Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: That application 22/00170/FP be DEFERRED to receive a response from Highways regarding the installation of a gate and to request further details from the Police regarding anti-social behaviour in the area.

Audio recording – 4 minutes 25 seconds

The Conservation and Development Manager advised Members of the following corrections to the report:

·         Paragraph 4.1.1 should read 21 self-contained bedrooms, not 24 as written.

·         Paragraph 4.2.2 should read ‘managers and staff accommodation is within the existing building.

The Conservation and Development Manager presented the report in respect of application 22/00170/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

Councillor David Levett advised that as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, he had requested a Call To Account of relevant Members and Officers involved in decisions around Lord Lister Hotel and therefore he would not take part in the debate or vote on this item or Agenda Item 8, but would remain to hear the debate.

The following Members asked questions:

·         Councillor Nigel Mason

·         Councillor Amy Allen

·         Councillor Tony Hunter

In response to questions, the Development and Conservation Manager advised:

·         If the conditions in the report are not applied then Breach of Condition Notices can be issued by the Council, where it seems no action is being taken by the applicant.

·         It was not the duty of the Development and Conservation Manager to answer for plans within the building.

·         The other application included within the report was not entirely comparable, but demonstrated the considerations that the Planning Inspector had applied to this application and that decisions had to be made around Planning Concerns. There were other bodies responsible for other aspects of the development.

The Conservation Officer advised that having visited the site recently that was a large meeting room which in reality appeared to be a break out area for residents, with soft furnishings. There would need to be further clarification from the applicant or their representative as to whether this was the plan.

The Chair advised Members of the details of the Call to Account to be undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 

The Chair invited Mr Scot Moir to speak against the application and advised he had been allocated 10 minutes.

Mr Moir thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation, including:

·         He was speaking as a neighbouring resident to the property and was speaking on behalf of his friends, family and the local community.

·         The property had been run as outlined in the proposals since 2021 and therefore residents have a clear idea of how it functions.

·         These were not self-contained units, and the 21 residents would have to have access to shared kitchen and laundry facilities.

·         Typically when the building was used as a hotel, the patrons would stay for a short period of time and would spend little time in the room. This would not be the case under the proposals.

·         The installation of a gate on the front arched entrance will have an impact on the highways and vehicles will now have to breach the pavement for access.

·         Since the change of use has taken place the police and emergency services have been called out and,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7