Agenda and minutes

SWT Planning Committee
Thursday, 24th October, 2019 1.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber - West Somerset House. View directions

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

Items
No. Item

72.

Chair of Planning Committee

73.

Apologies

74.

Minutes of the previous meeting of the Planning Committee pdf icon PDF 52 KB

    To approve the minutes of the previous meeting of the Planning Committee on Thursday 3 October 2019

    Minutes:

    (Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 3 October 2019 circulated with the agenda)

     

    Resolved that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 3 October 2019 be confirmed as a correct record.

     

    Proposed by Councillor Marcia Hill, seconded by Councillor Buller

     

    The Motion was carried.

75.

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

    Item No.

    Description of Interest

    Reason

    Action Taken

    Cllr S Buller

    5 & 6

    Various correspondence received

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr R Habgood

    5

    Various correspondence received

     

     

    Cllr Mrs Hill

    5

    Various correspondence received.

    Taunton Charter Trustee

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr M Lithgow

    5

    Various correspondence received

    Wellington

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr J Lloyd

    5

    Undertook a site visit.

    Wellington & Sampford Arundel

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr C Morgan

    5

    Various correspondence received.

    Stogursey

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr C Palmer

    5

    Various correspondence received.

    Member of the public in the chamber was known to Cllr Palmer.

    Minehead

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr R Tully

    5

    Various correspondence received.

    West Monkton

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr B Weston

    5

    Various correspondence received.

    Taunton Charter Trustee

    Personal

    Spoke and Voted

    Cllr G Wren

    5

    Various correspondence received.

     

     

     

76.

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

    3/37/17/019

    Mr G Newland

    Mrs R Woods

    A Bowsher

    R Farrow

    J Abbot-Garner

    Rep for Cllr Whetlor, L Peeks

    Mrs L Peeks

    Mr P Murphy

     

    Mr M Kendrick

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Williton PC

    Watchet PC

    Grassroots Agent

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Infavour

    10/19/0023

    Mr P Radice

    E Carroll

    G Chaplin

    J Banks

    Local Resident

    Local Resident

    Local Resident

    Agent

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Objecting

    Infavour

     

77.

Public question time

78.

3/37/17/019 pdf icon PDF 203 KB

    Outline Planning Application with all matters reserved, except for means of access, for the erection of up to 139 dwellings and associated works on Land south of Doniford Road and Normandy Avenue, Watchet, Taunton

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    3/37/17/019 Outline Planning Application with all matters reserved, except for means of access, for he erection of up to 139 dwellings and associated works on Land south of Doniford Road and Normandy Avenue, Watchet, Taunton

     

     

    Comments received from members of the public included;

     

    ·       Flooding issues;

    ·       New homes should be in reach of local amenities;

    ·       Concerns with access to the site from Doniford Road, Williton;

    ·       Concerns with noise and disturbance whilst this estate was being built;

    ·       No bus routes to the estate;

    ·       Public access through Cherry Tree Way was a permissive right given by the residents of Cherry Tree Way and could be taken away at any time;

    ·       No appointments available for the doctors surgery;

    ·       Concerns with the private roads upkeep;

    ·       The development should not be developed until the Liddymoor Farm site was developed;

    ·       Development did not comply with Policies SC1,SC5,OC1,CF5,CF2;

    ·       Concerns that there were no street lights or footpath to the site;

    ·       Public Right of Way to the site needed improving:

    ·       Watchet was already saturated by proposed housing developments;

    ·       There was no infrastructure in Watchet to sustain this development;

    ·       Increased traffic;

    ·       Concerns with the loss of the road side hedge changing the rural character;

    ·       This development would have an adverse impact on the landscape;

    ·       Concerns with lack of consultation on the application;

    ·       Currently there was a green open space between the edge of Watchet and the outline of Normandy drive, this development would close this;

    ·       The AONB need to be consulted on this application;

    ·       The site had been promoted for development in a transparent and  correct manner;

    ·       Public consultation was sought with various consultees;

    ·       Pre application advice was sought for this development;

    ·       5 years was not considered to be a speculative development for this site;

    ·       The development would improve flooding on this site;

    ·       No technical objections had been received for this scheme;

    ·       This development would alleviate the housing crisis in West Somerset;

     

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

     

    Comments from members included;

     

    ·       Concerns with how the cyclist and walkers would get to Williton;

    ·       Wildlife would be squeezed into a smaller area;

    ·       The traffic impact was not seen on the site visit;

    ·       There was no easy way to get into Watchet from this site;

    ·       Concerns with Flooding issues on the site;

    ·       Concerns that the site would be visible from the AONB;

    ·       Concerns that the site was premature;

    ·       Ecological mitigation needs to be taken into account;

    ·       Development not compliant with the purposes of sustainability;

    ·       Lack of bus services to the area;

    ·       The site was not appropriate until Liddymoor Farm had been developed;

    ·       Concerns with the access through Cherry Tree Way;

    ·       The site did not comply with TR2 regarding reducing reliance on private cars;

    ·       Further commitment to social housing was needed;

    ·       Concerns with lack of employment in the area;

     

    Councillor Aldridge proposed and Councillor Morgan seconded a motion for the application to be REFUSED the motion failed.

     

    Councillor Habgood proposed and Councillor Tully seconded a motion for the application to be APPROVED with the amended  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78.

79.

10/19/0023 pdf icon PDF 160 KB

    Change of use of 3. No agricultural buildings to 1 No. 3 bedroom dwelling (Class C3) and associated works at Pay Farm, Willand Road, Churchstanton

    Minutes:

    10/19/0023 Change of use of 3. No agricultural buildings to 1 No. 3 bedroom dwelling (Class C3) and associated works at Pay Farm, Willand Road, Churchstanton

     

    Comments by member of the public included;

     

    ·       Concerns that this was a 70% rebuild;

    ·       Proposal did not satisfy DM2;

    ·       Site lied within the AONB;

    ·       The buildings were of a poor quality and not suitable for residential use;

    ·       There were no exceptional circumstances to justify conversion;

    ·       Concerns that it was 1.75 miles to the nearest amenities;

    ·       This was an unwarranted development in the Countryside;

    ·       No mains water or sewerage on site;

    ·       Increased traffic flow;

    ·       Track would not hold up to construction traffic;

    ·       Unsuitable site for development;

    ·       The buildings had local character;

    ·       Significant building work was not needed to restore these barns;

     

    Comments by Members included;

     

    ·       Concerns regarding the proximity of the master bedroom and en-suite to the main building which was across the yard;

    ·       Concerns that this development was in the middle of the AONB;

    ·       Concerns with the impact and size of the development;

    ·       Concerns with the access road;

    ·       Concerns with drainage on the site;

    ·       Unsustainable location for development;

     

    Councillor Wren proposed and Councillor Lloyd seconded a motion to REFUSE the application.

     

    The Motion was carried

     

    Reason

     

    The proposed development is considered to be in an unsustainable location and by virtue of the master bedroom and en-suite being separate from the main dwelling, is considered to be poor design and would detract from the character and appearance of this part of the AONB. The Local Planning Authority is also not satisfied that the proposed development will not result in substantial rebuilding and alterations to the existing barns. The development is therefore considered to be contrary to Core Strategy Policies SP1; SD1; DM1; DM2; DM4 and CP8 and Policies SB1 and D7 of the Sites Allocations and Development Management Plan. 

     

80.

38/19/0315/LB pdf icon PDF 101 KB

81.

Access to information- Exclusion of the 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 Planning Committee 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 of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph7 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime.

    Minutes:

    RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the item numbered 8 on the Agenda as the item contained exempt information as defined in paragraph 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972, and the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

82.

Tonedale Mill S 215 Notice

Minutes:

Tonedale Mill, Tonedale, Wellington, S215 Notice

 

RECOMMENDED to the committee to approve the recommendation contained as written within the report.

 

The Motion was carried

83.

Appeals and Decisions received pdf icon PDF 6 KB