Agenda item

The Members were reminded that the application was considered by the Committee at its meeting on 17th August where it had agreed to defer consideration for a site visit to be undertaken to allow the Committee to acquaint itself with the location and to consider points of objection which had been raised.  The site visit had taken place on Thursday, 2nd September.

The Chairperson reminded Councillors Groogan and Hanvey that, as had not been present for the discussion of the application on 17th August, they could not participate in the vote on the item.

            The Principal Planning officer provided a brief overview of the application to the Members.  On the site visit, Members had assessed overlooking from the proposed balconies and discussed parking provision within the street location and associated with the neighbouring development. 

She confirmed to the Members that no new amendments or information had been received for further consideration and that the officers’ recommendation remained unchanged.

            She clarified the planning history for the neighbouring site, at 497-505 Lisburn Road, under reference Z/2007/0197/F, was granted permission over ten years ago for four retail units, 10 apartments and basement car parking.

            In response to a Member’s question regarding why it was deemed acceptable for the development to proceed without the inclusion of any car parking spaces, Mr. C. Sloan, Department for Infrastructure, advised the Committee that the application had been assessed against and was considered to comply with PPS3.  He explained that the developer had promoted alternative modes of transport, by way of providing travel cards to residents, and also advised that the site was in a highly accessible location.  The Members were advised that the applicant had provided a parking survey which illustrated spare capacity on nearby roads, adjacent to the site.

            A further Member expressed concern that there appeared to be a trend with developers submitting plans for developments on arterial routes, with little to no parking included, and using it as an opportunity to put more units on a site.  He also queried whether an applicant was likely to submit a parking survey which stated that there was no spare capacity for parking in the surrounding area of a site, and suggested that surely DFI Roads should conduct their own surveys independent from the applicant.

            A further Member stated that they were also sympathetic to the objectors who had raised concerns regarding parking but that the Committee Members’ hands were largely tied as the policy standards, in their current format, were being met by the application.

(Councillors Brooks and Hutchinson joined the meeting at this point in

proceedings and therefore did not participate in the vote)

            The Principal Planning officer outlined to the Committee that the onus was on the applicant to submit a range of surveys.  She explained that they would employ experts in order to carry out those surveys and officers had to accept the surveys at face value.  She explained that quite often the parking surveys would be accompanied by photographic evidence and that the visits had taken place across a number of different days and times.

            She confirmed to the Committee that there had been occasions where surveys had been submitted with applications which did not show sufficient on-street parking and those were refused and upheld at appeal.

            The Chairperson put the officer’s recommendation to approve the application to the Committee, with delegated authority granted to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of conditions.

            On a vote, six Members voted for the proposal, two against and two no votes, and it was declared carried.

            (The Committee adjourned for a five minute recess at this point in proceedings)