Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies were received from:

• Cllr Charles McGrath
• Cllr Sam Charleston

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 1 June 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 June 2023 were presented.

Resolved:

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes.

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 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 will have had the opportunity to make representations on the planning applications and to contact and lobby their local member and any other members of the planning committee prior to the meeting. Lobbying once the debate has started at the meeting is not permitted, including the circulation of new information, written or photographic which have not been verified by planning officers.

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 22 June 2023 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 Monday 26 June 2023. 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 and other updates as appropriate.

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

It was;

Resolved:

To note the appeals report.

Demolition of the existing building (unit 3) and erection of a detached 5-bedroom dwelling with associated landscaping.

Public Participation

Mr Dan Roycroft (Agent) spoke in support of the application

Mr Rob Hibberd (Applicant) spoke in support of the application

The Senior Planning Officer, Becky Jones, introduced a report which recommended that the application for the demolition of an existing building (unit 3) and erection of a detached 5-bedroom dwelling with associated landscaping be refused.

Key details were stated to include the principle for development and site history for approved scheme, evolution of the scheme and the impact on the character and setting of the Conservation Area, other material planning considerations affecting the site and the planning balance.

The application had generated no response from the Parish Council and one letter of objection from the Salisbury Conservation Area Panel.

The application, an earlier 2018 approval for a conversion, and details of how the scheme had evolved were explained in the presentation. 

Members of the committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. It was clarified that the term ‘model farm’ was a 19c term for a specific type of farm layout, such as the one in the application.

The definition of ‘less than substantial’ was explained by the officer as still harming the asset but not as a complete loss.

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

The unitary division member, councillor Pauline Church who was not on the Committee, then spoke in support of the application.

For openness, Cllr Church stated that she was a Wilton Estate tenant and also provided flowers from her business on occasion to the show home at the site. She went on to note that there had been no objections from the parish council or statutory consultees. In addition, the proposals had been carefully designed with a strong focus on quality, to sensitively replicate the layout of the original model farm. The planned pond and planting would support biodiversity. 

The site was stated as being unused and derelict for over 20 years and there had never been an intention to dismantle the buildings, however this could not now be avoided. There were also another nineteen completed units on the farm.

If the building was converted it would not be able to achieve a warranty due to the issues identified with the ground.

As Cllr Church was not on the Committee, Cllr Sven hocking moved the motion of Refusal. This was seconded by Cllr George Jeans.

The Committee sought clarification on the matter of a warranty, which it was noted was not a planning policy consideration.

The Committee then discussed the application, main points included the high level of quality and design to the units which had already been developed on the site, the conservation officer comments and the lack of objection by the statutory consultees.

The Committee then voted on the motion of refusal, in line with Officer recommendation.

The motion failed.

Cllr Hocking then moved the motion of approval with conditions. The Officer was asked to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 174.

Construction of single storey detached dwelling and associated PTP together with provision of replacement PTP for existing dwelling.

Public Participation

Mr Brian Edgeley spoke in objection to the application

Mr David Smith spoke in objection to the application

Mr Alan Wood spoke in support of the application

Catherine Purves, Clerk to Firsdown Parish Council spoke in objection to the application.

The Senior Planning Officer, Julie Mitchell, introduced a report which recommended that the application for the construction of a single storey detached dwelling and associated PTP together with provision of replacement PTP for existing dwelling be approved subject to conditions.

Key details were stated to include:

1. Principle of development

2. Character of the area

3. Residential amenity

4. Highway issues

5. Drainage

6. Ecology (Nitrates)

7. Other issues raised

A previous permission was granted in 2019, this had now lapsed, but was noted as a consideration, as was broadly of the same design, with a different position to the boundary. The boundary was made up of wall and fence with existing access on to a highway which would be maintained and used.

Members of the committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. There were no technical questions.

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

The Parish Council representative, spoke in objection to the application, noting that the proximity of new development to the junction and bus stop would create a lack of clear sight line, hindering the use of the utility boxes which were sited opposite the development site, and vehicles parking on the site would not be able to turn to exit, but would need to reverse out on to the junction.

The unitary division member, Councillor Rich Rogers, who was on the Committee then spoke in objection to the application and noted his concern over highways safety and the negative impact on the character of Firsdown. 

Cllr Rogers stated that although the previous application on the site had been approved, he believed there to have been a flaw with some of the information at that time.

The site access, close to the proximity of the road junction was stated as a significant risk to motorists and pedestrians, with part of the pavement regularly in use as a bus stop. 

Firs Road was reported as being used as a thoroughfare for traffic accessing the A30, with evidence of speeding.

Cllr Rogers noted that although the application proposed 2 parking spaces, he believed that a single vehicle would have difficulties using the space available.

Cllr Rogers moved the motion of refusal against Officer recommendation stating the reasons as CP2, CP57 and CP61. 

This was seconded by Cllr Nabil Najjar.

The Committee then discussed the application, the main points included that the site had previously been granted planning permission, the distance of yellow lines on the road and the bus stop to the junction were not considered to be directly on the junction. The position of the proposed dwelling in relation to the street scene, and the driveway of the property  ...  view the full minutes text for item 175.

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