PLANNING COMMITTEE AGENDA - Hartlepool Borough Council

4.1
Update Report
No: 14
Number:
H/2009/0025
Applicant:
Hartlepool & North Tees PCT
Agent:
S J R Architects Suite 101 The Innovation Centre
Venture Court Queens Meadow Business Park
HARTLEPOOL TS25 5TG
Date valid: 13/01/2009
Development: Siting of a temporary doctors surgery with associated car
parking
Location:
LAND NEXT TO 370 CATCOTE ROAD HARTLEPOOL
HARTLEPOOL
14.1 Since the original report was created responses from the Head of Property
Services and Northumbrian Water Ltd have been received. Both confirm no objection
to the proposal. In addition there have been no letters of objection received as a
result of the neighbour consultation exercise, however the period for comments has
not expired at the time of writing this update report but it will expire before the
meeting. Any letters or comments or objection received before the meeting will be
brought to the attention of the members accordingly.
14.2 Although the final comments of the Head of Traffic and Transportation and
Public Protection are awaited they have both informally indicated they have no
objections subject to appropriate planning conditions.
14.3 The main considerations in this instance is the appropriateness of the proposal
in terms of the policies and proposals held within the Hartlepool Local Plan, in
particular the principle of the development, visual amenity, residential amenity and
the effect upon highway safety.
Principle of Development
14.4 The site upon which the proposed development is to be sited is an area of
grassed open space and as such policy GN6 (Protection of Incidental Open Space)
is particularly relevant. The policy seeks to resist the loss of areas of incidental open
space unless, for the purposes of this application, ‘a proposed development has
special locational requirements and there is no other appropriate site in the vicinity’.
14.5 It has been established that there is a requirement for the provision of a GP
Surgery in this locality. The PCT have explored a number of options to secure
existing units on the Fens Shops and, as indicated in the original report, submitted a
proposal for the same use on an area of hard standing directly to the south of this
site (H/2008/0024 which is the preferred option at the moment). The application has
failed to secure an existing unit to date and there is no certainty that the other site
considered on this agenda will be forthcoming. In light of these endeavours and the
urgency to provide doctors accommodation it is considered that the loss of the
incidental open space in this location, for a temporary period is acceptable.
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