Agenda item

Report of the Head of Planning and Regulation

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Planning and Regulation detailing the above application for the erection of new indoor bowls facility and maintenance store and reconfiguration of car park, which was recommended for approval.

Prior to the presentation of the application, the Committee’s Legal Officer read out the following statement:

“…… I would like to bring to your attention the following:

·  The detailed committee report put before you today has been prepared for the purposes of taking the Committee through the entire application and the issues which have been raised to date.

·  Public speaking, petitions and all information (inc photographs) to date have been made available at this meeting and will also form part of the presentation being provided by officers.

·  In essence, the approach which officers will be undertaking in relation to the presentation you will be receiving on this application will be as if it were a fresh application.

This approach is being taken in order to ensure that there is a fair and open process to all sides in the determination of this application.

For all members who will be participating and voting on this application, I would like to suggest that you ensure that you have sufficient understanding of any issues relating to the application such that you can be satisfied in your own mind that you are in a position to be able to make an informed decision. To this end, I would encourage all members to ask such questions as you deem relevant from officers on this application which will in turn inform an appropriate and informed debate on the determination of this application”. 

The application had previously been considered at the Committee meetings held on 4 July, 2019 (Minute 17/19 refers) and 26 September, 2019 (Minute 39/19 refers) where it was deferred to a future meeting to allow officers to determine if any other sequentially preferable sites were available/suitable and for Highways to reaffirm that the access/parking was acceptable.  At both meetings, the Committee considered petitions, one submitted by Councillor R Bailey and the other by Councillor G Williams, both objecting to the application. As a reminder, the detail of both petitions was read out by the Committee’s Legal Officer.

The Late representations document tabled at the meeting summarised additional objections that had been received since the agenda was published. The representations reiterated previous objections and responded to additional information submitted since the previous meeting. The document also provided an appraisal of the objections received.

The Committee also considered two petitions objecting to the application, the first bearing 228 signatures, which had been submitted by Councillor R Bailey, a Cheylesmore Ward Councillor. Councillor Bailey and the petition spokesperson attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the petition. The second petition bearing 118 signatures was submitted by Councillor G Williams, a Bablake Ward Councillor. Councillor Williams and the petition spokesperson attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the petition.

The applicant’s agent also attended the meeting and spoke in support of the application.

Following consideration of the report, the late representations document and matters raised at the meeting, the Committee considered that the sequential assessment had exhausted all suitable sites within the sequential test area. Furthermore, highways confirmed that the car park would be remodelled to their satisfaction and that they had no objections to the proposal.

RESOLVED that planning permission be granted in respect of Application FUL/2019/0824 subject to conditions listed within the report.

(Note: Councillors Bailey, Kelly and Walsh did not take part in the consideration or voting on this application as they had declared an interest.)