Minutes:
The report before members detailed an application for a single-storey bed and breakfast building to the rear of the property to contain 5 bedrooms. It also included minor alterations to the ground floor of the existing bed and breakfast to provide an enlarged reception area with a lounge/hotel bar, which would result in the loss of one existing bedroom from the existing hotel building. The overall increase was 4 bedrooms, totalling 16.
Members noted that the application had been called in by Councillor Robert Benham on the grounds that it was appropriate for the Committee to take into account the merits of the hotel and business expansion and that a precedant had been set by similar development proposals.
With its agreement, Councillor Benham addressed the Committee. Councillor Benham advised that future Council funding would rely more heavily on the collection of business rates and therefore it was important to promote local businesses. Councillor Benham also advised that the business was a high quality family run business that was served well by public transport and urged the Committee to grant planning permission.
During the debate members discussed issues relating to car parking, noise control and possible erection of fencing and trees.
The report recommended that planning permission be refused; however following a motion to grant planning permission, it was RESOLVED that planning permission be granted subject to the following Reasons for Approval and planning conditions the precise wording of which were to be delegated to the Head of Development and Building Control to settle:-
Reasons for Approval:
The Design of the proposal is acceptable in terms of development plan policy DC 61 of the Local Development Framework and any significant impact of noise and disturbance can be mitigated by planning conditions
Planning Conditions:
1. Standard Time Condition
2. Materials
3. Restriction on use - Use only as bedrooms ancillary to main hotel and not for any other use or for any other hotel purposes other than as bedroom accommodation ancillary to the hotel.
4. Scheme of landscaping to be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority prior to first occupation and the approved scheme be implemented in the next planting season thereafter.
5. Scheme to control noise generated by use of the bedrooms to be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority and the approved scheme implemented prior to first .occupation
6. No new openings to rear whether doors, windows or alternative means of ventilation to be inserted in the rear elevation of the proposed bedroom accommodation. .
7. Prior to the firsts occupation a scheme to address delivery to the proposed bedroom accommodation shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority and the approved scheme implemented prior to first occupation.
8. Prior to the first occupation a scheme of external lighting shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority and the approved scheme implemented. prior to first occupation
9. Prior to the first occupation a scheme of parking associated with the bedroom accommodation shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority and the approved scheme implemented. prior to first occupation
The vote on the motion to approve and the subsequent resolution to grant planning permission were carried by 9 votes to 0 with 2 abstentions. Councillors Binion and Barrett abstained from voting.