Planning Committee – 1 April 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 4 March 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. Residential development in Goxhill
8. Changes to the Good Practice Guide for members and officers dealing with planning applications – Report of the Service Director Legal and Democratic
9. 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, Barker, Carlile, B Briggs, Bunyan, Eckhardt, England, Grant, C Sherwood, Wardle and Whiteley.
The committee met at Pittwood House, Scunthorpe.
1123 DECLARATIONS OF 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 and prejudicial interest:-
|
Member(s)
|
Minute
|
Application (s)
|
Nature of Interest
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Cllr Armitage | 1126 (ix) | 09/0148 | Son employed by applicant company |
The following members declared personal interests:-
|
Member (s)
|
Minute
|
Application (s)
|
Nature of Interest
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Cllr B Briggs | 1126 (x) | 09/0194 | Knew applicant |
| Cllr Eckhardt | 1126 (x) | 09/0194 | Treasurer of Wesley Memorial Monument Trust |
| Cllr Sherwood | 1126 (vii) | 09/0108 | Member of Brigg Town Council |
The following members declared that they had been lobbied: –
|
Member (s)
|
Minute
|
Application/Item
|
|---|---|---|
| Cllr B Briggs | 1125 (i) | 08/1650 |
| Cllr Barker | 1126 (i) | 08/1300 |
1124 MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held on 4 March 2009 having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chair.
1125 (66) 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) 08/1650 by Mr M Haywood for the erection of a detached house with garage (including demolition of an existing garage/store) on land adjacent to White Cottage, 2 West Street, Hibaldstow.
Prior to consideration of this application an objector and the applicant addressed the committee. The objector was concerned that the proposed dwelling would block her south facing view and reduce the amount of light to her property. It would constitute over development. It would cause road safety and car parking problems at times when the nearby fish and chip shop was open.
The applicant stated that the proposed dwelling was intended for his daughter and son-in-law to reside in when they retired. The proposed location of the dwelling had been moved to the south by four metres compared with the original proposal which should go some way to addressing the concerns of the objectors. It would also improve the access to No 6.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
(ii) 08/1687 by Ms K Lewis for the erection of a two-storey side extension at Oak House, Main Street, Whitton.
Prior to consideration of this application a representative of the applicant addressed the committee. He stated that the objector had talked of overshadowing. However the difference in ridge height was only one and a half metres.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
1126 (67) PLANNING 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) 08/1300 by North Lincolnshire Homes Ltd for the erection of a block of three houses (re-submission of PA/2008/0910) on site between 26 and 87 Parklands, West Butterwick.
Prior to consideration of this application a representative of the applicant addressed the committee. He explained the situation regarding the provision of car parking spaces both for tenants of the applicants and owner occupiers. The proposal would result in the provision of an additional eight car parking spaces.
The Head of Planning also updated his report in respect of the car parking issue. The proposal would result in one owner-occupier, currently tenanting a garage, having no off -street car parking. All other occupiers would either have off street parking provided or had existing facilities.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
(ii) 08/1752 by Havelock Homes for the erection of 4 apartments for affordable housing on land at Baysgarth View, Barton-upon-Humber.
Prior to consideration of this application, the applicant’s agent addressed the committee. He stated that the application fitted in with the council’s strategic objectives for affordable housing. The site was a private car park that had been little used for 40 years. It was being used as an informal children’s play area. However this was not a safe use given its location next to the main access to the housing estate. Neighbours had expressed concerns about security.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
(iii) 09/0046 by Mr C Latham for the erection of a detached dwelling and garage on plot to the rear of 82 Station Road, Epworth.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
(iv) 08/0-070 by Mr D J Mill for the conversion of an existing outbuilding into a self-contained residential unit (re-submission of PA/2008/1268) at 25 Ings Road, Kirton-in-Lindsey.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
(v) 09/0087 by Mr G Boag for the conversion of one dwelling into two at New Cottage, 2 Cherry Lane, Wootton.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
(vi) 09/0098 by Mr S Clapson for consent to fell two sycamore trees covered by Tree Preservation (Caistor Road, Barton-upon-Humber) Order 2002 at 18 Nightingale Close, Barton-upon-Humber.
The Head of Planning reported that the applicant had asked for this item to be deferred as he had suffered a family bereavement and was unable to attend to address the committee.
Resolved – That consideration of this matter be deferred until the next meeting to give the applicant the opportunity to address the committee.
(vii) 09/0108 by The Neasden Land Company for listed building consent for internal alteration and demolition of rear brick outhouse at 23 Wrawby Street, Brigg.
Resolved – That consent be granted in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
(viii) 09/0109 by Yorkshire Bank for the erection of a single storey building and installation of an external ATM cash machine at 12 High Street, Belton.
Resolved – That permission be granted in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
Prior to consideration of the following application, 09/0148, Councillor Armitage, having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the application, left the meeting.
(ix) 09/0148 by AM PM (UK) Ltd for variation of condition 2 of permission 2008/0467 restricting delivery hours) to change the delivery times at AM PM (UK) Ltd, 26 Hebden Road, Scunthorpe.
Prior to consideration of this application an objector and the applicant‘s agent addressed the committee. The objector was concerned that the site was close to residential properties. Since the industrial use had commenced operating hours had been extended and the company was now operating for 12 and a half hours per day 365 days a year. She claimed that the company habitually failed to comply with planning conditions.
The applicant’s representative stated that the company had been involved in discussions with officers on the application. A noise survey had been carried out and had concluded that noise levels were cceptable. There was a need to extend delivery hours due to the success of the business. He accepted that on occasions the company had operated outside of the approved hours, for which he apologised and gave an assurance that it would not happen again.
Resolved – That permission be refused in accordance. with the recommendation contained in the report.
Councillor Armitage returned to the meeting.
(x) 09/0194 by Brinkley Homes for the erection of five town houses (re-submission of 2008/0479) on land adjacent to the Mowbray Arms, Albion Hill, Epworth.
Prior to consideration of this application an objector addressed the committee. She stated that the site was on the Wesley Heritage Trail. The development would have the appearance of one huge residence and would be out of keeping with the locality. Five mature trees had been removed from the site without any compensatory replanting. The development would have a detrimental effect on the environment of older people in the nearby bungalows. There was inadequate car parking provision and cars would therefore be parked on the road causing potential problems for waste collections and the emergency services.
Resolved – That consideration of this application be deferred until the next meeting and that members visit the site prior to that meeting.
1127 (68) 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.
1128 (69) RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN GOXHILL – Further to Minute 1057, the Head of Planning submitted a progress report on this issue.
Since the matter had last been considered applications had been brought to this Planning Committee for members’ consideration before granting planning permission, after taking the views of local information and that by the council’s engineers in regard to individual solutions sought by potential developers. This had proved successful and a number of single dwelling schemes had been approved in Goxhill following comprehensive investigation both by planning officers and the council’s own drainage engineers to resolve individual difficulties where evidence was available that such solutions were necessary.
Anglian Water was working with the council’s engineers, and had now identified five areas within Goxhill village that required specific attention and survey work had been carried out to quantify the issues that were evident and also to identify sources of these issues that required remedies.
Some of the remedies/solutions might be the responsibility of North Lincolnshire Council. However the exercise, which was to identify problems, appeared now to be close to reaching a conclusion.
Resolved – (a) That the contents of this report be noted, and (b) that a further report be brought to this committee later this year as and when options are available from Anglian Water with regard to bringing forward a solution for the issues in respect of drainage and sewerage difficulties in Goxhill.
1129 (70) CHANGES TO THE GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE FOR MEMBERS AND OFFICERS DEALING WITH PLANNING APPLICATIONS – The Service Director Legal and Democratic submitted a report inviting members to consider a number of suggested amendments to the Good Practice Guide. The report also updated members on the issue of attendance at site visits.
The Good Practice Guide had last been reviewed in March 2005. It needed to be reviewed on a regular basis to reflect the council’s structure and the latest advice from the Standards Board and the courts. The proposed changes also allowed for officers from relevant disciplines within the council other than planning to attend meetings and give advice where necessary. Members had previously indicated that they would wish officers from Highways to attend.
With regard to site visits, the courts had ruled in the case of Hastings Borough Council that it was not necessary for members to attend site visits if they were already familiar with the site. However, a successful legal challenge might be mounted if members voting on the application did not have sufficient relevant knowledge of all the issues (including familiarity with the site). Members that did not have such knowledge should take no part in the decision process.
Recommended to Council – (a) That the changes to procedure outlined in the appendix to the report be approved and adopted, subject to the replacement of the words chairman and vice chairman with chair and vice chair, and (b) that the position regarding site visits be noted.