AN APPLICATION for the proposed change of use of approved residential institution units into homes without planning permission has been refused.

Proposals were drawn up and sent to the council for units at Travers Farm, on Travers Entry, in Bold.

The proposed site is a parcel of land on the driveway into the site and was formerly in the green belt but removed under the St Helens Local Plan 2022.

The application sought a certificate of lawfulness for a proposed change of use of eight units from C2A use (secure residential institutions) to C3 use (dwellings).

A certificate of lawfulness is a means of obtaining a decision from a planning authority that a proposed use or works do not require planning permission.

The application said the units "are previously approved" and "which are set to be built soon."

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The plans stated that all applications have previously been approved for the units and the application seeks "a class change from C2 to C3".

However, planning officer Jennifer Bolton noted in a report that "whilst the  internal layout would be very similar to what was previously approved, the units would be larger as the staff element would be removed and there would be a change in the size of the outdoor amenity space both to the front and rear of the properties".

It was added: "The use of the dwellings for residential houses means they could also be more intensely used, increasing demand for parking and vehicle movements. 

"It is concluded that there would be a material change is use in this case, based on the information submitted for consideration with this application".

The planning officer added: "The building for which this change of use is proposed has not been constructed.  Therefore, the proposed change would not be within the definition of development in Section 55 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended). 

"Consequently a certificate for lawful development cannot be issued for this proposal".