Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologises or substitutions for the meeting.

No apologises for absence were received.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2014.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2014 were presented.

Resolved:

The minutes were approved as a correct record of the meeting and signed by the Chairman.  

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

There were no declarations.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

The Chairman raised the suggestion of an earlier start time for the future consideration of the Committee.

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 in person no later than 5.50pm on the day of the meeting.

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. The rules on public participation in respect of planning applications are detailed in the Council’s Planning Code of Good Practice.

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 on13 March 2014. 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.

To receive details of completed and pending appeals.

The committee received details of the appeal decisions as detailed in the agenda.

Members discussed the growing need for gypsy sites in the south of Wiltshire. The Committee raised concern that the Development Plan Document (DPD) had not been produced yet and this is resulting in planning appeals. The Committee intends to raise the profile of this issue.

The dismissal of the appeal at Hillbilly Acre, Claredon was noted. An update by enforcement officers is to be provided at the next meeting.

To consider and determine the following planning applications:

The planning officer presented the report to the Committee which recommended approval to be granted and circulated an item of late correspondence to be included on the council website with the agenda.

Members discussed the footpath on the parish boundary and clarification was sought over surrounding buildings on the site. In response to Committee questions, the planning officer confirmed that most of the surrounding buildings were light industrial and should not cause an issue with residential developments.

A potential restriction on the number of houses that could be constructed was discussed. In response, it was stated by the planning officer that Members would be agreeing to the access arrangements and the four dwellings only.

The access to the four dwellings was discussed by Members. It was stated by the planning officer that Highways would object to any additional accesses being added.

The level of screening required in this rural area was also raised. Concern was raised over the visibility of the four dwellings and also the development of a footpath that could be detrimental to the rural landscape. In response to these concerns, was stated that hedges cannot be used to screen two storey houses. There was little room remaining after the development of the dwellings, parking and the access road.

The significant development of the adjoining Longhedge site was also discussed. It was stated that the area was about to become a very urban development and it was queried whether a restriction could be put on this application until a roundabout has been built as part of the Longhedge development. In response, it was stated that the decision on the current application could not be made depedent on the accounts of a third party.

Concern was raised that if Longhedge was not developed then this would have been four dwellings approved in the open countryside, rather than next to another development.

The local member, Cllr Ian McLennan, spoke in objection to the application.

At the conclusion of debate, it was,

Resolved:

That the application be refused for the following reason:

The proposed dwellings would be located on a site which is currently located in the open countryside, and is not specifically allocated for housing development in the South Wiltshire Core Strategy or the draft Wiltshire Core Strategy. The adjacent A345 road onto to which the dwellings would have a vehicular access is a very busy arterial road between Salisbury and Amesbury, where traffic speeds are very high.

A large area of land immediately adjacent the site has been allocated for a significant mixed development within the development plan, and planning permission has been granted. A new highway arrangement has been proposed as part of the adjacent development, which will help improve highway safety and reduce traffic speeds.

However, this adjacent permission is in outline form and development has yet to commence. Consequently, at the current time, the surrounding land remains of a rural character, and it may be some time before the land is actually developed, including the provision  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

Public Participation

Mr Peter Stone, Whiteparish Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application.

The planning officer presented a report to the Committee which recommended that the application be approved.

Members then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer.

Concern was raised over the narrow access to the site and failure to meet parking standards and potential worsening congestion.

It was stated that parking standards should be enforced and that parking on the road would not be suitable.

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

The Local member, Cllr Richard Britton, then spoke in support of the application.

A debate followed where clarification over the speed limit in the area was sought, and there was discussion over the suitability of parking on the road and the need for appropriate parking standards to be enforced.

Resolved:

That the application be approved subject to the following conditions:

1.         The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

REASON:  To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

2.         The development hereby permitted shall not be first occupied until the first five metres of the access to the west of the dwelling, measured from the edge of the carriageway, has been consolidated and surfaced (not loose stone or gravel). The access shall be maintained as such thereafter.

REASON: In the interests of highway safety.

3.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: parking layout, site location plan, design and access statement, DRG No. 13061/1, 13061/2 received 6/8/14.

REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

Cllr Richard Britton requested that his vote against the motion to approve permission be recorded.

As he had arrived late to the meeting and missed part of the report process, Cllr George Jeans took no part in the debate or vote on the item.

There were no urgent items