Agenda item

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Having declared that she had pre-determined the application, Councillor J Bratherton withdrew from the meeting for the duration of the Committee’s consideration of this item.

Note: Councillor D Marren (Ward Councillor), Parish Councillor R Spruce (on behalf of Crewe Green Parish Council), Mr M Stockton (supporter) and Mr G Brown (on behalf of the applicant) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Principal Planning Officer reported that a petition had been received just prior to the meeting.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application and a written update.

RESOLVED

(a) That, for the reasons set out in the report and the written update, the application be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1.                                                         The proposed development is located within an area allocated for employment uses as part of Policy E.1.1 of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011. The loss of the site for employment purposes would not maintain an adequate and flexible supply of employment land within this part of the Borough and insufficient reasons have been advanced to justify a departure from this policy. As a result the proposed development would be contrary to Policy E.1.1 of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011, Policy EG3 of the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy and guidance contained within the NPPF.

2.                                                         The Local Planning Authority considers thatinsufficient information has been provided by the applicant to demonstrate that the Grand Junction Retail Park site is unsuitable for the proposed development, and accordingly, that the application site does not represent a sequentially preferable alternative. The proposed development is contrary to Policy PG 5 of the CELPS and the NPPF.

3.                                                         There is a small population of Great Crested Newts present at a pond a short distance from the application site and this proposed development would result in a Medium Level adverse impact on this species as a result of the loss of terrestrial habitat and the risk of any newts present on site being killed or injured during the construction process. The proposed development fails two of the tests contained within the Habitats Directive and as a result would also be contrary to Policies NE.9 of the Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 and SE 3 of the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy and guidance contained within the NPPF.

4.                                                         The proposed development would result in less than substantial harm to the heritage assets which adjoin the site. As the principle of the proposed development on a site allocated for employment uses is not accepted there are not considered to be public benefits which outweigh the harm. The proposed development is contrary to Policy SE 7 of the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy, BE.7 of the Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 and guidance contained within the NPPF.

(b) That, in order to give proper effect to the Committee’s intentions and without changing the substance of the decision, authority be delegated to the Head of Planning (Regulation), in consultation with the Chairman (or in his absence the Vice Chairman) of Southern Planning Committee, to correct any technical slip or omission in the wording of the resolution, before issue of the decision notice.