Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Stewart Dobson and Cllr Tony Trotman (who was substituted by Cllr Jerry Wickham).

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 2015.

Resolved:

To confirm and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 April 2015.

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

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

The Chairman made the following announcements:-

(1)       Recording and Broadcasting  Members were reminded that it was intended hopefully quite soon to begin broadcasting this and other meetings of the Council on the Internet.  To prepare for this, and in accordance with the Leader’s comment at Full Council on 24 February 2015, it was intended to record, but not broadcast, this meeting and other meetings moving forward for training purposes. He, therefore, drew everyone’s attention to the recording and broadcasting notice on the front of the agenda, which had also been posted on the entrances to this room.

(2)       Site Visit for Hills Waste Application at Lower Waste Management Facility, Lower Compton, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 8RB  (Application No. 14/09744/WCM)  Members were reminded that they had previously agreed that a Site Visit should be undertaken to consider this planning application for a Waste Management Facility at Lower Compton, Calne by Hills Waste Solutions prior to determining the application.  It was currently expected that this application would come before the Committee at its next meeting on 17 June, 2015.

It was therefore proposed that a committee site visit take place on Tuesday 16 June, starting at 2.30pm. Further details would be circulated in due course. In the meantime, Members were requested to keep the date free if possible.

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 10.20am 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 6 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.

There were no questions received from members of the Council.

Members of the public addressed the Committee as set out in Minute No. 39 below.

A report by the Case Officer is attached.

The following people spoke against the proposal:

Mr Quentin Skinner, a local resident

Mr Colin Liddell, a local resident

Cllr Lesley Traves, representing Mere Parish Council

The Committee received a presentation from the Case officer which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  He explained that the application had previously been considered by this Committee at its meeting on 11 March 2015 when the application had been put before the Committee with a recommendation for approval, subject to conditions.

The Committee had resolved to defer determination of the application in order to seek further information from the Drainage Engineer on the practicalities of drainage of the site and to request copies of the Planning Inspector’s decision regarding a similar application at Alderbury be provided.

Subsequent to the Committee’s deferral of the application, the following additional information had been received:

·                The agent had confirmed that the applicant was of gypsy and traveller status and had not ceased to travel.

·                The applicant had provided the requested percolation test data, on which the Council’s Drainage Engineer had been re-consulted and had responded with revised drainage conditions.

·                The Highways Development Control Manager had confirmed and reiterated that the proposed development would be acceptable in Highway safety terms, subject to the conditions previously recommended. 

The Committee noted that the additional information provided did not lead to a change in the previous recommendation.

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 then heard the written views submitted by Cllr George Jeans, the local Member, in which he expressed in particular his continued concerns regarding drainage and highway aspects of this application. 

During the following discussion the following points were raised and it was agreed that they needed clarification:

1.    The size and maximum capacity (in terms of bedrooms and the number of people occupying) of the proposed mobile home and proposed touring caravan.

2.    Whilst the percolation test results already submitted were acceptable to determine the required size of the foul drainage soakaway (dependant on the levels of occupancy) it did not really dispel the issues with the stormwater disposal raised by the objectors, particularly given the wealth of photographic information provided showing standing water on the site. Based on this it was considered that a further permeability test but to BRE 365 was required at the proposed stormwater soakaway location (different to the proposed foul soakaway location) to confirm that the site did actually drain in relation to storm water and also conform to size, to be shown on a plan.

3.    The provision of a plan showing the location of permeability testing undertaken and correctly sized soakaway (based on the maximum occupancy) plus location (at moment just a small circle on site layout with no other information) and the size of the septic tank, with soakaway construction detail.

4.    Information in relation to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

A report by the Case Officer is attached.

The Chairman reported that this application had been withdrawn by the applicant and therefore would not be considered by the Committee.

To note that the date of the next meeting is scheduled to be held on Wednesday 17 June 2015 at County Hall, Trowbridge, starting at 10.30am.

Resolved:

To note that the next meeting was scheduled to be held on Wednesday 17 June 2015 at County Hall, Trowbridge.