Category: Planning Committee

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Continues from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Sarah Dawson (applicant): Yes, I’m Sarah Dawson.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): So, if you’d just like to come errm to the microphone to speak.

Sarah Dawson (applicant): My name is Sarah Dawson and you’ve got a petition before us, so business and the intention is to start up a dog grooming business in my garage and we gave our consideration to the plans submitted with the application as follows.

The aesthetics of our location, our house is on semi-detached land on the edge of a housing estate situated, situated off the main thorough fare into Heswall. Our homestead is approximately £80,000 to £90,000 and the intention is to make minor alterations to the garage in order to accommodate this start-up business/hobby.

As it says, we’re not of a scale to change to the character of the area so we’ll retain the garage door which will not be in use. Equally living in the area that will be subject to …the plans.. to the changes to the area. The alterations to the rear of the garage will largely be minimal and very slight such as electricity, water and drainage that are already taking place. The good … is that the soundproofing and insulation which will take place will minimise our neighbours being disturbed, the noise would be being a hair dryer, clippers and an occasional bark so that would be generally very quiet.

Pre-consultation with an officer from environmental health, we’ve agreed to these conditions, which are reasonable, both for my … and the local residents. These being operating hours of 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday and at no time on Sundays or Bank Holiday Mondays. There’ll be no more than five dogs per a day and no more than two dogs at any one time.

There’ll be soundproofing to the structure to the Northwest elevation. No other area, other area of our house and the larger area will be including in the production of the business. These conditions ensure the business will be carried out… of the opening hours… and both myself and my partner are serving police officers and we have careers, so the business will be run strictly on a part-time basis and not be operated outside the opening hours.

The business will be run on a strictly appointment only basis for up to five clients, who will either park in the driveway where there’s ample parking for three vehicles, or bring their dog by foot, which in my experience is the clear option of customers. The increase in volume of traffic will be minimal and obviously we’re at the entrance to a busy estate. In addition there will be one family pet delivery van every two to three months providing items such as shampoo.

Errm obviously addressing the point about aggressive dogs and errm dogs that would be out of control, as I said earlier on I’m a police officer, I’m fully aware of the issue that we’d be encountering in this and as such I’m proposing errm we raise a contract with my intended customers, that there’s an agreement that they bring their dogs to mine controlled under control on a lead and if there’s any idea that a dog would be unsuitable for the location then they don’t bring their dog or it has a muzzle on its head.

Errm, I hope this application is considered favourably and has given me the opportunity to prove that this hobby business will have a minimal impact on my direct neighbours and no direct impact on surrounding properties. Thank you.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Thank you very much. Does the ward councillor wish to speak?

Continues at Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Continued from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): It states that users from Barnston Road only have apprehensions, at the head of Speedwell Drive and now along Roman Road which is much of the streets of the estates.

If we refer to photographs A and B both, this is where the petitioner of 3 Speedwell Drive and the applicant of 5 Speedwell Drive have been putting up a single storey two garage facility. In respect of the main building, a single storey building is attached to Speedwell Drive forming an extension to the existing in fact in 2005. The adjoining driveways can each take three vehicles when taken together but there’s no turning circles. Both driveways have no provision for police and ambulance vehicles.

Further objections are on the late list. In the Director’s report which is with me, in terms of UDP HS15, the Director of Regeneration and Planning Support is really of the opinion that the business will not be of such a scale and to result in a detrimental change to the character of the area and will not cause nuisance to the neighbouring uses existing particularly in respect of on-street parking and further highways movements by vehicles.

The petitioners are of a different opinion for the following reasons. One the business does not conform to the intent or spirit of HS15, it involves a change of use from a rear domestic garage facility to an industrial public usage. In fact, in terms of the estate, with regards to the facility itself,… the facility will therefore further attract in the opinion of the petitioners the concerns relating to health and safety, building regulations, landscaping and also disabled access. Particular concerns are fire safety, sound proofing against noise.

Point three, public nuisance will result from the disabled access and fire safety. If you refer again to the photographs there you’ll see a Lime Tree Grove Road through a narrow corridor behind. We are of the opinion that this does not allow adequate access to avoid public nuisance, including the disabled, and are also of the opinion that the … dogs including the people. Also there’s the question of fire safety for business and public use.

Next one, the residents are concerned about dog fouling. Both adjoining driveways are unfettered and open plan, the concerns are that dogs may be able to… ..dog fouling and the possibility of an offensive dog. The applicant already has two large pedigree dogs and a small litter of puppies. Both photographs A and B show the open plan. We’re also aware of the current rise in incidences of dog biting on Merseyside.

Three, traffic issues in this location, parking and volume, the Director’s report on the section on highways and traffic consultation maintains that there is a risk, that there will be a slight increase in demand for on street parking but does not consider this to be significant enough to justify waiting restrictions.

The petitioners are of a different opinion, I refer you to photographs A, C and D. The applicant describes the driveway which is unfit for parking in our opinion. There is no turning circle leading to on street parking and using the loop road at Speedwell Close as an exit. Speedwell Close residents are concerned that the resulting and increasing traffic will lead to a reduction in children playing in the road.

Children often use the street of Speedwell Close as it’s a bottleneck and walk through the estate to Barnston Primary School along Carol Drive road into Brimstage Road. The proposals for a walking bus route may be soon part of the .. The resulting concern of the citizens that the location…public services, traffic passing through the.. For example fire engines and … .

Photographs C and D… a child minding service at 2 Speedwell Drive directly opposite the proposed unit although the … . There is also concerns about speeding traffic at the bottom of the bottleneck… at a right angle to the remaining parts of estate. Three, the applicant’s planning application….

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): OK, you got ten seconds.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): One rather disturbing … in the local area for residents… objections, which then generated two late list objections and another….

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): No, sorry, no you’ve had five minutes, I think we got the gist of what you’re saying Mr. Watt.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): Thanks.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Thank you very much. Does the applicant wish to speak?

Continues at Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Continued from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Matthew Davies: Errm the first condition, restricts this approval to the approved plans whilst restricting the number of dogs present at any one time and the number there will be exactly the same err also exactly the same. Because it’s a minor proposal and a change and an errm minor change proposed to condition seven, errm at the moment it simply restricts errm the use of the rear garage door in relation to the business.

Errm we wanted then that to be expressed by the impact as that’s the same, that’s the door that leads to the garage door purely during business hours that the door, errm the rear garage door errm will be restructured and will remain closed.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Do we have a petitioner that would like to come forward for this petition? OK, will you just come forward and please sit there. Errm, can you see the silver button? Well to use the microphone just press that and give us your name and address please. You can have five minutes.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): OK.

Cllr Denise Roberts: If you could move the microphone to your mouth.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): OK, can you hear now?

Various councillors together: Yes.

Ronald Watt (petitioner) Good evening Chair and Planning Committee, my name is Ronald Watt and I’ve been asked by the petitioners to speak on their behalf. Madam Chair, that’s why I’ve come to see you this evening, thank you very much for letting me speak on this petition. Can I just assist you and ask if it’s possible for the Chair to give out some small photographs because they’re intended to support the clarity of our objections?

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): You can pass them round ok.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): Thank you. Before I go onto my statement, my petition is of thirty-eight dwellings of Speedwell Drive, Speedwell Close and Carol Drive.

Continues at http://johnbrace.com/2013/07/03/planning-committee-wirral-council-27th-june-2013-app1300574-5-speedwell-drive-barnston-ch60-2sy-change-of-use-of-garage-to-dog-grooming-parlour-3/.

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

The report on this agenda item (APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour) can be found on Wirral Council’s website.

This continues from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) OUT/13/0040 41 Noctorum Avenue, Noctorum, CH43 9RZ.

Matthew Davies: Thank you Chair, through you Chair, errm just remember there’s a qualifying petition as outlined in the details for this application as well.

The proposal is for the change of use for the garage to the property for a dog grooming parlour. The applicant outlines their intention to set up a business at the residential property, initially establishing a customer base for the dog grooming business facility. The garage is detached from the house with running water to the garage which appears to be well run.

The key issues to be considered to be essential are noise and disturbance and highway issues. Errm, considering the first, errm in this instance, the scale of the development as outlined is modest, the garage itself is five and a quarter metres by two and half metres which actually limits the activity which will be absorbed.

Conditions I’ve proposed have been agreed by the applicant to restrict the number of dogs to no more than two at any one time and no more than five in a given day. Hours have also been agreed by the applicant which restrict operations to 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 9am till 1pm on Saturday. There are no hours proposed on a Sunday.

Lastly, noise insulation will be required to the garage door which has been approved and no access is proposed through this garage door. Given these perhaps restrictive conditions it’s not considered unacceptable levels of noise in ordinary terms would arise nor be high through access.

Considering highway safety, the development may lead to a small increase in movements on the highway and a slight increase in demand for off street parking. However the scale of the development is modest and the structural impact upon it is minimal and no cause for highway safety issues. Given that conclusion reached the application is recommended for approval subject to the conditions as outlined.

Continues at Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) OUT/13/0040 41 Noctorum Avenue, Noctorum, CH43 9RZ

A report on Wirral Council’s Planning Committee meeting held on the 27th June 2013 | OUT/13/0040 41 Noctorum Avenue, Noctorum, CH43 9RZ

Continues from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) OUT/13/0040 41 Noctorum Avenue, Noctorum, CH43 9RZ.

Cllr Steve Foulkes: My issue is is very much around the errm the the the sort of errm pattern, so the reasons for refusal would be that dwellings sited on this rear garden area as proposed would introduce a pattern of development that would lead to a detrimental change in the character of the area and furthermore by introducing additional domestic activity into this backland site, the existing standards of residential amenities in the immediate vicinity of the properties surrounding the site will be seriously diminished.

Therefore I believe the proposal is therefore contrary to the guidance in HS4 and HS10 and those are my reasons for refusal, so moved.

Councillor Bernie Mooney (Chair): So, errm, the recommendation is for voting is that this application is for refusal, for those refusal reasons which have been been recommended and have been recommended and seconded. So could we put that to the vote please? Errm all those who are minded to refuse this application for those recommended refusal reasons.

(Matthew Rushton mutters something that can’t be heard to Cllr Bernie Mooney).

Matthew Rushton: OK, through you Chair, before we go to the final vote, you seem to make reference to the National Planning Policy Framework as well in your reasons for refusal as well as the Unitary Development Plan.

Cllr Steve Foulkes: OK, the proposal therefore meets the National, National Planning Policy Framework, can’t hurt to add those small words.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Is everybody happy with that? Does everybody understand? No, so we can go to the vote on this for refusal so can we have a vote on refusal? OK, that application has been unanimously refused.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): We’ll move onto number thirteen please, errm could we have a presentation for number thirteen please?

Continues at Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.