Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from:

·       Cllr Adrian Foster – substituted by Cllr Sam Pearce-Kearney

·       Cllr Paul Oatway QPM – substituted by Cllr Dominic Muns

·       Cllr Tony Pickernell

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2024.

The Chairman, Cllr Philip Whitehead, reported that Democratic Services had been contacted by a Mr Hugh Tapper to raise concerns that the spirit of his comments, about PL/2023/03305, York Place, Marlborough, had not been captured in the draft minutes. 

On the proposal of the Chairman, seconded by Cllr Dominic Muns, it was:

Resolved

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2024 as a true and correct record, subject to the following amendments to Item 31.

Updating the bullet point at the top to:

• Mr Hugh Tapper made a statement highlighting concerns he had about aspects of the application, including the party wall of the Grade II listed adjoining property.

Adding the following paragraph to the body of the text:

Mr Hugh Tapper raised concerns about aspects of the application, including the scale of development, limited community space and available parking. He welcomed some of the amendments to the scale of the original proposals and was encouraged that they would be more sympathetic than the 1970s development. However, he expressed surprise that approval of the scheme might precede the knowledge and understanding of the measures required to protect the adjoining Grade II listed property at 51 St Martins.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

There were no announcements.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

Members of the public who wish to speak either in favour or against an application or any other item on this agenda are asked to register no later than 10 minutes before the start of the meeting. If it is on the day of the meeting registration should be done in person.

The rules on public participation in respect of planning applications are linked to in the Council’s Planning Code of Good Practice. The Chairman will allow up to 3 speakers in favour and up to 3 speakers against an application, and up to 3 speakers on any other item on this agenda. Each speaker will be given up to 3 minutes and invited to speak immediately prior to the item being considered.

Members of the public and others will have had the opportunity to make representations on planning applications and other items on the agenda, and to contact and lobby their local elected member and any other members of the planning committee, prior to the meeting.

Those circulating such information prior to the meeting, written or photographic, are advised to also provide a copy to the case officer for the application or item, in order to officially log the material as a representation, which will be verbally summarised at the meeting by the relevant officer, not included within any officer slide presentation if one is made. Circulation of new information which has not been verified by planning officers or case officers is also not permitted during the meetings.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution which excludes, in particular, questions on non-determined planning applications.

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on 18 April 2024 in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm on 22 April 2024. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

The Committee noted the rules on public participation.

To receive details of the completed and pending appeals, and any other updates as appropriate.

On the proposal of the Chairman, seconded by Cllr Iain Wallis, it was:

Resolved

To note the appeals update for the period between 8 March and 12 April 2024.

Demolition of existing the barns and erection of three dwellings with associated parking, turning, landscaping, private amenity space and access (resubmission of PL/2022/06061).

Public Participation

·         Mr Alan Cowley - spoke in objection to the application

·         Mr James Beale - spoke in objection to the application

·         Mr Jim Butler - spoke in support of the application

·         Mr Mike Fowler - spoke in support of the application

·         Cllr Chris Greenwood (Devizes Town Council) - spoke in support of the application

The Senior Planning Officer, Jonathan James, introduced a report which recommended that the application for the demolition of existing barns and the erection of three new dwellings, be refused. He noted that the application included associated parking, turning, landscaping, private amenity space and access. The application was a resubmission of PL/2022/06061. Key details were stated to include the principle of development, as well as the landscape, biodiversity and sustainable transport impacts. 

It was highlighted that the site was located outside of the defined settlement boundary and adjoined the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. The Senior Planning Officer explained that the proposed development would have an unacceptable urbanising effect on the countryside, so would be contrary to Core Policy 51 (Landscape) and Core Policy 57 (Ensuring High Quality Design and Place Shaping) of the Wiltshire Core Strategy. He also reported that electricity pylons passing the site were due to be buried in the ground, so the negative visual impact that they had on the landscape would be removed.

The Senior Planning Officer noted that the spatial vision of the Wiltshire Core Strategy did allow for development outside of the recognised limit of development in exceptional circumstances; however, the proposed development did not meet any of the exception criteria outlined in the Core Strategy. Furthermore, as Roundway was not recognised within the Wiltshire Core Strategy as a sustainable location for development, the proposed development would be contrary to Core Policy 60 (Sustainable Transport) and Core Policy 61 (Transport and New Development).    

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the Senior Planning Officer.

Clarity was sought about whether Wiltshire Council’s Landscape Officer had been consulted about the application, as an objection from them was not listed in the report and the negative impact on landscape character was stated as a reason for refusal. In response, the Senior Planning Officer explained that he understood that the Landscape Officer would have been consulted but that they may not have provided comments. He also noted that the site itself was not in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.

It was confirmed that a small existing barn close to the site would be retained and had been granted consent under a prior Notification for change of use to a dwelling. 

Members of the public then had the opportunity to present their views to the Committee as detailed above.

The Unitary Division Member, Cllr Laura Mayes, then spoke in support of the application.

In response to the points raised by the public and the Unitary Division Member, the Senior Planning Officer highlighted that each application needed to be judged on its own merits. He also observed that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

Erection of a single storey dwelling.

Public Participation

·         Mr Richard Cosker – spoke in support of the application

·         Mrs Eve Curnow – spoke in support of the application

·         Ms Judy Edwards – had a statement read out in support of the application

The Senior Planning Officer Jonathan James introduced a report which recommended that the application for the erection of a single storey dwelling be refused for the reasons outlined in the report. Key details were stated to include the principle of development, ensuring the conservation of the historic environment and the visual impact on the surrounding area.

Attention was drawn to two late representations, one of which was a letter of support from a neighbour. The Senior Planning Officer reported that the Agent had also contacted him to confirm that the Applicant had not benefitted financially from a nearby development of nine residential dwellings built on land previously owned by Higher Green Farm.

The Senior Planning Officer explained that the proposed development would result in harm to the character of the conservation area and the setting of the adjacent listed building. The proposed development would be at odds with the settlement pattern and historic built forms. Although he acknowledged that the proposed development would bring some benefits through the provision of a new dwelling, he considered that they would be outweighed by the harm to the listed building. The proposed development would be contrary to Core Policy 57 (Ensuring High Quality Design and Place Shaping) and Core Policy 58 (Ensuring Conservation of the Historic Environment).

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the Senior Planning Officer.

Members of the public then had the opportunity to present their views to the Committee as detailed above. It was noted that the proposed development had the support of the Parish Council. The Chairman read out a statement on behalf of Ms Judy Edwards as she was unable to attend.

The Unitary Division Member, Cllr Tamara Reay then spoke in support of the application.

The Senior Planning Officer then had the opportunity to respond to the points raised by the public and Unitary Division Member.

So that the Committee had something to debate, Cllr Dr Brian Mathew, seconded by Cllr Dominic Muns, proposed that the application be approved contrary to recommendation.

A debate followed where the impact on the Grade II listed property, level of local support and sustainable growth of the village were discussed.

The Committee discussed possible conditions that could be added to the application, such as restrictions to permitted development rights. The Committee agreed to delegate the final wording of the conditions to the Senior Planning Officer and Development Management Team Leader. It was:

Resolved

To APPROVE the application for a single storey dwelling.

Reasons

The Committee were satisfied that, due to its location and level of screening, the proposed development would not cause harm to the character of the conservation area or the setting of the adjacent listed building.

Conditions

1. The development hereby permitted shall be begun before  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

Any other items of business which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be taken as a matter of urgency 

There were no urgent items.