Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director – Planning – Community Development Services.

The Assistant Director Planning, Community Development Services sought determination ofa planning application for the change of use from agricultural to sports field F2 (outdoor sports facility) at land off Friars Meadow, Selby.

The application had been previously considered at Planning Committee on 12 March

 2025 where it had been deferred to allow officers to discuss the issues raised by

 Members in relation to the control of the operation and traffic levels, and control of

 floodlighting with the applicant.  Draft conditions had been prepared and agreed with

 the applicant and discussions had taken place with North Yorkshire Highways, and

 now the application had returned to committee for further consideration with the

 supplementary information as requested.

A site visit had been attended by Members on the morning of the Committee.

The Development Service Manager presented the report and highlighted that there had been an update note.  The first update was in relation to an updated consultation response from Highways who had now recommended that the application be refused on the grounds of poor access to the site.  The Council had also received one further objection which had raised the following new concerns; the scarcity of detail submitted in the application, a lack of engagement with local people, no pre-application advice, the financing of construction operations, consideration for residents, cars coming through the access on both sides of the road simultaneously, and finally the step drop in the road surface at the gateway.

Gary Jones spoke on behalf of Friars Meadow Alliance Committee, objecting to the application.

Councillor Melanie Davis spoke as the North Yorkshire Council Division Member for the application.

Dr Ian Martin spoke as the applicant.

Members raised the following key points during the debate.

·       Sought reassurance that officers had made every effort to communicate with the applicant with the aim of addressing some of the issues raised.

·       If a response had been received from the applicant.

·       The change in the highways recommendation to refusal was queried, and Members questioned that if the gatepost was moved, potentially removing the gate itself, to give a wider opening and adding a drop kerb, would highways remove their objections.

·       Members queried whether officers had established what part of the road belonged to North Yorkshire Highways and what was private land.

·       If the access was free flowing, what impact would that have on the refusal reason.

·       Members highlighted the need for a facility such as this in the Selby area but were concerned that this may not be the correct site for it.

·       Members considered that there had to be a solution to overcome the issues and discussed deferring the item again to allow the applicant time to formulate a highways proposal, for the local residents to be consulted on the proposal and for agreement on the proposal from North Yorkshire Highways. 

Councillor Warneken proposed, and Councillor Packham seconded that the application be deferred.

The decision

That the planning application be DEFERRED for the following reason

·       To allow the applicant time to formulate a highways proposal, for local residents to be consulted on the proposal and for agreement on the proposal from North Yorkshire Highways. 

Voting record

A vote was taken, and the motion to defer the application was carried unanimously.

Councillor Arthur returned to the meeting at this point.