Agenda and draft minutes

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

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Devulapalli (Cllr Ryves sub) and Councillor Ring.

The Chair thanked Councillor Ryves for being a substitute at the meeting.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting held on          and the Reconvened Meeting held on       .

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 November 2024 (previously circulated) were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair subject to the following amendments proposed by Councillor Everett:

Amendment 1

PC60: Appointment of Vice-Chair

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

Change to:

PC60: Appointment of Vice-Chair

RESOLVED: Councillor Mrs Spikings was appointed as Vice-Chair, however Councillor Mrs Spikings withdrew as Vice-Chair before the first agenda item and was replaced by Councillor Ring.

Amendment 2

Councillor Ring proposed that Standing Order 34 be suspended for the purposes of the item (i below), which was seconded by Councillor de Whalley.

The Democratic Services Officer then carried out a roll call on the proposal to suspend the wording in Standing Order 34 and, after having been put to the vote was carried thereby allowing Councillor Parish to speak on application (i).

Councillor Mrs Spikings stated that in view of this she no longer wished to be Vice-Chair and withdrew from the position.

Change to:

Councillor Ring proposed that Standing Order 34 be suspended for the purposes of the item (i below), which was seconded by Councillor de Whalley.

This vote was proposed by the Chair to be carried out by show of hands. Councillor Everett requested a formal recorded vote to be carried out in regards to the suspension of Standing Orders.

The Democratic Services Officer then carried out a roll call on the proposal to suspend the wording in Standing Order 34 and, after having been put to the vote was carried [insert number of votes for and against] thereby allowing Councillor Parish to speak on application (i).

Councillor Mrs Spikings stated that in view of this decision she no longer wished to be Vice-Chair and withdrew from the position.

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 de Winton advised that he did not have a declaration of interest but wished to inform the Committee that applications 24/00143/F and 24/01121/F were within his ward.

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 to consider 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.

Statement to be read out from Councillor Moriarty in relation to 9/1(a) - Crimplesham

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 tabled.  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) – (iv) below, where appropriate, to the conditions and reasons or grounds of refusal, set out in the schedules signed by the Chair.

(i)            24/01869/F

Crimplesham: SJC Trailers Ltd, 6 New Road: Removal of Condition number 3 attached to planning permission 24/00476/F: Proposed industrial unit to provide covered storage for existing trailers incorporating new landscaping and enlargement of existing vehicular access

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The Case Officer introduced the report and advised that the planning application sought the removal of condition no.3 attached to planning consent 24/00476/F which granted consent for a proposed industrial unit to provide covered storage for existing trailers incorporating new landscaping and enlargement of existing vehicular access at SJC Trailers Ltd, 6 New Road, Crimplesham.  Condition 3 stated that the development should at all times be used in association with the site and it should at no time be sold/let/used for any other business or commercial purposes.

The application site was within an established commercial area off New Road, to the north of the A1122 (Downham Road).  The site was within the settlement of Crimplesham which was categorised as a Smaller Village or Hamlet in the adopted Local Plan.  As such the site was on land designated as countryside.

The site had been operated by SJC Trailers Ltd who stored trailers and trailer parts for repairs/upgrades and supply.  The applicant hoped to build and occupy the building recently granted consent, but to also subdivide the site to allow the existing building to be occupied by another operator (a similar type of business) within the approved land use.

The Case Officer referred the Committee to the late correspondence and advised there was a comment from Crimplesham Parish Council supporting the application.

The application had been referred to the Committee for determination by Councillor Moriarty.

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, Kathy Collins (supporting) addressed the Committee in relation to the application.

The Democratic Support Officer read out a statement from Councillor Moriarty in relation to the application.

The County Highways Officer provided the Committee with some history in relation to the site and explained that in 2010, there was a fatal accident in the area and that County Highways always had concerns with the junction on the main road leading to the site.  The County Highways Officer explained they had suggested having a right-hand turn lane as vehicles passed at speed on that road and vehicles wishing to turn right onto the junction were detrimental to highway safety.

It was explained when the subsequent planning application came  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC78:

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.

The Committee is asked to note the report.

The Committee received the tree update report.

Councillor Parish thanked the Officer for the detailed observations which they made on many planning applications.

Councillor de Whalley referred to the Downham Market Lidl development and explained he had received concerns in relation to the removal of a hedge that was originally retained within the planning application but as part of discharge planning conditions, it had been moved and replaced and asked how that was evaluated to make sure that they got equity and whether there was any consideration that a replaced hedge did not have the value of the original hedge.

The Officer advised the application was determined before his time at the Borough Council but explained that during the build period, the entrance on the Highway required site lines which required the removal of the trees and hedges and added that there was also an issue with drainage where they needed to construct the new drainage at the front of the store.  The landscaping was agreed and amended later on.  The Officer stated the new landscaping was acceptable and would as it matured, acceptably replace the hedge which was originally there.

In response to a question from Councillor Coates, the Officer outlined the procedure for TPOs.  In response to a further comment from Councillor Coates, the Officer confirmed that when a TPO is made, they were publicised immediately onto the Borough Council’s website but advised he was not aware what the current arrangements were for notifying Ward Members and saw no reason why they couldn’t notify Members of the Committee of any new TPOs in their Wards and confirmed they would look into it.

The Case Officer responded to further questions from Committee Members in relation to TPOs.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.