Agenda item

Report of Head of Planning

(copy herewith)

Ward: Semilong

Councillor Aziz left the meeting in accordance with his declaration of  “predetermination” set out in minute 4 above.

The Head of Planning submitted a report in respect of application no. N/2011/0998, elaborated thereon, referred to the Addendum that set out further correspondence from the applicant responses to it and further correspondence from the Agents and the response to it and referred to correspondence from agents on behalf of Asda dated 24 July 2012. The Head of Planning referred to paragraph 7.47 of the report and noted that the Environmental Health Officer had confirmed that proposed condition 15 would meet the issues that they had raised. He also commented that Tesco’s recent announcement that they were withdrawing from the scheme did not affect the Committee considering the application as Royal Mail were the applicants, the operational elements were generic to any similar operator to Tesco and the retail impact study was also relevant for any similar operator. He also noted that in terms of the requested opening hours that Bank Holidays should remain as the same hours for Sundays. In answer to questions, the Head of Planning commented that the provision of travelators would be required by any supermarket operator; that no further comments had been received from Legal and General other than those set out in paragraph 6.19; and although Legal and General had not stated that a large supermarket could not be accommodated within their proposals, equally, the details submitted so far did not indicate provision for one.     

Mr Crutchley, on behalf of Semilong Community Forum, commented that concerns had been raised in terms of the impact of the proposal on local businesses and access to the store. The Forum had asked for extra lighting and facilities for the local community. Semilong was a deprived area and there was a feeling that a supermarket would not help the local community and that the application failed to address the issues in the area. The Forum were concerned about street drinking and nuisance and trolleys being abandoned in the surrounding streets and had previously asked how regeneration of the site would benefit Semilong. 

Mr Cook, the Agent, welcomed the report, the thorough consultation that had taken place and noted that the one and a half hectare site was very accessible. The main structure of the existing building was sound and the site offered a major brownfield regeneration opportunity; little alteration would be necessary for supermarket use. If the building were to be demolished this would probably take three months in itself. Mr Cook noted that few objections had been received and alterations to the proposals had been made following discussions and these included improvements to the public realm and highways. The Highway Authority and Environmental Health had not raised any objections and the Retail Impact Study had not raised any issues. He noted that the situation in respect of trolleys could be conditioned. He hoped that the Committee would approve the application.    

Mr Millest on behalf of Royal Mail, commented that he had extensive retail experience and that travelators would be necessary for any operator. He commented that the building was one of a kind, built in the 1970’s but had now outlived its usefulness. The investment involved was approximately £12million, with a further £2million for fitting out and £1million for highway improvements. He stated that approximately 350 jobs would be created with around 120 being full-time and 230 part-time. If the Committee approved the application it would make the task of finding an operator easier. Mr Millest noted that the former Royal Mail premises had operated 24 hours a day and so if the premises operated on this basis as a supermarket, it would not be any different. He noted that in respect of alcohol, supermarkets tended to manage sales very strictly.

The Head of Planning commented that Section 106 Agreements had to be related to the development in question hence the proposed agreement in this instance for highway and public realm improvements. Unfortunately it would not be legitimate to seek the money for community uses. Developing the site would help to regenerate the local community. In answer to questions, the Head of Planning noted that the potential loss of trade to the Town Centre would not reach an unacceptable level if this application were to be approved and displayed the drawings showing the relationship of the delivery ramp to the neighbours.  

The Committee discussed the application.

RESOLVED:     That the application be approved in principle subject to:

a)        A Section 106 Legal Agreement to secure:

·                Financial payment dedicated towards NCC’s Kingsthorpe Corridor Improvement Scheme;

·                Financial payment for town centre public realm  enhancements, focused on Sheep Street / Regents Square;

·                Agreement to a construction training programme to provide on-site training for local construction trainees; and

·                The submission and implementation of a work place travel plan to encourage non-car modes of travel;

·                Completion of a scheme to enhance linkages between the site and the town centre, in line with the principles and interventions outlined in the Strategic Urban Design Appraisal Connections Study

·                 A payment towards air quality management.

b)                     The referral of the application to the Secretary of State under the provisions of The Town and Country Planning (Consultation) Direction 2009 to consider if he wishes to call-in the matter for his determination;

c)                     The conditions set out in the report and additional condition in respect of the control of trolleys;

As the proposed superstore would respond to an identified need for further retail floorspace within Northampton and bring significant regeneration and job creation benefits through the re-use of the existing building. It was considered that there were no sequentially preferable sites that were available, viable and suitable for the proposed development and the implementation of the scheme would not result in any significant adverse impact upon the town centre or district / local centres within the area.  In addition, the proposed scheme would enhance the setting of the adjacent Barrack Road Conservation Area through the sustainable, sensitive refurbishment and alteration of the existing building. There were no other constraints to development that could be adequately mitigated through the use of conditions or obligations under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act. Consequently, it was considered that the proposal was compliant with the advice contained within the National Planning Policy Framework; the saved policies of the Northampton Local Plan; emerging policies in the submission version of the Northampton Central Area Action Plan; and MKSM Sub-Regional Strategy Northamptonshire Policy 2 MKSM Sub Regional Strategy Northamptonshire Policy 3, contained within the East Midlands Regional Plan (RSS8).

Councillor Aziz rejoined the meeting.