Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding an application for a part two storey, single storey front, side and rear extension including pharmacy and opticians and laying out of car park.

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 which sought permission for a part-two storey, part single storey front, side and rear extension including pharmacy, opticians and laying out of car park at Manor Park Surgery, Bramley LS13

Members were informed that the Primary Care Trusts were encouraging the provision of 100 hour surgeries and that the proposals would provide this together with specialist GP-led clinics and improved facilities for patients; the inclusion of a pharmacy in the scheme was to fund the development. The Panel noted there was an existing pharmacy on the site

Although the site was an edge of centre site, a sequential test was not needed in this case due to the limited amount of A1 retail floor space being provided

To address concerns raised about late night noise and disturbance, the applicants had agreed to amend the pharmacy opening hours so it would close at 10.00pm, rather than 11.00pm as originally proposed. Conditions requiring provision of external lighting and appropriate boundary treatments would be included

The scheme complied with Highways policies and would provide increased car parking with conditions being imposed which required the provision of a Green Travel Plan and cycle parking and storage

The Panel’s Lead Officer referred to paragraph 6.4 of the report and stated that the reference there to Ward Members was incorrect and that it should be corrected to note that Councillor Hanley had called the public meeting referred to.

Officers reported the level of representations received to the proposals and informed Members that 4 additional letters of representations had been submitted since the report was written and that 154 standard letters of objection had been received, together with a 627 signature petition in support of the proposals

The Panel heard representations from three objectors and from the applicant who attended the meeting

Members discussed the following matters:

·  the services to be offered at the proposed new pharmacy

·  that the proposals would not lead to an increase in patient numbers

·  the extended surgery opening hours and whether in the future the 100 hours could be reduced

·  the increased level of parking and whether this would be for the benefit of patients or staff

·  the impact of the proposals on the existing pharmacy and staff working there

In relation to the discussions around the provision of an additional

pharmacy and whether a sequential test was needed, the Head of Planning Services read out the relevant paragraph from the NPPF and reiterated the view that for very small scale development a sequential test was not needed.  Members were also informed that in the case of pharmacies, it was often the case that these were allied to GP surgeries and were not always located in centres and that the issue of competition was not a planning matter

RESOLVED – That the application be approved subject to the conditions set out in the submitted report