Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Iain Wallis, Cllr Stuart Wheeler and Cllr Kelvin Nash.

Cllr Iain Wallis attended the meeting as the Local Member for Devizes North and therefore Cllr Dominic Muns attended the meeting in his place as a Committee Member.

Cllr Stuart Wheeler arranged for Cllr Caroline Thomas to attend the meeting in his place as a Committee Member.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2024 were presented for consideration, and it was;

Resolved:

To approve and sign as a true and correct record of the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2024.

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

There were no declarations of disclosable interest or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

There was 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 and others will have had the opportunity to make representations on planning applications and other items on the agenda, and to contact and lobby their local elected member and any other members of the planning committee, prior to the meeting.

Those circulating such information prior to the meeting, written or photographic, are advised to also provide a copy to the case officer for the application or item, in order to officially log the material as a representation, which will be verbally summarised at the meeting by the relevant officer, not included within any officer slide presentation if one is made. Circulation of new information which has not been verified by planning officers or case officers is also not permitted during the meetings.

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 Thursday 20 February 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 Monday 24 February. 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 the completed and pending appeals, and any other updates as appropriate.

This item was taken ahead of Item 5 – Public Participation

The Chairman referred to an application relating to Boomerang Stables, which had been heard and refused by Committee circa 12 months ago, with it noted that though this had been taken to appeal the Planning Inspector had supported the decision of the Committee.

Resolved:

To note the Planning Appeals Update Report for 27 February 2025.

Redevelopment of site to include 102 residential units (Class C3), the provision of 273 sqm of retail space (Class E), 146sqm of community and workshop space (a mix of Class E(g) and Class F2), open space and associated landscaping, improved access (pedestrian, cycle and vehicular), and parking.

Public Participation

Peter Harbourne spoke in objection to the application.

Claudia Suckling spoke in objection to the application.

Caroline Kay spoke in objection to the application.

Charles Bartholomew spoke in support of the application.

Stuart Walter spoke in support of the application.

Rob Moore spoke in support of the application.

Cllr Richard Ormerod spoke on behalf of Devizes Town Council.

Senior Conservation/Planning Officer, Ruaridh O’Donoghue presented a report which outlined the redevelopment of the site to include 102 residential units (Class C3), the provision of 273 sqm of retail space (Class E), 146sqm of community and workshop space (a mix of Class E(g) and Class F2), open space and associated landscaping, improved access (pedestrian, cycle and vehicular), and parking.

The Planning Officer noted that comments had been received from the applicants in relation to the proposed draft conditions, which after review had been deemed fair and would not alter the fundamental principles of the conditions, therefore amendments had been made with the altered conditions published as Agenda Supplement 1. It was also noted that the applicants had removed buff brick from their proposals and had amended this to be red brick in keeping with other architecture in Devizes. Therefore, although illustrative material referred to buff brick, this would not be the case.

Details were provided of the site and issues raised by the proposals, including an overview of the site and location, planning history, the impact of the relationship with neighbouring properties, environmental and highways considerations and the absence of affordable housing provisions.

Members of the Committee had the opportunity to ask technical questions regarding the application. Details were sought on the height of the proposed buildings in relation to the neighbouring Anstie Court properties, to which it was noted that they would sit higher than Anstie Court and that there would be a separation distance and that the bathroom window of the proposed property would be obscured. Additional clarity was also provided that access to the garden and museum court area would be solely pedestrian after having considered to be safer. Detail was also provided regarding the height of the red brick wall alongside Anstie Court.

Other technical questions related to how there seemed to be fewer car parking spaces than national standards, with it questioned whether there had been a survey of on street and nearby carpark facilities. It was noted by the Officer that there was not an awareness of whether such a survey had taken place, however the Highways team had accepted the reduced parking proposed and believed there would not be an impact on the highways network. Reference was also drawn to the town centre location of the site and therefore there was a greater emphasis expected on cycling and walking. The process of determining the number of affordable units within the proposal was also discussed, with reference drawn to the production of a viability report and how should planning permission be granted, there could be an opportunity for Homes England to offer grant funding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

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.