Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Stokes.

The following interests were noted:-

Councillor Exton – personal interest in application SU.4, under the Members’ Code of Conduct, and further under the Probity in Planning Code of Guidance, to avoid the impression of pre-determination or bias towards the application, in view of his distance acquaintanceship with the applicants.

Councillor N Radley – personal and prejudicial interest in application NR.2,  under the Members’ Code of Conduct, and further under the Probity in Planning Code of Guidance, to avoid  the impression of pre-determination or bias towards the application, in view of his relationship to the applicant.

                                                                                                            (Enclosure)

The minutes of the meeting held on 24^th October 2006 were confirmed as a correct record of decisions taken.

To consider applications received for the grant of planning permission – reports prepared by the Area Planning Officers.

List for Debate                                                                                   (Enclosure)

Decision:-

To determine applications, or make observations, as listed below:-

           (2.05pm Councillor Mrs Hurst entered the meeting)

SU.1

Application ref:          S04/1455/56

Description:          Construction of 14 sheltered housing units

Location:               Holland House Residential Home, 35, Church Street, Market Deeping

Decision:                Approved

Noting report of site inspection, an objection from Market Deeping Town Council, no objection from the Welland and Deepings Internal Drainage Board, comments from the Highway Authority, Community Archaeologist, Conservation Officer and English Heritage and objections from nearby residents, together with information in support from the applicants and comments made by Members at the meeting.

It was proposed and seconded that, as the proposal was in accordance with national and local policies as set out in policies EN.1, C5 and E5 of the South Kesteven Local Plan, and as the issues relating to highway safety/parking, impact on the character and setting of the adjacent listed building and residential amenity are material considerations but are not sufficient in this case to indicate against the proposal and to outweigh the policies referred to above, it be approved subject to the following conditions:-

1.    The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

2.    Samples of the materials to be used for all external walls and roofs shall be submitted to the District Planning Authority before any development to which this permission relates is commenced and only such materials as may be approved in writing by the authority shall be used in the development.

3.    No development shall take place until there has been submitted to and approved in writing by the district planning authority a plan showing the exact location, species and spread of all trees and hedges on the site and those proposed to be felled or uprooted during building operations together with measures for their protection in the course of development.

4.       Before the development is commenced, there shall be submitted to and approved by the district planning authority details of the means of surfacing of the unbuilt portions of the site.

5.       No development shall take place until details of the proposed screen wall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.  The agreed scheme shall be implemented before the development hereby permitted is brought into use.

6.       Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order) 1995 (or any order revoking or re-enacting that order with or without modification), no windows/dormer windows (other than those expressly authorised by this permission) shall be constructed unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning authority.

7.       This permission shall be read in conjunction with the submitted application and the amended plan ACH/01/BK 001A and 002A received by the local planning authority from the applicant's agent on 29 August 2006 unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning authority.

SU.2

Application ref:          S05/LB/6435/69

Description:           Partial demolition of store, ground floor extensions and internal alterations

Location:               10, Ironmonger Street, Stamford

Decision:                Refused  ...  view the full minutes text for item 751.

Reference from the Constitution and Accounts Committee

Decision:-

That the proposals submitted from the Chairman of Committee (and as attached to these minutes as an appendix) be agreed for transmission to the Constitution and Accounts Committee.

The Chairman reminded Members that the Constitution and Accounts Committee, as part of its discussions on the Planning Panel situation had asked the Committee to look at the issue and report to that Committee with recommendations on a viable way forward.  He asked Members for their views.

A Member commented that in the past when the then Planning Committee had been faced with a long agenda, it was clear that earlier applications on the agenda had been given more time than those towards the end of the agenda.  Meetings frequently finished at 7.00pm, or later, with the result that Members were tired and frequently Councillors had left for other commitments.  As a result, consideration had been given, some three years ago, to the commencement of the Planning Panels.

He suggested that maybe the time was now right to give further consideration to alternatives, possibly more frequent cycles of meetings for the Development Control Committee.  It was accepted that a two weekly cycle of meetings would result in difficulties with dispatch of agendas and he put forward a suggestion for consideration which, briefly, was that an agenda would be sent in on a particular date but in two parts, Part 1 for consideration at a meeting to be held at a suitable distance from the dispatch date and Part 2 be held at a later date.  The distance between these two meetings called by one agenda could be the subject of discussion.

Another Councillor suggested that all 58 Members should play a part and he put forward a suggestion that the district be divided into five areas on a roughly regional basis so that all Councillors could play a part in the decision making process to enable the workload to be spread.

(4.52pm – Councillor Turner left the meeting)

A Member commented that Members of the Development Control Committee frequently had other commitments, which would inevitably clash with the end of a long Committee meeting and that this would be therefore be a reason to try to keep meetings shorter, to enable Members to be present for the whole meeting.  She accepted that the Planning Panel had been cancelled because of the lack of transparency issue, but queried whether suggested extended delegation was any different.  It was suggested that a method of overcoming this would be to allow the public to be present at the Panel’s Meetings.  In response, the Chairman suggested that the reason for the Planning Panel being terminated was the view that it fettered the decision of the Officers in recommending the method of determining particular applications.

(4.56pm – Councillor Mrs Gaffigan left the meeting)

(4.58pm – Councillor Mrs Gaffigan returned to the meeting)

A Member commented that it seemed unlikely the number of applications received would slow down and he suggested that consideration be given to either  ...  view the full minutes text for item 752.

Report No. PLA625 by the Acting Development Control Services

Manager

                                                                        (Enclosure)

The Acting Development Control Services Manager submitted his report PLA625 listing details of applications not determined within the eight-week time period.  Also submitted was a list of applications dealt with under delegated powers.

It was proposed and seconded that:-

IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 100A OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972, THE PUBLIC BE EXCLUDED BECAUSE OF THE LIKELIHOOD, IN VIEW OF THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED, THAT IF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE PRESENT THERE WOULD BE A DISCLOSURE TO THEM OF EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF PART 1 OF SCHEDULE 12A OF THE ACT.

This proposition was approved.  

(a)                   Provision of access track, Marston Hall, Marston

(b)                                       Land adjacent Grange Farm, Hougham – use for car boot sales

(c)                    Rear of 37 Newton Way, Woolsthorpe by Colsterworth – Breach of condition

Report PLA622 by the Business Manager, Development Control and Building Control Services.                                                                              (Enclosure)

Decision:-

That authority be given for appropriate enforcement action to be taken with regard to:-

1.                      The provision of an access track at Marston Hall, Marston;

2.                      The change of use of land to car boot sales, land adjacent Grange Farm, Hougham; and

3.         Breach of condition, rear of 37 Newton Way, Woolsthorpe by Colsterworth.

Members considered reports PLA622 from the Enforcement Officer in relation to various breaches of planning control.  Full details of breaches were set out in the circulated report, which included a description of the site, the appropriate planning policy and comments from Officers in each case.

It was proposed, seconded and agreed that appropriate enforcement action be taken in all three cases reported.

The meeting closed at 5.25pm