Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies were received from:

Cllr Mark Connolly

Cllr Stuart Dobson

Cllr Connolly was substituted by Cllr Philip Whitehead

Cllr Dobson was substituted by Cllr Anna Cuthbert

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 2 April 2015.

Resolved

To approve and sign as a true and correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 2 April 2015.

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

Cllr Philip Whitehead declared a pecuniary interest in item 7c - 15/01683/VAR – as he was the applicant. For this item Cllr Whitehead joined the public and did not participate in proceedings.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

Cllr Anna Cuthbert was welcomed to the Committee as a new substitute and member of Wiltshire Council.

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 on Thursday 21 May 2015. 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 rules on public participation were noted. There were no questions submitted.

To receive details of the completed and pending appeals.

None.

To consider and determine the following planning applications.

Public Participation:

Mr Ben Pearce spoke in support of the application

Mr Adrian Smith spoke in support of the application on behalf of Broad Hinton Parish Council

Miss Catherine Pullan spoke in support of the application

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the item which recommended permission be refused for the erection of dwelling in Winterbourne Bassett and associated landscaping.

Key issues were noted as including the principle of development, whether the application could be defined as infill, and the extent of the built-up area. Core Policies 1, 2, 48, 51, 57, 60, and 61 were referenced.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. The application was clarified as being for a two bedroom dwelling. The previous Kennet Plans were confirmed as running from 1995 – 2004, and 2004 – 2011.

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

The Unitary division member, Councillor Jemima Milton, then spoke in support of the application. Sites were noted as being in existence beyond the proposed development area, and that as such the application may not be considered ribbon development. A regular bus service was noted as connecting the area to the local area.

A debate followed where the definition of infill was considered and whether it applied to this application. It was noted that to approve the decision would not be considered a breach of policy, but that the judgment was on whether or not the application was considered infill as based on the policy definition. Issues of access, visibility, and street lighting were considered.

Resolved

To approve subject to the following conditions:

Public Participation

Mrs June May spoke in support of the application

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the application which recommended that permission be refused for a first floor extension to an outbuilding. It was confirmed that planning permission had been granted in 1990 for the existing outbuilding.

Key issues were noted as including the principle of development, the design and visual impact, and the impact on heritage assets (a nearby grade II listed building and the Kennet and Avon Canal).

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. It was confirmed that the outbuilding had no historic features.

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

The Unitary division member, Councillor Jonathon Seed, then spoke in support of the application. Attention was drawn to a large modern building on the opposing bank of the canal which was roughly the same distance from the waterway as the outbuilding. It was noted that the outbuilding was located some distance from the grade II listed building and on the opposite side of the bridge on an existing employment site.

A debate then followed where the impact of the development on both historical assets was considered. Core Strategy 58 was discussed, whereby all developments must be sensitive to all heritage assets including waterways and canals. The quality of the building design drawings were considered, including the height, design, and characteristics.

Resolved

To refuse the application for the following reasons:

1.    The proposed development would result in an outbuilding which would be of an inappropriate scale and design for the context of the site. The outbuilding, due to its significantly increased height and overall mass, would not appear subordinate or respect the proportion of the associated dwelling. The proportions of the proposed windows would be at odds with the local vernacular and the use of timber cladding would be out of keeping with the traditional local building materials. As such, the proposal would be contrary to both national and local planning polices, which seek to promote good design, namely section 7 ‘Requiring Good Design’ of the NPPF and Core Policy 57 ‘Ensuring High Quality Design and Place Shaping’ of the adopted Wiltshire Council Core Strategy.

2.    The proposed development would be detrimental to the appearance of the area and would harm the setting of the surrounding heritage assets. The outbuilding is considered to be of an inappropriate design and due to its position and overall mass, would appear overly prominent and intrusive when seen from the public realm and within the application property, to the detriment of the setting of the Grade II Listed dwelling and the adjoining Kennet & Avon Canal. As such, the proposal would be contrary to both national and local planning polices, which seek to preserve or enhance the historic environment, namely section 12 ‘Conserving & Enhancing the Historic Environment’ of the NPPF and Core Policy 58 ‘Ensuring the Conservation of the Historic Environment’ of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.1

For this item Cllr Whitehead withdrew from the Committee and sat with the public.

Public Participation

Mr James Monckton spoke in objection to the application.

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the application which recommended that planning permission be granted for the variation of condition 5 of planning permission 14/07886/FUL - 'Two storey extensions to existing 3 bedroomed house' -  to enable construction of an external staircase allowing access to a first floor office.

Key issues for consideration were noted as including whether the scale, design, and materials of the external staircase were acceptable. Also noted was the impact on neighbour amenity.

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

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

A debate followed where the impact on neighbour amenity was discussed, along with a discussion over the previous development.

Resolved

To grant planning permission subject to the following conditions:

1. The materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the development hereby permitted (excluding the timber cladding, and the windows in the west elevation as shown on the 'Proposed Elevations' plan, drawing number: CH003/2014, received on the 18/08/2014, which will be powder coated grey aluminium) shall match in material, colour and texture those used in the existing building, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

REASON: In the interests of visual amenity and the character and appearance of the area.

2. All soft landscaping comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following the first occupation of the extensions or the completion of the development whichever is the sooner; All hedge planting shall be maintained free from weeds and shall be protected from damage by vermin and stock. Any hedges which, within a period of five years, die, are removed, or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning authority.

REASON: To ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the development and the protection of existing important landscape features.

3. The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans and documents:

Title: Confirmation of materials for the staircase. Received: Via email dated: 17/04/2015

Drg Title: Location Plan. Received: 20/02/2015

Drg Title: Proposed Elevations (north, south and east elevations). Drg No: CH003/2014. Received: 20/02/2015

Drg Title: Proposed Elevations (west elevation only). Drg No: CH003/2014. Received: 18/08/2014

Drg Title: Proposed Plans. Drg No: CH001/2014. Received: 20/02/2015

Drg No: Proposed Landscape Plan & Tree Protection Plan. Received: 14/10/2014.

Drg Title: Existing Elevations. Drg No: CH_003_2014_exist_elev. Received: 18/08/2014

Drg Title: Existing Layout. Drg No: CH001/2014. Received: 18/08/2014.

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

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.