Agenda item

2019/1120 Lion Retail Park, 151 Oriental Road, Woking

Minutes:

[NOTE 1: The Planning Officer advised the Committee that two additional letters of objection had been received which mainly reiterated the comments already summarised within the representations section of the report.]

 

[NOTE 2: In accordance with the procedure for public speaking at Planning Committee, Mrs Marianne Meinke attended the meeting and spoke in objection to the application and Mr Tom Willshaw spoke in support.]

 

The Committee considered an application which sought permission to use the land in the centre of the car park for the siting of up to four kiosk units, and to use land on the eastern boundary for the siting of a car wash facility. The proposed kiosks would provide ancillary A1, A3 and A5 uses and their design and appearance – as well as that of the car wash – would not be fixed, so that different operators could come and go without the need for further permission.

 

Councillor L Lyons, Ward Councillor, commented that residents who lived close to this site were concerned about this application. It was anticipated that it would result in loss of parking, an increase of vehicles and people to the area and there was concerns that the conditions set out would not be adhered to i.e. delivery/opening hours etc. Councillor L Lyons commented that this was a very small site and he did not think it was an appropriate location for a car wash and additional food units. Councillor L Lyons said that after hearing the Committee debate, he was likely to encourage refusal on the grounds of reduction in car parking, impact on local residents and inappropriate use of the site.

 

Members were concerned about pedestrian safety between the proposed kiosks as there were no demarcated path ways apart from those across the length of the car park. Potential kiosk users would have to cross the car park where there were moving vehicles and some members thought that this would result in pedestrian accidents. It was noted that Surrey County Council highways had not commented on this, but this was because the application was on private land.

 

There was also concern regarding the loss of car parking spaces as these were needed for the existing retail units; the kiosk would take up some of the existing parking but also attract more cars.

 

Some Members were concerned that the application only showed an indicative design for the kiosks. The Development Manager reminded the Committee that the application before them was for the use of space, not the design of the kiosks.

 

A Councillor raised concern regarding the potential for the kiosks to take business away from the town centre. The Planning Officer advised that the kiosks were considered ancillary to the retail park as a whole and so would not attract significant extra business.

 

Councillor L Morales proposed and it was duly seconded by Councillor S Hussain that the application be refused based on loss of parking and pedestrian safety; design; and does not support retail in town centre.

 

In accordance with Standing Order 22.2, the Chairman deemed that a division should be taken on the motion above.  The votes for and against refusal of the application were recorded as follows.

In favour:                           Cllrs T Aziz, A J Boote, S Hussain, L Lyons and L Morales.

                                 TOTAL:  5

Against:                              None

                                 TOTAL:  0

Present but not voting:      Cllrs S Ashall and G Chrystie.

                                 TOTAL:  2

The application was therefore refused.

 

RESOLVED that the application be refused for the reason detailed in these minutes.

 

Supporting documents: