The Planning Consultant introduced the application as set out in the report.

Mr Martin Bellinger, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Darren Sherlock, an objector, spoke against the application.

The Chair moved the officer recommendation to grant planning permission as per the recommendation in the report, and this was seconded Councillor Hunt.

The Chair invited Members to make comments, and these included:

·      concerned that an increase in traffic in the area would cause further problems when it was known for becoming regularly gridlocked at certain times of the day;

·      concerned with the height of the buildings and the harm to the heritage aspect of the site;

·      the Dolphin Barge Museum already had problems with getting large vehicles onto the site;

·      the design was acceptable and it did not provide enough parking;

·      on weekends it was difficult to get into the retail park;

·      the sites access needed to be looked into and the applicant needed to take up the offer of working with the retail park to reconsider the access to the site;

·      the development was too large for a small site;

·      concerned that emergency vehicles would not be able to access the sites at busy times;

·      understood that access was not a planning consideration but asked the officers to confirm if the site was deliverable if the retail park refused to give permission to use their land to gain access?;

·      thought that a site visit was needed to understand the height and traffic implications of the site.

The Planning Consultant clarified that the entrace being used to access the site was accessible for the applicant to use.

Councillor Tony Winckless moved the following motion: That the application be deferred to allow the Planning Working Group to meet on site. This was seconded by Councillor Thompson.

The Chair invited Members to make comments on the motion for a site visit, which included:

·      Attending the site would help Members understand how the developer was going to access the site with large vehicles;

·      could not understand how the developer would fit such a large-scale development on a small site;

·      it seemed like the applicant needed to talk with the retail park to negotiate the access and the scale of the development;

·      no affordable housing had been proposed, could the officers work with the applicant to allocate some social housing?;

·      there was not enough parking on the site; and

·      did not know enough about the area to fully understand the impact the height of the development would have on the Dolphin Barge Museum and creek so thought a site visit would help build a clearer picture.

On being put to the vote, the motion was agreed by Members.

Resolved: That application 22/504274/FULL be deferred to allow the Planning Working Group to meet on site.