Agenda item

Erection of a drive-through coffee shop and 9 business units (Use Class E and/or B8) with associated access, parking and landscaping works.

The Committee considered an application to erect a drive-through coffee shop and 9 business units (Use Class E and/or B8) with associated access, parking and landscaping works.

The Senior Planning Officer presented the application for a coffee shop with drive through and separate access to business units with car parking at the rear.  The presentation included an aerial photo; site plan showing the site within the Defined Development Boundary (DDB) for Portland and a small part within the Heritage Coast; proposed elevations, floor plans, sections and photos of the site and surrounding area.  The key planning issues were highlighted including principle of development; visual amenity; heritage coast and the setting of the World Heritage Site; residential amenity; highway safety and biodiversity.

A change to the recommendation and amendment to conditions had been included in an update sheet circulated to the committee prior to the meeting and is attached to these minutes.

Mr Dan Wilden, the agent, addressed the Committee in support of the scheme.

In response to technical questions put by members it was confirmed that Homes England were the landowners and that a high fence around the site had been removed from the scheme.  Officers considered that the scheme would not increase car usage in the general location.

Some members welcomed the scheme as contributing to employment and supporting the local community.  However, other members expressed concern regarding busy traffic in the area; the impact on roads adjacent to Portland Beach Road, particularly in light of the highways issues associated with the development of the Lidl site; encouraging driving, blocking of a significant view by the coffee shop and existing cafes operating at Osprey Quay.

Members were advised that Highways Officers were confident that there was sufficient car parking within the proposed site and that the proposal would not result in a major impact on traffic flows in the vicinity. 

Proposed by Cllr Paul Kimber, seconded by Cllr Louie O’Leary.

Decision:

(A)That authority be delegated to the Head of Planning or Service Manager for Development Management and Enforcement to grant, subject to completion of a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) in a form to be agreed by the Legal Services Manager to secure the financial contribution for compensation for the loss of habitat of £8,668.77 and subject to the comments of the Environment Agency in relation to the requirement to prevent the use of the commercial buildings as E (e) provision of medical or health services and E (f) creche, day nursery or day centre; and the conditions (as amended) outlined in the appendix to these minutes.

(B) That authority be delegated authority to the Head of Planning or Service Manager for Development Management and Enforcement to refuse permission for the reason set out below if the agreement is not completed within 6 months of the committee resolution or such extended time as agreed by the Head of Planning or Service Manager for Development Management and Enforcement:

1. In the absence of a satisfactory completed Section 106 agreement the scheme fails to provide adequate compensatory biodiversity/nature conservation measures through the provision of a financial contribution for loss of habitat. Hence the scheme is contrary to policy ENV 2 of the West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan and Section 15 of the National Planning Policy Framework.