Agenda and minutes

The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Spikings welcomed everyone to the meeting, in particular the new Members of the Committee.  She requested that all mobile phones be switched to silent.  She also welcomed John Shaw from Norfolk County Council Highways.

To receive any apologies for absence and to note any substitutions.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J Moriarty.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting held on 27 April 2015 and the Reconvened Meeting held on 30 April 2015.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 27 April 2015 and the Reconvened Meeting held on 30 April 2015 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, Councillor Mrs Spikings. 

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

·             Councillor Storey declared an interest on Agenda item 9, page 141, application 15/00468/CM.

To consider any business, which by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposes to accept, under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

There was none.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.

The following Councillors attended and addressed the Committee on the application indicated against their name:

Name                            Item                            Application

J Westrop                    8/2(d)                           15/00433/F

L Bambridge               8/2(f)                            15/00445/F

To receive any Chairman’s correspondence.

The Chairman reported that any correspondence received had been read and passed to the relevant officers.  She also reported that she had received a letter of thanks from an applicant, who had had an application approved at the previous meeting, for the way in which the Committee had considered and determined the application.

To receive the Schedule of Late Correspondence received since the publication of the agenda.

A copy of the summary of relevant correspondence received since the compilation of the agenda, which had been previously circulated, was tabled.  A copy of the summary would be held for public inspection with a list of background papers. 

To consider and determine the attached Schedule of Planning Applications submitted by the Executive Director.

The Committee considered schedules of applications for planning permission submitted by the Executive Director, Geoff Hall (copies of the schedules signed by the Chairman are attached to the signed Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee).

RESOLVED:         That, the applications be determined as set out at (i) – (viii) below, subject where appropriate to the conditions and reasons or grounds of refusal set out in the schedules signed by the Chairman.

                  (i)       15/00190/FM

Snettisham:   Snettisham Park, Bircham Road:  Change of use from livery yard to camping with associated camping pods and amenities block:  Stanton Farms Ltd 

The Principal Planner introduced the report and explained that the site consisted of an existing livery yard within part of Park Farm, a large farm holding (and established tourist site) situated on the eastern side of the village of Snettisham.  The application site was a paddock and stable block with existing hedging and fencing to the site boundary.  It was located to the north of the main visitor centre buildings.

Park Farm itself covered an area of approximately 9.2 hectares and included an existing small caravan site and a series of farm buildings, fields and paddocks. 

The site was surrounded by allotments to the north, open fields to the east, fields and camp site to the west and the visitor centre building and parking to the south.

The application proposed the change of use of the livery yard into a campsite with the conversion of the existing stable block into an amenities block including washing facilities, reception and campsite shop.  Vehicular access would be via the existing access to the visitor’s facilities off Bircham Road.

The application had been referred to the Committee for determination as the views of Snettisham Parish Council was contrary to the officer recommendation and raised matters of wider concern.

The Principal Planner then outlined the key issues for consideration when determining the application, namely:

·   Principle of development;

·   Character and appearance and impact on the countryside;

·   Impact upon residential amenity;

·   Tourism and local economy;

In accordance with the adopted public speaking protocol, Mr A Parker (objecting), Angela Schumann (objecting), Parish Councillor M Billington (objecting), County Councillor J Dobson (objecting) and Caroline Kerss (supporting) addressed the Committee in relation to the application.

The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Spikings then invited Mr John Shaw, Norfolk County Council Highways to respond to queries raised by the public speaker.  Mr Shaw explained that all traffic had been looked at not just caravans.  In relation to a solar farm development, he explained that this would be a different type of development involving a lot of construction traffic in a tight time-frame, whereas this proposal was different and needed to be looked at on its own merits.  In relation to the report from Create Consulting concerning the fact that two caravans could not pass, he explained that the caravans could wait safely so there was not a need for them to pass all the way along the road.  There was a  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC9:

To receive the Schedule of Planning Applications determined by the Executive Director.

                  The Committee received the Schedules relating to the above. 

                  RESOLVED:        That, the report be noted.       

To update Members in respect of a continuing breach of planning control and to seek a resolution in respect of what further enforcement action is required, if any, to remedy the breach of planning control.

                  The Planning Control Manager explained that the report had been brought to the Planning Committee so that Members could note the continuing breach of planning control and a resolution to remedy the breach of planning control following non-compliance with a Section 215 Notice.

                  The wall was situated on land on the east side of Garwood Close, King’s Lynn.  The wall formed the boundary treatment of the car park area.  Each owner within the immediate area had at least one parking bay allocated and registered with the property.

                  It was reported that concerns of local residents about the condition of the wall and the impact on the character and appearance of the street were brought to the attention of the Planning Enforcement Team in September 2012. 

                  Negotiations with two landowners resulted in partial compliance, ie. a section of the wall had been rebuilt.  However,  the owner of the section of wall that remained in a poor condition advised the Council that she was of ill health and with little financial means.

                  The Committee then considered the options for remedying the breach of planning control:

·        Option 1 – Prosecution

·        Option 2 – Injunction

·        Option 3 – Direct Action

·        Option 4 – Take no further action

·        Option 5 – Discretionary extension of compliance period

                  RESOLVED:         (1)    That the update in respect of the continuing breach of planning control be noted

                  (2)      That authority be granted to the Executive Director of Environment and Planning for the implementation and execution of direction action under Section 219 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to comply with requirements set out in paragraph 3 of the Section 215 Notice.

To receive a quarterly update report covering performance for the period 1 January 2015 to 31 March 2015.

                  The Committee considered a report which provided an update on service performance for planning enforcement for the first quarter of 2015.

                  RESOLVED:         That, the report be noted.

To receive the quarterly update report covering performance for the period 1 January 2015 to 31 March 2015.

                  The Committee received a quarterly update covering performance for the period 1 January – 31 March 2015.

                  The data showed that for the first quarter of 2015, 42% of all appeals were allowed.  For the 12 month period to 31 March 2015 an average of 30% of all appeals were allowed.  This is below the traditional national average figure of around 33% of all appeals allowed. 

                  RESOLVED:         That, the report be noted.

The Meeting closed at 2.20 pm