Continued use of mobile building to house pre-school – new 5 year lease to be agreed, so permission required to 2017.

The application was approved in accordance with the case officer’s recommendation.

The Principal Planning Officer gave a presentation on the application and updates / additional representations received following the publication of the agenda were provided in the update sheet.

Councillor P Rone, one of the local ward members, advised the Committee that he knew the public speaker. He declared a non-pecuniary interest in the application which was recorded by the Democratic Services Officer accordingly.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mrs Coultas, speaking on behalf of the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

In accordance with paragraph 4.8.2.2 of the Council’s Constitution, Councillor P Rone, the local ward member, commented on a number of issues, including:

·         The recommendation for a 12 month permission was welcomed and a sensible compromise.

·         The nursery staff needed to communicate concerns related to vehicles turning in neighbouring residents’ driveways.

The Committee discussed the application and were of the opinion that a12 month permission would be appropriate to give the nursery staff sufficient time to address the current concerns in respect of dropping off and picking up of children.

One Member of the Committee was of the opinion that the concerns raised in the report could also relate to a number of schools throughout the County and requested that a letter be sent to Children’s Services to raise the issue and ensure that other schools with a similar problem at drop off and pick up times addressed the problem in a responsible manner.

The Committee noted that the Transport Manager had ‘significant concerns’ in respect of the application, Members also had concerns regarding child safety at busy times due to vehicles reversing on pavements to turn in the road. The Committee suggested that closer working between the school, the nursery and the Church could result in a more appropriate long term solution.

In response to comments raised throughout the debate, the Principal Planning Officer advised Members that the school had an existing school travel plan; that the site was in shared ownership between the Church and the Council and that the recent traffic monitoring had shown an improvement at peak times.

Councillor Rone was given the opportunity to close the debate but chose to make no further statement.

RECOMMENDATION

That temporary planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

1.         F20 Temporary permission, for one year, and reinstatement of land (one year).

2.         Within one month of the date of this permission a traffic management plan relating to the parking of vehicles and access to the pre-school / nursery shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. Travel management shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and a detailed written record shall be kept of the measures undertaken to prevent parking in Boycott Road / promote parking within the Church car park. Documentation shall be made available for inspection upon reasonable request by the local planning authority.

In the interests of highway safety having regard to Policy DR3 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan and having regard to the amenities of local residents in accordance with Policies DR2 and CF5 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan. 

Reason for Approval:

1.         There are significant concerns about the continued use of the pre-school nursery in this location, in relation to highway and pedestrian safety, and impact upon the amenities of neighbouring properties. This concern may be overcome with the provision of parking at Our Lady’s Church, and in order to consider this fully a one year temporary permission is granted as a trial period to ensure that this is sufficient to overcome concerns to a level that would ensure accordance with Policies DR2, DR3 and CF5 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan.