Agenda item

Ibstock House 132 High Street Ibstock 

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Councillor J Clarke, Ward Member, addressed the Committee.  He reported that earlier in the day plans had been submitted by the applicant for an extension to the property and if that was the case, the application should be deferred so that they could both be considered together.  He explained that the current facilities were already stretched and the new developments in the area would only make matters worse.  There was a need for a bigger surgery with access to more doctors, not a nursing home and he felt that the site was not large enough for both.  He believed that the opinions of local people were being ignored along with many requests for information.  He also raised concerns regarding highway safety and traffic.  Councillor J Clarke urged the Committee to either defer the application so all aspects of development could be considered together or refuse the application.

Mr M Stack, applicant, had returned to the surgery and therefore was no longer at the meeting to address the Committee.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration explained that a drawing had been provided earlier that day, and shown to Members during the site visit. He confirmed that there was no planning application for an extension to the surgery, and that the drawing that had been provided had no formal status. He urged Members to determine the application in front of them on its own merits.

The Chairman commented that plans for a nursing home had been agreed on the site in the past and therefore moved the officer’s recommendation. It was seconded by Councillor M Specht.

Councillor R Johnson commented that Ibstock was growing rapidly and he felt that if the application was for the surgery only he would have been happy with it.  His opinion was that the application should be deferred so that the Committee could see what the plans were for the future.  He stated that the area deserved better and as the application had no merits, moved that the application be deferred.  It was seconded by Councillor J Legrys.

The motion to defer the application was put to the vote and was LOST.

Councillor J Bridges stated that he had mixed views on the application as a care facility such as the one proposed needed to be on a bigger site where it could provide gardens and open space which were essential.  He added that he believed another facility would be needed in the area in the future as this had no room to develop further.

Councillor J Legrys concurred with the views of Councillor J Bridges as he also had mixed views.  He reported that the late Dave De Lacy had spoken at length with the doctors of the surgery about the use of the Section 106 provision that was available to them and it was still uncertain as to why they were refusing to use it.  He agreed that the site did need room to develop and he had sympathy with the officers for having to deal with recipients of Section 106 money that failed to spend it.  He stated that if the application was approved, Members needed to put trust in the officers to put together a good scheme.  Councillor J Legrys added that he felt it was bad practice to produce an additional plan at the site visit as it could cause an element of doubt for Members.  He requested that if the outline permission was passed that the full detailed planning permission be brought to Committee for consideration.

Councillor N Smith raised his concerns as he felt that there was a need for care homes with room to expand and as there were no gardens or open spaces, he could not vote for the application to be permitted.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration reminded Members that the application before them was for outline permission only and therefore if permitted, the officers would work closely with the applicant to achieve the right development for the site.

Councillor J G Coxon stated that he was in favour of the application.

The officer’s recommendation was put to the vote.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted in accordance with the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Regeneration.