Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillors Chuck Berry, Nic Puntis, and Dr Brian Mathew. Councillor Dr Brian Mathew was substituted by Councillor Ruth Hopkinson.

To approve as a true and correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 21 June 2023 .

Resolved:

To approve and sign as a true and correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 21 June 2023.

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.

The Chairman noted the fire alarm procedure.

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 Wednesday 16 August 2023 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 Friday 18 August 2023. 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 noted that the Committee had received a question from a member of the public, which was published as a supplement to the agenda and was eligible for a verbal response from officers during the meeting. The Chairman explained that the questioner was unable to attend the, but that a written response would be available online as part of the minutes.

Town and Country Planning Act 1990 - Sections 257 and 261 - Temporary Diversion of Footpath Compton Bassett 18 (part) and Compton Bassett Bridleway 5 (part).

The Definitive Map Officer, Ali Roberts, explained that the application was made on behalf of Hills. She stated that planning permission had been granted in March 2022 for the extraction of minerals. The granted quarry was sited directly over the footpath and bridleway, therefore temporary diversions were required to preserve the connectivity of the rights of way network whilst mineral extraction works were undertaken.

The Officer described how the Countryside Access Officer had provided a detailed specification of installation works that would be required for these paths to be certified as temporary replacements. The footpath and bridleway would be reinstated along the original routes once the extraction area had been restored to a standard detailed in the Countryside Access Officer specification.

The Officer explained to the Committee that Condition 5 of the planning permission imposed a 70-metre stand-off distance requirement. With the decision on the 70-metre standoff, the temporary diversions were still required as only a short section of the Compton Bassett 5 would be excluded from the permitted extraction area, which would leave an unnecessary spur. The section of Compton Bassett 18 through the quarry site would be unaffected by the extended standoff distance. However, the 70-metre condition was essentially a mitigation measure aimed at reducing noise, dust and visual impacts on the cottages; it would not alter the boundary of the permitted mineral working. The boundary of the permission area was the site in its entirety, not the individual extraction areas. The boundary of the site was to be fenced for the health and safety of the public and operational needs.

The Officer explained that an Order was made on 4 June 2018 to temporarily divert Footpath Compton Basset 18 and Bridleway Compton Basset 5 which received 28 objections including Compton Bassett Parish Council and Calne Without Parish Council. An error was found in the Temporary Diversion Order dated 2018; therefore, a new Temporary Diversion Order was drawn up correcting the details regarding the planning permission that enabled the temporary diversion of the rights of way. Wiltshire Council made the corrected Order on 31 May 2023. Those who responded to the previous incorrect Order were contacted explaining that to follow due process and regulation they would need to resubmit their response for it to be a duly made representation or objection. In total four objections were resubmitted, with one additional objection received. Due to five objections, the diversion order was required to be put to the Committee. The Officer explained that were the Authority to proceed with the order, it should be submitted to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Officer stated that she considered the legal tests for making the Order had been met, as the granted quarry was sited directly over the legal line of Footpath 18 and Bridleway 5 Compton Bassett. The alternative routes around the fenced boundary of the site provided the continued connectivity of the Rights of Way network. The temporary diversion of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

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.