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 related to the erection of a retail foodstore (Class E) with new access arrangements, following demolition of existing structures.

At its meeting held on 16 February 2023, the Committee agreed to undertake a site visit, owing to concerns raised around traffic and pedestrian safety, junctions and highways at the site.

The Planning Officer stated there had been a site visit on 16 March 2023, with the physical context of the site being observed. Also, that following this application being deferred additional information has been included within the report in relation to highway and pedestrian safety as well as additional information submitted by the applicant. The additional information includes details of the independent road safety audit which was undertaken, the increase of customer cycle parking provision to 24 cycle spaces including provision for 4 cargo bikes. Also, 15 safety bollards on Nell Lane, the restriction of servicing during morning school drop off and additional information in relation to the junction at Nell Lane amongst other matters. Additional information within the report also compares anticipated movements with the use of the existing office building which has a 105 space car park.

An objector attended and addressed the Committee, highlighting the concerns of local Head Teachers and local residents. Concerns were raised relating to the suitability of the location, traffic and accident data and child safety. It was noted that holding a site visit on the day of a teacher’s strike did not highlight the full extent of the problems relating to highway and pedestrian safety at peak times.

The applicant’s agent attended and addressed the Committee, noting the changes since the deferral. Those changes included the introduction of safety bollards on Nell Lane, a Planning condition preventing deliveries during the morning school drop-off period and a Planning condition to ensure management of the car park prevented parent use for school drop-off and pick-ups. There was also a commitment to review travel planning in the first three months of the store opening to ensure it operated in a safe and appropriate manner. It was noted that the Council’s Highways Team and Transport for Greater Manchester were satisfied that the application was safe and acceptable in terms of highway and pedestrian safety.

Councillor Shilton Godwin addressed the Committee as ward councillor, raising concerns related to highway and pedestrian safety. It was felt the application would add to traffic on the route to four local schools, hindering pupil safety. Car and Van use in the area had increased by 28% but there had been no similar increase in parking, which in turn had created issues with pavement parking. Councillor Shilton Godwin stated that if the store was to be a local store for local people, then the size of the car park should be decreased, whilst increasing the cycling parking. Whilst welcoming the idea that parents could not use the car park for school drop-off and pick-ups, there was uncertainty on how that would be achieved.

Councillor Midgely addressed the Committee as ward councillor, noting the need to acknowledge the positives of the application too. During a cost-of-living crisis, it was stated that for residents to have a local budget supermarket within walking distance was a positive. Residents had often been paying for taxis to different areas for their shopping. The local employment opportunities were also welcomed.

The Planning Officer stated that mitigation measures had been proposed at the junction of Nell Lane, with all evidence fully assessed showing that the junction can operate safely. The Mauldeth Road West junction was to be upgraded. An independent safety audit had been carried out and concluded that the impact of the proposals on the highways were not unacceptable. It was noted that the Committee should take account that the office building that occupied the site could be used at any point, with a 105-space car park, without any controls.

Councillor Flanagan raised concerns relating to traffic management. It was stated that there was a need to consider the possibility of the use of the 105-space car park but noted this was only 20 more spaces than within the application. Councillor Flanagan noted that there was a Mosque nearby that would increase traffic for Friday Prayers but that had been omitted from the report. Councillor Flanagan was not satisfied that this was a safe application and therefore proposed that he was Minded to Refuse based on highway safety for traffic to the supermarket, pedestrians, and cyclists.

The Planning Officer repeated that all junctions had been fully tested and they were satisfied that they could operate safely. An internal safety audit had been carried out and was considered in the Officer’s recommendations.

Councillor Lovecy noted that the site visit had been helpful. Councillor Lovecy supported Minded to Refuse, with further work completed on traffic management at the site.

Councillor Leech welcomed the site visit but noted that it had been a teacher’s strike on the day, so it was not representative of the scale of the problem. Councillor Leech referenced page 190 of the published reports that stated the offices being used for their original purpose would increase traffic further than this application. He stated that he did not accept those figures due to the changes in people’s working habits in recent times. Councillor Leech felt that the highways data that concluded there would be no additional traffic as a result of changes to Barlow Moor Road and this application was completely false.

The Chair requested that Councillor Leech amend his comment relating to completely false data being used by the highway’s teams. Councillor Leech was willing to amend his statement to say the data was flawed.

The Planning Officer repeated that all junctions had been fully tested and they were satisfied that they could operate safely. The modelling used is nationally recognised and one that all Local Authority’s must consider in Planning applications.

Councillor Leech sought clarity that the impact of the changes to Barlow Moor Road had been factored in.

The Planning Officer stated that their colleagues in highways had assured them that they had.

The Chair recognised that Councillor Flanagan had moved a recommendation of Minded to Refuse, which had been seconded by Councillor Lovecy.

Decision

The Committee resolved that it is Minded to Refuse the application, owing to traffic management issues.