Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

There were no apologies for absence.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 May 2015.

Resolved:

To confirm and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 13 May 2015.

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

Cllr Glenis Ansell declared a non-pecuniary interest as she was a member of the Air Quality Working Group of Calne Area Board.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

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 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 10 June 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. 47 below.

A report by the Case Officer is attached.

The following people spoke against the proposal:

Professor Peter Alberry, a local resident

Mr Steve Izatt, representing Wiltshire Waste Alliance

Mr Lamb, a local resident

Cllr Kate Morley, Vice-Chairman of Calne Without Parish Council  

Cllr Peter Szczesiak, Chairman of Compton Bassett Parish Council

The following person spoke in favour of the proposal:

Mr Michael Hill, Chief Executive of Hills Waste Solutions Ltd, theApplicant.

The Committee received a presentation from the Case Officer which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  She explained that the proposed development was to retain and expand a strategic waste management facility and was recommending that planning permission be granted subject to conditions.

A site inspection had taken place the previous day which had been attended by Cllrs Andrew Davis, Tony Trotman, Glenis Ansell, Trevor Carbin, Stewart Dobson, Charles Howard, David Jenkins, Christopher Newbury, Fred Westmoreland and Alan Hill as the local Member, in which the Case Officer had explained the proposals.

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 received a presentation from Cllr Alan Hill, the local Member, in which he explained his objections to the proposal and reasons why he considered the application should be refused.

A debate followed, where a motion was moved and seconded to refuse the application contrary to the officer recommendation. The motion was discussed, during which it was highlighted the proposal was for permanent retention of the facility and concerns raised about site location, traffic levels and air quality in Calne.

Prior to a vote on the motion, the Case Officer and Minerals and Waste Team Leader provided comment on some of the points that had been raised during the discussion. This included a reiteration of the main conclusions drawn from the Officer report.  The Area Development Manager reminded the Committee of the need to identify clear planning reasons for refusal of the application.

After discussion during which the Committee noted the information given in the presentation from the local Member and the legal representations which had been sent to them direct the previous day by Mr Gregory Jones QC, instructed by Wiltshire Waste Alliance,

Resolved:

To refuse planning permission for the following reasons:-

1.    The development proposal conflicts with Core Policy 55 (Air Quality) of the Wiltshire Core Strategy.

2.    The development proposal conflicts with Core Policy 60 (Sustainable Transport), Core Policy 61 (Transport and New Development) and Core Policy 65 (Movement of Goods) of the Wiltshire Core Strategy.

3.    The Environmental Statement accompanying the planning application is flawed in terms of the approach taken to the no-project baseline scenario, the transport assessment and the air quality assessment.

To note that the next meeting is scheduled to be held on Wednesday 15 July 2015 at County Hall, Trowbridge, starting at 10.30am.

Resolved:

(1)       To note that the next scheduled meeting of this Committee was due to be held on Wednesday 15 July 2015, at County Hall, Trowbridge, starting at 10.30am.

(2)       To hold a site visit to land at west of B3092, Mapperton Hill, Mere on Monday 13 July 2015, meeting on site at 10.30am.

(3)       To reserve Wednesday 29 July 2015 at 10.30am for an additional meeting of the Committee if required, bearing in mind the number of outstanding applications that might need a decision before the next scheduled meeting of the Committee on 23 September 2015.   

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

There were no urgent items of business.