Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Roy While (substituted by Councillor Fleur de Rhé-Philipe) and Mark Griffiths.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 25^th August 2010 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 August 2010 were presented.

Resolved:

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 25 August 2010.

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

W/10/02222/FUL – Councillors Peter Fuller and John Knight declared a personal interest as the application had been considered by the Trowbridge Development Committee of which they are both members. They both gave their assurance that they would consider the application on its own merit and with an open mind.

W/10/02329/FUL and W/10/02222/FUL – Councillor Graham Payne declared that he had been personally lobbied with regards to these two applications prior to the meeting. He gave his assurance that he would consider the applications on their own merits and with an open mind.

W/10/02102/FUL – Councillor Fleur de Rhé-Philipe declared that she had been personally lobbied. She gave her assurance that she would consider the application on its own merit and with an open mind.

There were no Chairman’s Announcements.

Members of the public who wish to speak either in favour or against an application 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. 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.

The Chairman welcomed all present. He then explained the rules of public participation and the procedure to be followed at the meeting.

To consider and determine planning applications in the attached schedule.

The Committee considered the following applications:

1.         Mrs J Redman spoke in objection to the application

2.         Dr N Carpenter spoke in support of the application

3.         Mrs M Liquorice spoke in support of the application

4.         Mrs C Firman-Ford spoke in support of the application

5.         Mr M Holley, representing Corsley Parish Council, expressed the concerns of the Parish Council.

Officers introduced the report which recommended approval. Officers showed details of the equipment proposed and explained the levels of noise testing that had been carried out. They also drew the Committee’s attention to the late list which stated that the application 99/00659/FUL had been refused on 15.07.99 (not 15.07.2010) as stated in the Relevant Planning History on page 14. Additional comments received and comments from the Planning Officer were also on the late list.

A debate followed during which the issues of nuisance for local residents (including noise levels) and the safety of pedestrians and cyclists entering and exiting the site were discussed. The quality of the equipment proposed and the amount of work put in by the Playing Filed Committee were praised by the Committee.

During the debate the Chairman pointed out that condition 4 on the report did not apply as no permission had been sought for lighting on the application. Should planning permission be granted the Committee agreed to remove condition 4 and replace it with an informative.

It was therefore

Resolved:

That planning permission be GRANTED

For the following reason(s):

The proposed development conforms to the Development Plan and there are no objections to it on planning grounds.

Subject to the following condition(s):

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. No site clearance or development shall commence on site until an Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS) prepared by an arboricultural consultant providing comprehensive details of construction works within the Bicycle Area (30), Ramp Access (49) to the bicycle area and the Safety Fencing (66) in relation to trees shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. All works shall subsequently be carried out in strict accordance with the approved details. In particular, the method statement must provide the following: -

- A specification for protective fencing to trees during development phase which complies with BS5837:2005 and a plan indicating the alignment of the protective fencing;

- A specification for scaffolding and ground protection within tree protection zones in accordance with BS5837:2005

- A schedule of tree works conforming to BS3998.

- Details of general arboricultural matters such as the area for storage of materials, concrete mixing and use of fires;

- A full specification for the construction of any arboriculturally sensitive structures and sections through them, including the installation of boundary treatment works, the method of construction including details of the no-dig specification in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 176a

1.         Mr S Taylor spoke in objection to the application.

2.         Mrs R Aldred, representing her parents, spoke in objection to the application.

3.         Mr R Oglesby, representing Semington Parish Council, reminded the Committee of the issues raised by the Parish Council and detailed within the agenda.

Officers introduced the report which recommended approval. Members of the public who had addressed the Committee had raised key issues such as increased traffic on a narrow road, proximity of the entrance to the school and highway safety which members of the Committee felt were issues to be taken into consideration and therefore requested a deferral.

Resolved:

That the application be deferred so that the officer can seek removal of the proposed access.

1.         Mr P Lennard, applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Officers introduced the report which recommended approval. A debate followed during which key issues such as the site being located within the Green Belt, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Conservation Area, the material to be used for the surfacing of the car park and the benefits of providing additional parking spaces were discussed.

The Committee praised Dorothy House for their work and the efficiency with which the centre was run. Members of the Committee expressed disappointment at the absence of the Local Member who had called the application in and of representatives of the Parish Council who had asked for the application to be considered by this Committee.

It was therefore

Resolved:

That planning permission be GRANTED.

For the following reason(s)

The proposed development conforms to the Development Plan and there are no objections to it on planning grounds.

Subject to the following condition(s):

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 and in particular the landscaping scheme shall be carried out in accordance with the details shown on drawings 40082_P(90)002 Revision C and 40082_P(90)002, and shall be maintained as such thereafter.

REASON: To prevent trees on site from being damaged during construction works

POLICY: West Wiltshire District Plan First Alteration 2004 Policy C32

1.         Mr H Hicks spoke in objection to the application

2.         Mr V Odell spoke in objection to the application

3.         Mrs H Cass, the applicant, spoke in support of the application

Councillor Tom James, Unitary Member for Trowbridge Adcroft, expressed his concerns with regards to the application and the change of use of a dwelling to office and staff training facilities.

Officers introduced the report which recommended approval and drew the Committee’s attention to the late list which detailed additional comments and comments from the Planning Officer. A debate ensued during which issues such as preserving residential dwellings, increase number of cars parking on the site, and the loss of amenities for neighbouring dwellings were discussed.

Members of the Committee felt satisfied that the scale of the proposed operation was sufficiently small; the available on site parking met the guidelines for a building of this size and there would not be a significant increase in vehicular movements from the current use of the site.

It was therefore

Resolved:

That planning permission be GRANTED

For the following reason(s):

The proposed development conforms to the Development Plan and there are no objections to it on planning grounds.

Subject to the following condition(s):

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 site shall be used for B1 office use and D1 staff training and for no other purpose (including any other purposes in Classes B1 and D1 of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended by the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2005, (or in any provisions equivalent to that class in any statutory instrument revoking or re-enacting that Order with or without modification).

REASON: The proposed use is acceptable but the Local Planning Authority wish to consider any future proposal for a change of use having regard to the circumstances of the case.

West Wiltshire District Plan 1st Alteration 2004 - POLICY: C38.

Informative(s):

This permission does not permit the display of any advertisements which require consent under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations, 2007 or under any Regulation revoking and re-enacting or amending those Regulations.

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.