'Second bite of the cherry'

A report presented to the meeting revealed Preston City Council had begun enforcement action against HBS Group in June 2022 after previously learning the firm had started work on the site before so-called 'pre-commencement' conditions - attached to the original planning permission - had been satisfied.

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The authority issued a planning contravention notice and invited the company to outline how its breaches of what is known as 'planning control' could be rectified.

Members heard that the applicant had chosen to try to "regularise" the development by applying to vary 13 out of the total 21 original conditions that had not been fulfilled, including its original landscaping plan.

However, the meeting was told that some of the information requested from HBS Group about issues including drainage and ground gas monitoring had still not been provided, in spite of efforts by the city council to obtain it since the variation application was first considered - and deferred - in December.

As a result, Lancashire County Council - in its capacity as the lead local flood authority for the area - maintained a previous objection to the plans. It highlighted "deficiencies" in the blueprint for how surface water will be managed on the site - but acknowledged that some attempt had been made to address its concerns and suggested they could ultimately be overcome.