The report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing that described the application proposals related to the retention of a temporary 50 seater stand for supporters at West Didsbury And Chorlton Football Club. The stand was originally approved for a temporary 3 ½ year period in 2013 by the Council’s Planning Committee with a subsequent further temporary consent granted in 2016 which expired in April 2020. The football club submitted a further extension of time application in July 2019 with a new location of the stand, this application was not determined, with the applicant withdrawing it from consideration earlier this year after the submission of the current application.

The stand was required to enable the football club to meet the standards set out by the Football Association, the temporary stand was intended to be replaced by a more permanent structure and this is still the intention of the football club when funding and the requisite permissions are in place. In the intervening period the football club still require the temporary stand and have submitted a further application for its retention at the site.

As part of the notification of this application 68 addresses were written to and site notices were posted and advertisement placed in the Manchester Evening News given the sites location within the Chorltonville Conservation Area. 18 responses were received, 17 of these set out objections to the proposals including, amongst other matters; impacts of noise from supporters; a further temporary permission would be contrary to planning legislation; parking issues associated with the football club on residential streets; and, residents are not being listened to and the football club continues to expand.

The Applicant’s agent addressed the Committee and referred to key points in particular to objections received regarding the temporary stand. It was reported that the previous applications could not be taken forward for the replacement with a permanent structure due to the availability of funding raising to carry out the work this was made more difficult as a result of the covid pandemic. The temporary stand will enable the club to continue to fulfil the seating arrangements in accordance with the FA standards. The additional five year period will allow the club time to work towards achieving the funding required to cover the costs of a permanent structure. There will be no impact on the green belt and the club works hard to be a good neighbour to the community.

The planning officers advised the Committee that there are a set of circumstances that would warrant an additional temporary period being granted.

Councillor Flanagan noted the objections raised and that the application did not seek to increase what is already in place and moved the Officer’s recommendation of Approve for the temporary approval for a temporary 50 seater stand expiring 20th October 2027.

Councillor Leech seconded the proposal and asked officer if any solution had been found to address the issue of banging on the side of the stand.

The planning officer reported that matter has been discussed with the application and not solution had not been found for the type of stand used, however Environmental Health Officers had concluded that due to the position of the stand and the distance from local residents properties the noise would not considered excessive and was acceptable under the current arrangement. 

Decision

The Committee resolved to Approve a temporary 50 seater stand, to expire on 20 October 2027, for the reasons stated and subject to the conditions set out in the report submitted.