Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director (Planning & Community) - A.2 - 25-00483-FUL - The Lighthouse, Lower Marine Parade, Dovercourt, Harwich, CO12 3ST

Change of use of land for siting of a single storey modular building for community use.

Minutes:

Earlier on in the meeting as reported under Minute 34 above, Councillor Fowler (Chairman) had notified the Committee that she was predetermined and that some of the objectors to the application were personally known to her and that therefore she would leave the room and would not participate in the Committee’s deliberations and decision making for this application. The Chair was thereupon occupied by the Vice-Chairman (Councillor White).

 

Members were told that the application sought permission to change the use of part of the land used by The Lighthouse sports and social hub for the siting of a single storey modular building for community use. The new building would allow the expansion of the existing activities year-round and would provide additional secure space for storage for those activities.

 

The Committee heard that the proposal was not considered by Officers to be harmful to the character and appearance of the area, it would not result in any significant impact to neighbouring amenities, and it was acceptable in terms of flood risk.

 

The Committee had before it the published Officer report containing the key planning issues, relevant planning policies, planning history, any response from consultees, written representations received and a recommendation of approval.

 

At the meeting, an oral presentation was made by the Council’s Planning Officer (AP) in respect of the application.

 

An Officer Update Sheet had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting which informed the Committee as follows:-

 

“The existing café/building on The Lighthouse site is connected to the mains sewer and it is proposed to connect the new building in the same way.”

 

Gary Stanford, the applicant, spoke in favour of the application.

 

Michelle Kulacz, a member of the public, spoke against the application.

 

Matters raised by Members of the Committee:-

Officer’s response thereto:-

Could you give the Committee the dates of approval in the timeline?

For guidance, the access of ramps/shuttered doors was 2010, store and viewing area was 1991, public shelter on the skating rink was 1963 and the last one was for the café and public convenience which was 1960. It might be one or two years either side, Officers do not have the exact dates to hand.

Is there an automatic cut out for the music if it goes past a certain number of decibels? Is that something the Committee could condition?

There is the site and the building proposal before Members, not change of use of land. This application is only for change of use of the building. Licensing is a separate matter to Planning, Officers cannot control the land but can control the building because that is the proposal before Members so noise or music played within the building, Officers could put a condition in the element of noise but the difficulty is that it does not stop the playing of music elsewhere on the rest of the site where they have current permission to do so.

With the large residential building to the rear, is there no visual harm to that property?

The modular building is single storey so people will be able to see it as well as the building being blue, so it is visible from the rear property. It will not significantly affect the neighbouring properties in the public realm.

If the Committee were to refuse this application, presumably there would be a continuation of the marquee, is that right?

That is correct. If this application was not approved, then the marquee could be used as a temporary measure.

How many users are there at the moment and what the capacity would there be if the Committee granted planning permission?

Officers do not have the exact capacity, but it may have been said in the speaker’s speech.

Are Members right in understanding that the capacity would be 50 people?

Yes, that is correct.

What are the operating times that would be permitted?

9.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m. 7 days a week, including bank holidays.

Are the operating times for the whole site?

There are no planning restrictions in terms of operating hours on the whole site at all, it is the premises licence that has control of the operating hours of some activities on the site.

 

It was moved by Councillor Alexander, seconded by Councillor Bray and:-

 

RESOLVED that:-

 

1)    the Head of Planning and Building Control be authorised to grant planning permission subject to the conditions as stated at paragraph 10.2 of the Officer report (A.2), or varied as is necessary to ensure the wording is enforceable, precise, and reasonable in all other respects, including appropriate updates, so long as the principle of the conditions as referenced is retained; and

 

2)    the sending of any informative notes to the application as may be deemed necessary.

Supporting documents: