Agenda and minutes

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

There were no apologies for absence.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 January 2019. 

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 January 2019 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.

The Assistant Director informed the Panel that items 8/3(a) – Docking and 8/3 – Little Massingham had been withdrawn from the agenda.

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 Councillor attended pursuant to Standing Order 34:

A Lawrence                 8/2(a), 8/2(b) & 8/2(c)              Methwold

To receive any Chairman’s correspondence.

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

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

A copy of the late correspondence received after the publication of the agenda, which had been previously circulated, was tabled.  A copy of the agenda 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) – (xii) below, where appropriate, to the conditions and reasons or grounds of refusal, set out in the schedules signed by the Chairman.

(i)         18/01864/FM

            King’s Lynn:  Land N of Outfall S off Transmission Cables, W off Road, Cross Bank Road:  Erection of anaerobic digestion facility to process biomass including reception/office building and workshop, digesters, storage tanks, combined heat and power plant, energy crop storage area and ancillary plant:  Mr Michael Stollery

The Committee had visited the site prior to the meeting.

The Senior Planner introduced the report and explained that the application sough consent for an Anaerobic Digestion plant that would process up to 42,350 tonnes of biomass / slurry per annum (38,500 + 10 per cent allowance).  There were two extant permissions granted under applications 16/01145/CM and 17/02338/F for similar projects (ie. anaerobic digester plants).  Both previous approvals were on a slightly smaller site.

The 2016 application was a County Matters Application (CM) and was refused by County in April 2017.  However it was approved by the Planning Inspectorate at appeal in November 2017.  It was for a 14,000 tonne facility processing biomass and slurry.

The 2017 application removed slurry from the feedstock and was therefore dealt with by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) as it was no longer classed as a waste proposal.  It was for 19,500 tonnes of biomass.

The facility proposed under the current application would comprise three digesters, a feeder unit, two day tanks, a process building (containing the feeder unit and day tanks), a storage area, gas upgrade unit, CHPs and compressor, fire water store, administration building, car parking, screen bank (made from soil taken to lower the site), an access road, and a contamination bund wall.

All HGV’s serving the development would enter the site from a new access track provided from Estuary Road.  The road benefitted from planning permission granted under application 17/02338/F.

The application had been referred to the Committee for determination by the Assistant Director.

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

·        Principle of development; and

·        Differences and impacts between permitted and proposed schemes.

In accordance with the adopted public speaking protocol, Mr T Pither (objecting) addressed the Committee in relation to the application.

In response to comments raised by the objector, the Senior Planner explained that in relation to the end user, the same condition used by the Planning Inspector had been imposed.  With regards to visual impact, this had been covered during the presentation and in relation to the impact on the landscape, Natural England had raised no objection.

The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Spikings queried what the CSNN conditions related to.  In response the Senior Planner  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC98:a

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

The Committee received schedules relating to the above.

To provide the Committee with the quarterly report covering performance for the period 1 October – 31 December 2018.

The Committee received a report which gave an update on service performance for planning enforcement during the fourth quarter of 2018.

It was reported that the total number of live cases was 272 with 163 cases having been closed.  In addition, 16 formal notices had been served.

RESOLVED:   That, the report be noted.

To provide the Committee with the quarterly report covering performance for the period 1 October – 31December 2018.

The Committee was provided with the quarterly report update covering performance for the period 1 October 2018 – 31 December 2018.

It was noted that for the fourth quarter of 2018, 20% of all appeals were allowed.  For the 12 month period to 31 December 2019 an average of 38% of all appeals were allowed.  This was above the 2017/18 national average figure of around 32% of all appeals allowed.

RESOLVED:   That, the report be noted.