Planning Committee – 6 April 2011

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 9 March 2011 as a correct record and authorise the chair to sign.

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

5.  Enforcement Update.

6.  Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Housing – Technical Change to Annex B, Affordable Housing Definition: Consultation

7.  Reason for refusal of WF/2010/1242 – Flixborough Windfarm.

The appendix to this report contains exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of part 1 of schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). Accordingly it may be necessary to exclude the public and press if during the course of discussions reference is made to such information.

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 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

8.  Unauthorised siting of residential caravans for residential purposes, land in Mill Lane, Brigg – EXEMPT

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

Minutes

PRESENT: Councillor Collinson (in the chair).

Councillors Whiteley (vice-chair), Ali, Bainbridge, Barker, B Briggs, Carlile, Eckhardt, Ellerby, England, Poole, N Sherwood and Wardle.

Councillors Regan and Waltham attended the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b).

The committee met at Pittwood House, Scunthorpe.

1328 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 interest:

Member
Minute
Application
Nature of Interest
Cllr Wardle 1330 (i) 11/0022 Knew applicant

The following members declared that they had been lobbied:

Members
Minute
Application/Item
Cllr Collinson 1333 Reasons for refusal of WF/2010/1242
Cllr Collinson 1335 Unauthorised siting of residential caravans
Cllr N Sherwood 1335 Unauthorised siting of residential caravans

1329 MINUTESResolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held on 9 March 2011, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chair.

1330 (56) 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) 11/0022 by Mr J Raby for the erection of a detached dwelling (re-submission of PA/2010/0338) on land adjacent to Sunny Bank, North End, Goxhill.

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

The applicant stated that the site was within the development limit for Goxhill. There was a history of outline permissions on the site. The site had never flooded and was currently covered in concrete with stables etc. The demolition of these buildings would be beneficial to local amenity. There were no objections from Anglian Water or the Highways Team.

The objector referred to the history of earlier permissions and stated that permission had previously been given for two dwellings on the site. Subsequently a permission had been given for one dwelling. He had not objected to this. However the present application would result in the remaining 36 per cent of the site being developed. He considered this to be unacceptable over development. He also referred to flood risk and the existing moratorium on development in Goxhill.

Moved by Councillor Wardle and seconded by Councillor B Briggs –

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 Ali and seconded by Councillor Bainbridge –

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

Motion Carried

(ii) 11/0098 by Mr Davey for the erection of a conservatory at Horkstow Grange, Main Street, Horkstow

Moved by Councillor N Sherwood and seconded by Councillor Eckhardt –

That permission be granted.

Motion Lost

Moved by Councillor Bainbridge and seconded by Councillor Ali –

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

Motion Carried

(iii) 11/0098 by Mr Davey for Listed Building Consent for the erection of a conservatory at Horkstow Grange, Main Street, Horkstow

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

(iv) 11/0141 by Mr and Mrs Wilcock for the erection of a single-storey rear extension at 25 Messingham Road, Scunthorpe.

Prior to consideration of this application an objector addressed the committee. He was concerned at the potential loss of light to his property and smell and noise nuisance from dogs kept at the premises.

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

1331 (57) 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. He also gave an update on another matter in response to a question from a member.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

1332 (58) PLANNING POLICY STATEMENT 3: PLANNING FOR HOUSING – TECHNICAL CHANGE TO ANNEX B, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEFINITION: CONSULTATION – The Head of Strategic Regeneration, Housing and Development submitted a report informing members about the proposed technical changes being consulted on in relation to Annex B Affordable Housing definition of Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing and seeking approval to submit a response to the consultation.

The Government had announced its intention of introducing a streamlined set of national planning guidance: National Planning Policy Framework, by April 2012. However, until that time the existing PPS’s and PPG’s would inform planning decisions and therefore amendments were still being consulted on until such time that planning for housing policy was reviewed through the National Planning Policy Framework.

CLG was currently proposing to amend PPS3 and had issued a consultation document which ends in April 2011. The main amendments related to a “technical change” to Annex B Affordable Housing definition. The key reason for this change was for Affordable Rent to be included within the definition of affordable housing.In the Comprehensive Spending Review, it had been announced that a new “affordable rent product” would become available and this change to PPS3 was part of that initiative.

The change to the wording of the PPS was minimal, but it did make it clear that the affordable rent product was now included under the definition of affordable housing. However there was concern that the affordable rent product could have questionable affordability in North Lincolnshire. There was definitely concern that the product was not going to meet the housing needs of many of the people on its housing register.

Resolved – That the council respond to the consultation on the proposed technical changes made to Annex B Affordable Housing definition of Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing.

1333 (59) REASON FOR REFUSAL OF WF/2010/1242 – FLIXBOROUGH WINDFARM – Further to Minute 1325, the Head of Planning submitted a report inviting members to agree a reason for refusal of this application.

Prior to consideration of this matter an objector addressed the committee. He questioned the applicants’ submitted noise readings and believed that a reason relating to noise should be added to the reason proposed by officers. He also considered that the proposal was contrary to the provisions of policies DS11 and RD2 of the North Lincolnshire Local Plan.

Councillors Regan and Waltham, attending the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b), addressed the committee on this issue.

Resolved – That the reasons for refusal to be issued to the applicant as the council’s decision be the reason included in the report and also reasons relating to noise and the effect on the health and well-being of two children living close to the site.

1334 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC – Resolved – That the public be excluded from the meeting for the remainder of the consideration of this item (Minute 1335 refers) on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

1335 (60) UNAUTHORISED SITING OF RESIDENTIAL CARAVANS FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES, LAND IN MILL LANE, BRIGG The Head of Planning submitted a report advising members with regard to the current situation relating to the unauthorised siting of caravans on land in Mill Lane, Brigg and in particular a failure to comply with two enforcement notices in relation to the land.

Resolved – (a) That the Planning Committee again defers prosecution in respect of the failure to comply with two enforcement notices on land in Mill Lane, Brigg to allow further efforts to be made in identifying suitable, alternative caravan sites for Gypsies/Travellers in the North Lincolnshire area; (b) that the views of the police be sought, and (c) that the site be monitored to ensure no further material changes of use occur on the land.