Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 22 March 2023 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a true record.

An update sheet was circulated at the meeting in relation to planning applications to be considered this evening, which included additional information for Members attention received after the original agenda documents had been published.

RESOLVED that the update sheet be received by Planning Committee.

No declarations of interest were received.

In the interest of transparency Councillor Naomi Tweddle, Chair, requested it be noted in relation to the application for development Agenda Item No 5 Confirmation of Tree Preservation Order No.174, that residents had spoken to her in her Ward in relation to this item. However, she had not given an opinion on the application to be discussed and remained with an open mind on this matter. She had simply referred her Ward residents to the Planning Office should they have any technical questions.

RESOLVED that the order of business be amended to allow the applications for development ‘Adjacent to Post Office, Parklands Foodstore, Boultham Park Road, Lincoln’, and ‘Confirmation of Tree Preservation Order No.174’, to be considered as the following two agenda items respectively.

The Planning Team Leader:

a.    advised that the purpose of the application was to determine whether prior approval was required for the installation of a 15m high slim-line monopole, supporting 5 no. antennas, 2 no. equipment cabinets, 1 no. electric meter cabinet and ancillary development including 1 no. GPS module on Boultham Park Road

b.    described the location of the site on the east side of Boultham Park Road, to the north of the roundabout, sat within the public highway, adjacent to the brick boundary wall of the Co-op Parklands food store and Post Office

c.    highlighted that the north/east and south of this section of Boultham Park Road was characterised by commercial premises, some containing residential flats above,

d.    added that Home Grange three storey apartment was located behind the Co-op store with vehicular access taken adjacent to the stores, together with a bus stop directly opposite the site to the north-west with St Peter and Paul Catholic Church beyond

e.    stated that the wider area was characterised by predominately two storey properties

f.     reported that the application was submitted under Part 16 of Schedule 2 (England) Order 2015 (GPDO) as amended by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) (no.2) Order 2016, which set out the permitted development right to install masts of up to 25m above ground level on highway land

g.    clarified that the ground-based apparatus with associated cabinets at the bottom of the monopole was permitted development; however, prior approval was required for the monopole in terms of its siting and appearance

h.    advised that  a declaration had been submitted with the application which confirmed that the equipment was in line with International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection Public Exposure Guidelines (ICNIRP)

i.      reported that the application was brought before Planning Committee at the request of Councillor Bob Bushell

j.      provided details of the policies pertaining to the application, as follows:

·         Policy LP26: Design and Amenity

·         National Planning Policy Framework      

11. advised Planning Committee that the only issue to be considered by the Local Planning Authority in determining this prior approval application was the siting and appearance of the proposed telecommunications equipment

12. outlined the responses made to the consultation exercise

13. referred to the Update sheet which included further representations received in respect of the planning application

14. concluded that the siting and design of the telecom’s equipment was acceptable, and the proposal would not have an unduly harmful visual impact on the character and appearance of the area, in accordance with Central Lincolnshire Local Plan Policy LP26 and paragraph 130 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

John Wearing addressed Planning Committee on behalf of local residents with concerns regarding the planning application, covering the following main points:

·         He represented 44 residents of Home Grange Retirement complex to the rear of the Co-op store.

·         He wished to state that residents were not against the installation of wireless masts.

·         However, the siting and position of this mast on the public footpath next to a busy public  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78.

Simon Cousins, Planning Team Leader:

1. advised members of the reasons why a temporary tree preservation order made by the Assistant Director for Planning under delegated powers should be confirmed at the following site:

2. provided details of the individual trees to be covered by the order and the contribution they made to the area

3. reported that the making of any Tree Preservation Order was likely to result in further demands on staff time to deal with any applications submitted for consent to carry out tree work and to provide advice and assistance to owners and others regarding protected trees, however, this was contained within existing staffing resources

4. highlighted that the making of Tree Preservation Orders reduced the risk of losing important trees, groups of trees and woodlands and further allowed the Council to protect trees that contributed to local environment quality

5. advised that it was proposed to modify the boundary of the temporary TPO as detailed within the officer’s report to take account of policy decisions whilst also retaining significant areas of woodland

6. reported that the initial 6 months of protection for these trees would come to an end for the Tree Preservation Order on 2 May 2023

7. detailed the background to the consideration of this matter as follows:

The Assistant Director of Planning:

a.    advised that outline planning permission was sought for the erection of a hotel at the corner of Waterside South and Melville Street in respect of access with all other matters; appearance, landscaping, layout and scale reserved

b.    explained that the proposed hotel was for approximately 120-150 beds, with front of house and restaurant facilities provided at ground level

c.    advised that the proposal had been subject to pre application discussions and had also been negotiated during the course of the application, with revisions secured and revised plans received; the main changes to the scheme comprised the removal of a storey and the realignment of the building line back from Melville Street

d.    highlighted that whilst all matters except access were reserved, given the location of the site within the Cathedral and City Centre  Conservation Area, and the potential effect of the hotel on views of the historic hillside and Cathedral, indicative details of the potential height, scale, massing and design parameters of the building were required as part of the Outline submission

e.    advised that as the application was for Outline permission, the detailed design of the hotel had not been finalised, however, a design code had been provided as part of the application, along with an indication of height and massing with the final elevational treatment and material pallets to be agreed at Reserved Matters stage

f.     reported that the site, formerly the Co-op City Square Shopping Centre and car park was currently vacant, all existing structures on the site would be demolished, including the existing footbridge which spanned Melville Street and landed within the NE corner of the application site

g.   explained that the proposed hotel site was 1911m in an area located immediately south of the River Witham, part of the wider Cornhill Quarter redevelopment scheme and close to the recent developments of the new Central Car Park and the City Bus Station

h.    confirmed the location of the site within the Cathedral and City Centre and Conservation Area No1 and within the Central Mixed Use Area

i.      advised that an application for full planning permission had also been submitted on behalf of McCarthy Stone for a scheme of apartments, associated parking and living facilities with ground floor retail for the remainder of the City Square Shopping Centre site to the east of the application site (2022/0128/FUL)

j.      provided details of the policies pertaining to the application, as follows:

·         Policy LP1: A Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development

·         Policy LP17: Landscape, Townscape and Views

·         Policy LP26: Design and Amenity

·         National Planning Policy Framework

k.    advised Planning Committee of the main issues to be considered as part of the application to assess the proposal with regards to:

·         Local and National Planning Policy

·         Demolition in the Conservation Area including existing buildings and footbridge

·         Effect on established key views including the historic hillside and Cathedral

·         Effect on the Character and Appearance of the Conservation Area and Visual Amenity

·         Impact on Residential Amenity

·         Vitality  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80.