Agenda item

The Application had been brought to the Planning Committee for consideration at the request of Councillor K. J. May, Ward Councillor.

Officers drew Members’ attention to the Committee Update, whereby an objection received by Belbroughton and Fairfield Parish Council was detailed. The update further detailed information from Worcestershire County Council Highways (County Highways) along with the Officer response. Furthermore, additional Conditions (17 and 18) were proposed.

A copy of the Committee Update was provided to Members and published on the Council’s website prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Officers presented the report and presentation slides, as detailed on pages 19 to 27 of the main agenda pack; and in doing so, highlighted that the application was for the Change of use of the land for a dog walking field and associated works

The site location was 0.63hectares in size and situated in the Green belt, 130m West of the 5 ways road junction.

Officers detailed that the stable building on site was granted planning permission in 2004 and would be used for storage associated with the proposed use. The current access to the site would be retained with modification to increase the width to 6.5m and visibility viewing splays to 120m in both directions. There would also be a 1.5m fence erected encompassing the site.

41 objections had been received which included the Parish Council, the main concerns of which were Highways matters, ecology and noise. Officers noted that there were no objections subject to Conditions from statutory consultees in relation to the aforementioned concerns.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Dan Hughes, the Applicant’s Planning Agent, addressed the Committee in support of the application. Ian Saddler, on behalf of Belbroughton & Fairfield Parish Council and Councillor S. Nock, Ward Member, addressed the Committee in objection to the application.

Members then debated the application, during which a number of points were clarified by Officers.

• That the maximum number of dogs on site would be 3 and that this would be managed via an online booking system.
• 4 parking spaces were deemed appropriate as the site was bookable for 50-minute time periods with a 10-minute turnaround time which should prevent overlap time with arrivals.

In addressing concerns regarding traffic accidents in the locality, Officers detailed that three accidents were reported in the preceding 5-year period, on 15^th September 2020, 31^st May 2022 and 11^th May 2023. Members commented that near misses or those incidents handled privately would not come up in the data and therefore, suggested that the Police should be consulted with regarding the application.

Officers clarified that the relevant authority for highways matters would be County Highways and therefore, it would not be appropriate to consult the Police on this matter. Officers further clarified that Members could only consider the evidence before them and that the relevant consultee had determined that the impact of the development could not be considered severe, therefore, no objection was raised subject to appropriate Conditions.

Members expressed the opinion that of the objections raised, concerns regarding ecology, noise and light pollution were of a lower concern especially considering the public footpaths in the area which could have a similar impact. However, the matters regarding highway safety were of a greater concern.

Members asked for some clarity regarding the application before them and the application 22/01129/FUL which was previously refused. Officers drew Members’ attention to page 9 of the main agenda pack outlining the reasons for refusal, noting that the refused application did not supply enough evidence to prove that there was not a serious impact in regard to ecology and noise concerns. Officers further clarified that the application before Members must be considered on its own merits but detailed that much of the missing evidence had now been provided for the current application.

On being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED that having had regard to the development plan and to all other material considerations, the application be approved subject to the Conditions as detailed on pages 14 to 16 of the main agenda pack with the additional Conditions 17 and 18, as detailed on page 4 of the update reports pack.