Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Dennis Drewitt (substituted by Cllr Terry Chivers).

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 6 April 2016.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 April 2016 were presented.

Resolved:

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 6 April 2016.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

There were no Chairman’s Announcements.

The Chairman gave details of the exits to be used in the event of an emergency.

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

There were no declarations of any disclosable interests.

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 2.50pm 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 (acting on behalf of the Corporate Director) no later than 5pm on Wednesday 20 April 2016.  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.

No questions had been received from councillors or members of the public.

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

To receive details of appeal decisions and appeals pending.

In response to a question asked by Cllr Ridout about the current status of appeals since the circulation of the last report, Mr. Mike Wilmott gave a verbal update noting that three new appeals had been submitted, one appeal was forthcoming and the rest ongoing.

Cllr Clark sought clarification on the officer recommendation on planning application no. 15/01674/FUL that was shown as ‘refuse’. 

Mr. Wilmott confirmed that the officer recommendation had been to grant permission.

Resolved:

To note the Planning Appeals Update Report between 14/04/2016 and 31/12/2016.

To consider and determine the following planning applications:

The Committee considered the following applications:

15/12454/OUT - Land To The North Of Sandridge Common, Sandridge Road, Melksham, Wiltshire

16/01161/FUL - Blackberries Camping Park, Farleigh Rise, Monkton Farleigh, Wiltshire, BA15 2DY

The Senior Planning Officer outlined the report that recommended that

the application be deferred and delegated to the Area Development Manager

subject to the prior completion of a legal agreement within the next 6 months, to cover the matters identified and conditions.

Mr. Eric Alder, Mr. Paul Widdicombe, Chairman of residents committee and Matthew White, a resident, spoke in objection to the application; at the discretion of the Chairman, Ms. Angela Hardgreaves, also a resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Cllr Terry Chivers began the debate.

Issues discussed in the course of the presentation and debate included: issues surrounding the application of the 5 year land supply principle, the impact on the character and appearance of the area, impact upon neighbouring amenity, access and highways issues, the primary education contribution and capacity for intake in local schools.

Cllr Jonathan Seed proposed, subsequently seconded by Cllr. Andrew Davis

that the Committee should defer the application as per the Officer’s recommendations detailed in the report and subject to any additional conditions and amendments identified and agreed.

In questioning the Senior Planning Officer, the Committee sought clarity on the implications of the application of the 5 year land supply rule and the conditions governing the primary education contribution.

In response to the above, the Senior Planning Officer explained that the withdrawal of the request from the Council’s Education Team for a contribution towards primary education was because they had received updated projection figures for school age children in the area and had established that at this time in the area of this development there was capacity in the local primary school to accommodate the pupils arising from this development. He emphasised that the provision of evidence of a need was key to justifying any request for educational funding.

On the issue of the implications of the 5 year land supply rule, the Area Development Manager explained that the Core Policy 2 (CP2) sets out the delivery strategy and advises that within the limits of development, as defined on the policies map, there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development at Market Towns. The Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) seeks to ensure that the Council demonstrates a five year housing supply for the north and west housing market area that includes Melksham. 

Resolved

That the application be deferred and delegated to the Area Development Manager to grant planning permission, subject to the prior completion of a legal agreement, within the next 6 months, to cover the matters identified in section 9.10 of the report (save for the primary education contribution), and subject to the conditions set out below.

1. The development hereby permitted shall be begun either before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission, or before the expiration of two years from the date of approval of the last of the reserved matters to be approved, whichever is the later.

REASON:   To comply with the provisions of Section 92 of the Town and Country Planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

The Senior Planning Officer outlined the report that recommended that

the application be approved with conditions.

Mr. John Veal spoke in objection to the application and Ms. Beryl Orchard spoke in support of the application.

Cllr Trevor Carbin spoke as the local member and noted that having gone through the application he could find no justifiable grounds for refusal

Issues discussed in the course of the presentation and debate included: the impact on neighbouring amenity and the issue of noise pollution; the planning policy on Green Belt and relevant implications; and highways issues.

Cllr Trevor Carbin proposed subsequently seconded by Cllr Pip Ridout that the application be approved subject to an amendment of condition 8.

Resolved

To approve the application subject 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 carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

Location Plan received on 5 February 2016; ‘Proposed block plan’ received on 5 February 2016; ‘Proposed reception building’ – north and east elevations and floor plan received on 5 February 2016; ‘Proposed reception building’ – south and west elevations and roof plan received on 5 February 2016; ‘Proposed new toilet and shower facility’ – south and west elevations received on 5 February 2016; ‘Proposed new toilet and shower facility’ – north and east elevations received on 5 February 2016; ‘Proposed new toilet and shower facility’ – floor plan received on 5 February 2016

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

3.       In accordance with the details submitted and assessed under this application no more than 15 pitches (either tents or pods or caravans) shall be sited and in use on the land at any time.

REASON: In order to define the terms of this permission, highway safety and to protect the rural scene.

4.       Any gates shall be set back 10 metres from the edge of the carriageway, such gates to open inwards only, in perpetuity.

REASON: For the sake of consistency, the avoidance of any doubt and highway safety.

5.       The existing visibility splays between the edge of the carriageway and a line extending back to a point 2.4 metres back from the edge of the carriageway, measured along the centre line of the access, to a point on the edge of the carriageway 90 metres towards the east and north-western corner of the site frontage towards the west shall be permanently kept free of obstruction to vision above a height of 900mm above the level of the adjacent carriageway.

REASON: For the sake of consistency, the avoidance of any doubt and highway safety.

6.       The approved details of refuse storage and external lighting under planning permission W/13/00050/FUL shall be maintained in accordance with those  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

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.