Agenda item

This application is for the temporary use of part of a car park at the Designer Outlet for a funfair. This application has been brought before East Area Planning Committee because the application for the ice rink was determined at committee level. [Fulford] [Site Visit]

Members considered a full application for the temporary use of a car park for a fun fair at York Designer Outlet.

In their update to Members, Officers commented that if the application was approved that there would be a temporary loss of 100 car parking spaces. They also informed the Committee that the event which would use the car park, a fun fair, ran last year and that no concerns had been received from the Council’s Highways Department. Officers also told Members that they had received an additional letter from a resident of Naburn Lane which stated that the event would be highly audible from the property and that mains power supply rather than generators should be used.

Representations in objection were received from a local resident. He felt that when permission was granted on the site for a fun fair that concerns had raised about the detrimental effect that generators had on the amenity of local residents. He also pointed out that a bat survey had not been carried out by the applicant.

Representations in support were received from the applicant. She informed Members that if there was the possibility that levels of noise from recorded music could be heard from nearby properties, then the volume would be reduced immediately. She also told Members that she had not received complaints about the electric generators following the operation of the funfair last year. In response to a Member’s question regarding the usage of electric generators as a power source, the applicant commented that although mains electricity was available where the fair was based, this was already being used for  the Ice Factor on that side of the site. This meant that the mains electricity supply was already being used to capacity.

Further representations were received from a representative of Fulford Parish Council. She felt that the application should be refused because special circumstances had not been demonstrated, given that it was sited in the Green Belt. She also highlighted that there were concerns over parking for the event, following problems that had been encountered the year before.

Discussion between Members took place regarding parking and the provision of electricity to the site.

Some Members felt that it should be noted if a future application was considered that other arrangements for providing electricity should be considered by the applicant. Members agreed that permission should be granted for further than one year and that the applicant should be requested to investigate  provision of mains electricity supply as part of any future proposals.

RESOLVED:       That the application be approved with a condition restricting the permission to the current season only.

REASON:           In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the proposal, subject to the conditions listed above, would not cause undue harm to interests of acknowledged importance, with particular reference to the impact on the Green Belt, the amenities of local residents, and on the local highway network and car parking.  As such the proposal complies with Policies GB1, GP1 and GP23 of the City of York Development Control Local Plan and Government advice contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.