Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Adrian Foster, Pip Ridout, Jonathon Seed and Robert Yuill.

Cllr Foster was substituted by Cllr Clare Cape, and Cllr Ridout was substituted by Cllr Richard Britton.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2025.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2025 were presented for consideration, 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 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 no later than 10.20am on the day 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. Representatives of Parish Councils are included separately in the speaking procedure, please contact the officer listed for details.

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 Wednesday 12 March 2025 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 14 March 2025. 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 on public participation was noted.

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

The Chairman referred the meeting to the appeals report in the agenda, where an appeal for application PL/2023/10394, Land South of Salisbury Road, nr Homington, Coombe Bissett, Salisbury for a solar farm was detailed. That was in process and there was nothing further to report.

In addition, there was an update on the minutes of the 23 January 2025 meeting, relating to changes to the conditions for item 7, PL/2023/11188 - Land at Blackmore Farm, Sandridge Common, Melksham, SN12 7QS which were detailed in agenda supplement 2 for this meeting.

There was further discussion on this at the end of the meeting. Following this discussion, it was highlighted that minor changes to the conditions for item PL/2023/11188 - Land at Blackmore Farm, Sandridge Common, Melksham, SN12 7QS, were being reported back to the Committee. The conditions had been updated as per Appendix A of the report in supplement 2 and as was allowed by the Scheme of Delegation Specific to Planning, providing the changes were in line with the principles of the Committee’s decision, which they were.

However, the minutes of the January meeting would not be amended, having already been approved as a true and correct record. A note would be added to the meeting details online for the January meeting, advising people to check the minutes of this meeting to see the slightly updated conditions. Following this, it was,

Resolved:

To note the changes to conditions 6 and 14 for PL/2023/11188 - Land at Blackmore Farm, Sandridge Common, Melksham, SN12 7QS as detailed in Appendix A of the report in supplement 2.     

Application for outline planning permission for up to 55 residential units (all matters reserved other than access).

Public Participation

Cllr Gavin Grant read a statement in objection to the application on behalf of Ian Wallis.

Cllr Gavin Grant read a statement in objection to the application on behalf of Campbell Ritchie.

Matthew Symons (agent) spoke in support of the application. 

Cllr James Slade of Malmesbury Town Council spoke in objection to the application.

Adam Madge, Principal Planning Officer, introduced a report which recommended that the application for outline planning permission for up to 55 residential units (all matters reserved other than access), be delegated to the Director of Planning to grant planning permission subject to a legal agreement and conditions.

It was highlighted that the application came before the Strategic Planning Committee at its meeting on 23 January 2025, where the application was deferred, to allow for consultation with the Cotswolds National Landscape Board. That had now taken place, and the Cotswolds National Landscape Board had no objections, subject to conditions. Those conditions had been added to the recommendation in the revised report.

In addition, it was stated that the applicant had agreed to contributions of £25,000 towards a pump track (a purpose-built track for cycling) at White Lion Park, so this would be added to the officer recommendation if the Committee were minded to approve the application.

Furthermore, Malmesbury Town Council had provided a late representation on the matter, objecting to the application. The objection included that there had already been many housing approvals in the area; the Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan sites were being built out; that they did not think the application could be seen as a ‘rounding off’ of Malmesbury and provided a series of images detailing how they felt there was not a safe walking route into the town centre along the Sherston road. They also felt that a footpath was required from the proposed development to the White Lion Park.

The officer stated that a letter had been received from the Gloucester Health and Care NHS Trust who presently own the field, who supported the application, due to the financial receipts they would get from the sale of the field.

Details were provided on the location of the site and the landscape parameters. The Cotswolds National Landscape abutted the site, and the landscape parameters plan showed that a significant buffer would be included on that side with green spaces and planting. Full details of this would be included in the reserve matters application, if this application was approved. The proposed access for the site was off the Sherston Road and the highways team considered this appropriate. There were a number of proposed off site highways works contributions included in the proposal. There were currently power lines across the site and if approved it was proposed that these would be put underground.

Members of the committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. Details were sought on whether this site was in the Local Plan. The officer explained that the site was included as a reserve site in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

Outline application for up to 70 dwellings, landscaping, green infrastructure, associated drainage measures and vehicular access from the A363 as well as all associated works. Matters to be considered: Access into the site.

Public Participation

Francis Morland spoke in objection to the application.

David Murray-Cox (agent) spoke in support of the application.

Cllr Roger Evans of North Bradley Parish Council spoke in objection to the application.

Jemma Foster, Senior Planning Officer, introduced a report which recommended that the ‘outline application for up to 70 dwellings, landscaping, green infrastructure, associated drainage measures and vehicular access from the A363 as well as all associated works. Matters to be considered: Access into the site’ be delegated to the Director of Planning to grant outline planning permission subject to the prior completion of a Section 106 legal agreement to cover the contributions identified in Section 10.10 of the report, and subject to conditions.

Key details were stated to include the principle of development and access. The application was located outside the limits of development of Trowbridge; however, the land had been allocated as a housing site under Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan (WHSAP) as site H2.2. The H2.2 allocation was for up to 175 dwellings; this proposal was part of the land allocated within the north of the allocation and was for up to 70 dwellings. It was noted that there was a separate full application being assessed by officers for 62 dwellings within the H2.2 allocated site.

The application site measured 8.37 hectares, and was bordered by the A363 to the North, North Bradley to the West, the White Horse Business Park to the East and agricultural land to the South. The agricultural land classification was grade 3 and 4 and was in flood zone 1. There were 3 trees protected by Tree Protection Orders (TPO’s) on the site in the existing tree belt. A masterplan had been submitted for the application, identifying key areas including green corridors/dark corridors, the location of the play area and the location of the housing. The WHSAP housing allocation required the dwellings to be situated in the North and North East of the site.

There had been some revisions to the application since its initial submission, with a reduction in dwellings from 92 to up to 70 and the removal of a 64 bed care home.

Concerns had been raised by North Bradley Parish Council regarding the site not complying with the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy, largely related to the Eastern boundary of the site. It was noted that the strategy required 30m buffers. The proposed site buffer within the application site measured 15m. However, outside of the site boundary, there was a mature woodland tree belt. This, combined with the buffer inside the site boundary complied with the 30m buffer required by the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy. There was also a Lighting Strategy which demonstrated dark corridors along the Eastern boundary, as well as other locations on the site.

The proposed access to the site was off the A363, this included a right hand turn lane; a toucan crossing; foot and cycle paths and 2 new bus stops including shelters. The application had been supported by Wiltshire Council Highways.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

Construction and operation of a renewable energy park comprising ground mounted solar photovoltaics (PV) together with associated infrastructure, access, landscaping and cabling.

Note: A revised version of the Report has been published as Supplement 1 to the agenda. Please disregard the previous version.

Public Participation

Katrina Forrester spoke in objection to the application

Kevin Assinder spoke in objection to the application

Becca Leake (agent) spoke in support of the application

Cllr Ian Kirkpatrick, Christian Malford Parish Council spoke in objection to the application.

Peter Crozier, Senior Planning Officer, introduced a report which recommended that the application for the construction and operation of a renewable energy park comprising ground mounted solar photovoltaics (PV) together with associated infrastructure, access, landscaping and cabling, be granted subject to conditions. It was noted that a slightly updated report had been published in agenda supplement 1.  

The officer stated that the application was for a 23 MW solar farm, and that revised plans and details had been submitted since the original application to address some of the comments made by officers.  In addition, an archaeological trial trench evaluation had been undertaken on the site by the applicant.

The officer took attendees through the slides for the application, detailing maps, plans and the location of the site. There was a railway line at the southern boundary and a Public Right of Way (PROW) running through the middle of the site which would be protected. The site was fairly flat but rose significantly to the South. The substation the site would connect to was on the right by the man road, and the cable route would be underground following the road. This was not the most direct route however the applicant did not own the land between the application site and the substation, hence it following the road. The site covered 46.4ha of agricultural land with solar panels over 10 fields, with a compound area to the East of the site and access from the North. The solar panels would be 3.1m high, which had been reduced from the initial pre-application height. The application proposed deer fencing around the site and palisade fencing around the compound. The site access was explained, and it was noted that deliveries to the site would be restricted during school drop off and pick up times. Other solar developments in the area were detailed, there was only 1 solar farm within a 5km radius. It might be possible to view both sites from one of the PROW in the area, however there was limited intervisibility between the two sites. Lime Down Solar Park, a large proposed solar farm, was some distance away to the North and West.

The site was predominantly flood zone 1, with small areas of flood zone 2. The proposal itself caused no flood risks, with swales and rural Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) proposed. Network Rail had raised some concerns but had been in dialogue with the Drainage officer, and the applicant had made a commitment to maintain all drainage ditches on their land. So the proposal should not affect the railway line. The Drainage officer had no objection subject to conditions.

There were a few heritage assets in the locality and a number of objections had been received, however the Landscape officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

Change of use of land to a travellers caravan site.

Public Participation

Cllr Ivan Moody of Winterslow Parish Council spoke in objection to the application.

Joe Richardson, Senior Planning Officer, introduced a report which recommended that the application for the change of use of land to a travellers caravan site, be delegated to the Director of Planning to approve the application subject to planning conditions and upon the completion of a Legal Agreement to secure the identified biodiversity enhancement measures for the River Test SAC and New Forest SPA.

Using slides (published in supplement 3) to give context, the officer explained that the application was for change of use of land to a traveller site for 4 pitches, on the outskirts of the village of Lopcombe Corner. The site was approximately 0.6 hectares in size to the North of the A30. The site was in the open countryside in planning terms, and there was a Public Right of Way (PROW) to the northwest. There were some residential properties to the east and west of the site. The proposed site layout was shown. Each of the 4 pitches was proposed to have 1 static caravan, a day room, and associated parking. The site had an access track which was currently overgrown, however it was proposed that this be retained as a pathway as there was a bus stop at the end of it on the A30. In addition a new vehicular access would be formed off the A30.

The application was accompanied by a landscape impact assessment, ecological statements and a transport statement, all of which had been assessed by the relevant statutory consultees. All of whom had no objections subject to conditions.

In policy terms the Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document (DPD) would be brought to Full Council in due course to seek approval. Wiltshire Core Strategy (WCS) Core Policy (CP)47 related to meeting the needs of gypsies and travellers, however, was technically considered out of date. Despite this the application had been assessed against the criteria in CP47 as was usual for traveller sites. The National Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2024 (PPTS) was also considered.

In the absence of an adopted DPD, the pitch requirements identified in the 2024 Gypsies and Travellers Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) were considered. This showed that there was an unmet need for additional pitches. Furthermore, appeal decisions had shown that the council could not demonstrate a 5 year supply of sites, which was a significant material consideration. Therefore, paragraph 11d of the National Planning and Policy Framework (NPPF) came into play and the ‘tilted balance’ applied where the presumption was in favour of sustainable development.  Hence the recommendation for approval subject to conditions.

In response to technical questions from Members it was stated that the land was agricultural grade 3, but it was not known whether it was grade 3a or 3b. However, the land was not currently being used for farming or any agricultural purposes.

Members highlighted CP47v which stated that sites should be in or near existing settlements within a reasonable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

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.