Agenda item

Partial conversion of existing garage into facility as kitchen area for catering business 'Cranston Pickles Ltd'. (As amplified by odour assessment received 5 July 2023).

The committee considered planning application P22/S3242/FUL for the partial conversion of existing garage into facility as kitchen area for catering business 'Cranston Pickles Ltd' (as amplified by odour assessment received 5 July 2023), on land at 77 Gidley Way, Horspath.  

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance, and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report, which formed part of the agenda pack for the meeting. 

The planning officer introduced the report and highlighted that the application was brought to the committee due to the objection of Horspath Parish Council.

The planning officer informed the committee that the application was part retrospective and sat within an established residential area and was in the Green Belt. She also noted that the existing use was acceptable in local plan policy terms as well as in national policies, so the principle of the application was considered acceptable.

The planning officer noted the objections from several neighbours and that they primarily revolved around the odour that was caused from the pickling process. In response to a request by Environmental Health for an odour assessment to take place, an independent consultant was brought it to assess the odour impact and found that there would be no loss of amenity to neighbours subject to the installation of an updated filter being installed on the extractor, and that it be regularly maintained. As a result of the assessment, Environmental Health had no objection subject to that installation. After this took place, the planning officer informed member that the applicant had confirmed to her that the suggested filter had been installed. Therefore, she recommended that the wording of suggested condition two be updated to reflect that and add in the need for the filters’ regular maintenance.

Overall, as the planning officer considered the business to be of a modest size, with only one employee, that it would not generate unacceptable traffic movement, and that there were no objections from technical consultees, subject to conditions, she recommended that the application be approved. 

Fiona Cranston, the applicant, spoke in support of the application. 

The committee asked the planning officer about if there was any consultation with the neighbours on the application and she confirmed that they were consulted, visited by the planning officer, and invited to speak on the application at the committee meeting.

On potential problems with the odour in the future as a result of the application, the planning officer emphasised that that any complaints of that nature could be reported to Environmental Health.

Although there was some discussion about the retrospective nature of the application and how the applicant had been operating for several years, they were satisfied that the application would regularise the current position.

Overall, the committee was satisfied with the officer’s report and that the suggested conditions would mitigate any potential odour issues that would come about as a result of the pickling process. In addition, they noted that the limited amount of time that pickling would be occurring on the site would also help limit odours. Member also noted the modest scale of the operation and found it to be acceptable for its setting. For these reasons, the committee agreed that the application should be approved, subject to conditions.

A motion, moved and seconded, to approve the application was carried on being put to the vote. 

RESOLVED: to approve planning application P22/S3242/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

1. Approved plans

2. Extract system fitted and maintained in accordance with the odour control report