Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting held on 8 May 2018.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 8 May 2018 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.

There were no declarations of interest.

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 no urgent business under Standing Order 7.

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.

No Councillors attended under Standing Order 34.

To receive any Chairman’s correspondence.

The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Spikings reported that any correspondence received had been read and passed to the relevant officers.

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

A copy of the late correspondence received since the publication 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.

The Committee is asked to note the Index of Applications.

The Committee noted the Index of Applications.

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 for Planning & Environment (copies of the schedules are published with the agenda).  Any changes to the schedules are recorded in the minutes.

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

(i)         17/00138/F

            Northwold:  Parish Council Land, School Lane:  Development of Parish Council land to change use from allotment land to community car park:  Northwold and Whittington Parish Council

The Principal Planner reminded the Committee that the application had been deferred from the April meeting to enable further consideration of a scheme that was submitted under late correspondence.  Since that time, the Parish Council had met with the Local Highway Authority (LHA) and come up with a solution that addressed the LHA’s concerns.

The application had been referred to the Committee for determination as the application was deferred from the Committee meeting held in April.

Permission was sought for the change of use of former allotment land to a community car park.  The car park would provide 26 x 7 x 2.5 m spaces on grass reinforced mesh and would use the existing cemetery access that would be widened and upgraded as part of the proposal.

The previous proposal was for 24 car parking spaces using two existing accesses onto School Lane using an ‘in’ and ‘out’ circuit.  The ‘in’ would utilise the existing cemetery access and the ‘out’ would utilise an existing field access.  The proposal resulted in an objection from the LHA as the applicant (the Parish Council) did not control the land to the east of the eastern access and therefore long term visibility could not be certain.

The current proposal meant that there was sufficient land on either side of the access/exit to ensure long term visibility.

The current proposal would result in the loss of a conifer tree, removal of the existing gates at the entrance to the cemetery and relocation of the existing boundary fence with School Lane to provide visibility splays.

The Principal Planner referred to late correspondence and the objection from the PROW Officer which related to the amended plan which indicated an extension of the fence across the top of the public  right of way (which ran to the east of the site adjacent to 30 School Lane) leaving a 1m gap for pedestrians.  The reason the fence was shown was to prevent vehicles from exiting the car park through the existing access to the east (also the Public Right of Way) in the interests of highway safety.  Given the PROW officer’s objection and the fact that the extent of the PROW cannot be determined at this stage, an additional condition (7) was suggested which allowed for negotiation between both parties.  It was confirmed that both parties were happy with this approach.

The Principal Planner  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC7:a

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

The Committee received Schedules relating to the above.

RESOLVED:   That, the report be noted.

To consider the report prepared by the Arboricultural Officer.

The Committee received a report which updated Members on recent Tree Preservation Orders that had been served since 1 November – 30 April 2018, along with a summary on some of the other aspects of the work in relation to trees.

It was noted that 6 new TPOs had been served since November 2017.  Where no objections had been received to the making of the Order, they had been confirmed under delegation powers.  When objections had been received, these would need to be considered by the Planning Committee as to whether or not the TPO was confirmed.  Since November 2017, 5 TPOs had been confirmed under delegated powers with 1 awaiting confirmation by the Planning Committee.

RESOLVED:   That, the report be noted.