Tesco at Little Lever - Two minute address to the Planning Committee

This was my two minute address to the Planning Committee on the 24th May

Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen

I will be brief (For once)

This Application is too large, too significant and too controversial to be decided by any other means than the collective judgment of the whole Planning Committee.

I have argued that this proposal demands an Impact Assessment on Planning Grounds by virtue of its scale. It does not conform to the Local Plan. The Committee may agree with me – or not.

However, further to that, if the Committee are representing the interests of the vitality and viability of the existing Village Centre, then commonsense dictates that they should be keen to know the conclusions of such an Impact Assessment before making a decision.

Osbourne Clarke (The lawyers representing Asda) in their letter of yesterday state

“If such an Impact Assessment is not submitted and taken into account in reaching a decision in respect of the Application, we would have real concerns about the lawfulness of any decision taken by the Council”

If they pursued this to Law, the costs would be incurred by the Council – not the Applicant.

Highways Plan.

As Mr Mullen confirmed this morning, without the one way system the Junction would not operate within capacity.

If the Committee determined that this aspect (or any other aspect) of the Highways Plan is unacceptable, then it could not be removed by a Planning Condition – since Mr Mullen admitted that the whole modeling exercise would have to be re-done.

Other than that, it would mean that Consent had been given with the Junction operating above Capacity.

Finally. In my opinion, there are sufficient grounds within my arguments for Refusal of this Application without fear of the Inspector overturning it.

Failing that, there are also sufficient further grounds for Deferral until the legal position has been clarified or the Safety aspects of the Crossley St entrance regarding the dimensions of its width have been examined and laid before the Committee to their satisfaction.

I would like to thank you for allowing me the opportunity of  speaking to you and for ploughing through the 50 pages of my dossier.

I am willing to answer any points you may wish to put.