Planning Committee – 3 May 2002
MINUTES
PRESENT: – Councillor Ellis in the chair.
Councillors Fordham (vice-chair), Gosling, Long, Holgate, Rocks, Wardle, Whiteley and Wood.
Councillors Appleyard, Stewart and Mrs Redfern.
The committee met at Pittwood House, Scunthorpe.
189 DECLARATIONS OF PREJUDICIAL AND NON – PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AND DECLARATIONS OF SIGNIFICANT CONTACT WITH APPLICANTS OR THIRD PARTIES (LOBBYING) – There were no declarations of prejudicial or non -prejudicial personal interests by members in respect of the items on the agenda.
Councillor Holgate declared that he had been lobbied in respect of application 02/0037.
190 REQUESTS TO SPEAK – PROCEDURE RULE 36(e) – It was reported that three requests to speak had been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 36(e). The chair stated that the speakers would be able to address the committee prior to consideration of the respective items.
191 MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held on 5 April 2002, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chair.
192 (92) APPLICATION DEFERRED FROM PREVIOUS MEETING – 01/1509 by Mr and Mrs M H Stockford for change of use of an office to a chiropody surgery with waiting room and to brick up existing garage doors to create a music/dance studio at 10 Station Road, Kirton-in-Lindsey.
In accordance with the decision at the previous meeting, members had undertaken a site visit earlier in the day. The Director of Environment and Public Protection submitted a report and updated it orally.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.
193 (93) PLANNING APPLICATIONS – The Director of Environment and Public Protection 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. Officers updated the schedule orally in respect of late representations and other significant developments since its preparation.
Resolved – That the following applications be approved in accordance with the recommendations contained in the reports.
(i) 01/1048 by Mr and Mrs P Arnold for change of use of land to form an extension to a caravan site on land at Mill View Caravan Park, Mill Lane, Brigg.
(subject to an amendment to Condition 3 so as to define the site by reference to a plan)
(ii) 01/1049 by Mrs P Arnold for the siting of a portable building to be used as a classroom at Mill View Caravan Park, Mill Lane, Brigg.
(iii) 02/0145 by Mr A M Choudhury for change of use of part of the ground floor from an office/shop to a hot food takeaway at 46/48 High Street, Epworth.
(iv) 02/0153 by Mr V John for the erection of an extension to provide additional accommodation and facilities at the Althorpe Residential Care Home, Main Street, Althorpe.
(v) 02/0171 for Listed Building Consent for the erection of an extension to provide additional accommodation and facilities at the Althorpe Residential Care Home, Main Street, Althorpe.
(vi) 02/0185 by Mr and Mrs S Rounce for the erection of a detached house with integral garage and conservatory together with associated private access from Stather Road.
(vii) 02/0212 by Mr and Mrs M Dearden for erection of extensions to form a living room and separate store room, both at ground level with pitched roofs at 2 Little Farm Close, Wootton.
(viii) 02/0214 by Mr and Mrs Gorman for erection of a detached house and garage on site north of Horsegate Farm, North End, Goxhill.
(ix) 02/0263 by Mr and Mrs C Scutt for erection of a kitchen extension to form a dining area at 65 Weymouth Crescent, Scunthorpe.
(x) 02/0291 by Mash Enterprises for retention of a front wall boundary wall approximately 1.9 m high at Pinewrap, Humber Road, Barton-upon-Humber.
(xi) 02/0348 by North Lincolnshire Council for the change of use of a former tyre depot to a neighbourhood services depot, including 2 offices and the storage of vehicles and grounds maintenance equipment at Fossitt & Thorne, former tyre depot, East Acridge, Barton -upon -Humber
(Prior to consideration of the above application, 02/0348, an objector addressed the committee in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 36 (e). He and his fellow objectors did not object to the development in principle, however they considered that the land could be more appropriately used for housing.
They were also concerned that there was a “blind bend” in the road 150 metres from the site. Councillor Appleyard, attending the meeting under the provisions of Procedure Rule 38 (b) and with the consent of the committee also spoke against this application on the grounds of poor vehicular access and noise.
The Director of Environment and Public Protection reminded members that they were not in a position to consider alternative uses for the site but should concern themselves solely with the application before them. The proposed use would be an improvement on the previous use as vehicles would be leaving and returning to the site at the beginning and end of the working day whereas previously vehicles were going to and from the site throughout the day. Conditions limiting the hours of use would also help to control potential impacts).
194 02/0037 by Mr and Mrs Gallagher for retention of the use of a dwelling as a private taxi hire business at 1 West End, Epworth.
Prior to consideration of this application, a representative of the applicants addressed the committee under the provisions of Procedure Rule 36 (e). Councillor Stewart, attending the meeting under the provisions of Procedure Rule 38 (b) and with the consent of the committee, also spoke in support of this application.
Both speakers stated that the business as been operating without any problems or complaints for over nine years. It was well-run and provided employment and a valuable service to the local community.
The Director of Environment and Public Protection reported a letter of support from Haxey Parish Council. He explained the reasons for recommending that permission be refused despite the long established presence of the business. In response to questions he suggested that, if members were minded to grant permission they could impose a condition making the permission personal to the applicants. Should the business change hands, the new owner(s) would have to submit a new application for removal of the condition.
Moved by Councillor Holgate and seconded by Councillor Wardle –
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 the chair and seconded by the vice -chair
That permission be granted subject to conditions making the permission personal to the applicants, limiting the number of vehicles based and garaged at the site to no more that two and prohibiting the use of the premises as a collection or waiting point for customers.
Motion Carried
195 02/0160 by Trustees of Epworth Baptist Church for the erection of an extension to an existing hall and construction of a new car a park at Epworth Baptist Church, Station Road, Epworth.
The Director of Environment and Public Protection reported that the applicants had requested that consideration of this application be deferred to enable their representative to address the committee at the next meeting. He also summarised a late letter of support for the application. He indicated that in this case there were clear reasons for refusal of the application on road safety grounds.
Councillor Stewart, attending the meeting under the provisions of Procedure Rule 38 (b) and with the consent of the committee, spoke in support of this application. He disputed the view of the Highways Team that visibility for drivers emerging from the proposed access would create a danger to other road users.
Moved by Councillor Holgate and seconded by Councillor Wardle –
That consideration of this application be deferred until the next meeting and that members visit the site prior to that meeting.
Motion Lost
(Note: the voting on the foregoing matter, Minute 195, being equal, the chair used his second and casting vote against the motion).
Moved by Councillor Ellis and seconded by Councillor Fordham
That permission be refused for the reasons stated in the report.
Motion Carried
196 02/0270 by Mr and Mrs White for the construction of a menage at Hawthorn House, Melton Road, Wrawby.
Resolved – That consideration of this item be deferred to enable representatives of the applicants and the objectors to address the committee.
197 01/042 by Mr J Spittlehouse for change of use of agricultural land to a motorcross practice area on OS Field Nos. 5056 and 5445, Gunthorpe Road/Gypsy Lane, Gunthorpe.
Prior to consideration of this application an objector and the applicant addressed the committee in accordance with procedure Rule 36(e).
The Director of Environment and Public Protection reported a late letter of support from the Epworth Motor Cross Club. He indicated that the application had been given lengthy and careful consideration by officers from both Development Control and Environmental Health and he recommended granting permission for, initially a period of 18 months.
Resolved – That consideration of this application be deferred to the next meeting and that members visit the site prior to that meeting.
198 (94) APPEALS – The Director of Environment and Public Protection submitted a report informing members of the outcome of the following appeals: –
(i) Against the refusal of outline permission for residential development on plot south side of Main Street, Graizelound – 01/0495 – Appeal Dismissed.
(ii) Against the refusal of consent to fell and prune trees protected by a tree preservation order on land between 10 and 12 Pondside, Wootton – 01/0542 – Allowed in Part.
(iii) Against Enforcement Notice in respect of the siting of a mobile home on land at Approach Farm, Epworth Road, Sandtoft – PLANCON/2000/372 – Appeal Dismissed, Notice upheld but varied and corrected, time for compliance extended.
199 (95) STATISTICS OF PLANNING APPLICATIONS – JANUARY – MARCH 2002 AND FOR THE YEAR 2001/2002 – The Director of Environment and Publication Protection submitted a report informing members of the council’s performance in handling planning applications in the first quarter of 2002 and overall in the year 2001/02.
The report showed that, overall, the team’s target of 67% for the year 2001/02 had been exceeded by 2%, and every one of the more detailed targets for different categories of application, measured by overall time and in terms of average numbers of days, had been met or exceeded. 92% of applications submitted had been approved and 86% dealt with under the scheme of delegation – a factor which had had a significant beneficial effect on performance since the last review had been implemented in September 2000.
The report also indicated that the basis for measuring performance had been changed and the eight-week criterion would no longer be used. Instead authorities would be expected to deal with different categories of application in different timescales. For 2002/03, national targets had been set at 60% in thirteen weeks for major applications, 65% in eight weeks for minor ones, and 80% in eight weeks for all others. These targets had been adopted as local ones for North Lincolnshire and future reports would be based upon them.
Resolved – that the report be noted.
200 (96) ENFORCEMENT UPDATE – The Director of Environment and Public Protection submitted a schedule giving details of progress in respect of matters on which the committee had authorised enforcement action.
Resolved – That the report be noted.