Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies were received from Cllr Pip Ridout, who was substittued by Cllr Bridget Wayman.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 27 July 2022.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 July 2022 were presented for consideration, it was noted that the full reasons for refusal for application 20/06775/WCM - Northacre Energy from Waste Facility, Stephenson Road, Northacre Industrial Estate, Westbury, BA13 4WD which was considered at that meeting, would be reported back at the next Strategic Planning Committee meeting. It was,

Resolved:

To approve and sign the minutes as a true and correct record.

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

There were no formal declarations of interest.

However, for transparencies sake the Chairman stated that for item 7a - PL/2021/06100, Land to the south of the M4 at Leigh Delamere, to the west of Leigh Delamere Motorway Services, Chippenham, a small part of the site to be considered was within his division. As this was not a disclosable pecuniary interest, the Chairman stated he would still take part in the debate and vote and would consider the application with an open mind.

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 no later than 10.20am on the day 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. Representatives of Parish Councils are included separately in the speaking procedure, please contact the officer listed for details.

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 3 August 2022 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 5 August 2022. 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.

The procedures for public participation were detailed and noted.

To receive details of completed and pending appeals, and any other updates as appropriate.

There was no appeals update.

To consider and determine the following planning applications.

The following planning applications were considered.

The installation of a solar farm of up to 49.9MW of generating capacity, comprising the installation of solar photovoltaic panels and associated infrastructure including customer cabin, customer substation, DNO substation and equipment, inverter and transformer substations, spare part container, associated battery storage, access tracks, fencing, security cameras, landscape planting and associated works.

Public Participation

·       Simon Skinner spoke in objection to the application

·       Janette Armstrong spoke in objection to the application.

·       Philip Davey spoke in objection to the application.

·       Tom Benton spoke in support of the application.

·       Philip Greenhill spoke in support of the application.

·       Harry Lopes spoke in support of the application.

·       Cllr Lesley Palmer of Grittleton Parish Council spoke in objection to the application.

·       Cllr Alistair Parker of Yatton Keynell Parish Council spoke in objection to the application.

Jonathan James (Senior Conservation/Planning Officer) presented a report which recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions for the installation of a solar farm of up to 49.9MW of generating capacity, comprising the installation of solar photovoltaic panels and associated infrastructure including customer cabin, customer substation, DNO substation and equipment, inverter and transformer substations, spare part container, associated battery storage, access tracks, fencing, security cameras, landscape planting and associated works.

Key details were stated to include: whether the proposal was acceptable in principal; whether the proposal would result in the loss of best and most versatile agricultural land; whether the proposal would be harmful in terms of its landscape and visual impact; whether the scheme would give rise to an adverse impact on residential amenity; whether the proposal would have an adverse impact upon highway safety or public rights of way; whether the scheme would cause harm to protected species and/or their habitats; whether the scheme would cause harm to the historic environment; and whether the proposal would result in any other adverse environmental impacts.

Attention was drawn to the additional agenda supplements which contained an addendum in relation to the construction traffic route and a corrected site location plan. In the heritage impact section of the agenda reference was made to a community fund and an electric link to the nearby Leigh Delamere service station, no weight could be attributed to those elements in the planning balance of harm to the setting of heritage and public benefits. However, in the conclusion in the final paragraph of the heritage impact section the report quantified that significant weight could be attributed to the provision of the proposed renewable energy scheme and the biodiversity gains through the scheme.  It was also noted that in the final sentence of that section there was a typographical error in the final sentence whereby it should read  “It is therefore considered that the proposal would comply with Section 66 and 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and CP 58 of the WCS and relevant paragraphs of the framework”. Rather than section 16 and 72.

The officer stated that two late representations had been received. One in objection to the application, from a farmer who had farmed the land from 1962 to 1995. About half was in arable crops and half supported a dairy herd. Typical yields were given. The objector felt that the land should be used for food production rather than solar panels. The second representation was in support of the application  ...  view the full minutes text for item 116.

Erection of 190 dwellings, car parking, access including extension to Empress Way, green infrastructure including open space and landscaping, infrastructure, drainage, utilities and engineering works. Off-site highway works at junction of Astor Crescent / Empress Way and Tidworth Road. Land reserved for 2-form entry primary school.

Public Participation

Luke Vallins spoke in support of the application.

Cllr Owen White of Ludgershall Town Council spoke in objection to the application.

Andrew Guest, Head of Development Management presented a report which recommended that subject to the completion of a Section 106 covering the matters set out in the report, the Head of Development Management be given delegated authority to then grant planning permission, subject to conditions for the erection of 190 dwellings, car parking, access including extension to Empress Way, green infrastructure including open space and landscaping, infrastructure, drainage, utilities and engineering works. Off-site highway works at junction of Astor Crescent / Empress Way and Tidworth Road. Land reserved for 2-form entry primary school.

The officer drew attention to a correction to condition 20 which should read “Prior to first occupation of the 160th dwelling hereby permitted the extension of Granby Gardens…” rather than Empress Way.

The officer explained that the application was being considered by the Committee as it had already been called in by Cllr Christopher Williams, who used to be the local division Member. Due to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England boundary review which came into effect in 2021, the unitary division Member was now Cllr Tony Pickernell. Both councillors had now withdrawn the call-in as they were satisfied with the mitigations proposed by the applicant. As a matter of procedure, because the agenda had already been published when the call-in was withdrawn, the application still had to come to the Committee as advertised. If the call-in had been withdrawn prior to agenda publication the application would have been determined by officers.

Key details were stated to include the following, the principle of development; impact upon the area and wider landscape; flooding and drainage; biodiversity; archaeology; nutrient neutrality; neighbouring amenity; highway Impacts; S106 contributions (Affordable Housing, Education, Air Quality, Public Art, Public Open Space, 2nd access, Waste, Biodiversity and Nutrient Neutrality).

The proposal was for 190 houses on land allocated in the Wiltshire housing site allocation plan. Slides were displayed showing the location of the site and that part of the parcel of land allocated for housing already had planning permission and the build had started. The rest of the site allocation comprised of this proposal. The layout of the proposal was typical for a new residential area and there was a large open space in the middle of the site, this would support a play area and some of the drainage systems. There was also land reserved for a school. The road to the north, Empress Way, would be extended to serve the site and there would also be a second access via Granby Gardens. The Highways officer had no objections to the proposal. Hedgerows would provide screening and nearby junctions would be upgraded. Funding would also be provided for improvements in Ludgershall.

The officer explained that there had been a late representation regarding the access arrangements at Granby Gardens, stating that no notice had been served on the owner of a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 117.

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, so the Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting.