Decision details

A report was presented on an application for the retention and continuation of use of Elswick Generation Station for natural gas extraction and electricity generation for a further five years including the installation of a new generation unit at Elswick Generation Station off Roseacre Road, Elswick.

The report included the views of Fylde Borough Council, Treales, Roseacre and Wharles Parish Council, Elswick Parish Council, the Environment Agency, the Health and Safety Executive, the Oil and Gas Authority, Roseacre Awareness Group and seventy two letters of representation objecting to the application.

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 the site layout plan and proposed elevations, a cross section of the site geology and photographs of the site and access track. 

The Officer reported orally that since the committee report had been finalised, the county council had received an additional representation from Treales, Roseacre and Wharles Parish Council, a local resident, the applicant and the county council's Highways Development Control. A summary of the representations together with officer advice, was set out in the Update Sheet circulated prior to the meeting and attached at agenda item 4. The officer also referred to a late representation from a local resident which had been circulated to the committee. It was noted that the issues raised had been addressed in the report.

The Officer advised that in relation to the comments from LCC Highways Development Control, the observations should be noted. Condition 11 (relating to the Traffic Management Plan could be modified as set out below to include reference to a highway condition monitoring survey. In relation to the construction management plan, it was considered that some of the issues referred to were already covered by other conditions, some were not relevant to the development proposed and some were subject to control by other regulators and therefore it was considered that this condition should not be imposed.

It was recommended that conditions 5 and 11 be modified as follows:

5.   The external elevations of the new generator unit shall be coloured green (RAL colour code 6002) and thereafter retained in that colour for the duration of the development. The requirements of this condition shall not apply to the exhaust stack of the generation unit.

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity and to conform with Policy DM2 of the Lancashire Minerals and Waste Local Plan.

11.   Prior to the commencement of the wireline works, a Traffic Management Plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority.  The Traffic Management Plan shall contain details of the following:-

a)  The numbers of HGV movements from the site during peak hour periods

b)  Provision for recording the numbers of HGVs arriving at and leaving the site during the wireline, construction, plugging and abandonment and site restoration phases with records of HGV movements to be provided to the County Planning Authority.

c)  Details for the implementation of a vehicle routing strategy, including the measures taken to inform drivers of the approved strategy and signage. The routing strategy shall reduce the need for HGVs to pass on Roseacre Road.

d)  Identification of simple passing place provision within the public highway

e)  Provision for a highway condition survey along Roseacre Road prior to the commencement of development and following the completion of restoration.

The approved Traffic Management Plan shall be complied with at all times during the plugging and abandonment works and during the site restoration operations.

Reason: In the interests of local amenity and highway safety and to conform with Policy DM2 of the Lancashire Minerals and Waste Local Plan.

In response to concerns raised by the Members in relation to highway safety, officers advised that it was important to recognise that the application related to an existing site and the works relating to well abandonment and site restoration (by far the two largest sources of HGV movements) would have to take place in any event even if the current proposals were to be refused. The number of HGVs associated with well maintenance and installation of the new generator were low with 86 HGV traffic movements over 11 months. The committee was therefore advised that the additional HGV movements from this proposal could be suitably managed through a Traffic Management Plan prepared by the applicant, which it was proposed to bring back before the committee at a future date. 

Following further debate with regard to highway safety it was Moved and Seconded that:

'The application be deferred pending consideration of the Traffic Management Plan and to allow the Development Control Committee to visit the site and surrounding highway network prior to determining the application'.

On being put to the vote and on the casting vote of the Chair, the motion was Lost.

Following further debate it was Moved and Seconded that:

'The application be approved subject to the modification to conditions 5 and 11 as set out in the Update Sheet'.

On being put to the vote the motion was Carried. It was therefore:

Resolved:  That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the Committee and the inclusion of the amended conditions as set out in the Update Sheet.