Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

There were no apologies.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 4 October 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 4 October 2017 were presented.

Resolved:

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

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

There were no declarations of interest.

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 by phone, email or in person no later than 2.50pm on the day of the meeting.

The rules on public participation in respect of planning applications are detailed 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 (4 clear working days, e.g. Wednesday of week before a Wednesday meeting) 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 (2 clear working days, eg Friday of week before a Wednesday meeting). 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 Committee noted the rules on public participation.

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

The Committee noted the contents of the appeals update.

To consider and determine the following planning applications.

Attention was drawn to the late list of observations provided at the meeting and attached to these minutes, in respect of applications 7a-17/03035/REM - Land at Former Blounts Court Nursery, Studley Lane, Studley, Calne, SN11 9NQ and 7b- 17/07485/FUL- Flats 49 to 60, Woodroffe Square, Calne, SN11 8PW, as listed in the agenda pack.

Member of the public Richard Fitter spoke against the application. Cllr Keith Robbins from Calne Without Parish Council spoke in favour of the application.

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the application for the erection of 53 dwellings with public open space and associated infrastructure, approval of reserved matters (scale, layout, external appearance and landscaping) to be in conjunction with outline application 15/10457/OUT. It was identified that the application had been reported to the NAPC Meeting of the 06/09/2017 and had been deferred to seek alterations to the scheme’s design and layout. Officers identified that these matters had, to a large extent, been addressed by the applicant and that further consultation had taken place in this respect. A presentation was delivered, which displayed a site location plan, photographs of the existing site and the proposed plans. The Officer also gave an overview of the planning history relating to the site. Attention was drawn to the Late Observations, in particular the Officer repeated the comments of the highway Officer that the proposal currently proposes no footway and no street lighting, if members were to approve the layout the Wiltshire Council would be unable to adopt any highways within the development. 

Councillors were invited to ask technical questions and in response Officers confirmed that issues relating to the proposed positioning of the toucan crossing had been reviewed by external highways experts, along with Wiltshire Council’s Highways Officers, and that this planning application could not dictate the specific location of a pedestrian crossing.

Members of the public spoke as detailed above.

Cllr Christine Crisp spoke as Local Member in favour of the application. She highlighted that the applicant had listened to residents concerns, and that the design was now acceptable to the Parish Council, and that it would be perverse to refuse the application. 

In the debate that followed Cllr Crisp proposed the Officer’s recommendation of approval, with the additional conditions contained in the Late Observations. This was seconded by Cllr Grant and approved unanimously.

Resolved:

To GRANT planning permission subject to planning conditions:

1 The development hereby permitted shall be begun either before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission, or before the expiration of two years from the date of approval of the last of the reserved matters to be approved, whichever is the later.

REASON: To comply with the provisions of Section 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

2 The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

2550-5-2-DR-0001 P7 Received 19/07/2017

2550-5-2-DR-0002 P7 Received 10/08/2017

2550-5-2-DR-0003 P7 Received 10/08/2017

2550-5-2-DR-0004 P7 Received 19/07/2017

2550-5-2-DR-0005 P6 Received 19/06/2017

2550-5-2-DR-0006 P2 Received 22/03/2017

2550-5-2-DR-0007 P1 Received 01/02/2017

2550-5-2-DR-0008 P1 Received 01/02/2017

2550-5-2-DR-0009 P1 Received 01/02/2017

2550-5-2-DR-0010 P2 Received 13/07/2017

2550-5-4-LM-T4-S3 P1 Received 01/02/2017

REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

3 Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111a

Members of the public Luke Jackson and Alan Downes spoke against the application. The applicant Derek Clarke and his agent Meghan Rossiter spoke against the application. Cllr Glenis Ansell from Calne Town Council spoke against the application.

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the application for the demolition of Demolition of 12 Flats Over Garages and 36 garages at nos. 49 to 60 Woodroffe Square and replacement with 24 dwellings, car parking and landscaping. A presentation was delivered, which displayed a site location plan, photographs of the existing site and the proposed plans. Attention was drawn towards the Late Observations. It was explained that the proposed parking provisions exceeded requirements under Wiltshire Council’s current car parking standards and met the existing parking allocations. It was also highlighted that despite a loss of open space on site, there was a large amount of good quality open public space in the nearby area and that the loss of open space must be considered in the planning balance.

Councillors were invited to ask technical questions and in response it was clarified that it was difficult to assess actual difference between existing and proposed parking spaces, as although more parking spaces were being provided, some on- street parking would be lost.

Members of the public spoke as detailed above.

Cllr Ian Thorn spoke as Local Member against the application. He highlighted that the application had been objected to twice by Calne Town Council. He maintained that there had not been significant public consultation and that the proposed over-development would have a negative impact on current and future residents. He urged members to seek deferment of the application.

Cllr Tony Trotman declared that as a member of Calne Town Council he would not participate in the voting on the application.

In the debate that followed, Councillors acknowledged the need for regeneration and development in this area but some expressed a view that the proposal would lead to greater density, over-development and loss of amenity and parking in the area. However, it was also acknowledged that the development would provide a significant provision of affordable housing to the area. Cllr Peter Hutton proposed the Officer’s recommendation to delegate authority to the Head of Development Management to enter into a s.106 agreement and approve the application subject to conditions, as amended by the late observations. This was seconded by Cllr Toby Sturgis and approved by the majority.

Resolved:

To DELEGATE authority to the Head of Development Management to GRANT planning permission, subject to conditions and completion of a S106 legal agreement within three months of the date of the resolution of this Committee.

In the event of failure to complete, sign and seal the required section 106 agreement within the originally defined timeframe to then delegate authority to the Area Development Manager to REFUSE planning permission for the following reason:-

The application proposal fails to provide and secure the necessary and required Services and infrastructure supporting the proposed residential development including Affordable Housing is therefore contrary to Policies  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111b

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.