(Councillor Huntley spoke to this application in his capacity as Ward Member.)

            P/58/19/PL – Erection of 9 No. dwellings with associated access, parking, cycle & refuse storage & landscape design.  This application is a Departure from the Development Plan & may affect the setting of a listed building, Rear of Inglenook Hotel, 253-255 Pagham Road, Pagham

            This application had been deferred from the meeting held on 6 November 2019 as Members had requested that an independent assessment be undertaken of the highway impacts of the proposals for all highways users, to include consideration of safety issues for all users.

            The report on the table presented the conclusions of the Independent Highway Assessment & Road Safety Audit (RSA), which, in summary stated that the application should not be refused as the likely impacts would not be sufficient to justify refusal.  However, a series of recommendations for improvements were proposed and a number of key issues highlighted that should be addressed.  The report also detailed responses from the applicant,  County Highways and the Parish Council, together with additional letters of objections and the officer’s response.  In order to secure the improvements suggested, relevant conditions had been amended/added as detailed in the report.   In addition, the applicant had proposed an alternative footpath around the back of the public house to be accessed by a security code.

            The Principal Planning Officer also directed Members to the written report update that had been circulated at the meeting which detailed the following :-

·         additional advice received from the Council’s independent highway consultant regarding measurements taken of the access road and a summary of the risks to certain groups of people using the access

·         response (e) to Further Local Resident Objections which had been omitted from the report in the agenda

·         additional local resident objections and relevant officer reponses

·         additional Informative following advice from West Sussex County Council Fire & Rescue relating to the installation of a fire hydrant within the site

·         additional condition relating to the securing of lighting of the alternative footpath route

·         additional condition relating to the securing of lighting to improve the safety of the access road

The Council’s Independent Highways Consultant was in attendance at the meeting and provided a presentation of his findings.  An officer from County Highways also advised the meeting of the issues that were pertinent to their consideration of the matter.

In inviting discussion on the matter, the Chairman reminded the Committee to restrict their comments to the access to the site as that was the only issue on which Members had requested further information be brought back for consideration. 

            Members participated in a full debate and continued to express serious reservations regarding the safety of all users with regard to the shared access for both pedestrians and vehicles.  Refuse lorries and larger delivery vehicles using the access were of particular concern as there was not a clear sight line due to bends in the road.  Views were expressed that the access to and egress from the access could be problematic on occasion  ...  view the full minutes text for item 472