Issue - meetings

            AW/237/19/PL – Variation of conditions imposed on planning reference AW/211/14/PL relating t condition 8 – delivery times & condition 10 – delivery of goods serving the store in accordance to the Delivery Management Schedule, The Former Ship Inn, Aldwick Street, Aldwick

This application had been deferred from the meeting held on 8 January 2020 to enable an independent Road Safety Audit (RSA) to be undertaken for tracking diagrams to be provided to illustrate the effect of two refuse collection vehicles were passing in opposite directions when a delivery was being made.

The report on the table presented the conclusions of the Independent RSA Highway Assessment & Road Safety Audit (RSA) which, in summary, concluded that the minor issues raised would all be resolved either through the discharge of condition 7 (Servicing Management Plan) or through the S.278 Agreement process.  There were no objections to the tracking diagrams.  There was therefore no change to the original officer recommendation to approve the proposal.  It was highlighted that, should the Committee refuse the application then the Council’s position at appeal would be substantially weaker given the requested additional highway work that had been undertaken did not differ from the advice received from the Highway Authority.  The potential for an award of costs would therefore be substantially increased.

An officer report update had been provided which set out the detail of two additional objections, together with the applicant’s and the officer’s response. 

            Members participated in a full debate and continued to express serious concerns around the proposal which centred on the potential for a significant increase to the impact on the highway and the safety of road users and pedestrians.  Advice was received from WSCC officers that the proposals were for a minor amendment to previously agreed delivery arrangements and these were not considered significant or would result in any severe risk to highway safety.  It was confirmed at the January 2020 meeting that the view of WSCC was that it was unlikely that two vehicles would be able to pass when a vehicle was servicing the premises but that this would result in minor additional delays and the proposals were for only two additional deliveries per day.  Members  were also advised that an increase in congestion did not automatically mean that there would be a resultant decrease in highway safety and, in order to sustain a reason for refusal, any impact on highway safety had to be severe.

The Committee did not support the officer’s recommendation to approve and therefore

RESOLVED

That the application be refused for the following reason:-

The significant increase in the frequency of deliveries and the increase in the size of vehicles would give rise to an increased level of safety risk to motorists, pedestrians and cyclists travelling along Aldwick Street by virtue of increased congestion.  The proposals would therefore conflict with Policy T SP1 of the Arun Local Plan and policies within the NPPF.