Agenda item

20241710 - Claremont Methodist Church, Claremont Street

Ward: Belgrave

Proposal: Installation of external ventilation flue to roof of a Place of Worship (Class F1)

Applicant: Mr Mukund Narshi

The Planning Officer presented the report.

Members of the Committee considered the report and Officers responded to the comments and queries raised.

The Chair summarised the application and the points raised by Members of the Committee and moved that in accordance with the Officers recommendation, the application be approved subject to the conditions set out in the report. This was seconded by Councillor Moore and upon being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED subject to conditions:

CONDITIONS

1.       The development shall be begun within three years from the date of this permission. (To comply with Section 91 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990.)

2.       The use authorised by this permission shall not commence until the ventilation system to control the emission of fumes and smell from the premises has been installed as shown on the approved plans and it shall be maintained and operated thereafter in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, submitted in the Design and Access Statement. (In the interests of the amenities of nearby occupiers, and in accordance with policies          PS10 and PS11 of the City of Leicester Local Plan.)

3.       Development shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

RPD_CLAREMONT_200924_01 Rev A - Existing/Proposed Floor and Roof Plans - Received 24/01/2025

RPD_CLAREMONT_200924_02 Rev A - Existing/Proposed Elevation Plans - Received 24/01/2025

RPD_CLAREMONT_200924_03 Rev A - Location Plan and Existing/Proposed Site Plan Received 24/01/2025

          (For the avoidance of doubt).

          NOTES FOR APPLICANT

1.       There are statutory exemptions and transitional arrangements which mean that the biodiversity gain condition does not always apply.

Based on the information available, this permission is considered to be one which will not require the approval of a biodiversity gain plan before development is begun because the following statutory exemption/transitional arrangement is considered to apply:

Development below the de minimis threshold, meaning development which:

i) does not impact an onsite priority habitat (a habitat specified in a list published under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006); and

ii) impacts less than 25 square metres of onsite habitat that has biodiversity value greater than zero and less than 5 metres in length of onsite linear habitat (as defined in the statutory metric).

2.       The property may be suitable for roosting bats, which are protected by law from harm. The applicant should ensure that all contractors and individuals working on the property are aware of this possibility, as works must cease if bats are found during the course of the works whilst expert advice form a bat ecologist is obtained. Bats are particularly associated with the roof structure of buildings, including lofts, rafters, beams, gables, eaves, soffits, flashing, ridge-tile, chimneys, the under-tile area, etc. but may also be present in crevices in stone or brickwork and in cavity walls.  Further information on bats and the law can be found here Bats: protection and licences - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

3.       The City Council, as local planning authority has acted positively and proactively in determining this application by assessing the proposal against all material considerations, including planning policies and any representations that may have been received. This planning application has been the subject of positive and proactive discussions with the applicant during the process.

The decision to grant planning permission with appropriate conditions taking account of those material considerations in accordance with the presumption in favour of sustainable development as set out in the NPPF 2024 is considered to be a positive outcome of these discussions.