Extract from Agenda Reports Pack (Public) 09/02/2011, 09:30 (Planning Officers Report to Strategic Planning Meeting of Cornwall Council Wednesday 9th February 2011)

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE 9 FEBRUARY 2011
Application number: PA10/06932
Site address: Hayle Rugby Club, Marsh Lane, Hayle
Proposal:
Demolition of existing buildings and erection of eight
industrial units (B1 business) and one retail foodstore, petrol
filling station, with associated car parking, access and
landscaping
Parish: Hayle
Applicant: Asda Stores Ltd
Target date for
decision:
25 October 2010
Reason for application
being called to
Committee:
Major application. Scale of site area exceeds commercial
development threshold of 10,000 square metres or two
hectares.
Departure: No
Electoral Division Hayle North
Electoral Divisional
Member
Councillor John Pollard
Recommendation Refusal

12. Conclusion

12.1 Whilst it is acknowledged that the proposal makes provision for the replacement
of Hayle Rugby Football with a new purpose built facility, which has received a
considerable measure of third party support , it is considered that proposal would
represents a significant conflict with planning policy for the reasons set out
above. The proposed location is considered to fail the sequential test for new
retail uses especially as there are alternative edge of centre sites potentially
available. The scale of the supermarket is such that it is assessed as being likely
to significantly harm the vitality and viability of Hayle's town centres.

12.2 There are also concerns raised regarding the increased traffic and implications of
this on the free flow and safety of traffic using the highway network which would
serve the site.

12.3 Thus, in conclusion it is considered that the proposals represent a significant
conflict with planning policy and that the weight of the material considerations in
this case are not so significant as to overcome the recommendation of refusal as
set out below.

13. Recommendation:

Refusal for the following reasons
1 The proposal is in an out of centre site as defined by Planning Policy Statement 4
– Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth (PPS4). There are sequentially
preferable sites in edge of centre locations which have not been demonstrated to
be other than viable, suitable and available for development of a supermarket.
The proposal thus fails to comply with the requirements of the sequential
approach set out in PPS4 policy EC15 and should be refused in accordance with
policy EC17.1 (a) of PPS4. The proposal also is contrary to Regional Planning
Guidance South West policy EC6 which requires a sequential approach to location
of retail development, Cornwall Structure Plan policies 11 which prioritises
regeneration of urban areas and town centres and policy 14 which gives priority
to the improvement and enhancement of town centres and requires retail
development to be in or adjoining town centres where they can help sustain the
centre’s viability and vitality, contribute to the town centre environment in an
accessible location. The proposal is contrary to Penwith Local Plan policy TV16
which requires major retail development in town centres or edge of centre sites
where no town centre sites exist. Policy TV16 does not permit out of centre
development until all town centre and edge of centre sites have been
demonstrated to be unsuitable.

2 The scale of the proposed supermarket in terms of net floor trading area will
result in a significant diversion of trade from the Foundry and Copperhouse town
centres of Hayle with a consequential significant adverse impact on the viability
and vitality of the town centres. The advantage to local consumers of increased
choice and competition is not considered to outweigh the harmful impact of the
proposal on town centre vitality and viability. The proposed location is distant
from the town centres and will not encourage linked trips, especially those trips
made on foot or cycle when compared to edge of centre sites, as such the
proposal will fail to support the existing town centres in this respect. Furthermore
the proposed location will encourage linked trips to the West Cornwall Retail Park
further discouraging linked trips with the town centres. The proposal should be
refused in accordance with policy EC17.1 (b) of Planning Policy Statement 4. The
proposal is contrary to Regional Planning Guidance policy EC6, Cornwall
Structure Plan policy 14 and Penwith Local Plan policies TV16 and TV17 which
protect the viability and vitality of Town Centres.

3 Whilst the proposal will result in a reduction in the length of trips made by Hayle
residents to undertake their main food shopping, the applicant has failed to
demonstrate that the proposal will not generate lengthy additional trips drawn
from new trade outside the primary catchment area. The stores location adjacent
to the West Cornwall Retail Park will increase the attractiveness of the site as a
retail destination in its own right that will increase the use of the local and
strategic road network to the detriment of the operation of those networks and
increase the use of private car borne transport contrary to the sustainability aims
set out in the Key Principle (ii) of Planning Policy Statement 1 – Delivering
Sustainable Development.

4 The proposal has failed to demonstrate that the supermarket development will
not harm the safe and efficient operation of the Strategic Road Network. Nor has
it been demonstrated that there would be no harmful effect on the capacity of
the double mini roundabout at Carwin Rise to the west of the Loggans Moor A30
roundabout. As such the proposal has not been robustly shown to maintain or
enhance the existing level of local and strategic road network highway safety for
all users or capacity to efficiently provide for the movement of vehicles. The
proposal is therefore contrary to Regional Planning Guidance policy VIS2,
Cornwall Structure Plan policies 27 and 28 and Penwith Local Plan policy GD2(v)
and advice within Planning Policy Guidance Note 13.
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