Agenda and minutes
PDF 43 KBVenue: Civic Suite, Town Hall, Runcorn
Contact: Isabelle Moorhouse on 01515113979 or Email: isabelle.moorhouse@halton.gov.uk
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Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2025, having been circulated, were taken as read and signed as a correct record. |
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PLANNING APPLICATIONS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMITTEE Minutes: The Committee considered the following applications for planning permission and, in accordance with its powers and duties, made the decisions described below. |
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Additional documents: Minutes: The
consultation procedure undertaken was outlined in the report together with
background information in respect of the site. Since the
agenda was published, additional variations of the provision to the offsite
highway improvements, and amendments to the affordable first homes provision
within the Section 106 agreement for the location had been made. It was noted
that the AB list should have quoted application 25/00346/REM and not
25/00346/OUT as this was the outline application for 500 dwellings, a local
centre, a later living scheme and a new primary school. It also granted the
access points with matters relating to scale, layout and landscaping for a
future development. As permission for this had already been granted in July
2024, this was not up for debate. This application determined the 500 dwellings
and their layout; the local centre, later living scheme and school would be
determined in a future application. Comments from
the public and the Parish Council requested that a public consultation and
design review be undertaken for the site. However, there is no statutory
obligation for public consultations to be undertaken prior to the submission of
a housing application and refusal of the application should not be given if no
consultation was undertaken. The applicant undertook a leaflet drop of houses
and met with the Parish Council. Halton Borough Council undertook a public
consultation which included 105 letters sent to homes in the village and a
press notice in the local paper. Additionally, design reviews are not compulsory either. This
application met the National Model Design Forum and met the Council’s
supplementary planning document (SPD) requirements. The site was deemed to be
functional, sustainable and the Council’s case officer and conservation officer
deemed the site acceptable. Regarding the
house designs, the scheme includes four different character areas: a historical
edge near Hale Bank, a rural edge adjoining the field, the Hale Bank fringe,
and the Hale Bank core. The
application did not have a heritage appraisal but one was included in the
outline application which deemed that the development would not harm the
conservation area. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) deems that
areas with a ‘low level of harm’ for conservation areas need to weigh against
the public benefits and the site’s space should be optimised in terms of use.
The Conservation Officer has recommended ‘strengthening the green belt area’ to
mitigate any possible harm; plans had been submitted to do this as part of the
application. The Draft Open Space SPD 2007 was not met in the application, but this was advisory only and was not adopted by the Council. 20% of homes built for new development sites must be ‘affordable’; the proposed site had 74 homes that will be affordable to rent and 26 affordable to buy. Therefore, this requirement was met. None of the homes would be specialist but 144 homes could be adapted to become specialist. The Halton Housing Needs Assessment suggested that 25-30% of new homes must be two bedroom and 35-40% must be three ... view the full minutes text for item 17. |
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[The Meeting was suspended at 19:12 to allow members of the public to vacate the public gallery. The Meeting reconvened at 19:15.] |
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Additional documents: Minutes: The
consultation procedure undertaken was outlined in the report together with
background information in respect of the site. Officers
highlighted the key points as stated in the report and highlighted that no
representations on the application were submitted and recommended that the
application be approved, subject to conditions. After
consideration of the application and updates provided by officers, the proposal
was Moved and Seconded and the Committee voted to approve the application. RESOLVED:
That the applications are approved subject to the following: a) S106 or other appropriate agreement securing financial
contributions for Greenspace Provision (£9,702.81) and Recreational Pressure
Mitigation (£5,286.94) b) Schedule of the following conditions:
c) That is the s106 or other appropriate agreement is not secured within a reasonable period of time, authority be given to refuse this planning application. |
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MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS Minutes: The following
applications had been received / were in progress: 22/00569/OUT
The Secretary
of State has called in the planning application for the Heath Business and
Technical Park, Runcorn. This will be considered at a Public Inquiry. Officers
noted that a Planning Inspector had been appointed for this application and
their draft report had been passed to the Secretary of State. The Council will
be informed of this decision around the 9th March 2026. 25/00254/COUGEN
Appeal
against enforcement notice at Rotherham House, Lunts heath Road, Widnes, WA8
5BB The Council
contacted the Planning Inspector to receive the outcome report. 25/00261/COU
Proposed
change of use of the first floor and part ground floor from E-Class to twelve
(12) Sui generis single occupancy HMO rooms and retention of E-class floorspace
on ground floor at 1-4 Salisbury Street, Widnes. 25/00272/COU
Proposed
change of use of ground floor of premises from extant (sui generis) licenced
social club use with ancillary car park to storage and distribution class (B8)
use with ancillary car park at Oddies Social Club, Hale Road, Widnes. The following
appeals have been determined: 25/00254/COU
Proposed change of use to flexible letting at Rotherham House, Lunts heath Road, Widnes, WA8 5BB APPEAL DISMISSED |