Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the current position in respect of an application for demolition of existing hotel and erection of a foodstore with associated access, car parking, servicing and landscaping

(report attached)

  Prior to considering this matter, Councillor Parker and Councillor Grahame left the meeting

Members considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer providing details on the current position of proposals for the demolition of an existing hotel on Leeds Road Wetherby LS22 - which was situated in a conservation area - and the erection of a food store with associated access, car parking, servicing and landscaping

  Plans, photographs and drawings were displayed at the meeting.  A site visit had taken place earlier in the day which some Members had attended

  Officers presented the report and provided information on:

·  the site and the proximity of surrounding residential properties

·  the level of car parking proposed – this being 254 spaces

·  the proposed opening hours

·  the landscaping proposals; the number of trees to be removed and the level of replacement planting

·  the access arrangements

In terms of the principle of retail development, independent retail

advice had been commissioned to review the retail assessment carried out in support of the application, with this advice being awaited

  Members were informed of concerns about the proposals from the Council’s Conservation Officer and Landscape Officer and noted the comments from Highways that the site was not considered to be accessible to the required standard and would be likely to be overly reliant on customers using cars.  Whilst a free bus service was to be provided by the applicant, this was not an access bus and its limited provision was not considered to be sufficient compensation for inadequate bus services, with Metro noting that the site was poorly served by public transport

  Whilst not a formal application at this stage, Officers reported receipt of letters of objection from Alec Shelbooke MP and Wetherby Town Council

  The Panel discussed the proposals and commented on the following matters in response to issues raised in the report:

·  the use of Council owned land for part of the landscaping proposals which was not considered to be acceptable

·  that the proposed landscaping scheme was poor

·  that the site was prominently located and a gateway to the town and therefore a large retail building might not the most appropriate use for this site

·  that the site was adjacent to a conservation area and the proposed development was considered to be harmful to this

·  that the location of the site would not lend itself to linked trips to Wetherby Town Centre and that any time limits imposed on the customers using the car park would also deter linked trips. 

·  pedestrian access; it was noted that currently no pedestrian access existed, with some concerns being raised about possible ownership issues relating to the proposed link

·  concerns about the design of the building and the location of the service yard which was located at the front of the site

·  the impact of the proposed high wall to the boundary between the parking area and the adjacent residential properties; that this would create an unattractive environment for residents; was visually unattractive and created an inappropriate setting to Grange View which was a non-designated heritage asset

·  that the proposals would have a harmful effect on the residential amenity of residents at Micklethwaite Grove particularly as the proposed store would be 8 metres from the common boundary

·  that Highways comments were agreed with and that the access arrangements and car parking provision were unsatisfactory

Reference was made to a brochure which Members had received from the applicant with concerns that the image on the front of the brochure did not accurately portray what was being proposed, particularly as the 7 metre high signs at the entrance to the proposed store had been omitted from the drawing

RESOLVED -  To note the report and the comments now made and

that a further report would be submitted to Panel once the analysis of the retail impact study had been received

Following consideration of this matter, Councillor McNiven left the

meeting