Agenda and draft minutes

RESOLVED:   That Councillor Mrs V Spikings 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 Anota, Everett (Councillor Ware substitute) and Parish (Councillor Ryves substitute) and Devulapalli.

The Chair thanked Councillors Ware and Ryves for being a substitute at the meeting.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 6 January 2025 (previously circulated).

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 January 2025 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.

Councillor Bubb declared an interest in item 9/2(a) Dersingham, as he was the applicant, and would leave the meeting during consideration of the item.

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.

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The Planning Control Manager updated the Committee in relation to the Section 106 Agreements pertaining to application ref: 13/01615/OM.  She advised that significant work had been carried out by officers with the aim still to get all three agreements signed by 6^th February 2025, but she was asking for an additional 2 weeks after the 6^th February, which would be 20^th February in case that could not be agreed.

Councillor de Winton suggested that rather than an additional two weeks, officers should be given an additional four weeks to finalise the agreements and issue the decision notice.

The Housing Services Manager advised that the additional two weeks should be sufficient time, as it was important to align with some of the other funding agreements that were running alongside it.

Councillor Mrs Spikings proposed that an additional one month be given to ensure the agreements were signed and the decision notice issue.  This was seconded by Councillor de Winton.

Councillor Ryes added that he agreed with the additional two weeks suggested by officers, as this would help to keep all parties on track.

The Planning Control Manager added that the programme needed to be kept on-track which was why two weeks had been requested.

Councillor Ryves proposed that an additional two weeks, as suggested by officers, be given to finalise the agreements.

The Committee then voted on the proposal to allow four weeks for the agreements to be completed and the decision issued and, after having been put to the vote, was carried.

RESOLVED:  That authority be granted to continue to negotiate and complete the Section 106 Agreements and issue the decision notice for a further four weeks from 6^th February until 6^th March 2025.

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.

A statement was read out from Councillor Kirk in relation to 9/1(a) – West Walton.

To receive any Chair’s correspondence.

The Chair reported that any correspondence received had been read and passed to the appropriate 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 received.  A copy of the agenda would be held for public inspection with a list of background papers.

The Committee is asked to consider and determine the attached Schedules of Planning Applications submitted by the Assistant Director.

The Committee considered schedules of applications for planning permission submitted by the Assistant Director for Planning and Environment (copies of the schedules were published with the agenda).  Any changes to the schedules will be recorded in the minutes.

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

(i)           24/01561/F

West Walton:  Land SW of The Bungalow, Common Road South, Walton Highway:  Retrospective change of use of previously developed land to enable standing of a residential static caravan and storage and storage of one touring caravan and ancillary works:  F Brazil

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The case officer advised that the application had been deferred from the January Planning Committee meeting following receipt of late correspondence which raised concern over the allocation of the site and the impacts on local residents and landscape, including the surrounding land being used for fly-tipping.  Those issues had been addressed within the updated report.

The application sought full planning permission (retrospective) for the siting of a static caravan and storage of one touring caravan, for occupation by Gypsy and Travellers, on land southwest of The Bungalow, Common Road South, Walton Highway.

The application site was outside of the Development Boundary for Walton Highway and therefore within the wider countryside for the purposes of planning policy.  However, the site was allocated as a proposed G&T site (GT 15) in the main modifications of the Local Plan review.

The site was within Flood Zone 3 within the Borough Council’s SFRA (2018).

The application had been referred to the Planning Committee for determination as it had been deferred from the January Planning Committee meeting.

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, S Carruthers (supporting) addressed the Committee in relation to the application.

The Democratic Services Officer read out a statement from Councillor Kirk, who could not be present at the meeting.

In response to a question from Councillor Ryves, the Assistant Director advised that the site had been allocated within the new Local Plan, but the Inspectors Report had not yet been received. 

Luke Brown, Senior Policy Planner explained the status of the Local Plan at the current time and the weight that could be attached to it.

Councillor de Whalley raised the issue of flood risk and asked to what extent had the sequential test looked at other sites within the area.

Councillor Ryves proposed that determination of the application be deferred until the Inspectors Report into the Local Plan had been received.  This was seconded by Councillor de Whalley.

The Democratic Services Officer then carried out a roll all on the proposal to defer the application until the Inspectors report into the Local Plan had been received and, after having been  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC99:

The Committee is asked to consider the report and note the contents.

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The Planning Enforcement Team Leader explained that the report provided Members with an update on service performance for planning enforcement during the 3^rd and 4^th quarters of 2024 (1^st July 2024 – 31^st December 2024).

The report detailed that the total number of live cases pending was 261 and 338 cases had been closed during the 3^rd and 4^th quarters of 2024.  The reasons for closure had been outlined in the report.  Also, during that period, 10 Notices had been served.

The report also outlined the new staffing structure within the enforcement team, which would come into effect from 1 April 2025.

To receive the Delegated Report and to note the contents.

The Committee received the delegated report.

RESOLVED:   That the report be noted.

The Committee is asked to note the report.

The Committee received the report relating to the quality of decisions.

RESOLVED:   That the report be noted.