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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall, Trowbridge BA14 8JN

Contact: Jessica Croman  Democratic Services Officer

Items
No. Item

19.

Apologies

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

 

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from:

 

Cllr Johnathon Seed who was substituted by Cllr David Halik.

20.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2019.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2019 were presented.

 

It was noted that the printed version of the minutes had been updated to include the names of the substitute members present at the meeting.

 

Resolved:

 

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2019.

 

21.

Declarations of Interest

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

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

22.

Chairman's Announcements

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

Minutes:

There were no Chairman’s Announcements.

 

The Chairman gave details of the exits to be used in the event of an emergency.

23.

Public Participation

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.

Minutes:

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.

 

24.

Planning Appeals and Updates

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

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Planning Appeals Update Report for 22/03/2019 and 14/06/2019 was received.

 

Kenny Green, Development Management Area Team Leader, summarised the recent appeal decision pursuant to a proposed extension of a commercial premises at the Atworth Business Park. Members were provided with an explanation on the application of Core Policy 34 and it was agreed that a copy of the appeal decision would be circulated to the committee members.

 

It was noted that the appeal for planning application 18/07773/FUL had been withdrawn.

 

The decision notice for a recent appeal hearing, for the extension of a commercial premises at the Atworth Business Park, would be circulated to members. 

 

Resolved:

 

To note the Planning Appeals Update Report for 22/03/2019 and 14/06/2019.

25.

Planning Appeals

To consider and determine the following planning application.

Minutes:

To consider the following planning applications:

25a

19-00614-FUL Leekes of Melksham, Beanacre Road, Melksham, SN12 8AG

To consider and determine the following planning applications.

 

7a       19-00614-FUL Leekes of Melksham, Beanacre Road, Melksham, SN12 8AG  

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Public Participation

Christine Deadman spoke in objection to the applications

Christine Wilkinson spoke in objection to the applications

Chris Leek, Applicant, spoke in support of the application

Chris Gill, Architect, spoke in support of the application

Councillor Adrienne Westbrook, Melksham Town Council, spoke in objection to the application

 

 

Nick Clark, Senior Planning Officer, introduced the report which was recommended for approval. The planning application was for the erection of a hotel (Class C1) and restaurant (Class A3) including associated works comprising provision of parking spaces, service yard and landscaping

 

Key issues included; the scale of the development, visual impact on the surrounding area, relationship to adjoining properties, design (bulk, height & general appearance), environmental or highway impact, car parking; and the effect on the quality of life of local residents.

 

Members of the Committee had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. Details were sought on: the ability to negotiate the reduction of the height of the development; Drainage; Whether a study had taken place to assess the impacts to local businesses; Whether the reduction in parking spaces would have an impact on the increased usage of the car park; and parking and access arrangements for lorries and coaches.

 

In response it was noted that: the development’s height had already been  reduced in negotiations at the pre-application stage, the proposed development’s height had been lowered as much as feasibly possible. The development was higher than the Leekes store but had a wide separation meaning there would not be any significant impacts; Drainage of surface water would be reduced to greenfield runoff rates in the proposed development, improving the current situation on the site, with no objections from the drainage team; A detailed impact assessment had been carried out assessing the impacts on the local businesses; A parking study had been carried out which the Highways Officer was satisfied with; Lorries and coaches would access the site via the existing access. The internal accesses would be changed to avoid congestion and there would not be any coach parking facilities on site.

 

Members of the public, as detailed above, had the opportunity to speak on the application. 

 

Local Member, Cllr Pat Aves, noted that she supported objections from residents due to the disappointment that the community or Town Council had not been involved in the pre-planning stages of the development. Cllr Aves explained that she was not against the idea of the development, only with the proposed height and requested that any future development be communicated with the local community.

 

A motion to defer the application was moved by Councillor Sarah Gibson and seconded by Councillor Trevor Carbin.

 

Following a debate, which raised the points of height and architectural design,  the motion was defeated.

 

A motion to approve the application in accordance with the officers recommendations, with changes to condition 7 and 15 was moved by Councillor Andrew Davis and seconded by Councillor David Halik.

 

Following a debate, which raised the points on electric charging points, delivery times and the need  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25a

26.

Urgent Items

Any other items of business which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be taken as a matter of urgency.

 

Minutes:

There were no Urgent Items.