Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Peter Davis (who was substituted by Cllr Chuck Berry), Cllr Peter Doyle and Cllr Howard Marshall (who was substituted by Cllr Simon Killane).

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 2011. (copy herewith)

Resolved:

To confirm and sign the revised Minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 2011, as circulated at the meeting.

Cllr Alan Hill declared a personal interest in Minute No 31(e) – Application No 11/00001/FUL - Innisfrey, Washmeres, Colerne, Chippenham, SN14 8DQ - First Floor Extension to Bungalow to Form House, owing to his acquaintance  with Mr Gerrard Churchouse, a local resident and an objector to the proposal. He stated that he would take part in the debate on this application and vote. 

There were no Chairman’s 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 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. Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named above (acting on behalf of the Director of Resources) no later than 5pm on Wednesday 23 March 2011. Please contact the officer named on the first page 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.

Members of the public addressed the Committee as set out in Minute No 31 below.

There were no questions received from members of the public or members of the Council.

An appeals update report is attached for information.

The Committee received and noted a report setting out details of:-

(i)            Forthcoming hearings and public inquiries between 21 March & 30 June 2011.

(ii)          Planning appeals received between 24 February & 17 March 2011.

(iii)         Planning appeals decided between 24 February & 17 March 2011.

The following people spoke against the proposal:

Mr David Rowlands, a local resident

Mr Sat Gill, a local resident

Mr William Brown, a local resident

The following people spoke in favour of the proposal:

Mr Edward Heard, Llanfear LLP, the applicant

The Committee received a presentation by the Case Officer which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  He introduced the report which recommended that the application be delegated to the Area Development Manager for planning permission and listed building consent to be granted subject to conditions.  He also drew Members’ attention to the late items.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which the Committee received statements from members of the public as detailed above, expressing their views regarding the planning application.

Members heard the views of Cllr Chris Caswill, the local member, who, whilst not objecting to the change of use of the existing building on the site to form offices, did object to the construction of a new A1 convenience store. 

During discussion, Members expressed concern regarding the opening hours and the sale of alcohol during the late evening.

Resolved:

To delegate the Area Development Manager to issue:-

(1)          planning permission, subject to negotiations with the applicant to consider imposing a condition restricting opening hours and subject also 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 be implemented in accordance with the submitted plans and documents listed below. No variation from the approved plans should be made without the prior approval of the local planning authority. Amendments may require the submission of a further application.

Plans

Location plan 1:1250 P000

Site Plan 1:200 P001

Ground floor plan P002

First floor plan P003

Proposed elevations  - sheet 1 P004

Proposed elevations – sheet 2 P005

Demolition plan P100

All date stamped 29/12/10

Agreement in principle for convenience store frontage car park to be relocated off site in future P006

Date stamped 15/03/11

REASON: To ensure that the development is implemented as approved.

3. No development shall commence on site until details and samples of the materials to be used for the external walls and roofs have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

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

4. No development shall commence on site until details of the design, external appearance and decorative finish of all railings, fences, gates, walls, bollards and other means of enclosure have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details prior  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31a

The Committee received a presentation by the Area Development Manager which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  He introduced the report which recommended that the application be refused and drew Members’ attention to the late items.

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

On hearing the views of Cllr Carole Soden, the local member, who supported the application and stated that Ashton Keynes Parish Council had raised no objections,

Resolved:

To delegate the Area Development Manager to issue:-

(1)             Planning permission, subject to conditions to include only time limit, list of plans, protection of trees, sample of materials, flood measures as recommended by the Environment Agency and archaeology.

REASON

The proposed works will not lead to substantial harm to the significance of this heritage asset and will thereby preserve the historic interest of the listed building.

(2)             Listed building consent,subject to conditions to include only time limit, list of plans, protection of trees, sample of materials, flood measures as recommended by the Environment Agency and archaeology.

REASON

The proposed works will not lead to substantial harm to the significance of this heritage asset and will thereby preserve the historic interest of the listed building.

The following people spoke against the proposal:

Mr John Wilding, a local resident

Cllr Ian Myles, representing Grittleton Parish Council

The Committee received a presentation by the Case Officer which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  She introduced the report which recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions.  She also drew Members’ attention to the late items.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which the Committee received statements from members of the public as detailed above, expressing their views regarding the planning application.

Members heard the views of Cllr Jane Scott, the local member, who questioned whether the application site was the right location, bearing in mind that the proposal would not enhance the landscape being part of an Area of Outstanding Beauty and there were other sites available. 

After discussion,

Resolved:

To refuse planning permission for the following reason:-

The proposed stables and associated equine paraphernalia in this part of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty would neither conserve or enhance the natural beauty of the landscape and would adversely affect the character of the Area contrary to Policies NE4 (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and NE15 (The Landscape Character of the Countryside) of The North Wiltshire Local Plan 2011.

The following person spoke against the proposal:

Mr Andrew Chapman, a neighbour

The following person spoke in favour of the proposal:

Mr Geraint Jones, Pegasus Planning Group

The Committee received a presentation by the Case Officer which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  He introduced the report which recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions. 

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which the Committee received statements from members of the public as detailed above, expressing their views regarding the planning application.

After discussion, during which concern was expressed that the operation should not develop into a commercial business and thus result in a significant increase in traffic movements along the country lane leading to the premises,

Resolved:

To defer consideration of the application for one cycle to seek the views of the Highways Officer as to whether the imposition of the following conditions would overcome the objection:

1.            The development hereby permitted shall only be for the stabling of horses owned by the occupiers of Great Dairy farm and shall at no time be used for livery, equine tuition or leisure rides.

2.            No more than 4 horses shall be stabled within the application site boundary.

The following people spoke against the proposal:

Mr Gerrard Churchouse, a local resident

Mr Coombs, a local resident

The following people spoke in favour of the proposal:

Mr Paul Ockley

The Committee received a presentation by the Area Development Manager which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  He introduced the report which recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions.  He also drew Members’ attention to the late items.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which the Committee received statements from members of the public as detailed above, expressing their views regarding the planning application.

Members heard the views of Cllr Sheila Parker, the local member, who expressed concern on the impact the proposal would make on neighbouring properties. 

Resolved:

To refuse planning permission for the following reason:-

The proposal is for a bungalow on a  tightly constrained site  located within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Conservation Area , adjacent to a listed building. The proposed extension to provide an upper storey to the bungalow would, by nature of its height, scale and use of materials, become more prominent in views within the village and in the wider landscape.  It is also considered to have a potentially overbearing impact on neighbouring properties.  Overall the proposal would not respect the local character or distinctiveness of this part of Colerne, would fail to preserve or enhance the Conservation Area, would fail to conserve or enhance the landscape of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and would  create a development that result in an unacceptable loss of amenities to adjacent dwellings.  The application proposal is contrary to Policies C3 (i) and (iii); Policy NE4 (particularly points a and b) and Policy HE1.

The following person spoke against the proposal:

Mrs Gill Fullbrook, a local resident

The Committee received a presentation by the Case Officer which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  He introduced the report which recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions and drew Members’ attention to the late items. 

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which the Committee received a statement from a member of the public as detailed above, expressing her views regarding the planning application.

On hearing the views of Cllr Nina Phillips, the local Member and after discussion,

Resolved:

To defer consideration of the application to allow the applicants the opportunity to address the concerns raised by the Council’s Drainage Engineer and prepare an acceptable method of dealing with surface water drainage, including reference to the proposed basement.

The following person spoke in favour of the proposal:

Mr Paul Eastham, the applicant

The Committee received a presentation by the Case Officer which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  She introduced the report which recommended that planning permission be refused. 

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which the Committee received a statement from a member of the public as detailed above, expressing his views regarding the planning application.  Members also received a letter from the Vice-Chairman of the Ashton Keynes Parish Council in support of the application.

On hearing the views of Cllr Carole Soden, the local Member, in support of the application and after discussion,

Resolved:

To delegate to the Area Development Manager to permit planning permission, subject to revised plans being received showing the chimney removed or repositioned to be internal rather than external, and conditions as appropriate.

REASON

The extension is considered to preserve and enhance the host dwelling and the Conservation area in which it is located.  The proposal complies with policies C3, HE1 and H8 of the north Wiltshire Local Plan 2011.

There were no urgent items.