Agenda item

Public Participation

Eileen Smith spoke in objection to the application on behalf of the residents of Regal Court.

The senior planning officer, Matthew Perks, presented a report which recommended approval be granted for change of use from office (B1) to Drug and Alcohol Misuse Advice and Treatment Centre (D1), and conversion of first floor to cluster housing unit of 5 bedrooms and communal facilities. The application was to be determined by Committee as it was a Wiltshire Council application which had received objections. Key issues were stated to include the principle of development and impact upon neighbouring amenity.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. It was confirmed that it was not proposed that the facility would be manned 24 hours per day, but officers did recommend that a facility management plan should be prepared in advance of any works commencing on the site and that the housing unit as part of the treatment centre was for use by those who had already received treatment and had detoxed.

Members of the public then had the opportunity to address the Committee, as detailed above.

The local member, Councillor Stewart Palmen, then spoke in support of the application.

A debate followed, where members discussed the concerns that had been raised by local residents, but noted that similar facilities had not led to any increase in crime, disorder or anti-social behaviour, and noted that the site had previously been used as a Probation office. It was stressed that the Council had a duty to support vulnerable persons and the site was considered a suitable and sustainable location for such a facility which would be close to other social services. Following a discussion about how best to liaise with the local residents at Regal Court is was agreed that a planning informative would be applied to the decision requiring the Council’s public protection anti-social behaviour officer to make contact with and offer to meet with the residents of Regal Court to help allay any concerns.

A motion to approve the application with the addition of an informative as detailed below was moved by Councillor Palmen and seconded by Councillor Philip Alford and at the conclusion of the debate, it was,

Resolved:

That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions

1.            The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

REASON:   To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

2.            The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:  Site Plan registered on 04 August 2017; Floor Plan as Exiting registered on 04 August 2017; and Floor Plan as Proposed registered on 04 August 2017

            REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

3.            The development hereby approved shall not be brought into use until a Facility Management Plan (FMP) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The FMP shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

a) The hours of operation for the D1 use;

b) The staffing levels;                             

c) The responsible persons and lines of communication; and

d) Further details in respect of the out of hours contact details and procedures.

The approved FMP shall be adhered to and implemented in accordance with the approved details.

REASON: In the interests of neighbouring amenity.

INFORMATIVE

The Council’s own public protection anti-social behaviour officer is encouraged by the elected members of the area planning committee to make contact with and arrange a meeting with the residents of Regal Court to allay any lingering concerns and/or fears about the consented development proposals.