Agenda and minutes

The Chief Executive to notify the Committee of any substitute members

The Committee was notified that  a notice under Regulation 13 of the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 had been received, appointing Councillor Bob Sandall for Councillor Powell for this meeting only.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Higgs.

Members are asked to disclose any interests in matters for consideration at the meeting

There were none declared.

                                                                                                                  (Enclosure)

The minutes of the meeting held on 6^th August 2013 were accepted as a correct record of decisions taken.

To consider applications received for the grant of planning permission – reports prepared by the Case Officer.                                                                                                       (Enclosure)

The anticipated order of consideration is as shown on the agenda, but this may be subject to change, at the discretion of the Chairman of the Committee.

Decision:-

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

SB1

Application ref:         S13/0775/EIAFP

Description:              Construction of Southern Quadrant Link Road (SQLR) comprising new 3km single carriageway between B1174 Spittlegate Level and A52 Somerby Hill including a new bridge spanning the East Coast Main Line and River Witham.  Works to include a new 5 arm roundabout at B1174 Spittlegate Level, improvements to the existing A52/B6403 roundabout, associated new junctions/access      roads, new cycleway/footpath at Whalebone Lane, site compound/construction and storage areas, recontouring of ground levels, formation of attenuation ponds and diversion of public right of way

Location:                    Grantham Southern Relief Road, Grantham

Decision:                   Withdrawn from the agenda, for consideration of further information.

(1.05pm – Councillors Stevens and Mrs Judy Smith entered the meeting).

(1.08pm – Councillor Bob Sandall entered the meeting).

JJ1

Application ref:         S13/0674/MJRR

Description:               Reserved Matters application relating to residential development and associated development, link road, estate roads, open space and landscaping (including A1 retail/B1 office development

Location:                    Zone 4 and zone 5, Elsea Park, Bourne

Decision:                   Approved, subject to no adverse observations from the Environment Agency

Noting comments from Bourne Town Council, no objection from National Grid, Police Crime Prevention Officer or Community Archaeologist, comments from the Health and Safety Executive, Partnership and Project Officer (Affordable Housing), Leisure Officer, Environment Agency, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England and Environmental Protection and a note of the Section 106 Heads of Terms imposed on the outline application; late information report circulated to Members before the meeting  including a note of no objection from the Highway Authority, officer comment thereon and additional conditions required by the Highway Authority, and comments made by Members at the meeting.

It was proposed and seconded that the application be approved, as recommendation, but with a condition imposed that any road built on the estate shall be to an adoptable standard.

As an amendment, it was proposed and seconded:-

“That no development/occupation of the houses shall take place until the developer has installed fire hydrants as identified as being required by the Fire Service, for the purposes of safety.”

The Solicitor expressed concern at the trigger for the installation of hydrants, ie “development or occupation”, and suggested that it would be better and easier to control if this were to be on “occupation” only.  The proposer and seconder accepted this amendment.

The proposer and seconder of the motion to approve the application accepted the amendment as varied above within the main proposition.

The Chairman drew the attention of the proposer of the motion to approve to additional condition number 10 on page 2 of the late report and suggested that this was the same as his addition.  The proposer accepted this and withdrew the addition from the proposal.

Discussion took place on the surfacing of the estate roads, and on a mechanism for ensuring that this was carried out, and to adoptable standards.  The Chairman suggested that paragraph 2 of proposed condition 10 could be altered to make this requirement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 165.

Report number PLA1009 by the Development Management Service Manager.     (Enclosure)

Decision:-

That further consideration of the District Council’s observations on the application be deferred for enough information to be obtained to enable a comparison with the District Council’s Wind Energy SPD and to enable a site inspection of the area near to the site to be arranged.  The report to be submitted to the next meeting to include this information, together with copies of the observations of the two Parish Councils (Castle Bytham and South Witham) also consulted on the application.  In addition, Rutland County Council to be asked to consider an extension of time to enable the Committee’s comments to be submitted after the next meeting.

Members considered report PLA1009 from the Development Management Service Manager, following a notification from Rutland County Council of an application for a wind turbine on land to the west of the Great North Road, Stretton, which was near to the south western boundary of the District.  Castle Bytham and South Witham Parish Councils had also been consulted.

The report set out details of the proposed development, which was approximately 1.6km north of Stretton and approximately 2km south of South Witham, located in a field to the west of the A1.  It was suggested that the most significant issue would be the likely impact of the proposal on the landscape.  It was not considered that there would be any significant effect on the outlook and amenities of residents within the District, and it was recommended that Rutland County Council be advised accordingly.

It was proposed and seconded that the recommendation be accepted.

During the ensuing lengthy discussion, it was suggested that there was insufficient information in the report on which to base comments and it was proposed, as an alternative, that further consideration be deferred to enable this information to be obtained.  This proposition was seconded.

Members considered that in addition to the specific comments required on this application, there was a need to consider a standard approach on similar applications, involving a report on the Council’s SPD and on methods by which comparisons could be drawn.

(3.22pm - The Chairman adjourned the meeting to enable Members to consider the recommendations on this and the next application).

(The meeting resumed at 3.45pm).

The proposition to accept the recommendation was put to the vote and lost.

The Committee Support Officer then read the proposition to defer, which was for enough information to be obtained to enable a comparison with the District Council’s Wind Energy SPD; for a site inspection of the area near to the site; and for a full report to the next meeting with this information, to include copies of the observations of the two Parish Councils consulted; together with a request for Rutland County Council to consider an extension of time to enable the District Council’s comments to be submitted after the next meeting.

On being put to the vote the proposition was agreed.

Report number PLA1011 by the Development Management Service Manager.     (Enclosure)

Decision:-

That Newark and Sherwood District Council be advised that due to the size and proximity of the turbines to South Kesteven and the possible severe impact on a large area of South Kesteven, a detailed considered response tested against the SKDC Wind Energy SPD will be provided, and request Newark and Sherwood District Council that sufficient time be allowed (6 weeks) for this response to be provided.

Members had before them report PLA1011 from the Development Management Service Manager on a neighbouring authority consultation received from Newark and Sherwood District Council.  An application had been submitted to that authority for four wind turbines on land south of Newark, west of the A1 and approximately 2km at the nearest point from the boundary with South Kesteven.  The nearest settlements in the District would be Claypole, Long Bennington and Dry Doddington, at distances between 5 and 6km away.  The Development Management Service Manager circulated a plan showing the location of the proposed turbines to Members at the meeting.

Observations on the likely impact of the proposal were set out, from which it was noted that the most significant of these were impact on landscape character and heritage assets. The turbines would also be extensively visible due to the flatish gently undulating landscape, which would have a significant impact.  Cumulative impact was also considered to be significant, given the number of schemes close to this site and within Newark and Sherwood and South Kesteven with consent, proposed, under consideration or at appeal.  In addition, impact on heritage assets was significant.   A lengthy recommendation requesting that Newark and Sherwood District Council take all these issues into account was set out on pages 3 and 4 of the report.

During the following discussion, Members were concerned at the lack of weight given to the District Council’s own SPD.  It was considered that the SPD policies should be set out with an interpretation of the effect on residents of the District.  Taking all comments made into account, the Chairman read a suggested proposition as follows:

“Newark and Sherwood District Council be advised that due to the size and proximity of the turbines to South Kesteven and the possible severe impact on a large area of South Kesteven, a detailed considered response tested against the SKDC Wind Energy SPD will be provided, and request Newark and Sherwood District Council that sufficient time be allowed (6 weeks) for this response to be provided”.

A Member asked how much time was available for the submission of comments.  On checking, the Development Management Service Manager said that comments should have been in by 2^nd August, but that it was unlikely that the application would be considered by Newark and Sherwood before the second or third week in October.

The Chairman asked if Newark and Sherwood would be wrong to ignore South Kesteven, if they chose to determine the application before this Council’s comments had been submitted and if that did happen could  ...  view the full minutes text for item 167.

Report No. PLA1007 by the Development Management Service Manager.(Enclosure)

The Development Management Service Manager submitted his report listing details of applications not determined within the eight week time period.  Also submitted was a list of applications dealt with under delegated powers and a list of outstanding planning appeals, together with a schedule showing planning applications performance as at April/July 2013.

The meeting closed at 4.56pm