Issue - meetings

            That planning permission be refused because of the potential for additional impacts on residential amenity from increased working hours and Sunday working.  

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) in respect of this application.  The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.

            The Senior Minerals and Waste Officer detailed the background to the report and explained that this was a Section 73 application to vary three conditions (4, 10 and 26) attached to planning permission 052359 which had been approved in October 2015.  Since the application had been submitted, the applicant had withdrawn the request to vary conditions 4 and 26 and therefore only variation to condition 10 remained.  The applicant had asked for a temporary permission of six months to allow the impact of the requested changes to be assessed.  The original submission had requested working hours of 7am to 6pm Monday to Saturday with no Sunday working and the variation of condition was seeking working hours of 6am to 7pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 5pm on a Sunday.  The officer explained that concerns had been expressed by Buckley Town Council and neighbouring residents about the impact on the amenity.  A noise assessment had been submitted with the application and had included spot noise assessments at Parry’s Cottages, Liverpool Road and Smithy Lane and these had been found to show that the noise associated with the workings would not exceed background levels.  It was felt that the proposals would not have a detrimental impact on the amenity.  A condition had been included to limit the noise levels which would be monitored and enforced by the Planning Authority and the officer suggested that the condition attached to the original permission also be carried forward to this proposal if approved. 

            In response to a question from Councillor Chris Bithell about the request for temporary permission, the officer confirmed that the working hours would revert back to those currently permitted at the end of the temporary period and a further application would need to be submitted to vary the condition on a permanent basis.

            Councillor Bithell proposed the recommendation for approval which was duly seconded.  He felt that a temporary permission of six months was appropriate to assess any impacts and that a request for a permanent change could be refused if necessary. 

            The Local Member, Councillor Carol Ellis, expressed significant concern that the public needed to advise the Council of any issues with the site and suggested that the applicant was not complying with the current working hours imposed.  She said that there had been a number of complaints about the site relating to the height of the stockpiles which she felt was a fire hazard.  She added that the site had previously accepted food waste from the Council for which they did not have a permit or planning permission and she said that this was a health hazard and had been reported by the public.  Councillor Ellis had also raised the issue of receiving food waste by letter to the Council but had not yet received a response.  She  ...  view the full minutes text for item 151