Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 9 August 2023 be confirmed.

An update sheet was circulated 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.

Please note that, in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct, when declaring interests members must disclose the existence and nature of the interest, and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) or personal and/or pecuniary.

No declarations of interest were received.

Simon Cousins, Planning Team Leader:

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

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

3. referred to the Update Sheet tabled at tonight’s meeting which contained a revised map showing the correct location of the tree

4. 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

5. reported that the initial 6 months of protection for this tree would come to an end for the Tree Preservation Order on 30 September 2023

6. confirmed that the reason for making a Tree Preservation Order on this site was as a result of an application from the owners to carry out pruning works to the tree

7. reported that the property was located within a conservation area which was the reason why consent was required

8. reported that the Arboricultural Officer had carried out a site visit at which he identified the tree to be suitable for protection under a Tree Preservation Order, having high amenity value, and that its removal would have an effect on the aesthetic appearance of the area

9. advised that consultation had been carried out with the owner of the property and no objections had been received to the order

10. advised that confirmation of the Tree Preservation Order here would ensure that the tree could not be removed or worked on without the express permission of the council which would be considered detrimental to visual amenity and as such the protection of the tree would contribute to one of the Councils priorities of enhancing our remarkable place.

RESOLVED that Tree Preservation Order No 175 be confirmed without modification and that delegated authority be granted to the Assistant Director of Planning to carry out the requisite procedures for confirmation.

The Planning Team Leader:

a.    advised that Outline Planning Permission was first granted for the residential development of this piece of land in November 2019 and the site had been allocated for residential development in the previous and the current Local Plan

b.    highlighted that outline planning permission granted in 2019 was for 14 bungalows and this permission was subsequently amended in 2021 to provide details of drainage

c.    described the application now before Planning Committee this evening as follows:

·         Planning permission was sought to discharge all of the reserved matters from the amended outline planning permission, detailed at condition 2 of the outline planning permission.

·         It encompassed details of the layout of the development, the appearance of the dwellings, the scale of the dwellings, the landscaping of the site and the means of access.

·         The applicant was also seeking to discharge condition 4 of the outline planning permission which dealt with tree protection during development and also condition 5 which dealt with existing and proposed site levels.

·         A copy of the outline planning permission was attached to the officer’s report.

·         The details of the reserved matters still proposed the 14 bungalows as had been approved under the outline planning permissions and as part of a development of this site four of those bungalows would be affordable.

d.    described the site history to the application site as detailed within the officer’s report

e.    advised that the relevant planning policies considered at the time of the granting of outline planning permission were policies from the now super seeded Local Plan; the current Local Plan policies that were relevant to the consideration for the reserved matters application were as follows:

·         Policy S53: Design and Amenity Standards

·         Policy S48: Walking and Cycling Provision

·         Policy S49: Parking Provision

f.     reported that the issues raised by the application were primarily those of detail; the application conformed with what had been granted planning permission at the outline stage and so our consideration focussed on the details of the five reserved matters and the associated conditions

g.    stated that the principle of the development of the site was already approved and the issue of the point of access was effectively also approved by reason of the location and shape of the site

8. outlined the responses made to the consultation exercise

9. referred to the Update Sheet which included further representations received in respect of the planning application, including a Highway and Lead Flood Authority Report stating there were no objections to the proposed scheme

10. concluded that the details provided by the applicants, to satisfy the reserved matters condition and two further conditions on the outline planning permission were acceptable and appropriate and directly related to the parent permission.

Mr Adrian Coulbeck, local resident, addressed Planning Committee in objection to the proposed planning application, covering the following main points:

·         He thanked members of Planning Committee for allowing him the opportunity to speak.

·         He raised concerns regarding the grassed area of Wolsey Way.

·         The grassland had not been maintained  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.