Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

Members are requested at a meeting where a disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest arises, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests, todeclare any interests that relate to an item on the agenda.

Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting by switching their camera and microphone off during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer by 12 Noon the day before the meeting to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests were received.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2022 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Planning Officer recommending that the above application for full planning permission for residential development with creation of site access including landscaping, parking, supporting infrastructure and other associated worksbe granted subject to the conditions and for the reasons stated or referred to in the report.

Arising from the discussion Members were concerned about a number of matters which they considered would result in inadequate living conditions for future residents. These included:

·       poor air quality due to heavily trafficked nearby roads, including Heysham Road, and the dust from the cement plant opposite the site;

·       noise from the adjoining industrial use (including from reversing vehicles) and the railway;

·       conflict between the path emerging from the development and the turning circle at the Heysham Road end of the site, causing danger for pedestrians and in particular children as this development would be geared towards families; and

·       overlooking of gardens from the railway.

The Committee concluded that the above factors, in combination, would create an unsatisfactory living environment.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation be not approved and the application be refused for the reason that this linear site is hemmed in by the railway along one side and land used for industrial purposes on the other side, and a waste disposal use and cement plant fronting the Heysham Road end of the site. These uses, together with heavily trafficked nearby roads, generate noise and air pollution. The turning circle at the Heysham Road end is used by large vehicles and is likely to result in danger to pedestrians and cyclists on the path leading from the development.  In combination, these factors would result in a poor form of development with unsatisfactory living conditions for future residents and would be contrary to Policies EQ2(2), EQ4 (1, 2 & 4), and EQ3(f) of the Sefton Local Plan, and paragraph 130 (f) of the National Planning Policy Framework.

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Planning Officer recommending that the above application for the change of use of the first, second and third floors from retail to residential, to create 2 No. one bed apartments and 1 No. two bed apartmentbe granted subject to the conditions and for the reasons stated or referred to in the report.

Arising from the discussion Members referred to the exit from the upper floors in the case of an emergency and it was reported that this aspect could be dealt with under building regulations.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation be approved and the application be granted subject to the conditions and for the reasons stated or referred to in the report and in Late Representations and subject to an informative advising of the need to ensure adequate fire escape.

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Planning Officer on the results of the undermentioned appeals and progress on appeals lodged with the Planning Inspectorate.

RESOLVED:  

That the report be noted.

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Planning Officer which advised that the undermentioned site had been inspected by the Visiting Panel on 14 November 2022.

RESOLVED:

That the report on the site inspected by the Visiting Panel be noted.