Agenda and draft minutes

Northern Area Planning Committee - Wednesday 17 July 2024 2.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber - Council Offices, Monkton Park, Chippenham, SN15 1ER. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services  Email: committee@wiltshire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

49.

Apologies

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Minutes:

Apologies were received from:

 

Cllr Dr Brian Mathew (substituted by Cllr Ruth Hopkinson)

Cllr David Bowler (Substituted by Cllr Clare Cape)

 

50.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

To approve as a true and correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 19 June 2024.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 19 June 2024 were considered for approval by the committee.

 

Resolved

 

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 19 June 2024 as a true and correct record.

 

51.

Declarations of Interest

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

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

52.

Chairman's Announcements

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

Minutes:

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

53.

Public Participation

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 Wednesday 10 July 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 Friday 12 July 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.

 

 

Minutes:

The Chairman explained the rules of public participation and the procedure to be followed at the meeting.

 

There were no statements or questions submitted.

 

54.

Planning Appeals and Updates

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

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman invited Adrian Walker, Development Management Team Leader, to update the Committee on the pending and determined appeals as per the appeals report included within the Agenda Pack.

 

It was stated that an appeal had been made for application PL/2022/02824.

 

It was confirmed that an appeal for application PL/2023/08833 had been dismissed

 

Following which, it was:

 

Resolved:

 

The Committee noted the appeals report for the period 7 June 2024 to 5 July 2024.

 

55.

PL/2022/09258: Minety Substation, Minety, Wiltshire, SN16 9DX

Extension of existing substation comprising installation of 400/132kV transformer, 3no. 400/33kV transformers, circuit breakers, construction of retaining wall and 33kV switchroom, formation of access road, culverting of watercourse, erection of fencing and associated works.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Public Participation

Aileene Smith spoke in support of the application.

 

Officers from the Development Management Area Team introduced the report which recommended that the Committee approve planning permission, subject to conditions, for the extension of an existing substation comprising installation of 400/132kV transformer, 3no. 400/33kV transformers, circuit breakers, construction of retaining wall and 33kV switch room, formation of access road, culverting of watercourse, erection of fencing and associated works.

 

The Committee was reminded that it had voted to defer the application pending the submission of further documentation and information to be provided by the applicant that Members had felt was necessary to make an informed decision. The original key considerations included:

 

  • Scale of development
  • Design
  • Environmental/highway impact

 

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

 

The following was clarified:

 

  • The Landscape Officer had not removed their objection.

 

  • Conditions around Trees and TPOs, including that more than the typical 5 Years could be proposed.

 

 

Members of the public then had the opportunity to present their views to the committee as detailed above. The local member, Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall, also spoke to the application.

 

A debate followed where Councillors thanked applicants for their reintroduced, comprehensive application that alleviated the majority of concerns Councillors had expressed in the initial deferred application. Concerns around biodiversity were particularly noted to have been alleviated by the quality of work done by the applicant and Wiltshire Council officers.

 

During debate, a motion to approve the application in accordance with officer recommendations was moved by Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall and seconded by Cllr Nic Puntis.

 

RESOLVED: To approve in accordance with officer recommendation subject to conditions listed in the Committee Report with the changes to the wordings of Condition 2, 7, 8 and 9.

 

Condition 2 shall read:

 

Approved plans:

 

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the details shown

in the following approved plans:

? Drawing. Location Plan PDD-101488-LAY-300 Rev 9

? Drawing. Proposed Layout Plan PDD-101488-LAY-302 Rev 5

? Drawing. Proposed Sections PDD-101488-ELE-303 Rev 3 Sheet 1 of 2

? Drawing. Proposed Sections PDD-101488-ELE-303 Rev 3 Sheet 2 of 2

? Drawing. Proposed Switchgear Room Plan and Elevation PDD-101488-ELE-304

? Drawing. Ancient Woodland Buffer Zone Layout PDD-101488-LAY-315-REV-0

? Minety 400kV substation Extension, Wiltshire. Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Report.

Document Reference: 9236.007. (The Environment Dimension Partnership, 5th July 2023, revised on 31st May 2024).

? Minety Substation Extension Minety, Wiltshire Dormouse Mitigation Strategy. Document Ref: 9236.005. (The Environment Dimension Partnership, June 2024).

? Habitat Impact. Drawing Number: G9236.015D. (The Environment Dimension Partnership, 11/08/2022).

? Figure E3. Specification for Mitigation/ Compensation. Drawing Number: G9236.021D.1 (The Environment Dimension Partnership, 22/03/2023).

? Figure E3. Specification for Mitigation/ Compensation. Drawing Number: G9236.021D.2 (The Environment Dimension Partnership, 22/03/2023).

 

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

 

 

Condition 7 shall read:

 

Scheme for the delivery of woodland mitigation and compensation measures

 

No demolition, site clearance, development shall commence on site until a scheme for the delivery of all the woodland mitigation and compensation measures (on-site and off-site) as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

56.

Urgent Items

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

Minutes:

There were no urgent items.