To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Burke, Cocks, Davidson, Susan Emmott, McCarthy, Sheerin and Taylor.

Members are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary, personal or personal and prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests relating to items on this agenda and/or indicate if S106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.   

There were no declarations of interest.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business.

To approve as a correct record, the minutes of the last meeting of the Planning and Licensing Committee held on 31^st March 2022.

RESOLVED -  That the minutes of the Planning and Licensing Committee meeting held on 31^st March 2022 be approved as a correct record.

To determine any items on the agenda, if any, where the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

There were no reports listed as exempt on the agenda.

Proposal: Demolition of existing units B and G and erection of a Class B2/B8 warehouse unit with ancillary office space (Class E), parking, servicing areas, associated works and infrastructure.

Proposal: Demolition of existing units B and G and erection of a Class B2/B8 warehouse unit with ancillary office space (Class E), parking, servicing areas, associated works and infrastructure.

The Planning Officer introduced the report and explained that the application had been referred to the Committee as it was a major development, which represented a departure from the Development Plan. 

Members’ attention was drawn to the additional information and revised Conditions 4 and 16, set out in the Officer Update report, which had been circulated prior to the meeting.

It was explained that the proposal would comprise inappropriate development in the Green Belt, as defined by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and, as such, development should not be approved except in very special circumstances.

It was advised that very special circumstances existed, namely the economic benefits of substantial scale that would weigh heavily in favour of the proposal. The scheme would support and enhance the operations of an existing business in an existing industrial estate location; be sited in the emerging ‘Northern Gateway’, a regionally and nationally significant growth area; contribute to the clear need for additional employment and warehousing space within the borough; and be in scale and form consistent with the approved and potentially forthcoming significant built form.

The Committee was advised, that when considering the application as a whole, and in accordance with paragraph 148 of the NPPF, very special circumstances were considered to exist, because the harm to the Green Belt and all other identified harms were outweighed by the benefits of the scheme.

Therefore, it was recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions set out in the report and the Officer Update report.

Mr Bill Ullathorne, the applicant, addressed the Committee.

A discussion took place and Members gave careful consideration to all of the issues raised and the merits of the scheme.

Concern was expressed regarding further encroachment into the Green Belt. A proposal to refuse the application was moved, seconded and then put to the vote.  The proposal was not supported by the Committee and fell accordingly.

A proposal to approve the application was then moved, seconded and put to the vote.

RESOLVED –

1. That the Committee was minded to GRANT planning permission subject to the following conditions:

1.    The development must be begun not later than three years beginning with the date of this permission.

Reason. Required to be imposed by Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

2.    The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans and details:    

·         21033_PL01 Site Location Plan

·         21033_PL02 Existing Site Plan

·         21033_PL03 Proposed Site Plan Rev. P05 (received 15.03.22)

·         21033_PL04 Proposed Ground Floor

·         21033_PL05 Proposed Office Plans

·         21033_PL06 Proposed Roof Plan

·         21033_PL07 Proposed Elevations

·         21033_PL08 Proposed Sections

·         21033_PL09 Proposed Cycle Shelter

·         21033_PL10 Proposed Waste Compound

·         21033_PL11 Unit B as existing

·         21033_PL12 Unit G as existing

            Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and to ensure a satisfactory standard of development in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Proposal: First floor front extension including increase in eaves and ridge height, two dormers to front, and alterations to fenestration including Juliet balcony on the first floor side elevation following demolition of chimney.

Proposal: First floor front extension including increase in eaves and ridge height, two dormers to front, and alterations to fenestration including Juliet Balcony on the first floor side elevation following demolition of chimney.

The Planning Officer introduced the report and explained that the application had been referred to the Committee in accordance with the Council’s scheme of delegation, as the applicant was the spouse of a Council officer who dealt with planning matters.

Members were advised that the design of the proposal was considered to be acceptable. The development would provide a suitable standard of residential amenity for present and future occupiers of the applicant property, and would not unduly harm the amenity of surrounding occupiers. As such, the proposal complied with the Development Plan.

Mrs Samia Syeda, the applicant, addressed the Committee.

Following careful consideration of the merits of the development, Members welcomed the scheme and unanimously elected to approve the application.

RESOLVED - That planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

1. The development must be begun not later than three years beginning with the date of this permission.

Reason. Required to be imposed by Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

2. This permission relates to the following plans:

·         Site location plan

·         Existing and proposed block plans. Drawing no: 21.2585.3

·         Existing floor plans & section 1-1. Drawing no: 21.2585.1

·         Existing elevations. Drawing no: 21.2585.2

·         Scheme 1 – floor plans & elevations. Drawing no: 21.2585.SC1.1H. Received by email on 09/03/2022;

and the development shall be carried out in accordance with these drawings hereby approved.

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and to ensure a satisfactory standard of development in accordance with the policies contained within the saved Rochdale Unitary Development Plan, the adopted Rochdale Core Strategy and the National Planning Policy Framework.

3. Notwithstanding any description of materials in the application no above ground construction works shall take place until samples and / or full specification of materials to be used externally on the building(s) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Such details shall include the type, colour and texture of the materials. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: In order to ensure a satisfactory appearance in the interests of visual amenity in accordance with policy DM1 of the adopted Rochdale Core Strategy and the National Planning Policy Framework.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (or any equivalent Order following the amendment, re-enactment or revocation thereof) prior to first occupation of the extension / building hereby permitted the windows in the first floor on the side elevation facing 6 Broad Acre shall be fitted with, to a height of no less than 1.7m above finished floor level, non-opening lights and textured glass which obscuration level is no less than Level 3 of the Pilkington Glass scale (or equivalent) and retained as such thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of amenity and in compliance with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To note the following appeals:-

·         21/01189/HOUS - 57 Rose Avenue

·         21/00706/HOUS - 5 Enfield Close

·         21/00795/HOUS - 23 Woodtop Avenue

·         21/01698/HOUS - 23 Woodtop Avenue

·         21/01086/HOUS - 33A Waterfold Lane

·         21/00568/HOUS - 4 Crown Gardens

Consideration was given to a report that detailed planning applications that had recently been determined by the Planning Inspectorate.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

To note the Planning Appeals that have been lodged with the Planning Inspectorate.

Consideration was given to a report that outlined an appeal that had been lodged with the Planning Inspectorate relating to a development in the Pennines Township.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.