Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Edward Kirk.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2022.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2022 were presented, and it was,

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.

There were no declarations from members of the Committee.

During the meeting Councillor Jane Davies, speaking in respect of application PL-2021-10237, declared her role as Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, SEND, and Inclusion.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

There were no Chairman’s Announcements.

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

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 11 January 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 13 January 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 procedure for public participation and consideration of applications was detailed.

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

Kenny Green, Development Management Area Team Leader, presented an update on planning appeals as detailed in the agenda papers.

It was then,

Resolved:

To note the Planning Appeals Update Report.

To consider and determine the following planning applications.

The Committee considered the following application.

Demolition of existing care home with replacement building providing 9 bedrooms on lower ground floor, 9 bedrooms on ground floor and 14 bedrooms on first floor, all with auxiliary space, & together with the existing home would provide 52 bedrooms in total.

Public Participation

Alan Finn spoke in objection to the application.

Eric Anderson spoke in objection to the application.

Ashley Jones spoke in support of the application.

Claire Turner spoke in support of the application.

Rob Gillespie spoke in support of the application.

David Cox, Senior Planning/Conservation Officer, presented a report recommending that permission be granted for the demolition of the old Vicarage former care home (whilst retaining Staverton House care home) and approve the erection of a replacement building that would provide (alongside the existing Staverton House accommodation) up to 52 bedrooms for people requiring dementia care. The case officer informed members of several typographical errors set out within the published report and advised that following its publication, three additional representations has been received, but nothing new had been raised.

Prior to the committee meeting, a member site visit had taken place earlier in the afternoon which allowed the case officer to walk committee members around the site and point out site specifics and neighbouring properties.

Key issues for the determination of the application included the principle of development, the scale and design of the proposal, the loss of the Victorian former Vicarage building (which officers consider merited non designated heritage asset status) and its impact on the streetscene and neighbouring amenity.

The case officer also pointed to the growing demand for care home placements, and in particular, for those with dementia. The limitations of the Old Vicarage building were also noted in terms of satisfying modern care home standards and operational needs; and the report referenced its closure for these reasons.

Measures proposed to mitigate the impacts of the replacement building were explained, which included negotiated aspects secured through revised plans to reuse some of the old stonework, window and surrounds and introduce bay windows into what would be a new road facing elevation.

Members were informed that the reported and recommended conditions required some amendment to condition 10 to reference No.52 alongside No.50b, and to impose a no dig restriction around all the retained trees on the site as an additional planning condition.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. An explanation and details were sought on the recommended imposition of obscure glazing on the eastern side elevation of what would be the three-storey central link building, and further clarity was sought on the consequential impacts on the amenity of neighbouring residents as well as the implications for future residents of the care home.

Questions were asked about the re-use of the existing stone of the Old Vicarage and on how the number of proposed parking places to be included on the site had been calculated.

Members of the Public then had the opportunity to address the Committee with their views and concerns as detailed above.

Councillor Jane Davies, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, then spoke regarding the application, noting the shortage of specialised dementia care in Wiltshire and the rising demand.  The committee also heard about the inability  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7a

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.