Planning Applications - Hyndburn Borough Council

Highways issues
The highway authority has been consulted on the application, assessed the applicant’s submitted
Transport Assessment and confirms that, subject to detailed design, both the proposed traffic lights
at Whalley Road/Hyndburn Road and the proposed mini-roundabout are satisfactory in terms of
providing a workable and adequate access to the site. The car parking levels are considered
acceptable and there are adequate parking facilities for the disabled and for parent/child. Adequate
cycle parking can be achieved by way of a condition. The highway engineer expressed concerns
regarding operational difficulties which could arise from the detailed layout of the car park, but I do
not consider this to be a matter of concern in determining the planning application as it would be
entirely within the applicant’s site and not have an impact on the surrounding highway network.
In terms of servicing the highway engineer expressed concerns about the arrangements and in
particular the provision of a servicing layby on Queen Street. In order to address these concerns,
the amended plans submitted include amendments to the service yard and the deletion of the
servicing layby. The highway authority recommends the imposition of conditions and that a
financial contribution should be made towards the East Lancashire Rapid Transit public transport
initiative which includes upgrading bus facilities on Queen Street/Lomax Square.
Design issues
The application as originally submitted proposed a part two-storey building set well back from the
Queen Street frontage. The reduction in the floorspace has meant that the building will now be
entirely single storey. It is essential that, being an edge of centre site, the development has good
pedestrian links to the town centre to encourage shoppers to walk between the two. The applicant
has therefore agreed to bring the building closer to the Queen Street frontage and at the same time
introduce an area of glazing into this elevation of the building. While the main entrance to the store
will be at the eastern end of the Queen Street elevation. The re-arranged siting will give the
opportunity to create a more attractive forecourt and improved pedestrian link to the town centre.
The applicant has agreed to finance the re-paving of the footway on the northern side of Queen
Street from the site to the edge of the town centre to a high standard.
There will also be pedestrian access to the site from Park Road and from the mini-roundabout as
well as in various locations along the Queen Street frontage. The existing mural on the Queen
Street frontage of the site is to be retained and new low walls provided along the Queen Street
frontage. The service yard is to be screened by a higher wall and the overall development will
include landscaping and tree planting.
Environmental issues
The design of the building incorporates measures to reduce energy consumption and be sustainable,
through north-facing roof lights, south-facing photovoltaic roof panels, reduced glazing on the
south-facing elevation, and partial timber cladding. The inclusion of such features is in accordance
with requirements contained in the Draft RSS.
An air quality assessment submitted with the application concludes that during the construction
period, releases of dust and particulate matter are likely to occur, but could be reduced through
good site practice and the implementation of suitable mitigation measures. Once in operation, the
proposed development would cause a minor adverse to insignificant impact on nitrogen dioxide
levels and an insignificant impact on particulate matter levels. The Head of Environmental Health
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