Agenda item

PA10/06932 Asda Stores Ltd: Hayle Rugby Club, Marsh Lane, Hayle

Demolition of existing buildings and erection of eight industrial units (B1 business) and one retail foodstore, petrol filling station, with associated car parking, access and landscaping

 

CASE OFFICER: Jeremy Content on 01736 336785 or email jeremy.content@cornwall.gov.uk

 

Please follow the link below for the background papers to this report which included the GVA Retail Advice:

 

Background Papers

Minutes:

The meeting was reconvened at 3.30 p.m. and the Assistant Head of Planning and Regeneration (Central) outlined the application and the addenda which had previously been circulated to Members and were tabled at the meeting.  The addenda referred to responses to the questions raised at the public meeting of 19 January 2011; 267 representations that had been received; details of the Section 106 Obligation; additional correspondence from the agents; and comments from Cornwall Highways.  He recommended that the application be refused for the reasons set out in the report.

 

In response to questions on the officer’s presentation, Members were advised the following:

 

(i)  The focus of the retail impact study had been on Hayle and the smaller villages towards Camborne-Pool-Redruth and Penzance had not been looked at, however, one of the reasons for recommending refusal was the potential to encourage longer shopping trips due to its closeness to the A30.  The trade diversion from Camborne and Penzance town centres had also been looked at, but no significant adverse impact had been found.

(ii)  The amount of shoppers from Hayle driving out of town to visit supermarkets was estimated at 80% for the weekly shop and around 50% for top-ups, however, the reduction in outward traffic would equally apply to all four applications.

(iii)  The effect on tourism was included in the assessments as out of town supermarkets could stop people going into town centres.

(iv)  The figures for the comparison trade diversion from Hayle town centre differed between the four supermarkets as they each sold different ranges of goods, however, the Asda application was at the top of that range and included a petrol filling station.

 

Owen Philp, objector, attended the meeting, was permitted to speak, and spoke against the application.

 

Councillor Jayne Ninnes, Hayle Town Council, attended the meeting, was permitted to speak, and spoke in support of the application.

 

Steve West, Hayle Rugby Football Club, attended the meeting, was permitted to speak, and spoke in support of the application.

 

Kelwyn Oldrey, Hayle Residents’ Association, attended the meeting, was permitted to speak, and spoke in support of the application.  He answered a question from a Member for clarification.

 

Councillor John Pollard, Local Member, attended the meeting, was permitted to speak, and made the following comments:

 

(i)  The application stood in its own right and would expand on an already successful retail park which could cope with the increased capacity, and provide additional parking and alternative shopping which would attract more trade from other towns.

(ii)  The retail park had proven to have a major beneficial effect on Hayle and allowing the addition of the Asda store could only be a positive move.

(iii)  The highways issues needed to be resolved, but the roundabout was not fit for purpose in any case.

(iv)  He expressed concerns regarding the inclusion of a petrol filling station and 24-hour shopping, but felt that the application provided community benefits in terms of the relocation of the rugby club and the extension of the retail park.

 

Councillor John Coombe, Local Member, attended the meeting, was permitted to speak, and made the following comments:

 

(i)  The proposal fitted very well on the site, but most users would access it by car, so it did not link with the town.

(ii)  The rugby club had carried out a significant amount of work in trying to sort out the problems with the roundabout and measures must be taken to ensure that Angarrack was not used as a short cut.

(iii)  The Asda store would carry far more items than other stores which could have an effect on the town.

(iv)  There were already five petrol filling stations in the area.

(v)  He supported Hayle Town Council’s suggestions that the store should not be open for 24 hours a day, and that a plaque should be erected to commemorate the rugby players lost in the war.

 

A full and detailed debate ensued, the main points of which were noted as follows:

 

(i)  In response to a question regarding the Article 25 Direction, Members were advised that the Highways Agency had objected, but felt that there may be a solution given sufficient time and a proposed solution was detailed in the second addendum.  However, if the application was refused on the basis of the pressure on Loggans Moor roundabout, then it would set a precedent for the future.  The visual impact of the proposed solution had been debated, but it was recognised that something needed to be done.

(ii)  It was commented that there had been huge support for the application which could be directly attributed to the planning gain and there was a strong argument that it complemented the existing facilities.  However, the primary concerns were the adverse impact on the town centre, the loss of prime agricultural land, and the access to and from the site.

(iii)  It was further commented that the retail park was an eminently attractive site to retailers and an Asda store in Hayle would generate jobs.

(iv)  Concerns were expressed that Asda was a destination store and therefore if the application was refused, then people from all directions, including Hayle, would find an alternative Asda store to drive to.

(v)  It was commented that the petrol stations nearby were always busy and therefore there was a need for a further petrol outlet.

(vi)  Concerns were expressed that approval of the application could lose an opportunity for a supermarket on the edge of the town centre which would affect the town centre’s viability.  It would also have the potential to take trade from the whole of West Cornwall.

(vii)  It was commented that the West Cornwall Retail Park had originally been intended to be used for employment space.

(viii)  It was suggested that the application should be deferred in order for the applicant to explore the concerns that had been raised, as it included substantial community benefits.

(ix)  It was commented that the traffic issue was not just about the roundabout as the traffic was often backed up to West Camborne in the summer.

(x)  Members were advised that the Article 25 Direction meant that the application would need to be referred to the Government Office South West should the Committee be minded to approve the application.

Arising from consideration of the report and the debate, it was moved by Councillor Clayton, and seconded by Councillor Lewarne, that the application be refused on the grounds set out in the report.

 

On a vote of 7-10, the motion was lost.

 

It was further moved by Councillor Wallis, and seconded by Councillor Wood, that the application be deferred for a period of no more than five months in order to allow the applicant to address the highway concerns and to negotiate further in regard to opening hours.

 

On a vote of 8-9, the motion was lost.

 

If was further moved by Councillor Nolan, and seconded by Councillor Plummer, that the application be approved, subject to the removal of the Article 25 Direction and a reduction to the opening hours.

 

On a vote of 6-11, the motion was lost.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5, more than a quarter of those Members present requested that a recorded vote be taken on the above motion.

 

Those Members voting for the motion were Councillors Fitter, May, Nolan, Pascoe, Plummer and Rushworth.

 

Those Members voting against the motion were Councillors Biggs, Clayton, Hatton, Lewarne, Mann, Martin, Pugh, Stoneman, Varney, Wallis and Wood.

 

It was further moved by Councillor Wallis, seconded by Councillor Wood, and on a vote of 11-6, it was

 

RESOLVED that Application No. PA10/06932 be deferred for a period of no more than five months in order to allow consideration of the applications for the two preferred sites, prior to consideration of the above application.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5, more than a quarter of those Members present requested that a recorded vote be taken on the above motion.

 

Those Members voting for the motion were Councillors Fitter, Hatton, Mann, Martin, May, Plummer, Pugh, Rushworth, Varney, Wallis and Wood.

 

Those Members voting against the motion were Councillors Biggs, Clayton, Lewarne, Nolan, Pascoe and Stoneman.

 

[Following the above item, Councillors Clayton, Hatton and May gave apologies for an early departure and left the meeting.]

 

Following the above item, the meeting was adjourned at 4.55 p.m. for a short comfort break.

 

Supporting documents: