Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning and Development Committee held on 12 October 2023 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

The Head of Planning submitted plans deposited as applications to develop land under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

22/0570/MAJ, Erection of a new discount food store (Use Class E) with access, car parking, landscaping and other associated works including the closure of Thackeray Grove at the Former Cleveland College of Art and Design, Green Lane, Middlesbrough, TS5 7RJ

Full details of the planning application and the plan status were outlined in the report. The report contained a detailed analysis of the application and analysed relevant policies from the National Planning Policy Framework and the Local Development Framework along with detailing consultee and other responses.

Members heard that the site was the former Northern School of Arts campus on Green Lane, Middlesbrough. The site was located at the junction of Green Lane and Roman Road within a predominantly residential area. The Linthorpe Conservation area boundary extends to the eastern boundary of the site with the Roman Road Local Centre being located approximately 400 metres to the north. Tree Preservation orders are in place on five trees within the southern boundary of the site (TPO 82).

The site had been cleared following the demolition of the former Northern College of Arts building.

The application sought planning consent for the erection of a new discount food store (Use Class E) and access, car parking, landscaping and other associated works at the former Northern School of Arts campus site on Green Lane, Middlesbrough and includes the closure of Thackeray Grove.

The initial plans resulted in 73 individual objection letters and 266 pro-forma objection letters with 61 individual support letters and 551 pro-forma support letters, a petition in support signed by 49 individuals and 1 representation letter.

The revised plans had resulted in an additional 99 individual objection letters, 14 support letters and 3 representation letters.  In addition, 25 emails of support had been received.

Members were advised that the proposed development had been assessed in relation to material planning considerations and the planning view was that the site was in a sustainable location however the manner in which development proposals had not taken up sustainable opportunities and had been brought forward in a way that represented unsustainable development. Members heard that the application site was outside of any defined centres identified within the adopted local development plan.

The Head of Planning stated that although the location was suitable for redevelopment, it did not mean that it was suitable for this type of development and that the proposed store should not be compared to the Northern School of Art as that building is no longer there, had been removed over 12 months ago and therefore this proposal should be considered against how the site currently stands.

The sequential test was considered not to have demonstrated flexibility in terms of both scale and format and failed to consider alternative sites the Council considered more appropriate for this scale of retail development, including Middlesbrough Town Centre within a five-minute drive time and Berwick Hills and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23/16

The Head of Planning submitted details of planning applications which had been approved to date in accordance with the delegated authority granted to him at Minute 187 (29 September 1992).

NOTED

The Head of Planning informed the Committee that there were no planning appeals to report.

None