Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer for the demolition of existing hotel and erection of a foodstore with associated access, car parking, servicing and landscaping.

(report attached)

Further to minute of 192 of the meeting held 22 March 2012 when Members considered a position statement regarding proposals to redevelop the former Mercure Hotel, the Chief Planning Officer submitted a further report on proposals to erect a Sainsbury’s foosdstore with associated access, car parking, servicing and landscaping at the site on Leeds Road, Wetherby.

Plans, site layout plans, aerial photographs and computer generated graphics showing the proposal in situ on the streetscene were displayed at the meeting.

Officers reported receipt of 3 further letters of objection from local residents which raised no new issues and the comments of the Environment Agency who stated no objection to the scheme. 14 letters of support for the scheme had also been received.

Officers highlighted the current retail offer in Wetherby Town Centre and the location of this site at the gateway to the town and outlined the following matters:

·  Development would provide 2347 sqm of retail space within the 5189 floorspace with 254 car parking spaces with 13 of those for residents located to the east of the site

·  use split as follows: 92% convenience and 8% non-food

·  Opening hours reported as 7am – 11pm Monday to Saturday and 10 am - 4pm on Sunday

·  A new pedestrian link from the north eastern corner of the site to Wetherby could be provided

·  Significant trees retained to the boundary and provision of 1.5 m high stone boundary wall

·  Levels change across the site afforded allowed the service area to be set down in the site

Members were directed to consider the following key issues:

Retail use of the site. The site had been previously earmarked for retail use, but this was before the co-op store in the town centre had been redeveloped as a Morrison’s supermarket and prior to the Micklethwaites residential development which lies adjacent to this site.

The applicant had submitted a retail assessment which concluded that there were no sites within the town centre which could accommodate a retail development of this scale. Officers concluded that this retail development would have an overall impact of 26% on the retail offer in the town centre (35% impact on the existing Morrison’s store, 04% impact on comparison goods)

Highways. The applicant had offered a shuttle bus to improve accessibility. An assessment of the proposals showed that the location of the access point was deemed acceptable with no adverse impact on the existing highways network. Suitable signage was included within the scheme. The car parking was considered adequate, and although the proposed pedestrian link needed further work to identify a better route and the travel Plan required amendment, there were no highways grounds on which to refuse the application.

Design. The three gabled elevation was considered acceptable, but there were concerns over the location of the store within the site and the visibility of the store and hard standing to facilitate the car park from the main road. This could require further screening. The boundary wall was felt to be acceptable. The retained trees would soften the appearance of the development. It was noted that the applicant had cited the grass verge to the main road as being within the setting of the development, however the verge was LLC owned and therefore not to be relied upon to mitigate the appearance of the scheme.

Impact on nearby residences – It was noted that the scheme was 19.5 m from the boundary of the nearest residence and that the building would be 6.3 high at the point nearest to residents. A car park already existed in this location, and further screening was proposed. Additionally drainage and flood risk measures were considered acceptable.

Additional comments regarding the impact the scheme would have on views into and through the Wetherby Conservation Area were also noted. Officers also highlighted the contents of the proposed Section 106 Agreement and commented that the amount offered for public transport would not sustain the proposed shuttle bus, and suggested that the amount suggested for town centre parking should be spent on the bus and highways supported this. Finally, it was reported that Morrison’s had recently submitted an application to extend their Wetherby premises, and Tesco also have a store in Boston Spa, both of these facts should be regarded as material planning considerations

In conclusion officers commented on the balance of considerations between the benefit the scheme would bring in terms of improved retail choice and new local employment through the construction phase and beyond; against the impact of the scheme on the town centre and likelihood that some local jobs would be lost once the store was open

The Panel heard from Mr B May, agent for the applicant, who highlighted the highways, design and environmental issues that had been resolved throughout the planning process and addressed the comments made over the perceived impact this development would have on the town centre. Members then heard from Mr B Taylor who expressed concerns regarding the location of the store at the gateway to Wetherby and its likely negative impact the vitality of the town.

Members considered the representations and noted the character of Wetherby town centre with its existing independent traders and retail offer.

  RESOLVED – That the application be refused for the following reasons:

1. The Local Planning Authority considers that the proposed retail store which would be located in an out-of-centre location, together with the absence of linked trips and lack of integration to the town centre, would likely to have a significant adverse impact on the vitality and viability of Wetherby town centre. The proposal is considered to be contrary to Policy S5 of the Unitary Development Plan (Review 2006), the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework and emerging Policies P5 and P8 of the Draft Core Strategy Leeds Local Development Framework, February 2012.

2. The Local Planning Authority considers that the proposed development would be harmful to the character of the area, including the character and appearance of the adjacent Wetherby Conservation Area owing to the siting of the building, the prominence and orientation of the service yard, the location and extent of hardsurfacing and car parking and overall absence of mature landscaping along a prominent street frontage. The proposal would have a detrimental impact upon a key gateway into this market town and would fail to take the opportunities to improve the character and quality of the area and the way it functions. The proposal is considered to be contrary to Policies GP5, N12, N13 and N19 of the Unitary Development Plan (Review 2006), the guidance contained within the Wetherby Conservation Area Appraisal and the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.