Issue - meetings

Erection of 2 Canopies to the north facade of the Garden Centre.

David Lazenby, Property and Concessions Director of British Gardens Centres (The Applicant), spoke in support of the application.

The Assistant Director of Development informed the committee that since the publication of the agenda, a letter had been received from County Councillor Stoll, who considered that the benefits of the proposal would outweigh the negligible impact upon the Green Belt and was therefore in support of the application.

He then went on to introduce the report and concluded that as the proposal was considered to be inappropriate development within the Green Belt, which was not justified by any very special circumstances, it was therefore recommended that planning permission be refused for the reason detailed within the report.

The officer recommendation to refuse planning permission was not carried.

The Chair proposed an adjournment for five minutes, which was duly seconded.

The meeting was adjourned at 18:26.

The meeting resumed at 18:31.

The Chair proposed a further adjournment, which was duly seconded.

The meeting was adjourned at 18:37.

The meeting resumed at 18:39.

The Chair proposed a motion, which was duly seconded, for members to debate the very special circumstances as a reason to grant planning permission, contrary to officer recommendation.

Following debate, the committee felt the development did not meet all the criteria set out within paragraph 155 of the NPPF and was therefore inappropriate development.

However, they felt that the economic benefits of the development, namely the ability of the business to compete with online retailers, providing a better environment for customers and securing the viability of the business for the future, were very special circumstances which outweighed the potential harm to the Green Belt.

It was therefore agreed that the reasons as set out above, were the proposed reasons to grant planning permission.

The Assistant Director of Development introduced the following proposed conditions:

1. The development herby permitted shall commence before the expiration of 3 years from the date of this permission.

2. This permission shall be read in accordance with the application form and following list of approved drawings received by the Local Planning Authority:

A-PL-200 (P02) – Site Location Plan

A-PL-210 (P02) – Proposed Site Plan

A-PL-211 (P02) – Proposed Floor Plan

A-PL-212 (P02) – Proposed Roof Plan

A-PL-213 (P02) – Proposed Elevations 

The Chair then moved a motion, which was duly seconded, to grant planning permission based on the very special circumstances discussed in the previous motion and including the proposed conditions as set out above by the Assistant Director of Development, which was carried.

It was therefore

RESOLVED:

To Grant Planning Permission subject to the following conditions:

Conditions

1.     The development herby permitted shall commence before the expiration of 3 years from the date of this permission.

2.     This permission shall be read in accordance with the application form and following list of approved drawings received by the Local Planning Authority:

A-PL-200 (P02) – Site Location Plan

A-PL-210 (P02) – Proposed Site Plan

A-PL-211 (P02)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4