Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: The John Meikle Room - The Deane House. View directions

Contact: Tracey Meadows Email: t.meadows@somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

137.

Apologies

138.

Minutes of the previous meeting of the Planning Committee pdf icon PDF 143 KB

    To approve the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee.

    Minutes:

    (Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on the 20th February 2020 circulated with the agenda)

     

    Resolved that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 20th February be confirmed as a correct record.

     

    Proposed by Councillor Habgood, seconded by Councillor Marcia Hill

     

    The Motion was carried.

139.

Declarations of Interest or Lobbying

    To receive and note any declarations of disclosable pecuniary or prejudicial or personal interests or lobbying in respect of any matters included on the agenda for consideration at this meeting.

     

    (The personal interests of Councillors and Clerks of Somerset County Council, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes.)

    Minutes:

    Members present at the meeting declared the following personal interests in their capacity as a Councillor or Clerk of a County, Town or Parish Council or any other Local Authority:-

     

    Name

    Application No

    Description of Interest

    Reason

    Action Taken

    Cllr R Habgood

    42/19/0053

    Tack Member

    Personal

    Did not take part in the vote

    Cllr Marcia Hill

    42/19/0053

    One of the speakers was known to Cllr Hill

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr S Nicholls

    42/19/0053

    Ward Member for Comeytrowe

    Personal

    Spoke and did not take part in the debate or vote

    Cllr C Palmer

    3/26/19/0024

    Is known to the applicant

    Personal

    Did not take part in the debate or vote

    Cllr L Whetlor

    42/19/0053

    One of the speakers was known to Cllr Whetlor

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

     

140.

Public Participation

    The Chair to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme.

     

    For those members of the public who have requested to speak, please note, a three minute time limit applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue.

    Minutes:

    Application No.

    Name

    Position

    Stance

    42/19/0053

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    3/26/19/016

     

     

    45/19/0024

    Cllr J Hunt

    Cllr S Nicholls

    Cllr H Farbahi

    Cllr A Wedderkopp

    Cllr S Wakefield

     

    Mr A Kent

     

    Mrs S Grant

    Mr A Sawyer

    Mr M Ginger

     

     

     

    Ms C Warburton

    Ms J Wooldridge

    Mr T Smith

     

    Mr B Larcombe

     

     

     

     

    Tessa Dean

     

     

    Mr A Paul

     

    Mr L Turner

     

    Mr M Thomas

    Ms R Randell

     

    Mr C Richie

    Mr M January

    Mr D Nurcombe

    Mr I Hayter

    Mr P Harwood

    Mr H Gresswell

     

     

     

     

     

    Ward Member

    Ward Member

    Ward Member

     

     

     

     

    On Behalf of Trull PC

    Local Resident

    Local Resident

    On behalf of the Taunton Area Cycling Campaign

    Local Resident

     

    On behalf of Trull PC

    On behalf of Trull PC

    Chair of Comeytrowe PC

    Local Resident

     

     

     

     

    On behalf of the applicant

    Applicant

    Planning Agent

     

     

    Local Resident

    Local Resident

    Local Resident

    Local Resident

    Local Resident

    Local Resident

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Infavour

    Infavour

     

     

    Objection

    Objection

     

    Infavour

    Infavour

    Infavour

    Infavour

    Infavour

    Infavour

     

141.

42/19/0053 pdf icon PDF 135 KB

    Application for approval of reserved matters following outline application 42/14/0069 for construction of the strategic infrastructure associated with the Western Neighbourhood, including the spine road and infrastructure roads; green infrastructure and ecological mitigation; strategic drainage, earth re-modelling works and associated retaining walls on land at Comeytrowe/Trull

    Minutes:

    Application for approval of reserved matters following outline application 42/14/0069 for construction of the strategic partnership infrastructure associated with the Western Neighbourhood, including the spine road and infrastructure roads; green infrastructure and ecological mitigation; strategic drainage, earth re-modelling works and associated retaining walls on land at Comeytrowe/Trull

     

    Comments by members of the public included;

     

    ·       Flooding issues and run off on site;

    ·       The application was not yet ready to be approved;

    ·       Concerns with the negative impact on neighbouring properties;

    ·       Green buffer zone was needed to mitigate impact;

    ·       Concerns with the road layout;

    ·       Bio diversity issues;

    ·       Concerns with the loss of habitat;

    ·       Concerns with the loss of hedgerows;

    ·       Concerns that there had not being a mitigation statement since 2013;

    ·       Concerns for the Dormice on site;

    ·       Concerns that the application would increase car dependency and cause gridlock on a main arterial road;

    ·       How will the design integrate with the new road network;

    ·       Concerns with the cycling and walking infrastructure;

    ·       A good suds scheme was needed on the site;

    ·       A Masterplan was needed;

    ·       No mention of the Neighbourhood Plan, Community Involvement or Secondary School;

    ·       This application would double the population of Trull/Comeytrowe;

    ·       Concerns that Affordable Housing allocation had been reduced to 17%;

    ·       No climate change was taken into account;

    ·       Concerns with the Bus Lane;

    ·       Onsite water storage;

    ·       Concerns that Dipford Road would become a rat run;

    ·       Concerns that this application has not been updated since 2014;

     

    Comments by members included;

     

    ·       Flooding issues;

    ·       Ecological mitigation issues;

    ·       Concerns that the Spine Road will not be implemented until a later date;

    ·       A cycle path was needed on the A38;

    ·       Concerns with the relocation of Dormice on site;

    ·       Removal of Hedgerows;

    ·       The application was in Flood Zone 1;

    ·       Concerns with the discharge of surface water on the site;

    ·       Bat mitigation;

    ·       Concerns with the loss of Social Housing;

    ·       No involvement with the community;

    ·       This application complies with the NPPF;

     

    At this point in the meeting a 5 minute break was called for

     

    ·       Concerns with the layout and appearance;

     

    Councillor Coles proposed and Councillor Habgood seconded a motion for the application to be APPROVED with amended conditions as per update sheet.

     

    Noted that Cllr Marcia Hill abstained and Cllr Habgood did not take part in the vote.

     

    The motion was carried

     

142.

3/26/19/016 pdf icon PDF 85 KB

    Erection of 9 No. dwellings with associated access,

    landscaping, public open space, drainage and footpath

    works. Former Nursery Site, A39, Washford, Watchet, TA23 0NT

    Minutes:

    Erection of 9 No. dwellings with associated access, landscaping, public open space, drainage and footpath works. Former Nursery Site, A39, Washford, Watchet

     

    Comments from members of the public included;

     

    ·       There was a positive response from consultees;

    ·       Provisions for Wildlife had been made;

    ·       Local contractors were to be used for the application;

    ·       A new footpath would be created to link into the town;

    ·       The development would provide 3 additional homes for Washford;

    ·       The hedgerows along with the Oak Tree would be protected;

    ·       The new footpath would provide a safe route for cyclists;

     

    At this point in the meeting a half hour extension was called for.

     

    Comments from members included;

     

    ·       The development was sympathetic to the surrounding buildings;

    ·       Concerns with the access onto and from the site;

    ·       Flooding issues;

    ·       Concerns with who will maintain the wildlife buffer after 5 years;

    ·       Pleased to see that a brown field site is being used for this development;

    ·       Concerns with the speed limit on the road;

    ·       Concerns with the wildlife on the site;

    ·       Concerns with the lighting and surface on the footpath;

    ·       Would the footpath be of a sufficient width to allow wheelchair use;

     

     

    Councillor Coles proposed and Councillor Sully seconded a motion for the application to be Approved subject to legal agreement delegating powers to chief planning specialist; and discussions with the ecologist to ensure that all necessary planning conditions in relation to ecology are imposed.

     

    The motion was carried

     

    Noted that Cllr Palmer abstained from the vote

143.

45/19/0024 pdf icon PDF 150 KB

    Demolition of stables and erection of 2 No. detached dwellings with garages, parking and associated works at Bashford Stables, West Bagborough Road, West Bagborough (resubmission of 45/18/0019)

    Minutes:

    Demolition of stables and erection of 2 No. detached dwellings with garages, parking and associated works at Bashford Stables, West Bagborough Road, West Bagborough (resubmission of 45/18/0019)

     

    Comments made by members of the public included;

     

    ·       The development was out of keeping with existing properties;

    ·       The site was not suitable due to its size;

    ·       The development would cause harm to the Conservation area;

    ·       This would set a precedent for back land developments;

    ·       This development would have no economic value for the village;

    ·       There was no evidence that more housing was needed in the village;

    ·       The village was changing in nature, extra housing was needed to encourage younger people back into the village;

    ·       The Parish Council did not have any objections to this development;

    ·       Younger children were needed in the village;

     

    At this point in the meeting a 30 minute extension was called for.

     

    ·       This development would be constructed in local stone;

    ·       No impact on the village;

    ·       The site was suitable to develop;

    ·       The development did not impact on the Conservation area;

    ·       This was a sustainable development;

    ·       No objections from Somerset County Council;

    ·       No access issues;

     

    Comments made by members included;

     

    ·       The development was badly located (wrong houses in the wrong place);

    ·       The houses were too large for the existing plot;

    ·       Over development of the site;

     

    Councillor Marcia Hill propose and Councillor Sully seconded a motion for the application to be REFUSED as per officer recommendation;

     

    The Motion was carried.

144.

Access to information - Exclusion of Press and Public

     

    During discussion of the following item(s) it may be necessary to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Article 13 13.02(e) (a presumption in favour of openness) of the Constitution.  This decision may be required because consideration of this matter in public may disclose information falling within one of the descriptions of exempt information in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.  The Council will need to decide whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

     

    Recommend that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item(s) of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).  

145.

Tonedale Mills, Wellington