2.4 metre high security fencing at St Mary's RC Primary School, Whalley Road, Langho, Blackburn.

 

The report included the views of Ribble Valley Borough Council, the County Ecology Service, Lancashire County Council's Highways Development Control and details of 4 letters of representation received.

 

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

 

The officer advised that it was proposed to amend condition 5 as follows to make it clear that the window glass should be opaque glazing rather than just a film attached to the glass:

 

'5.  No development of the single storey extension shall commence until details of the opaque glazing to be fitted to the windows on the north west elevation of the single storey extension have been submitted to and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority.

 

Thereafter only those glazing materials approved by the County Planning Authority shall be used in the development. The approved glazing materials shall be retained in these windows thereafter.'

 

In response to questions raised by the Committee, officers advised that the installation of fire sprinklers was subject to building regulations and not the planning application process. Following further discussion, it was agreed that officers would write to the applicant to enquire about installing sprinkler systems in new buildings and circulate the response to Committee Members.

 

Resolved:-That subject to the amendment to condition 5 above, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the committee.

 

6.

Lancaster City: Application Number. LCC/2018/0040
Change of use of land to educational use comprising of school playing area outdoor amenity and play space.
Recreational land to the east of Barton Road, Lancaster

Lancaster City: Application Number. LCC/2018/0041
Erection of 2.1m ball stop fencing and gates.
Recreational land to the east of Barton Road, Lancaster. pdf icon PDF 173 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

A report was presented on an application for the change the use of land to educational use comprising of school playing area outdoor amenity and play space (application LCC/2018/0040) and the erection of 2.1m ball stop fence and gates (application LCC/2018/0041) at recreational land to the east of Barton Road, Lancaster.

 

The report included the views of Lancaster City Council, the Environment Agency, Sport England, the County Council's Highways Development Control and details of 139 letters in respect of application LCC/2018/0041 and 138 letters in respect of application LCC/2018/0040. The report also included the views of County Councillor Erica Lewis.

 

The Committee visited the site on 30 October 2018.

 

The Development Management Officer presented a PowerPoint presentation showing an aerial view of the site and the nearest residential properties. The Committee was also shown photographs of the site from various aspects.

 

It was reported that the school currently uses an area of land directly to the south west of the school buildings for outdoor recreation and learning activities. However, that land was currently the subject of an appeal to the Supreme Court over whether it should be designated as a Town Green. If the appeal were to be dismissed, this would leave the school without any designated playing field space; the current fencing would have to be removed from the land and it would then become fully accessible to the public once again.  Therefore, in order to comply with their safeguarding responsibilities, the school was proposing to create an alternative fenced-off area on recreational land to the east of Barton Road for pupil's play and recreational activities.

 

The Officer informed the meeting that the applicant was willing to defer the linked application - LCC/2018/0041 (erection of 2.1m ball stop fencing and gates), pending further discussions with the community.

 

The Officer also informed the meeting that the Members had received a presentation from the Moorside Fields Community Group on Monday 10 December 2018. Full details of the presentation were set out in the Update Sheet circulated at the meeting (copy set out at Annex A to the Minutes). The Update Sheet also included details of a number of further representations, including one from County Councillor Susie Charles, the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools. The officer advice in relation to such was also included in the Update Sheet.

 

County Councillor Erica Lewis, Lancaster City Councillor Anne Whitehead and three local residents addressed the Committee. They objected to the application for the change of use of the land for the following summarised reasons:

 

·  The proposal would prevent informal recreational use and restrict public access to a designated outdoor sports facility and area of open space.

·  The land in question was too far from the school to be used for school purposes and far in excess of the current size of the Moorside Primary School playing fields.

·  It is important for primary school children to be able to exercise safely, however, it was more important for everyone of all ages  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Planning Applications determined by the Head of Planning and Environment in accordance with the County Council's Scheme of Delegation. pdf icon PDF 82 KB

Minutes:

It was reported that since the last meeting of the Committee on 14 November 2018, two 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

 

 

8.

Urgent Business

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.

Minutes:

There were no items of Urgent Business.

9.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Development Control Committee will be held on Wednesday 23 January 2018 at 10.30 a.m. in Committee Room B - the Diamond Jubilee Room, County Hall, Preston.

Minutes:

Resolved: That the next meeting of the Committee be held on Wednesday 23 January 2019 at 10.30am.

 

 

Annex A - Update Sheet pdf icon PDF 66 KB