Agenda and draft minutes

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:

Webcast for 33.

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 Declaration	Reason	Action Taken
Cllr I Aldridge	20/20/0011	Directed public to procedure issues.	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr M Blaker	3/37/18/015 20/20/0011	Correspondence received. Discretion not fettered	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr S Buller	20/20/0011	Correspondence from resident	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr S Coles	20/20/0011	Correspondence received	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr D Darch	3/37/18/015 20/20/0011	Not at the original meeting so unable to vote. Also letter from resident; Ward Member. Discussed at KSM PC.	Personal	Spoke and did not Voted
Cllr E Firmin	20/20/0011	Ward Member	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr R Habgood	3/37/18/015 20/20/0011 07/20/0011	Correspondence received. Discretion not fettered. At PC meeting when this application was being discussed. Declared that he knew Cllr R Williams	Personal	Will abstain for this item
Cllr Mrs Hill	3/37/18/015 20/20/0011	Correspondence received. Discretion not fettered	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr M Lithgow	3/37/18/015 20/20/0011	Correspondence received. Did not respond	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr C Palmer	3/37/18/015 20/20/0011	Correspondence received. Discretion not fettered	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr R Tully	3/37/18/015	Not at the original meeting so unable to vote	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr B Weston	3/37/18/015 20/20/0011	Correspondence received. Discretion not fettered	Personal	Spoke and Voted
Cllr L Whetlor	3/37/18/015	Correspondence received. Not responded. Clarification sought from the Monitoring Officer on points in correspondence	Personal	Spoke and Voted

34.

Public Participation

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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 Government guidance on measures to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), we will holding meetings in a virtual manner which will be live webcast on our website. Members of the public will still be able to register to speak and ask questions, which will then be read out by the Governance and Democracy Case Manager during Public Question Time and will either be answered by the Chair of the Committee, or the relevant Portfolio Holder, or be followed up with a written response.

Additional documents:

Webcast for 34.

Minutes:

Application No.	Name	Position	Stance
3/37/18/015	S Westmacott	Local Resident	Objecting
	A Fouracre	Local Resident	Objecting
	Mr & Mrs Agg	Local Resident	Objecting
	J Martin	Local Resident	Objecting
	A Thatham	Local Resident	Objecting
	H Speering	Local Resident	Objecting
	Rev J Speering	Local Resident	Objecting
	R Wood	Local Resident	Objecting
	A Mills	Local Resident	Objecting
	I Enters	Local Resident	Objecting
	S Garcia-Vince	Local Resident	Objecting
	S Bird	Local Resident	Objecting
	P Barrell	Local Resident	Objecting
	A Nunn	Local Resident	Objecting
	JFranklin	Local Resident	Objecting
	P Gannon	Local Resident	Objecting
	Dr P Levy	Local Resident	Objecting
	D Robson	Chairman, Lorna Doone Watchet Management Company	Objecting
	Dr A King	Director & Principal Geologist Geckoella Ltd	Objecting
	Dr D Evans	Watchet Conservation Society	Objecting
	M Lee	Agent	Infavour
	Cllr Aldridge	Ward Member	Objecting
	Cllr Whetlor	Ward Member	Objecting
07/20/0011	Mr & Mrs Rigby	Local resident	Objecting
	Mrs Venn	Applicant	Infavour
20/20/0011	Mr and Mrs Cashmore	Local resident	Objecting
	SCC Cllr, R Williams	Local resident	Objecting

35.

3/37/18/015 PDF 441 KB

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Outline application with all matters reserved, except for access, for the residential redevelopment of agricultural Land for 136 dwellings with the creation of a new vehicular access (closure of existing), provision of estate roads, pathway, new public rights of way, cycleway and open recreational space. Also, partial re-alignment of existing public highway (Cleeve Hill). at Land at, Cleeve Hill, Watchet, TA23 0BN

Additional documents:

Webcast for 35.

Minutes:

estate roads, pathway, new public rights of way, cycleways and open recreational space. Also, partial re-alignment of existing public highway (Cleeve Hill).

Comments from members of the public included:

· Concerns with the adverse effect that the development will have on the land lower down the hill to Watchet;

· Concerns with the visual impact and pollution to the town;

· There has been no justification as to why the site has been brought forward early from 2026;

· Concerns with the fast eroding cliffs at West Bay, two further falls in the last four months;

· Concerns with the instability of Cleeve Hill;

· Concerns with the further subsidence behind Lorna Doone;

· The site was of geological and historical importance;

· The road system through the town was inadequate and cannot be improved without major destruction to the towns architecture;

· Sensors confirm that there has not been any movement in the road around Daws Castle for 25 years;

· No need for a new Costal Road;

· Concerns that no Geological Survey has been carried out;

· No need for 136 new homes with four storey terraced houses on the skyline in this location;

· Watchet has already exceeded its housing quota;

· Concerns that no new infrastructure planned;

· The application would contravene the Council’s legal obligation in terms of affordable housing;

· Concerns that this site was now superfluous due to another site being available at the Wansborough Mill;

· There is no bus route along Cleeve Hill, to get out of Watchet cars are the only option;

· Concerns with the lack of employment in Watchet;

· Access to Watchet was a serious issue with the new road and footpaths joining Cleeve Hill at a point where it is very narrow and without footpaths for 300 metres;

· The land is waste land an eyesore and ripe for development that will enhance the town and its surroundings;

· This development is essential to allow the road/transport link is maintained;

· The road link will be borne by the Developer not the Council;

Comments from Members included:

· Concerns with the land stability on the site;

· Concerns that no geological study had been supplied;

· Concerns with the movement of the land behind Lorna Doone;

· Concerns with the access to and from Watchet;

· Residents will be reliant on cars to access the site;

· Concerns with the attenuation tanks above the ground on the front of the site;

· Concerns that a desk top study will not show up faults on the site;

· Concerns with the lack of affordable housing on the site, this needs to be 35%;

· Concerns with viability on the site;

At this point in the meeting a short break was called for.

· Concerns that the proposal was not the same as the one proposed in January 2020;

· The road needed to be rerouted before we agreed permission;

· Concerns with the increased traffic on the small ... view the full minutes text for item 35.

36.

07/20/0011 PDF 139 KB

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Change of use of land and buildings from equestrian/agricultural use to a camping site with the buildings providing facilities incidental to the holiday use and also for the use of holding up to 8 No. events per year (weddings/family parties) with erection of extension to building, formation of footbridge over leat and installation of foul drainage at Mill House Equestrian Centre, Hele Road, Bradford On Tone (resubmission of 07/19/0011) (retention of part works already undertaken)

Additional documents:

Webcast for 36.

Minutes:

(weddings/family parties) with erection of extension to building, formation of footbridge over leat and installation of foul drainage at Mill House Equestrian Centre, Hele Road, Bradford On Tone (resubmission of 07/19/0011) (retention of part works already undertaken)

Comments from members of the public included:

· Concerns with noise impact on the nearby residential neighbours;

· Diversification of the site has been necessary due to a steady downturn of the equestrian business;

· The application allows use of the outbuildings as an ad-hoc wedding venue for a maximum of up to 8 weddings/events annually;

· No concerns from highways;

· A noise mitigation strategy had been submitted;

· Many letters of support for the scheme had been received from local residents and businesses;

· The scheme will create local employment and support an existing rural business;

At this point in the meeting a further extension of 30 minutes was proposed.

Comments from Members included:

· Noise concerns;

· Traffic concerns;

· Concerns with the siting of the cesspit;

· The scheme will bring in tourism and extra revenue;

Proposed by Councillor Lithgow, seconded by Councillor Whetlor that Conditional Approval be APPROVED.

The Motion was carried

At this point in the meeting a further half hour extension was proposed and Councillors Blaker and Morgan left the meeting.

37.

20/20/0011 PDF 87 KB

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Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic at Ilbeare, Cattlewash, Fitzroy Road, Norton Fitzwarren (retention of works already undertaken).

Additional documents:

Webcast for 37.

Minutes:

Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic at Ilbeare, Cattlewash, Fitzroy Road, Norton Fitzwarren (retention of works already undertaken).

Comments from members of the public included:

· Concerns with the grade of the land;

· Concerns with the loss of agricultural land;

· Concerns with the size of the application proposed;

· This change of use will set a huge precedent and will be economically catastrophic for rural Somerset;

· Concerns that the dogs and the kennels were the cause of the present difficulty on site;

· Local residents cannot enjoy a peace and quiet in their garden due to constant dog barking;

· The dog exercise area extends right up to the Public Right of Way separated only be a wire fence and has intimidated local residents from using the footpath due to the dogs barking and jumping up to the fence;

Comments from Members included:

· Concerns with the Public Footpath not being accessible due to the big intimidating dogs;

· The dog run needs to be away from the public boundary;

· Condition for a large hedge/ fence was needed to block the view from the Public Right of Way;

· Concerns that the application sounds like a commercial activity;

At this point in the meeting another half an hour was proposed.

· A condition to limit the number of dogs was needed on this site;

· Concerns that this was a creeping development;

Councillor Aldridge proposed and Councillor Buller seconded a motion for the application to be DEFERRED

Reasons

· For Officers to discuss with the applicant their need for the use of the land and what they applied for covered what they need to use it for;

· Fence and boundary along the Rights of Way;

The Motion was carried

38.

Latest appeals and decisions received - no items received

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Additional documents:

Webcast for 38.

Minutes:

No appeals or decisions were received.

Agenda and draft minutes

SWT Planning CommitteeThursday, 16th July, 2020 1.00 pm

SWT Planning Committee
Thursday, 16th July, 2020 1.00 pm