Agenda item

Erection of 1no. retail unit (Class E).

The Committee considered a report of the Senior Planning Office for the erection of 1 no. retail unit (Class E) at the former Windy Nook picnic area, Wolsingham (for copy see file of Minutes). 

G Spurgeon, Senior Planning Officer gave a detailed presentation that included aerial images, various site photographs that showed a wide access with hard standing tarmac that was set back against the road, the proposed layout that proposed 48 parking spaces and underground storage, the elevation of the site that showed the size of the building that was screened by trees and the floor plans that showed the proposed café layout.  Wolsingham Parish Council were in support of the application and had received no objections to the relocation of the existing family run business that complied with local and national policies.  There were no registered speakers and a site visit had taken place ahead of the meeting.

Councillor E Adam supported the Officers recommendation to approve the application.  He enquired if there was any further information on the biodiversity net gain due to the loss of an amenity from the area. 

The Senior Planning Officer replied that the applicant had 3½ hectares of agricultural land in Stanhope that they proposed to support the relevant biodiversity net gain that would address the habitat and wildlife for a period of 30 years.  This was subject to a legal agreement.

Councillor A Savory lived in the village where the seven possibly eight generation business operated.  They employed 7 people at the specialist business that was used by the farming fraternity.  The picnic area had not been used for at least 20 years and proposed to move the recommendation.

Councillor N Jones frequented Weardale and was happy to second the application.

Councillor M Stead thought it was a superb addition to the area.  It had been run by seven generations of the same family and was glad that it was not a retrospective planning application where everything had been done correctly.

Councillor J Atkinson agreed with everything that had been said by Members.

Upon a vote being take it was unanimously:

Resolved

That the application be APPROVED subject to the completion of a legal agreement to secure long term off-site biodiversity and the conditions listed in the report.