Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence had been submitted from Councillor Husband (Chair) and Councillor D. Taylor.

To receive details of any changes in membership.

There were no changes in membership.

To receive declarations of interest by Members of interests in respect of items on this Agenda, and to consider any dispensations.

Members may however, also decide, in the interests of clarity and transparency, to declare at this point in the meeting, any such disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, as well as any other registrable or other interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item on the agenda.

RESOLVED:- That the press and public not be excluded during consideration of the items on the agenda.

To receive the minutes of the previous meeting held on 19th December, 2023 (copy enclosed)

The minutes of the meeting held on 19th December, 2023 were agreed as a correct record.

Any Member of the public who wishes to make representations relating to an item on the agenda for this meeting should apply to do so no later than 0:01am (one minute past midnight) three working days before the date of the meeting.  Anyone wishing to make representations to this meeting should contact the officer named on the front of the agenda, providing a written summary of the issues they intend to raise

Mr Rawdon Gascoigne, Emery Planning (Agent) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee.

To consider a full application for residential development comprising 19 dwellings with landscaping/biodiversity enhancements and associated works including access, car parking and SUDS (resubmission of B07/2022/0653) on Land South at Leece Lane, Barrow-in-Furness.

From Mulberry Homes Ltd in respect of the full application for residential development comprising 19 dwellings with landscaping biodiversity enhancements and associated works including access, car parking and SUDS (resubmission of B07/2022/0653) on land south of Leece Lane, Barrow-in-Furness as shown on planning application number 2023/0652.

Representations received and the results of consultations were reported.

The Committee had undertaken a site visit prior to the meeting.

Mr Rawdon Gascoigne (Agent) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee.

A letter from Emery Planning requesting that the application be deferred had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting.

Additional responses from the Local Highway Authority and Environment Agency had been included in the Extra Information Booklet 1.

A Revised Landscape Plan (Rev K) had been included in the Extra Information Booklet 2.

It was moved by Councillor Hall and seconded by Councillor Assouad, and

RESOLVED:- It was unanimously agreed that planning permission be refused for the following reasons:-

1.         The development does not deliver the high quality design required by the Local Plan, National Design Guide and Code and by contemporary national guidance, including the NPPF, and fails to present a coherent and consistent project across the submitted plans and supporting documents, to demonstrate a clear process that analyses and responds to the characteristics of the site and its context adjacent to a green wedge and rural landscape. The application fails to demonstrate a clear process for considering the design-led sustainability of the scheme in respect of promoting the well-being and living conditions of its future occupants throughout the life of the development. There is an absence of a cohesive design strategy to achieve the well-designed and beautiful place required by the Framework, rather it appears tightly packed and cramped, utilises standard dwelling types, with inadequate dysfunctional parking arrangements, a lack of identifiable public open space, including play space, and it would fail to compliment the adjacent Green Wedge. The result is a scheme which appears to be based on quantity rather than quality or good urban design principles, and lacking assimilation into the context of the area. In addition, the proposal fails to meet requirements in terms of energy efficiency and designing out crime. The layout, form and scale of buildings is not based on an understanding of the existing situation, including patterns of built form as well as the local vernacular and the development of the south side of Leece Lane and other precedents that contribute to local character, to inform the form, scale, appearance, details and materials of the new development. By virtue of these concerns, approval of the proposal would conflict with Local Plan policies DS2, DS5, DS6, C5, HC5, HC10,N1, H7 and H9 the aims of the National Design Guide and Code and the ethos of the NPPF in relation to design quality and achieving well designed and beautiful places.

2.         The proposed car parking is insufficient to serve the development, poorly sited and unlikely to function well in practice and there is a lack of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.

Following the request from the meeting on 19th December, 2023 the report explains the background to applications for change of use to a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) and the implications of appeal decisions.

Following the request from Members at the meeting on 19th December, 2023 the report explained the background to applications for change of use to a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) and the implications of appeal decisions.

RESOLVED:- To note the contents of the report.

To note the Planning Inspectorate appeal decision for Chairman’s Walk, Barrow-in-Furness.

The report set out the appeal decision from the Planning Inspectorate for planning application 2023/0469 – Advertisement consent for the conversion of a poster display hoarding to digital on the advertising site to the south of Chairman’s Walk, Barrow-in-Furness.

The appeal had been dismissed and the Council’s reasons for refusal had been upheld.

RESOLVED:- To note the report.

To consider any urgent items of business.

There were no urgent items for consideration on this occasion.