Minutes:
The consultation procedure undertaken was outlined in the report together with background information in respect of the site.
Since the publication of the agenda, Officers advised the Committee that Halton’s Conservation Officer had requested minor changes to the building’s exterior which had been made by the applicant, to the satisfaction of the Conservation Officer. Further, it was noted that the Council’s Highway’s Department raised no objections to the proposed change of use.
The Committee was addressed by Mrs George, who owned the land next to the Village Hall. She raised an objection to the application on the basis that the extra traffic and cars generated by the business would add to an already congested area, where even residents had difficulty parking. She spoke about the chicane effect experienced by drivers passing through the Village due to cars parked on either side of the road in between the double yellow lines.
Ms Leather, the applicant and owner of the building then addressed the Committee. She explained that she fully understood the concerns of the residents but explained she would be restoring a run-down property and opening a new business in the area. She stated that she did not intend to operate late opening hours and offered to commit to a 9 to 5 schedule in the week, 9 to 4 on Saturdays and remain closed on Sundays. She had lived in the area for 8 years and wanted to become part of the local community with her proposed new business. She also highlighted that whatever the building was used for in the future it would always require people to park in the area.
Local Ward Councillor, Harry Howard then addressed the Committee on behalf of local residents and his Ward colleague Councillor Cole, who unfortunately could not attend the meeting. He opposed the application arguing that the Village Hall was in a narrow part of the Village where cars had difficulty passing as addressed by Mrs George; the Villagers would lose parking amenity thus affecting their quality of life; and it would cause more congestion and nuisance in the Village and therefore be detrimental to highway safety. He discussed the history of the Village Hall and its lack of use over the years and read out an email sent from Councillor Cole to Mr Noone, the Operational Director – Policy, Planning and Transportation, which raised concerns over the highway assessment for the scheme. He quoted the relevant planning policies and queried the application’s compliance with these.
Members discussed the application in particular the lack of parking amenity in the Village for residents. Officers presented photographs of the Village that were taken at various times of the day and explained how parking space numbers were determined in response to Members’ queries. However, it was noted that in this instance parking was not deemed to have a detrimental impact on highway safety as there was no evidence of this.
Members suggested that as the applicant had volunteered to restrict the opening hours of the proposed salon, that these be included in the conditions of the application. This was agreed and the application was then approved subject to the addition of the condition relating to opening hours.
RESOLVED: That the application be approved subject to the following conditions (which included the condition mentioned above):
1) Standard 3 year expiry;
2) Plans condition;
3) Materials condition (BE1);
4) Roof light specification to be agreed before development begins (BE1); and
5) Opening hours condition.