Venue: Town Hall
Contact: Sally Gabriel Member Services Officer
Link: audio recording
No. | Item |
---|---|
APOLOGIES AND SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS To receive any apologies for absence and notices of appointment of substitutes.
Minutes: Apologies were received from Cllrs Mrs D L Brandon, P J Heal, A V G Griffiths, R F Radford and K D Wilson. |
|
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME (00-02-28 To receive any questions relating to items on the Agenda from members of the public and replies thereto.
Note: A maximum of 30 minutes is allowed for this item.
Minutes: 1. Mr Woolley speaking on behalf of Cllr Tanner representing Bampton Town Council and referring to Item 7 on the agenda (Bowdens Lane, Shillingford) said that as we stated last November we have looked into the Company behind the scheme and have no confidence in their commitment to the safe operation of eventual disposal of this potentially toxic, industrial structure. They have not consulted us over this application and were most disrespectful about our valid comments against their previous proposal. They are not a Company that we want to do business with. So can we ask that you do not put us in that position?
The Head of Planning and Regeneration stated that the applicant is not a material planning consideration. Members have to consider if the site is suitable for solar PV arrays, having no faith in the company applying for consent is not a matter for consideration.
2. Mr Woolley speaking on behalf of Cllr Tanner representing Bampton Town Council and referring to Item 7 on the agenda (Bowdens Lane, Shillingford) stated that officers clearly identified, a long time ago, the deficiencies and omissions there are in this application and these have been confirmed by the independent SLR report. Nationally we have heard that the subsidy for solar farms will be cut and existing commitments will exceed the allowed budget by £40m so this scheme is unaffordable. So the application is flawed, not wanted and unaffordable so can we ask why it has taken so long for your officers to provide the collateral you sought for refusal?
The Head of Planning and Regeneration stated that we are the determining authority; officers consider the planning matters and Members decide if it is appropriate to grant permission by balancing the material planning considerations.
3. Mr Woolley speaking on behalf of Cllr Tanner representing Bampton Town Council and referring to Item 7 on the agenda (Bowdens Lane, Shillingford) Bampton Town Council has noted the high quality of the objections received. Our local economy depends on peoples love of this unspoilt countryside and its country pursuits so we ask you to protect our livelihood and this beautiful valley on one of the main access points into Devon. We are concerned about the increased flood risk it creates to Bampton and knowing the area with the existing congestion in Bampton we cannot see how the proposed convoy scheme during construction can possibly work. It is the wrong scheme in the wrong place, we do not need or want it; so can we ask you to finally reject this proposal today?
The Head of Planning and Regeneration stated that the Environment Agency are the statutory consultees on flood risk, its observations are taken into account when consideration of the application takes place.
4. Mr Woolley referring to item 7 on the agenda (Bowdens Lane) stated that when this application was discussed at the Planning meeting on 5 November 2014, Councillors voted 13-0 to refuse permission but asked for both a site visit and for ... view the full minutes text for item 142. |
|
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING (00-24-46) To receive the minutes of the previous meeting (to follow).
Minutes: The minutes of the previous meeting were signed as a correct record of the meeting. |
|
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS To receive any announcements the Chairman may wish to make.
Minutes: The Chairman reminded Members that the next ordinary meeting would take place on 4 March with a special meeting taking place on 18 March. |
|
DEFERRALS FROM THE PLANS LIST To report any items appearing in the Plans List which have been deferred.
Minutes: There were no deferrals from the Plans List. |
|
THE PLANS LIST (00-25-32) PDF 833 KB To consider the planning applications contained in the list.
Minutes: The Committee considered the applications in the plans list *.
Note: *List previously circulated; copy attached to the signed Minutes.
(a) Applications dealt with without debate.
In accordance with its agreed procedure the Committee identified those applications contained in the Plans List which could be dealt with without debate.
RESOLVED that the following applications be determined or otherwise dealt with in accordance with the various recommendations contained in the list namely:
(i) No 1 on the Plans List (14/01454/FULL – Installation of ground mounted photovoltaic solar panel array to generate 4kW of power at land at Stairhill Farm, Moorlake, Crediton) be approved subject to conditions as recommended by the Head of Planning and Regeneration
(Proposed by the Chairman)
Note: The following late information was reported:
4th February 2015 – Comments received from Crediton Hamlets Parish Council As this was only a small scheme it was agreed to raise no objection.
11th February 2015 – Condition 5 should read
All electricity services associated with the development shall be placed underground
(ii) No 3 on the Plans List (14/01918/FULL – Change of use of agricultural land to form 1 traveller pitch, utility block and creation of new visibility splay – land at NGR 303826 111652, Muxbeare Lane, Willand) ) be approved subject to conditions as recommended by the Head of Planning and Regeneration
(Proposed by the Chairman)
Note: The following late information was reported: Members are advised that Reason 10 on page 38 should actually be Condition 10 and Reason 11 should be Condition 10. To read as follows:
Condition 10. This permission shall provide only for one gypsy and traveller pitch to be occupied by a single family unit. No more than 2 caravan(s), (of which no more than one shall be a static caravan or mobile home) as defined in the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 and the Caravan Sites Act 1968 shall be stationed on the site at any time. Any caravans positioned on the site shall be capable of being towed on the public highway, in accordance with the relevant Highways Act legislation, without division into separate parts.
Reason 10. For the avoidance of doubt and to concur with the nature of this application having regard to the submitted details and to minimise the visual impact of the development.
(b) No 2 on the Plans List (14/01748/FULL – Reserved Matters for the erection of 112 dwellings, including garages, domestic outbuildings and structures, associated infrastructure, estate roads, footways, car parking courts, drainage, pumping station and landscaping, together with all other associated development following outline approval 13/00859/MOUT – land and buildings at NGR 302994 107178 – Former Cummings Nursery, Culm Lea, Cullompton ). The Area Planning Officer outlined the contents of the report by way of presentation outlining the site location plan, the relationship with the existing dwellings, the existing footpath and the riverside walkway. He highlighted the access route to the south east of the site, which was ... view the full minutes text for item 146. |
|
To consider a report of the Head of Planning to report to Members on the outcome of the review of the Minutes of the meeting of 5 November 2014 in relation to this planning application and to consider the reasons for refusal proposed by the Planning Committee at the meeting of 5 November 2014 in light of further advice from Officers and to decide how the Council would have determined the planning application had it the ability to do so in light of an appeal for non-determination submitted by the applicants on 23 December 2014.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee had before it a report * of the Head of Planning and Regeneration informing Membersof the outcome of the review of the Minutes of the meeting of 5 November 2014 in relation to this planning application and to consider the reasons for refusal proposed by the Planning Committee at the meeting of 5 November 2014 in light of further advice from Officers and to decide how the Council would have determined the planning application had it the ability to do so in light of an appeal for non-determination submitted by the applicants on 23 December 2014.
The Head of Planning and Regeneration outlined the history of the application and the 4 reasons for refusal outlined by the Committee at a previous meeting: that of landscape and visual impact of the proposal, the effect on the local economy, highway impact and inappropriate us of medium grade agricultural land. The implications report set out possible reasons for refusal which would need to be substantiated at the appeal.
Consideration was given to the reasons for refusal set out in the report, the visual impact of the proposed development, possible flooding issues that may occur, the effect on the local economy with regard to shooting and fishing and employment opportunities and the impact of the heavy lorries going through Bampton during the construction period; the unnecessary development on Grade 3 agricultural land was also highlighted and discussion took place regarding the possible inclusion of Development Policies DM7 and DM29 within the reasons for refusal.
RESOLVED that had the Local Planning Authority had the power to determine the application, it would have been refused planning permission on the following grounds:
(i) In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority, due to the scale, design and siting of the proposed solar photovoltaic installation, the development is considered to have a significant adverse effect on the visual amenity and rural landscape character of the area, in particular when viewed from vantage points on local roads to the south and north west of the site and from the B3227 during winter months, and it has not been demonstrated that the harm could be addressed adequately by mitigation planting. The Local Planning Authority does not consider that the benefits of renewable energy production in this instance outweigh the significant adverse effect. The application is therefore considered to be contrary to policies COR2 and COR5 of the Mid Devon Core Strategy (LP1), DM2 and DM5 of the Local Plan 3 Development Management Policies and the National Planning Policy Framework.
The Committee required the above reason to also make reference to Mid Devon District Council’s Assessment of Landscape Sensitivity to onshore wind energy and large-scale photovoltaic development in the Mid Devon initial report of October 2013. The additional wording to be agreed by the Head of Planning and Regeneration with Ward Members, one of whom is the Chairman of the Planning Committee.
(ii) In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the proposal would represent an ... view the full minutes text for item 147. |
|
PLANNING PERFORMANCE 2014-15 QUARTER THREE (3-06-46) PDF 286 KB Report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration providing the Committee with information on the performance of Planning Services for quarter three 1st October to 31st December 2014.
Minutes: The Committee had before it and NOTED a report* of the Head of Planning and Regeneration providing it with information on the performance of Planning Services for Quarter 3 – 1 October – 31 December 2014. He outlined the contents of the report identifying the targets set and the performance against those targets.
Following a query regarding Conservation Area Appraisals and why these were undertaken at a time when budgets were constrained, he explained that Conservation Area Appraisal and the assessment of Heritage Assets was a statutory requirement and that this work had to be completed. He highlighted the fact that Mid Devon had 50 Conservation Areas, nearly 3000 Listed Buildings and the Council only employed 1.5 Conservation Officers.
The timetable of the Solar and Wind Landscape Impact SPD was also highlighted; the Head of Planning and Regeneration hoped this could be completed by late summer.
Members recorded their congratulations on the performance of the Planning Services.
|