Present at the meeting:
- Councillor P Prescott (Chairman)
- Councillor J Hilton (Vice Chairman)
- Councillor Mrs J Beswick
- Councillor B Bowen
- Councillor W Carney
- Councillor R Clayton
- Councillor J Ellis
- Councillor G A Fairhurst
- Councillor Mrs S J Greensmith
- Councillor Ms P L Holland
- Councillor Mrs Y Klieve
- Councillor P A Liptrot
- Councillor Mrs J Prescott
- Councillor J Talbot
Officers in attendance
- Graham Dickman – Development Control Manager
- Penny McGinty – Head of Development Implementation
- Stephen Normington – Service Director – Development
- Robert Owen – Team Leader Highways DC and Parking
- Simon Ward – Solicitor
- Michael Williamson – Committee Services Officer
- David Young – Environmental Protection Service Manager
9 Apologies for absence: There were none
10 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 26 May 2009 were approved as a correct record, subject to the following additional information being added after the letters of objection to page 123 of the schedule of decisions relating to application A/09/72444:
Following the meeting it was acknowledged that a letter of objection from Councillor G W Fairhurst had been overlooked, but all salient points contained within it had been covered in other correspondence and/or the committee report.
11 Elected Members’ summer school: The Chairman of the meeting agreed to consider this additional item as urgent, the special circumstance being the need to make a provisional booking of places as soon as possible.
The Service Director – Development, Steve Normington invited Members to indicate if they wished to book a place at the Elected Members’ summer school, which this year would be held in Exeter on 4 September 2009.
Resolved: The Committee authorises the Service Director – Development, to collect responses from those Members wishing to attend the Elected Members’ summer school and make the necessary arrangements.
12 Planning proposals: The Committee considered planning and related applications, which had been submitted to the Council. Reports and associated documentation and representations had been circulated with the agenda.
Resolved: The Committee accepts the decisions on the planning and related applications which are as set out in the schedule attached;
APPLICATIONS APPROVED, REJECTED OR DEFERRED BY COMMITTEE
Planning applications:
A/08/72286 To erect 4 retail units for A1, A2, A3 and A4 use, ramped access, installation of an ATM and associated parking and access.
Location: Land at Platt Street & Walthew Lane, Platt Bridge (Abram Ward)
Applicant: Great Central Development Ltd
Email of support received from Councillor C Sweeney. No letters of objection received.
Decision: REFUSED
Reason: The proposed building by virtue of its siting, design and height would result in the creation of a bland and unimaginative development dominated by surface car parking, which would have a poor relationship with the streetscape and the pedestrian environment. The building would be of a scale and character which is inappropriate for Platt Bridge Local Centre and which would result in a visually obtrusive and unsympathetic feature in the streetscene, providing inactive frontages to Platt Street and Walthew Lane. Consequently, the proposal is contrary to the objectives of Policies EV3A, A1D and S1D of the Replacement Wigan Unitary Development Plan and the principles of good design as set out in PPS1.
This decision is based on the following plans (P)100 Rev G; (P)103 Rev C and (P)201 Rev G received on 20.04.2009.
(Councillor P A Liptrot declared he had fettered his discretion in dealing with this application by making his views known in advance of the meeting and left the meeting during discussion thereon).
(Councillors J Ellis, Mrs P L Holland and Mrs J Prescott requested that their votes against this decision be recorded).
