Change of use from Nursing Home to residential dwelling.

Change of use from nursing home to residential dwelling.

The Northern Team Leader corrected an error on the report referring to comments from Eardisley Parish Council. The comments should have been attributed to Almeley Parish Council. Eardisley Parish Council raised no objection.

He added that further comment had been received from objectors requesting Members be provided with details of the Web site details of Lemore Manor which sets out the activities are on offer. Reference was made to other legislation under which the premises and activities undertaken there are controlled. The application should not be considered as a change of use to a residential property but should take into account all the activities that take place.

In response to the additional representations received, the Northern Team Leader said that as the application was for the change of use of the former nursing home to a single dwelling it would be inappropriate for officers to display or provide details of the web site as requested. The application, whatever the ultimate end use may be, must be determined on its merits, not those of an anticipated future application.

Members would have been well aware of the activities which formed the source of objection to the previously withdrawn application, and which gave rise to the intention to carry out a sub-committee site visit.

Those are issues for either a subsequent application, or in the absence of such, consideration of the expediency of enforcement action. The applicants’ agent was aware of those elements of use which the Local Planning Authority considered to fall outside of the remit of a dwelling.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mrs Glyn-Jones spoke in objection to the application and Mr Spreckley, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support.

Councillor JW Hope, the Local Ward Member, said that he was in support of the change in use and moved approval of the application.

In response to a question on what was permitted in a residential property, the Northern Team Leader advised that a house could be let out and used as a party venue without the need for change of use to be applied for. He said that only when the events are held regularly is a change of use required.

Members were concerned that regular corporate events were already held at Lemore Manor and that these were of a large enough scale to be regarded as commercial.

The Legal Practice Manager reassured Members that if a situation arose where the predominant use of Lemore Manor became commercial event hosting, enforcement action could be considered by the local planning authority.

Councillor JP French added her support to the application saying it was necessary for the community to report any activities that breached planning permission and officers would then take appropriate action.

RESOLVED

That planning permission be granted subject to the following condition:

1          A01 (Time limit for commencement (full permission))

            Reason: Required to be imposed by Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Informatives:

1          N15 - Reason(s) for the Grant of Planning Permission

2          N19 - Avoidance of doubt - Approved Plans