Planning Committee – 15 December 2010

Chair: Councillor Collinson
Venue: The Council Chamber, Pittwood House, Scunthorpe
Time: 2pm

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 17 November 2010 as a correct record and authorise the chair to sign.
  4. Applications deferred from previous meeting for site visits.
  5. Major planning application for determination by the committee.
  6. Planning and other applications for determination by the committee.
  7. Proposed creation of public footpath by agreement at Haxey.
  8. Any other items, which the chair decides are urgent, by reasons of special circumstances, which must be specified.

The public are likely to be excluded from the meeting for consideration of the following item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 12 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

  1. Update on the position regarding the public inquiry into the appeal by ECO2, Scawby Brook – Joint report of the Service Director Highways and Planning and Service Director Legal and Democratic.

Note: All reports are by the Head of Planning unless otherwise states

MINUTES

PRESENT: Councillor Collinson (in the chair).

Councillors Whiteley (Vice-Chair), Ali, Bainbridge, Barker, B Briggs, Carlile, Eckhardt, England, Grant, C Sherwood, N Sherwood, and Wardle.

Councillors J Briggs, Poole, Regan, K Vickers and Waltham attended the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b).

The committee met at Pittwood House, Scunthorpe.

1296 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 a personal interest: –

Members
Minute
Applications
Nature of Interest
Cllr Eckhardt 1299 (i) 10/1070 Knew family of the applicant
Cllr Wardle 1301 (iii) 10/1139 May have known applicant

The following members declared that they had been lobbied:

Members
Minute
Application/Item
Cllrs Ali, Bainbridge, Barker, B Briggs, Carlile, England, Grant,
C Sherwood, N Sherwood and Whiteley
1300 (i) 09/0657

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

Members
Minute
Application/Item
Cllrs K Vickers 1300(i) 09/0657
Cllr Poole 1301(i) 10/1000

Mr S Whittemore (Regulatory Support Officer) declared a non-pecuniary interest in application 09/0657 (Minute 1300 (i)) as he knew one of the objectors.

1297 MINUTESResolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held on 17 November 2010, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chair.

1298 PROPOSED CREATION OF PUBLIC FOOTPATH BY AGREEMENT AT HAXEY – The chair advised that this matter did not need to be considered by the committee, as the Service Director Highways and Planning had delegated powers to make a decision.

Resolved – That the item be removed from the agenda.

1299 (35) APPLICATIONS DEFERRED FROM PREVIOUS MEETING – In accordance with the decisions at a previous meeting, members had undertaken site visits on the morning of the meeting. The Head of Planning submitted reports and updated them orally

(i) 10/1070 by Miss P Gibbons for the erection of a temporary agricultural dwelling at Hippopottering Nursery, Low Hall Road, East Lound, Haxey.

Prior to consideration of this application the applicant addressed the committee. She stated that there was a need for someone to be on the site to tend the crop. She had lost a crop to frost during the recent adverse weather conditions. The business was proposed to be relocated from an existing site within the village.

Moved by Councillor Eckhardt and seconded by Councillor Wardle –

That permission be granted.

Motion Lost

Moved by Councillor Grant and seconded by Councillor Bainbridge –

That permission be refused in accordance with the recommendation contained in the report.

Motion Carried

(ii) 10/1117 by Mr J Barry for the change of use of an observatory/health club to a dwelling.

Prior to consideration of this application the applicant addressed the committee. He stated that he had purchased the building having been led to believe that it was a residential property. The disused building was attracting thieves and vandals. The proposal would improve the character of the area. As the site had been an electricity sub-station in the past it met the requirements of Local Plan policies RD2 and RD9 in terms of agricultural buildings.

Councillor Regan, attending the meeting in accordance with Procedure Rule 1.37 (b) spoke on this application.

Resolved – That permission be granted, subject to conditions relating to time limit, development to be in accordance with approved plans, parking and highway safety.

1300 (36) MAJOR PLANNING APPLICATION – The Head of Planning submitted a report incorporating a schedule containing details of a major application for determination by the committee including summaries of policy context, representations arising from consultation and publicity and assessment of the applications. The Head of Planning updated the report orally where appropriate. Other officers attending gave advice and answered members’ questions as requested.

(i) 09/0657 by RWE Npower Renewables Ltd for the erection of 18 wind turbines with associated infrastructure and services, including 3 anemometry masts, site roads, crane pads, site office, grid connection building and temporary construction compounds on land west of Brigg Road, Horkstow.

Prior to consideration of this application five objectors and the applicants’ agent addressed the committee.

The first objector was concerned at the impact that the proposal would have on the landscape and visual amenity of the area. It was on the migratory flight path for pink footed geese. It would have an adverse impact on the Viking Way footpath.

The second objector was concerned that the low frequency noise produced by the turbines would deprive local residents of sleep and queried the locations from which noise surveys had been carried out.

The third objector stated that low-level noise could have an effect on nearby residents inner ears and lead to vertigo, migraines and tinnitus. It could also have an adverse impact on the cognitive impact of children.

The fourth objector stated that the savings in CO2 emissions would be small. He believed that windfarms should be located offshore. The development would have an adverse impact on the quality of life of local residents.

The fifth objector said that the scale of the development would be inappropriate. It would have an adverse impact on the Viking Way. It was contrary to policies in Supplementary Policy Guidance 13.

The applicant’s agent stated that the development of renewable energy sources was essential in combating climate change and ensuring energy security for the UK. The nearest proposed turbine to a non-related property was 800 metres away. There were no relevant environmental or landscape designations impacting on the site. A comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment had been carried out. Noise assessments had been carried out in accordance with the ETSU 97 standard, in consultation with the council’s Environmental Health officers. The design of the proposal would minimise the impact on the landscape and the turbines would not be visible from the “Low Villages”. In addition to the wider benefits in terms of CO2 reduction and energy security the proposal would also benefit the local economy.

Councillors Waltham, J Briggs, K Vickers and Regan, attending the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b) spoke on this application.

Moved by Councillor C Sherwood and seconded by Councillor N Sherwood –

That consideration of this application be deferred until a future meeting and that members visit the site prior to that meeting

Motion Lost

Moved by Councillor C Sherwood and seconded by Councillor N Sherwood –

That the Committee is mindful to refuse permission and that consideration of the application be deferred to a future meeting to enable consideration to be given to the reasons for refusal.

Motion Carried

(ii) 10/1046 by Mr M, Mr C and Ms M Welch for the erection of 13 dwellings (re-submission of PA/2009/1179) on land to the rear of 13 Queen Street, Barton-upon-Humber.

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

The agent stated that the application was supported by the council’s Planning, Conservation and Tree Officers. English Heritage had no objection in principle to development of the site. The site was not visible from the street.

The objector stated that the application did not meet the requirements of the council’s Interim Policy on Affordable Housing. It was contrary to Policy HA10 of the Local Plan. The proposed dwellings would overlook neighbouring properties. There would be a loss of 66 of 88 trees currently on the site.

Councillor K Vickers, attending the meeting in accordance with Procedure Rule 1.37 (b) spoke on this application.

Resolved – That consideration of this application be deferred to enable clarification of the position regarding the application of the council’s policy on affordable housing to this application.

1301 (37) 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. The Head of Planning updated the reports orally where appropriate. Other officers attending gave advice and answered members’ questions as requested.

(i) 10/1000 by Mr G Jewitt for a replacement dwelling at Middle Manton, Manton.

Councillor Poole, attending the meeting in accordance with Procedure Rule 1.37 (b) spoke on this application.

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

(ii) 10/1025 by Mr and Mrs Fell for the retention of an attached garage as built at 124 Westgate Road, Westgate, Belton.

Prior to consideration of this application, the applicant addressed the committee. She stated that during construction of the extension a drain had been discovered that had needed to be moved. The builder had made a mistake with the footings.

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

(iii) 10/1139 by Villecom Ltd for the conversion and extension of barns to form two dwellings at barns west of Northfield Farmhouse, Main Street, Thornton Curtis.

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

(iv) 10/1175 by Mr R Ackroyd for the erection of a single-storey dwelling and farm building for the purpose of a live work unit in connection with small animal husbandry on plot south of Belton Fields Lane, Westgate, Belton.

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

1302 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC – Resolved – That the public be excluded from the meeting for consideration of the following item (minute 1303) on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

1303 (38 ) UPDATE ON THE POSITION REGARDING THE PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO ECO2, SCAWBY BROOK – The Service Director Legal and Democratic and the Service Director Highways and Planning submitted a joint report on this matter.

Resolved – That the recommendations contained in the report be approved.