Planning Committee – 22 July 2009
Chair: Councillor Collinson
Venue: The Council Chamber, Pittwood House, Scunthorpe
Time: 2 pm
AGENDA
1. Substitutions.
2. Declarations of Personal and Personal and Prejudicial Interests, significant contact with applicants, objectors or third parties (Lobbying) and Whipping Arrangements (if any).
3. To take the minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2009 as a correct record and authorise the chair to sign.
4. Applications deferred from previous meeting for site visits.
5. Planning and other applications for determination by the committee.
6. Enforcement update.
7. Parking provision guidelines for new and change of use developments within North Lincolnshire.
8. Any other items, which the chair decides are urgent, by reasons of special circumstances, which must be specified.
Note: All reports are by the Head of Planning unless otherwise stated.
Minutes
PRESENT: Councillor Collinson (Chair).
Councillors Armitage, Bainbridge, B. Briggs, Carlile, Eckhardt, England, Grant, Jawaid, C. Sherwood, N Sherwood, Wardle and Whiteley.
Councillors Poole and Mrs Redfern attended the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b)
The committee met at Pittwood House, Scunthorpe.
1157 DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS, SIGNIFICANT CONTACT WITH APPLICANTS OR THIRD PARTIES (LOBBYING) AND WHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS (IF ANY)
The following members declared personal and prejudicial interests: –
Members |
Minute |
Applications |
Nature of Interest |
| Cllr Collinson | 1159 (iii) | 09/0505 | Knew applicant and family |
| Cllr Eckhardt | 1160 (viii) | 09/0701 | Friend of applicant |
| Cllr England | 1160 (ix) | 09/0707 | Member of Messingham Parish Council and Vice-President of Playing Field Association |
| Cllr England | 1160 (x) | 09/0723 | Member of Messingham Parish Council and Vice-President of Playing Field Association |
The following members declared personal interests: –
Members |
Minute |
Applications |
Nature of Interest |
| Cllr B Briggs | 1159 (i) | 09/0247 | Knew applicant |
| Cllr B Briggs | 1160 (iii) | 09/0603 | Knew applicant |
| Cllr Collinson | 1160 (i) | 09/0448 | Knew objector |
| Cllr England | 1160 (viii) | 09/0701 | Knew applicant |
| Cllr N Sherwood | 1162 | N/A | Cycle parking |
| Cllr Wardle | 1159 (ii) | 09/0272 | Member of Barrow Parish Council. Contact with objectors at parish council |
The following member, attending the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b) declared personal interests:
Members |
Minute |
Applications |
Nature of Interest |
| Cllr Poole | 1160 (ix) | 09/0707 | Member of Messingham Parish Council Playing Field Association. Knew applicant |
| Cllr Poole | 1160 (x) | 09/0723 | Member of Messingham Parish Council Playing Field Association. Knew applicant |
The following members declared that they had been lobbied:-
Members |
Minute |
Application/Item |
| Cllr B Briggs | 1160 (vii) | 09/0701 |
| Cllr N Sherwood | 1160 (v) | 09/0609 |
The following member, attending the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b) declared that he had been lobbied:
Member |
Minute |
Application/Item |
| Cllr Poole | 1160 (i) | 09/0448 |
1158 MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held on 24 June 2009 having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chair.
1159 (17) APPLICATIONS DEFERRED FROM PREVIOUS MEETING – In accordance with the decisions at the previous meeting, members had undertaken site visits on the morning of the meeting. The Head of Planning submitted reports and updated them orally.
(i) 09/0247 by Mr A Stafford for consent to fell a sycamore tree protected by Tree Preservation (Crowle) Order 1971 at 16 The Paddocks, Crowle.
Prior to consideration of this application the applicant’s wife addressed the committee. She stated that the order had been made in 1971 and protected 21 trees. Of these only three now remained. Branches were falling off the tree and moss and honeydew was falling onto her property. The tree was leaning towards that property and had a fork four metres from the ground. The foundations of the house were shallow and would be damaged by the tree’s roots. The tree was not of a native species.
Members shared the concerns of the applicant and felt that the tree was now too big for its location.
Resolved – That permission be granted subject to a condition requiring the planting of a suitable replacement tree.
(ii) 09/0272 by Mr J Haigh for the change of use of a barn into a dwelling, erection of a rear extension, construction of a new access onto Barton Street and retention of a garage as built (amended scheme following planning permission PA/2008/1146) at The Willows, Barton Street, Barrow-upon-Humber.
Prior to consideration of this application an objector and the applicant’s agent addressed the committee.
The objector was concerned that the proposed new access to Barton Street would present a road safety hazard being close to a school.. It would significantly reduce green space. The proposal would significantly detract from its surroundings in a conservation area. The proposed garage would be larger than that previously approved.
The agent stated that approval for the barn conversion had already been given, albeit with a different access. The applicant had been unable to secure an agreement to gain access off the private road. The wall through which the new access would run was only a third of its original length. The proposal complied with all relevant policies.
Moved by Councillor Wardle and seconded by Councillor B Briggs –
That permission be refused
Motion Lost
Moved by Councillor Grant and seconded by Councillor Whiteley –
That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.
Motion Carried
Prior to consideration of the following application, 09/0505, Councillor Collinson, having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the application, left the meeting. Councillor Whiteley took the chair for this item only.
(iii) 09/0505 by Mr and Mrs S and R Jackson for the erection of a two-storey side extension at 55 Abbey Road, Scunthorpe.
Prior to consideration of this application, a representative of the applicant and an objector addressed the committee.
The applicant’s representative stated that the objector’s concerns regarding possible loss of light to his property would be overcome by the arches in the car port. The extension would not encroach beyond the objector’s main windows.
The objector stated that the depth of the proposed foundations were inadequate. The extension would encroach onto his land and would have an overbearing effect. It would be out of character with the street scene, creating a “terracing” effect. It would lead to a loss of privacy. There would be no access to the rear of No.55.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.
Councillor Collinson returned to the meeting and took the chair.
1160 (18) PLANNING AND OTHER APPLICATIONS – The Head of Planning submitted a report incorporating a schedule containing details of applications for determination by the committee including summaries of policy context, representations arising from consultation and publicity and assessment of the applications.
(i) 09/0448 by Mr S Larkin for the erection of a sun room and detached domestic garage at Rose Cottage, Hole Lane, Holme
Prior to consideration of this application, Councillor Poole read a submission from an objector and the applicant also addressed the committee.
The objector was concerned about road safety issues. The access and egress were via Holme Lane close to a blind bend. The proposal would lead to a loss of quality of life due to increased noise. The hedge between his property and the proposed development would offer little screening in winter as it was of a deciduous species, namely Hawthorn.
The applicant stated that the application was a replacement for an existing garage. There was an existing permission to convert this to a “granny annexe” There was no change in the access to the main road.
Councillor Poole, attending the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b), spoke on the application.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.
(ii) 09/0538 by Mrs L S Bennett for the erection of a detached bungalow with reception area together with detached cattery building (resubmission of PA/2008/1614) on land off Thornton Road, Goxhill.
Prior to consideration of this application the husband of the applicant addressed the committee. He stated that in order to expand the business is was necessary for an employee to live on the site to provide 24 hour a day care for the cats.
Moved by Councillor Wardle and seconded by Councillor Eckhardt –
That consideration of this application be deferred until the next meeting and that members visit the site prior to that meeting.
Motion Lost
Moved by Councillor Grant and seconded by Councillor Whiteley–
That permission be refused in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.
Motion Carried
(iii) 09/0603 by Mr S Addlesee for the erection of a two-storey extension at Tinkers Cottage, Sandtoft Road, Westgate, Belton
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.
(iv) 09/0606 by William Hill Organisation Ltd for consent to display an externally illuminated fascia sign and an internally illuminated sign at 97 Willoughby Road, Scunthorpe.
Resolved – That consent be granted.
(v) 09/0609 by Mr J Arnold for the erection of two dwellings on Plot adjacent to 5a Princes Street, Brigg.
Resolved – That consideration of this application be deferred until the next meeting and that members visit the site prior to that meeting. The reason for the site visit being to look at the access arrangements.
(vi) 09/0679 by Mr M White for the retention of an agricultural building at Rose Cottage, Turbary Road, Haxey
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report
(vii) 09/0693 by North Point Ltd for the erection of a portal-frame industrial building creating five individual workshop units (resubmission of PA/2009/0217) at North Points UK Ltd, High Premier Industrial Estate, Belton Road, Sandtoft, Belton.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report, subject to the deletion of Condition 5.
Prior to consideration of the following application, 09/0701, Councillor Eckhardt, having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the application, left the meeting.
(viii) 09/0701 by Axgro Foods Ltd for retention and change of use of barn to B8 food storage and distribution at Barn at Hall Farm, West Street, West Butterwick.
Prior to consideration of this application, the applicant’s agent and an objector addressed the committee.
The agent stated that the company had increased production in the last year particularly for export. There was a need for a storage facility close to the distribution centre. The main concern of the objectors was articulated lorries allegedly serving the site. This had not happened since 2008.
The objector was concerned at the gradual industrialisation of the village. A similar application had been refused in 2008 and Local Plan policies had not changed since. The current use was unauthorised. An Impact Assessment should have been undertaken prior to submission of the application. HGVs caused problems by mounting pavements. Only 5% of the company’s workforce lived in West Butterwick. The site was very close to a primary school.
Resolved – That consideration of this application be deferred until the next meeting and that members visit the site prior to that meeting. The reason for the site visit being to assess the impact of the development on its surroundings.
Councillor Eckhardt returned to the meeting
Prior to consideration of the following applications, 09/0707, and 09/0723 Councillor England, having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the applications, left the meeting.
(ix) 09/0707 by Mr and Mrs Matthews for the erection of a single-storey indoor swimming pool and gym at 18 Northfield Road, Messingham
Prior to consideration of this application, the applicant addressed the committee. He had been paralysed with polio and swimming and flotation offered him a way of regaining mobility. Even with the proposed development in place the garden would still be very large.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.
(x) 09/0723 by Mr and Mrs Matthews for the retention of a garden wall at 18 Northfield Road, Messingham
Prior to consideration of this application, the applicant addressed the committee. The wall was needed for security purposes.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.
1161 (19) ENFORCEMENT UPDATE – The Head of Planning submitted a schedule giving details of progress in respect of matters on which he had taken enforcement action under delegated authority.
Resolved – That the report be noted.
1162 (20) PARKING PROVISION GUIDLEINES FOR NEW AND CHANGE OF USE DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE – Further to minute 1142 , the Service Director Highways and Planning submitted a report inviting members to give consideration to modified guidelines for parking provision in new and change of use developments in North Lincolnshire.
It was considered that new guidelines would:
- provide a consistent approach to the provision of parking for new and change of use developments;
- contribute to the Aims of the Highways and Planning Service, principally through Travel Choice (Aim 2) and Improving Development (Aim 5);
- contribute to the achievement of the council priority ‘Improving our environments’.
The main changes to the existing policy standards (which were contained in Appendix 2 of the North Lincolnshire Local Plan) were (i) increased flexibility in decision-making relating to parking provision; and (ii) generally, a reduction in the required provision of parking for proposed developments in town centres.
Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) advised that: ‘Local Planning Authorities should, with stakeholders and communities, develop residential parking policies for their areas, taking account of expected levels of car ownership, the importance of promoting good design and the need to use land efficiently.’
There was a need to update and modify the current parking provision guidelines in line with new government policies and associated guidance. The proposed amended document was attached as Appendix 2 to the report. The Service Director Highways and Planning stressed that the new guidelines provided the maximum values.
Town and parish councils had been consulted and five had responded. A summary of the points raised by these was contained in Appendix 1 to the report.
Moved by Councillor Wardle and seconded by Councillor England –
That the proposed guide be approved with the option that the Urban Classification for C3 Residential Use covers only the central areas of Scunthorpe and Ashby High Street.
At the request of members and in accordance withProcedure Rule 1.23(d) the names of members voting for, against and abstaining from the motion are as follows –
FOR: Councillors B Briggs, Eckhardt, England, C Sherwood, N Sherwood and Wardle
AGAINST: Councillors, Bainbridge, Carlile, Collinson, , Grant, Jawaid, , and Whiteley
The voting being equal the Chair used his second and casting vote against the motion.
Motion Lost
Moved by Councillor Grant and seconded by Councillor Whiteley –
That the proposed guide be approved with the option that the Urban Classification for C3 Residential Use covers only the central areas of Scunthorpe, Barton-upon-Humber, Brigg, Crowle and Epworth and Ashby High Street.
The voting being equal the Chair used his second and casting vote in support of the above motion.
Motion Carried