Agenda item

20250285 - 252-258 Knighton Lane East, Rugby Football Club Building at rear

Ward: Saffron

Proposal: Change of use of sports club premises (Class F2) to a place of worship with ancillary education (Class F1) (amended 15.10.25)

Applicant: Dr Louay Al-Alousi (Abu Salam)

The Planning Officer presented the report.

Alastair Grey and David Abbott addressed the Committee and spoke in opposition to the application.

Councillor Singh Patel declared an interest due to be living near to the property and withdrew from the item.

Councillor Cole was absent for part of the discussion and was therefore unable to participate in the vote.

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

The Chair summarised the application and the points raised by Members of the Committee and moved that in accordance with officer recommendation, the application be approved.

This was seconded by Councillor Mohammed and upon being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED.

RESOLVED: permission was granted 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.           Any gates installed along the access route from Knighton Lane East shall be set back at least 5 metres into the site from the highway boundary and shall be fixed so that they open inwards only (in the interests of highways safety and in accordance with saved City of Leicester Local Plan policy AM01, Core Strategy policy CS14 and paragraph 116 of the National Planning Policy Framework).

3.           Before the occupation of any part of the development, all parking areas shall be surfaced and marked out in accordance with the ‘Existing/Proposed Site Plans’ ref. VD25776, received 15.10.25.  and shall be retained for parking and not used for any other purpose. (To ensure that parking can take place in a satisfactory manner, and in accordance with saved City of Leicester Local Plan policies AM01 and AM11, Core Strategy policy CS03 and paragraph 116 of the National Planning Policy Framework).

4.           No part of the development shall be occupied until a Travel Plan for the development has been submitted to and approved in writing by the City Council as local planning authority and shall be carried out in accordance with a timetable to be contained within the Travel Plan, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Council. The plan shall (a) assess the site in terms of transport choice for staff, users of services, visitors and deliveries; (b) consider pre-trip mode choice, measures to promote more sustainable modes of transport such as walking, cycling, car share and public transport (including providing a personal journey planner, information for bus routes, bus discounts available, cycling routes, cycle discounts available and retailers, health benefits of walking, car sharing information, information on sustainable journey plans, notice boards) over choosing to drive to and from the site as a single occupancy vehicle users, so that all users have awareness of sustainable travel options; (c) identify marketing, promotion and reward schemes to promote sustainable travel and look at a parking management scheme to discourage off-site parking; (d) include provision for monitoring travel modes (including travel surveys) of all users and patterns at regular intervals, for a minimum of 5 years from the first occupation of the development brought into use. The plan shall be maintained and operated thereafter. (To promote sustainable transport and in accordance with saved City of Leicester Local Plan policies AM01, AM02 and AM11, Core Strategy policies CS14 and CS15 and paragraph 116 of the National Planning Policy Framework).

5.           No part of the development shall be occupied until secure cycle parking for 12 cycles has been provided in the position shown on ‘Existing/Proposed Site Plans’ ref. VD25776, received 15.10.25.  The secure cycle parking shall be retained thereafter. (In the interests of the satisfactory development of the site and in accordance with saved City of Leicester Local Plan policy H07, Core Strategy Policy CS14 and paragraph 116 of the National Planning Policy Framework).

6.           No part of the development shall be occupied until new glazing has been installed to all external windows to the minimum sound insulation values demonstrated in Table 6 of the "Assessment of the Existing Noise Climate" by Druk Ltd (ref. DRUK/ACC/RS/KLEPM/3323, dated 31.07.25). The glazing shall be retained thereafter at the same minimum acoustic performance and shall also include mechanical ventilation allowing for air changes per hour. (In the interests of the amenity of neighbouring residential properties and in accordance with saved City of Leicester Local Plan policies PS10 and PS11 and paragraph 200 of the National Planning Policy Framework).

7.           The use shall not be carried on outside the hours of 07:30 and 23:00 daily except during the Holy Month of Ramadan when the use shall not be carried on outside the hours of 07:30 and 00:30. (In the interests of the amenity of neighbouring residential properties and in accordance with saved City of Leicester Local Plan policies PS10 and PS11 and paragraph 200 of the National Planning Policy Framework).

8.           The hardstanding around the site and the grassed area to the south of the building shall not be used for any formal scheduled activities (for example worship, religious events, weddings, classes or community events) at any time during the lifetime of the use. (In the interests of the amenity of neighbouring residential properties and in accordance with saved City of Leicester Local Plan policies PS10 and PS11 and paragraph 200 of the National Planning Policy Framework).

9.           No part of the development shall be occupied until details regarding a) how the risk of blockage from the small-diameter orifice plate will be managed (ref. section 4.8 of the Surface Water Drainage Strategy) and b) product specifications or design drawings of the raingarden and cellular storage crates have been submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with these details. (To reduce surface water runoff and to secure other related benefits in accordance with Core Strategy policy CS02).

10.         No part of the development shall be occupied until the Surface Water Drainage Strategy has been fully implemented in accordance with the details submitted in the "Surface Water Drainage Strategy" by Unda (ref. 95330-AlAlousi-KnightonLaneEast_SWDS, dated 01.10.25) together with the details secured under Condition 9 above It shall thereafter be managed and maintained in accordance with the approved details. (To reduce surface water runoff and to secure other related benefits in accordance with policy CS02 of the Core Strategy).

11.         The development shall be carried out in accordance with the Flood Resistance Design Measures detailed at paragraph of the "Flood Risk Assessment for Planning" by Unda (ref. 95330-AlAlousi-KnightonLaneEast issue: v2.0, dated 12.09.25) and the measures with the "Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan" by Unda (ref. 95330-AlAlousi-KnightonLaneEast-FWEP-v1.0, dated 12.09.25). The Floor Resistance Measures be fully implemented prior to occupation and subsequently in accordance with the timing/phasing arrangements embodied within the scheme, or within any other period as may subsequently be agreed, in writing, by the local planning authority in consultation with the Lead Local Flood Authority.

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

              ‘Existing/Proposed Site Plans’ ref. VD25776, received 15.10.25.

              'Existing/Proposed Floor Plans/Elevations' ref. VD25776, received 18.02.25.

              (For the avoidance of doubt).

              NOTES FOR APPLICANT

1.           The building 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 from 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

2.           If any nests or birds in the process of building a nest are found, these areas will be retained (left undisturbed) until the nest is no longer in use and all the young have fledged. An appropriate standoff zone will also be marked out to avoid disturbance to the nest whilst it is in use.

              All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) as amended making it an offence to kill, injure or disturb a wild bird and during the nesting season to damage or destroy an active nest or eggs during that time. Further information on birds and the law can be found here - Wild birds: protection and licences - GOV.UK

3.           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).

4.           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 (and or pre-application).

              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 2025 is considered to be a positive outcome of these discussions.