Agenda and draft minutes

SWT Planning Committee
Thursday, 3rd February, 2022 1.00 pm

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

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

Webcast: View the webcast

Items
No. Item

96.

Apologies

97.

Minutes of the previous meeting of the Planning Committee pdf icon PDF 45 KB

    To approve the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee on the 13 January 2022.

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    (Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 13 January 22 circulated with the agenda)

     

    Resolved that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 13 January 22 be confirmed as a correct record.

     

    Proposed by Councillor Lithgow seconded by Councillor Weston

     

    The Motion was carried.

98.

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.)

    Additional documents:

    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

    Description of Interest

    Reason

    Action Taken

    Cllr M Blaker

    Wiveliscombe

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr S Coles

    SCC & Taunton Charter Trustee

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr r Habgood

    31/21/0021/T

    32/21/0022/T

    Personal, know to applicant

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr Mrs Hill

    Taunton Charter Trustee

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr M Lithgow

    Wellington

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr C Morgan

    Stogursey

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr C Palmer

    31/21/0021/T

    32/21/0022/T

    Personal, know to public speaker

    Did not speak or vote on the application

    Cllr R Tully

    West Monkton

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr B Weston

    Taunton Charter Trustee

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr L Whetlor

    Watchet

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

     

     

99.

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.

     

    Temporary measures during the Coronavirus Pandemic

    Due to the temporary legislation (within the Coronavirus Act 2020, which allowed for use of virtual meetings) coming to an end on 6 May 2021, the council’s committee meetings will now take place in the office buildings within the John Meikle Meeting Room at the Deane House, Belvedere Road, Taunton. Unfortunately due to capacity requirements, the Chamber at West Somerset House is not able to be used at this current moment.  

     

    Following the Government guidance on measures to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), the council meeting rooms will have very limited capacity.  With this in mind, we will only be allowing those members of the public who have registered to speak to attend the meetings in person in the office buildings, if they wish (we will still be offering to those members of the public that are not comfortable in attending, for their statements to be read out by a Governance and Democracy Case Manager).  Please can we urge all members of the public who are only interested in listening to the debate to view our live webcasts from the safety of their own home to help prevent the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    Application No

    Name

    Position

    Stance

    18/21/0017

    Mr I Walker

    Ms K Robinson-Burge

     

    Cllr G Wren

    Local resident

    Chair of Halse PC

    Ward Member

     

    Against

    Against

     

    31/21/0021

    Mrs R James

    Applicant

    Against

    31/21/0022

    Mr M Sawyer

    Mrs R James

    Local resident

    Applicant

    Against

    In favour

     

100.

38/21/0464 - Formation of vehicular access with associated works and alterations to highway at the Firepool Regeneration Site, Trenchard Way (and land to the south), Taunton pdf icon PDF 305 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    The Vice-Chair, Councillor Hill sat in the chair for this meeting

     

    Comments from Members included;

    (summarised)

     

    ·       Concerns with access for the disabled community and the steep incline up the hill;

    ·       Discussions were needed with GWR to use the station lift to descend to ground level access to Station Road;

    ·       Concerns with the shared path for pedestrians and cyclists;

    ·       Concerns with the 30 MPH in Trenchard Way, this should be limited due to the fast road;

    ·       Concerns with the loss of trade in Bridge Street;

    ·       This access would be a big improvement on the junction;

    ·       Concerns with the visual impact due to the amount of lamp posts in the area. Retroflected tape was needed the enhance the visibility for the visually impaired;

    ·       Concerns with the crossing point;

    ·       Concerns with getting the balance correct with traffic, pedestrians and cyclists;

    ·       Lack of a Road Safety audit. This needed looking at before work commenced;

     

    Councillor Habgood proposed and Councillor Wakefield seconded a motion for Planning permission to be GRANTED subject to Conditions and an additional note to read;

     

    The applicant is asked to consider the use of retroreflective tape on all posts, poles and freestanding columns to enhance the visibility of such obstacles to those with visual impairments.

     

    The motion was carried.

     

101.

18/21/0017 - Variation of Condition No. 02 (approved plans) of application 18/20/0014 at Birch Cottage, Halse Road, Halse pdf icon PDF 112 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    Comments from Members of the public included;

    (summarised)

     

    ·       Concerns with overlooking and loss of privacy;

    ·       There was an established building line in Halse Road;

    ·       Concerns with the character of the Halse Conservation Area;

    ·       Concerns that this retrospective application would set a precedent in the area;

    ·       Concerns that this application was built in the incorrect place and not built inline with other properties on the row;

    ·       Concerns with loss of value to the other homes in the row;

    ·       The development had not been built according to approved plans;

     

    Comments by Members included:

     

    ·       Concerns with the residential amenity;

    ·       Concerns that the siting error had not picked up before building commenced;

    ·       Current building not built in accordance with approved plans;

    ·       Concerns with the street scene;

    ·       Concerns with the effects of overlooking on the adjoining properties;

    ·       Concerns with the effects on the Conservation area;

    ·       The development was not built in accordance with approved plans;

     

     

    Councillor Blaker proposed and Habgood seconded a motion for the application to be REFUSED

     

    Reasons – Impact on the residential amenity of the development and the effect on the Conservation Area;

     

    The motion was carried.

     

     

102.

31/21/0021 - Application to carry out management works to one Oak tree included in Taunton Deane Borough (Ruishton No.1) Tree Preservation Order 2008 to the rear of 40 Newlands Road, Taunton (TD1051) pdf icon PDF 99 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    This application had one presentation and was voted on separately

     

    Comments from members of the public included:

    (summarised)

     

    ·       The crown reduction of this tree would not be sufficient to reduce the sail area of the tree and the end weight of the branches;

    ·       Concerns that the tree was spread across six other properties in Newland Road and Coronation Close;

    ·       Concerns that this tree can no longer be managed due to ‘summer branch drop’;

     

    Comments by Members include:

    (summarised)

     

    ·       The tree needed to be felled and replaced with a younger tree in a suitable area;

    ·       Concerns with the impact of the pruning;

    ·       Concerns that the trunk would continue to expand and block access to the properties;

    ·       Concerns with climate change and the effect on the tree;

    ·       Neighbour concerns with the tree;

    ·       Crown reduction would significantly reduce the risk for branch drop;

    ·       Regular inspections were needed to check for disease on the tree;

     

    Councillor Lithgow proposed and Councillor Wakefield seconded a motion for Conditional approval to be APPROVED as per officer recommendation.

     

    The motion was carried.

     

103.

31/21/0022 - Application to fell one Oak tree included in Taunton Deane Borough (Ruishton No.1) Tree Preservation Order 2008 at 40 Newlands Road, Ruishton (TD1051) pdf icon PDF 114 KB

104.

42/21/0081 - Demolition of garage and erection of a single Storey extension to the side of Trendle, 49 Church Road, Trull pdf icon PDF 89 KB

105.

Latest appeals and decisions received pdf icon PDF 86 KB