Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies were received from Cllr Sam Pearce-Kearney, Cllr Paul Oatway QPM and Cllr Stuart Wheeler. Cllr Stuart Wheeler was substituted by Cllr Caroline Thomas for this meeting.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 2022.

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 2022 were presented for consideration.

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.

Cllr Iain Wallis declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to agenda item 7 – Wiltshire Council North Tidworth Path No 11 Definitive Map and Statement Modification Order 2022, as he was employed by the Environment Agency and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was effectively his employer. Cllr Wallis confirmed that he would remain in the meeting and continue to consider and vote on the Modification Order.

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 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 24 November 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 28 November 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 Chairman detailed the procedure for the meeting and the procedures for public participation which were set out at item 5 of the agenda.

To consider and determine the Chute Village Design Statement.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer about the Chute Village Design Statement.

The Committee heard from Carolyn Wall, Chair of Chute Parish Council and Cllr Christopher Williams who spoke in support of the proposals. They responded to questions about Neighbourhood Plans, consultation process, and in particular referred to paragraph 129 of the National Planning Policy Framework on design guides.  

The Chairman reported that officers were unable to attend the meeting due to illness and he read a statement on their behalf about the Village Design Statement, copy attached to these minutes. 

The Committee noted that the Village Design Statement provided a comprehensive description of the Chutes and surrounding area, with a detailed description of the local character and design principles provided throughout the document. In addition, the Council’s Urban Design and Development Management services had been consulted on the Village Design Statement and raised no concerns to its approval and use in the planning process.

The report proposed that the Committee approve the revised Village Design Statement to enable it to be treated as a material consideration when determining planning applications.

Resolved:

That the Chute Design Guide for The Chutes be approved as a material planning consideration for the purposes of development management in their decision making.

To consider three objections to The Wiltshire Council North Tidworth Path No.11 Definitive Map and Statement Modification Order 2022.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Highways and Transport, as presented by Craig Harlow, Definitive Map Officer about Wiltshire Council North Tidworth Path No 11 Definitive Map and Statement Modification Order 2022.

The Committee considered three objections to the Modification Order made under Section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as detailed in the report and were invited to forward the Order to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (SoSEFRA) with a recommendation that the Order is confirmed as made. The Definitive Map Officer reported that there was a minor modification to the Order in that the wording within Part 1 of the schedule of the Order should read ‘description of footpath’ instead of ‘description of restricted byway to be added’.    

In response to questions from the Committee the Chairman and Definitive Map Officer confirmed that only historical evidence could be considered when making a decision and that there were no known obstructions along the length of the footpath.

Resolved:

That The Wiltshire Council North Tidworth Path No.11 Definitive Map and Statement Modification Order 2022 is forwarded to the SoSEFRA with the recommendation that it is confirmed with modification. That modification being the wording within part 1 of the schedule of the order where it reads “description of restricted byway to be added” it should read “ description of footpath”.

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.