Agenda item

2 Public Speakers

Khawar Shahzard, Applicant

Captain Anthony Joy, Littlehampton Muslim Trust

Change of use to F1 and F2 community centre and place of worship. This application is in CIL zone 4 (zero rated) as other development.

          The Team Leader (Development Management) presented the report with updates to members.

          After public speaking the Chair invited the Team Leader to respond to any points made where he addressed the building usage comments made by the applicant that confirmed the building would be used for 1 hour, 5 times a day for prayer, he confirmed for members that the applicant had also included in the application the building would be used for other activities within the centre which would suggest the building would be able to be used for more than the 5 hours a day for prayer. Regarding the Highway authority comments he confirmed the applicant had been asked to prove that their use of the building would not cause any harm, and this was not specifically related to the provided parking numbers.

The Group Head of Planning was invited to address members where he reminded them that the application was for a Place of Worship, the denomination, religion etc should not be taken into account when making your decision today as it is not a material consideration.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Gunner and seconded by Councillor Partridge.

          The Chair then invited members to make their comment and ask any questions of officers where comments of support for the application were heard, the reasons for support were stated as the applicant would result in good community use of the building and would bring needed community investment to the Town. The objection from Environmental Health was commented to not be understood, considering there was a public house almost next door to the application site and at the very least the operating hours should therefore match those of the public house. In discussing the comments regarding parking provision and concerns raised in the report, it was stated by one member he was not aware of a time where all the car parks in the area had been at full capacity, at the same time before. Another member highlighted that the applicant was and had been for 6 years using another site as a Place of Worship that was located only 150 meters away from this site, with no issues recorded and therefore that should provide everyone with the confirmation that there would be no parking issues.  Throughout the debate it was clear that a majority of members agreed that the matters still outstanding required resolving and that deferring the application to allow for this work to be completed should be considered.  Once debate had concluded and all questions asked to the officer had been answered, the Chair put the recommendation to the vote where the recommendation FELL.   

The Chair then requested for those who voted against the recommendation to put forward an alternative recommendation. The majority of Members were in agreement that deferment of the application was needed in order to receive and consider the outstanding consultation comments from WSCC and Environmental Health, with only one member commenting that he would be happy to have the application approved as it was. Deferment of the application was then formally proposed by Councillor Bower and seconded by Councillor Northeast.

The Chair then requested the recorded vote was undertaken, the result of that vote was as follows, those voting FOR (10) Councillors Blanchard-Cooper, Bower, Hamilton, Kelly, McDougall, Northeast, Partridge, Wallsgrove, Warr and Woodman. Those voting AGAINST (1) Councillor Gunner.      

          The Committee

                    RESOLVED

That the application be DEFERRED to allow for the outstanding consultation responses from WSCC and Environmental Health to be received and considered.