Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.  She advised that the meeting was being recorded and streamed live to You Tube.

She invited the Democratic Services Officer to carry out a role call to determine attendees.

To appoint a Vice-Chair for the meeting.

RESOLVED:   That Councillor Bone be appointed as Vice-Chair for the meeting.

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

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors S Lintern (Councillor Bearshaw sub), V Spikings (Councillor Crofts sub) and T de Winton (Councillor Sandell sub).

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting held on 24 April 2023.       

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 April 2023 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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 appointed representatives on the Internal Drainage Boards are noted.

The Chair declared that in relation to application 10/2(j) – whilst she did not know the applicant she did know someone who would be working for it but considered that she could act in a fair, objective and open manner. 

To consider any business, which by reason of special circumstances, the Chair 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 a decision on that item is taken.

The following Councillors attended and addressed the Committee in accordance with Standing Order 34:

Name                          Item                                         Parish

Cllr Parish                   10/1(a), 10/1(b) & 10/2(d)       Heacham

Cllr Kemp                    10/2(a)                                     Clenchwarton

Cllr Kunes                   10/2(a)                                     Clenchwarton

Cllr Lintern                  10/2(h) &10/2(i)                       Stoke Ferry

To receive any Chair’s correspondence.

The Chair 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 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 and Environment (copies of the schedules were published with the agenda).  Any changes to the schedules were recorded in the minutes.

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

(i)              22/01648/FM

Heacham / Snettisham:  Heacham Bottom Farm, Lynn Road:  Change of use of existing buildings and new buildings to provide – new visitor centre, café, event and retail space, indoor play building bike hire service, change of use of land to play facilities and creation of new bike tracks, woodland edge glamping units, car parking, new landscaping and off-road path:  Wild Ken Hill

Click here to view a recording of this item on You Tube.

The Principal Planner introduced the report and advised that some Members would recall that, although the Local Highway Authority (LHA) concluded that the proposed development would not result in the need to seek significant improvements to Lamsey Lane / Lynn Road junction, this application was deferred from 3 April Committee meeting to enable an update on an ongoing feasibility study by Norfolk County Council for improvements to this junction.  Additionally, the Parish Council requested additional traffic information to be submitted because they queried the findings of the Automatic Traffic Count.

The feasibility study had now been concluded and looked at various traffic light and roundabout options, some with bus priority measures, to improve traffic flow at the junction.  The simpler forms of these were lower-cost and required less land take, whereas the roundabout option, which was a typical solution for principal junctions, would involve higher costs and more land take.  A summary of the findings of the feasibility study was attached as an appendix to the report.

Full planning permission was sought for a new destination day visitor attraction including a small 10 yurt glamping site. 

The site measured c.38ha and comprised an area of existing built form in the farmyard, areas of agricultural fields and rough pasture, and a small part of Ken Hill Wood. 

Part of the site fell within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The northern part of the site fell within the parish of Heacham, whilst the southern part fell within the parish of Snettisham.

The site was located outside the development boundary of both villages.

It had been suggested that the proposed development would generate 16.25 full time equivalent jobs.

The application had been referred to the Committee for determination as it had been deferred from the meeting on 3 April and called-in by Councillor Parish.

The Committee noted the key issues for consideration when determining the application, as set out in the report.

In accordance with the adopted public speaking protocol, Mr Henry Head (objecting), Mr P Rawlinson (neutral - Parish Council), Mr James Ellis (supporting) and Dominic Buscall (applicant – supporting) addressed  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC10:a

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

The Committee received schedules relating to the above.

RESOLVED:  That the reports be noted.