Planning Committee – 10 April 2013

Chair:  Councillor Bunyan
Venue:  The Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Scunthorpe
Time:  2 pm

AGENDA

1.  Substitutions.

2.  Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Personal or 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 13 March 2013 and the Special Meeting held on 21 March 2013  as a correct record and authorise the chairman to sign.

4.  Major Planning Applications.

5.  Planning and other applications for determination by the committee.

6.  Item deferred from previous meeting for site visit – Public Footpath 32, South Ferriby. (Report of the Director of Places.)

7.   Any other items, which the chairman decides are urgent, by reasons of special circumstances, which must be specified.

MINUTES

PRESENT:  Councillor Bunyan (in the Chair).

Councillors Wardle (Vice–Chairman), Ali, Allcock, Bainbridge, Collinson, England, Grant, Rowson and N Sherwood.

Councillors T Foster, Poole, C Sherwood and Waltham attended the meeting in accordance with Procedure Rule 1.37 (b).

The committee met at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe.

1506    DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS AND PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS, SIGNIFICANT CONTACT WITH APPLICANTS OR THIRD PARTIES (LOBBYING) AND WHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS (IF ANY) The following member declared a personal interest as follows: –

Member (s) Minute Application(s) /Item Nature of Interest
Councillor Wardle 1508(ii) 12/0092  Knew applicant

The following members declared that they had been lobbied: –

Member (s) Minute (s) Application/Item (s) 
Councillor Bunyan       1508(ii) 13/0092
Councillor England       1508(i) 12/1244
Councillor N Sherwood       1508(ii) 13/0092

The following members, attending the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b) declared that they had been lobbied: –

Member (s) Minute Application/Item 
Cllr T Foster   1508(i) 12/1244
Cllr Poole   1508(i) 12/1244
Cllr C Sherwood   1508(ii) 13/0092

1507  MINUTESResolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings held on 13 March and 21 March (Special Meeting) 2013, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chairman.

1508  (39) MAJOR PLANNING APPLICATIONS – The Head of Development Management submitted a report containing details of major applications for determination by the committee including a summary of policy context, representations arising from consultation and publicity and assessment of the applications. In accordance with Procedure Rule D1.35 (i) (a), members had previously undertaken site visits. The Head of Development Management updated the reports orally. Other officers attending gave advice and answered members’ questions as requested.

(i) 12/1244 by Mr and Mrs R Stone for the erection of 20 dwellings at Brook House Farm, Church Street, Hibaldstow.

Prior to consideration of this application five objectors addressed the committee. All objectors shared similar concerns. They considered that the proposal would constitute gross overdevelopment of the site. They did not object to the site being developed but did not consider that the scale and form of the proposed development was appropriate on the site. The majority of dwellings would be three – storey and therefore out of character with the area which currently had the character of a Conservation Area with high quality, low-density, housing. The development would be more appropriate in an urban setting rather than a small village. It would create an increase in traffic along Beckside which was a quiet road well used by walkers and equestrians. There were concerns about road safety, as the site would have six points of access/egress. Car parking provision was inadequate, with no garages provided. The additional dwellings would lead to an increase in the risk of flooding. Part of the Beck would be culverted thus spoiling the visual amenity of the locality. Three protected mature willow trees would be lost which would otherwise partially screen the development from Barnside. This would also have a detrimental effect on visual amenity.

Councillors T Foster and Poole, attending the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b), spoke on this application.

Resolved – That permission be refused for reasons relating to the scale, density and design of the development proposed and the loss of protected willow trees.

(ii) 13/0092 by Keigar Homes Ltd for the erection of 21 dwellings including associated access road and parking on the site of former Ancholme Inn, Grammar School Road, Brigg.

Prior to consideration of this application the applicant addressed the committee. He stated that the proposal was in a sustainable location close to the town centre. It met all the relevant tests in relation to policies and housing targets. It was a brownfield site. Independent consultants had been engaged to carry out a traffic survey and had concluded that Grammar School Road had the capacity to take additional traffic. The former public house on the site had had the potential to generate considerable traffic and there had been 36 garages on the site at one time. There had been no objections from the Highways Team. The development would provide much needed affordable housing.

Councillors C Sherwood and Waltham, attending the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b), spoke on this application.

Resolved – That permission be refused for reasons relating to density of the proposed development and the impact on traffic generation and on-street car parking.

1509  (40) PLANNING AND OTHER APPLICATIONS – The Head of Development Management 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. The Head of Development Management updated the reports orally where appropriate. Other officers attending gave advice and answered members’ questions as requested.

(i) 13/0056 by Hillen Limited for the erection of a three-bedroom dwelling and single domestic garage (re-submission of PA/2012/0224) at 21a Front Street, Elsham.

Prior to consideration of this application an objector addressed the committee. He stated that the proposed dwelling would be too large for the plot and would be out of keeping with the street scene. The two-bedroom dwelling would overlook the objector’s bungalow. Three trees on the site had already been felled.

Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.

(ii) 13/0101 by Mr A Barritt for the erection of a first-floor extension to existing bungalow to create a two-storey dwelling (resubmission of PA/2012/1248) at 26 South Street, Roxby.

Prior to consideration of this application an objector and the applicant addressed the committee.

The objector, who was the father of a neighbour, stated that the proposed extension would be too large on a very narrow plot and would create a five-bedroom dwelling. It would exacerbate problems with subsidence and drainage. His son’s property would be overlooked from the new bedrooms.

The applicant stated that the extension would not increase the footprint of the existing house. The addition of a second floor to parts of the dwelling had already been approved. The proposal had been amended to meet the concerns of the objector. It complied with the 30º test. The issues regarding drainage and subsidence were civil matters. There would be no increase in cars parked on the site.

Resolved – That consideration of this application be deferred to a future meeting and that members visit the site prior to that meeting. The purpose of the site visit is to assess the impact of the proposal on the neighbouring property.

1510  (41) PUBLIC FOOTPATH 32, SOUTH FERRIBY – Further to Minute 1502   The Director of Places submitted a report inviting members to decide whether to submit a public path diversion order to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Secretary of State).

Members had visited the site on the morning of the meeting to assess the safety and accessibility of the existing route of the path.

Resolved – That the order be submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation as made.

1511  EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC – Resolved – That the public be excluded from the meeting for consideration of the following item (Minute 1512 refers) on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

1512  (42) UPDATE ON PA/2012/0426 – MILL LANE, BRIGG – PUBLIC INQUIRY – APPEAL REFERENCE: APP/Y2003/A/12/2184070 – Following the approval of the Chairman that this matter be considered as a matter of urgency, the Director of Policy and Resources and the Head of Development Management submitted a joint report advising Members regarding the forthcoming Public Inquiry and the current position with regard to the Council’s case and requesting further instructions.

The report summarised advice given by Counsel.

Resolved – That officers be instructed to withdraw the reasons for refusal and invite the Inspector to make a decision based on written representations and not a Public Inquiry.