Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 7 November 2022, having been circulated, were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The consultation procedure undertaken was outlined in the report together with background information in respect of the site.

It was reported that one additional condition was suggested, as presented on page one of the published AB Update List, to appropriately secure the planning obligations in relation to the proposed development, in addition to those outlined in full in the report (this has been added to the list of conditions below as number 35). 

In addition, further observations from the Council’s Ecological Advisor relating to priority habitats were noted (pages 2 and 3).  A document containing habitat creation principles had since been submitted to the Council and confirmed by the Council’s Ecological Advisor as being acceptable.  This document would now be added to plans and supporting documentation list in condition number two. 

Clarifications to several paragraphs of the report, described on page 4 of the AB Update List, were noted.

Ms Landor, a planning consultant who represented Halebank Parish Council (HBPC), addressed the Committee.  She recognised that revisions had been made to the scheme following consultation with HBPC, however they remained opposed to two aspects of the application as follows:

·         The noise that would be generated from a 24/7 operation of docking bays for HGV’s; and

·         The height of the building, this was excessive in relation to the adjacent residential properties and Conservation Area.

She suggested that the first objection could be resolved with a planning condition.  Comparisons were made on the height of the building with the Alstom site, which was lower.  She also questioned that without an end user being identified, there was no business case for the height and proposed operational hours of the building. 

To conclude she argued that without changes to address the above two objections, the application was contrary to the Development Plan and requested that a decision be deferred until appropriate conditions could be agreed.

The Committee was addressed by Ms Bell, the Planning Agent for the applicant.  She gave examples of previous high quality developments they had completed across the North of England, including Manor Park and Daresbury in Runcorn.  She advised, inter alia, that:

·         The application was the culmination of 18 months’ engagement with the Council and local community;

·         Local communities, the Council and other stakeholders had provided meaningful feedback;

·         This feedback had resulted in a series of design amendments to the scheme;

·         After the initial consultations a further 3 rounds of consultation had taken place with the local community upon submission of the application during the determination period, and the views of the community had helped shape the development;

·         The building height has been reduced to 18m;

·         The secondary access road has been removed;

·         The plant to the North of the building had been relocated to reduce noise;

·         No technical objections had been received from statutory consultees (other than HBPC);

·         A noise management plan condition was attached to the application;

·         The scheme benefits from £65m worth of investment with 600 jobs being created during construction and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.