Agenda item

            That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report of the Head of Planning.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning in respect of this application which had been the subject of a site visit on 18 February 2013.  The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.

            The officer detailed the background to the report explaining that consultation had been undertaken and no objections had been received.

            Mrs. R. Jones spoke as the Headteacher of Elfed High School to express her opinions regarding the proposed development.  As the High School would be its nearest neighbour, she had concerns regarding the conflict of movement of pedestrians and vehicles.  She supported the development of the health centre and said that many modifications had been made including moving the vehicular access to Alltami Lane which she felt was a significant improvement.  The pedestrian access to the health centre was on the same road as the vehicular access to the school and the leisure centre.  She asked that the pedestrian access for the health centre be moved to a point further away from the school. 

            Mr. M. Hall spoke in support of the application and said that work on the design of the health centre had been ongoing for a number of years.  He spoke of the doctors’ practices that would be located in the health centre along with other health care requirements.  Funding approval had been received and work would commence on the site in early April 2013 if approval was granted.  Mr. Gaty of the Architects said that the centre met the needs of residents and made a positive contribution to the area.  The building had been designed around the needs of the patients, staff and the local community, and the landscape proposals had responded to the location and were in keeping with the character of the area.  

            Councillor M.J. Peers proposed the recommendation for approval which was duly seconded.

            The local Member, Councillor C.A. Ellis said that the town of Buckley had been waiting for over 12 years for the new health centre even though this was not their chosen location.  Residents had concerns over the impact of traffic in the area but she added that she did not want to delay the process.  The junction at Alltami Road was already a problem and she asked that it be noted that she had concerns over the junction onto Liverpool Road and Mill Lane.  Councillor Ellis also raised concern about the pedestrian access with which there was an issue, but she felt that this could be addressed by Highways and Lifelong Learning.  She said that there was not enough car parking on the site and that this would result in users of the centre parking elsewhere.  She proposed an additional condition on traffic issues. 

            Councillor Peers said that it was a long overdue development and the design had significantly improved from that originally put forward.  He felt that it had been well accepted in the community.  He took note of the concerns raised by Mrs. Jones about the conflict of movement and said that there was a need to deter any parking at the entrance to Elfed High School.  He sought assurance that these concerns could be ironed out by the planning authority but did not want to delay the scheme.  Councillor R.G. Hampson said that the existing health centre was not up to standard and that the new centre would generate less traffic than when the Belmont School was on the site. 

            Councillor R.B. Jones referred to condition 15 and said that he felt that the submission of a full travel plan should be agreed with the local planning authority.  He also had concerns about the highways and referred to the comments of Buckley Town Council which included the suggestion that a site visit be undertaken at peak usage time; this request had not been adhered followed.  Councillor N. Phillips spoke of the long process to achieve a health centre in Buckley and said that the view of Mrs. Jones was not the view of the governors at the Elfed High School.  He paid tribute to Buckley Town and County Councillors and referred to consultation undertaken by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board on their proposals for North Wales which did not include any reference to Buckley.  Councillor W.O. Thomas said that it was not the ideal location and that traffic would be the main concern.  He asked that traffic be monitored. 

            In response to the comments made, the officer said that the main issues of access and traffic had been considered at the outline application stage.  The point of access had been considered and the application had been accompanied by a traffic impact assessment based on four doctors’ practices being located at the site along with the Local Health Board.  This proposal was now for only two doctors’ practices and the Local Health Board.  The conflict with pedestrians and vehicles was discussed at the site visit and the access into Elfed High School was not a public highway so the Council could not impose a condition.  On the issue of parking outside the application site, it had been suggested that a letter be sent to the Director of Lifelong Learning asking what could be done to stop vehicles stopping in that area.  On the points made by Mrs. Jones, he referred to paragraphs 7.20 to 7.22 of the report. 

            In summing up, Councillor Peers said that it was an overdue and essential facility with the main concern being the conflict of movement between pedestrians and vehicles.  He asked that the local planning authority look at this issue again with the highway authority.  In response, the Head of Planning said that the use and potential traffic conflict would be discussed with the Head of Lifelong Learning to explore a solution and would be monitored..  Councillor Ellis sought assurance that this would happen and confirmed that she was happy for it not to be the subject of a condition.            

            RESOLVED:

            That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report of the Head of Planning.