Agenda item

Provision of a new car park on the site of the former Morpeth First School to provide a total of 142 no. parking bays. It is proposed to provide 128 no. standard parking bays, 8 no. disabled parking bays and 6 no. electric vehicle charging bays.

Morpeth First School , Goose Hill, Middle Greens, Morpeth NE61 1TL

Provision of a new car park on the site of the former Morpeth First School to provide a total of 142 no. parking bays. It is proposed to provide 128 no. standard parking bays, 8 no. disabled parking bays and 6 no. electric vehicle charging bays.

Morpeth First School,  Goose Hill, Middle Greens, Morpeth, NE61 1TL

There were no questions on the site visit videos which had been circulated to Members in advance of the Committee.

R Laughton, Planning Officer introduced the application to the Committee with the aid of a Power Point presentation.

A written statement from C Vinnicombe, C Hopkins, V Crole and M Money in objection to the application was read out to the Committee by L Little, Senior Democratic Services Officer. A copy would be filed with the signed minutes of the meeting and would be uploaded to the Council’s website.

In response to questions from Members of the Committee the following information was noted:-

•         The traffic assessment had taken into consideration the traffic turning right out of the site and the proximity of the pedestrian crossing to the junction with modelling undertaken to 2031.  It was acknowledged that there was some queuing at the junction however the levels were not unacceptable.  The increased use of the pedestrian crossing would assist in allowing vehicles to exit and the timings changed if this was necessary .  The situation would be kept under review.

•         The operation of the car park as a 24 hour facility could be reviewed or a parking management plan could be attached if the Committee felt this would be necessary and reasonable.  The traffic survey had taken place during school term time and Officers were satisfied that it was representative of the normal traffic since the school on the application site had closed and was pre-lockdown.

•         Officers were not aware of any proposals for CCTV to be installed and this had not been considered as part of the planning application.  The car park would operate in a similar manner to other town centre car parks.  If there was a persistent problem then this could be investigated.   The Director of Planning suggested that if Members wished a condition could be attached for a review to be undertaken after 12 months.

•         A landscaping plan for the site had been submitted and as much shrub planting around the boundary would be used as possible of appropriate species within the limitations of the use of the site as a car park.  The Committee were reminded that this was a town centre site and would be developed and would not be left as an open area.

•         A condition could be added to any permission granted for a management plan to investigate and provide any infrastructure for CCTV and additional electric vehicle charging points to be installed to prevent additional costs being incurred in the future.

•         In the short term the provision of the car park would alleviate parking problems within the town centre as a result of other car park closures due to developments taking place and would provide additional long term spaces.  As the car park would be in the Council’s ownership then the future use could be reviewed if it was no longer required.

Councillor Dickinson joined the meeting at 4:16pm but took no part in the discussion of this item and did not take part in the vote.

Councillor Bawn proposed approval of the application as outlined in the report with an additional condition for a management plan to be provided which would include a review to be undertaken after 12 months.   This was seconded by Councillor Towns.

In debating the application, Members welcomed the provision of additional car parking spaces which it was hoped would help attract visitors to the Town to support local businesses as they opened following the pandemic and provide much needed longer stay places for workers in the town centre.

A vote was taken on the proposal to grant the application subject to the conditions as outlined in the report with delegated authority to the Director of Planning to provide the wording for an additional condition for the provision of a management plan which would include a review to be undertaken after 12 months as follows:-  FOR 10; AGAINST 0; ABSTENTION 1.

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED for the reasons and subject to the conditions as outlined in the report with delegated authority to the Director of Planning to provide the wording for an additional condition for the provision of a management plan which would include a review to be undertaken after 12 months.