Agenda item

To receive a report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding a full planning application for a detached retail unit with car parking.

(report attached)

The report of the Chief Planning Officer informed Members of an application for a proposal to construct a detached retail food store with 90 parking spaces and associated hard and soft landscaping.  The application had been made following pre-application meetings and discussions with the Local Planning Authority and following a public exhibition and community consultation over the past year.  It had been brought  to Plans Panel due to the level of local representation and because the proposal did not constitute out of centre retail development.

Members were shown site plans and photographs of the site and had visited the site prior to the meeting.

Further issues highlighted in relation to the application included the following:

·  The store would create between 30 and 40 jobs, with approximately 100 jobs during construction.

·  The store would be surrounded on all four sides by housing.

·  Until 2007 the site was a complex of industrial units.  These had become disused and derelict and had since been demolished.

·  Members were shown photographs of the site where access from Stanningley Road would be.

·  The existing stone wall at the site would be lowered and partially retained.

·  A Section 106 agreement had been secured with the developers.

·  A public meeting had been held on 30 March 2011 and 91 local residents had attended.  105 letters of support, which had been developed by ALDI, had been received along with a further 6 letters of support and a letter of objection.

·  There had not been an objection by Highways and the proposals were supported by a transport assessment and travel assessment.

·  The Section 106 agreement would include a public transport contribution of £52,903

In response to Members comments and questions, the following issues were discussed:

·  The proposed condition to restrict deliveries between 9.00 p.m. and 7.00 a.m. was the same as other store in a similar position.  There would be acoustic barriers around the delivery area and this was adjacent to the gable end of existing properties.

·  It was suggested that a condition be included for bollards to restrict access to the car park when the store was closed.

·  Distribution of transport funds under the Section 106 agreement.  It was reported that this would go into a larger pot and be used on the corridor in which the proposed store was.

·  Suggestion to use the remaining stone from the existing stone wall to erect a wall on Ashby Avenue.

·  The store would be a discount food retail unit.  They were unable to sell certain goods including newspapers and tobacco.

·  It was not possible to impose a condition regarding the upgrading of bus stops but this would be discussed with Ward Members.

RESOLVED – That approval be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer, subject to the signing of a Section 106 agreement within three months from the date of the resolution to ensure the following:

·  Travel Plan, Travel Plan Co-ordinator and monitoring fee of £2,500;

·  Store to be a discount supermarket only;

·  Local employment initiatives; and

·  Public Transport Contribution of £52,903

And subject to conditions outlined in the report with additional requirements to consult Ward Members before a decision is made with regards to the suitability of upgrading 2 existing bus stops on Stanningley Road and could stone from the tall wall be used to provide a stone boundary wall to Ashby Avenue.