Agenda item

Conditional approval

The Committee considered item 9 of the Officers’ reports.

Public Speakers

Kevin Matthews (Sea Palling Parish Council)

Raoul Fraser (supporting)

The Planning Officer presented the report, displayed plans and photographs of the site and surroundings. 

The Planning Officer reported that Sea Palling Parish Council had raised further concerns regarding the ability to get a caravan into the site and the impact on businesses when the road was closed to facilitate the movement of caravans.  In response, the agent had provided information regarding the size of the caravans, how they would be delivered and confirmation that a banksman would be used to assist with the movements.  The agent had stated that similar movements were made into the caravan site opposite and that the road was a consistent width.  The Highway Authority had been consulted on both responses and had confirmed that there were no highway objections to the proposal, the applicant would be in control of delivery times and the access could be extended across the whole of the frontage of the site if necessary.

The Planning Officer reported that the Environment Agency had no objections as the site was protected under the Shoreline Management Plan.  He recommended approval subject to the conditions listed in the report.

Councillor H Blathwayt, the local Member, stated that he had experience of managing holiday parks and considered that the operator was likely to seek permission to extend the use of the land in the future.  He stated that the business area was at the beach end of Beach Road and the residential area at the other, and if the road was blocked for any length of time it would have an impact on the economy of the village.  The lifeboat station was busy and blockage of the road could be very dangerous.  He considered that it would be difficult to time the deliveries to the site given the length of the transport route from Hull where most vans were manufactured.  He did not support the application.

Councillor D Baker stated that he wanted to see businesses move forward and there was no real objection to this application except for the perception of risk that there could be short term blockages of the road.  He proposed approval of this application as recommended.

Councillor Mrs A Fitch-Tillett considered that the applicant could manage deliveries or withdrawals of caravans, and in the event of an emergency the banksman would ensure that lorries moved out of the way.  She seconded the proposal.

Councillor N Pearce stated that economic development was needed in this location and supported the application.

Councillor R Kershaw stated that he understood the concerns and also understood that the purpose of the application was to move smaller caravans off the Golden Sands site and replace them with larger units.  He asked if it would help to condition the size of the trailer to be used to move the caravans off the caravan park so there would be less chance of blocking the road.

The Acting Development Manager considered it would be difficult to draft and enforce such a condition.

The Head of Planning explained that the width of the existing access would be increased to a minimum of 8 metres and a banksman would be used.  The Highway Authority and the Police would be able to impose controls under their own legislation if the movements caused congestion.  He suggested that it was not necessary to impose a condition on the size of trailer in the light of the highway consideration and controls which could be imposed by those authorities, but it was a matter which Members could debate.

Councillor Kershaw confirmed that he did not consider it necessary to debate the matter.

Councillor P Bütikofer requested a condition to require the access to be a minimum width of 8 metres.

The Head of Planning confirmed that the Highway Authority requirements would be included in the conditions.

Councillor G Mancini-Boyle asked why it was necessary to move the caravans to the storage area before taking them away.

The Chairman invited Mr Fraser to respond to the question.

Mr Fraser explained that the transport company should be ready to take the caravans away when they were removed from their hardstandings.  However, this was not always the case and it caused a blockage on the park.  Caravans would only be stored in the storage area for a short period before permanent removal.

The Chairman referred to the local Member’s concerns regarding creep and stated that the application related to a maximum of four caravans and it was up to the Parish Council and site owner to monitor the situation.

RESOLVED unanimously

That this application be approved subject to the conditions listed in the report and any other conditions deemed necessary by the Head of Planning.