Agenda and minutes

Venue: Brunswick Room - Guildhall, Bath

Contact: David Taylor  01225 - 394414

Items
No. Item

119.

Emergency evacuation procedure

The Chairman will ask the Committee Administrator to draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out under Note 7

Minutes:

The Democratic Services Officer read out the procedure.

120.

Election of Vice Chairman (if desired)

Minutes:

A Vice Chair was not required.

121.

Apologies for absence and Substitutions

Minutes:

Councillors Lisa Brett and Neil Butters had sent their apologies to the Committee. Councillor Jeremy Sparks was present as a substitute for Councillor Butters.

122.

Declarations of Interest

Members who have an interest to declare are asked to state:

(a) the Item No and site in which they have an interest; (b) the nature of the interest; and (c) whether the interest is personal or personal and prejudicial.

 

Any Member who is unsure about the above should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer prior to the meeting in order to expedite matters at the meeting itself.

Minutes:

There were none.

123.

To Announce any Urgent Business Agreed by the Chairman

Minutes:

There was none.

124.

Items from the Public - To receive Deputations, Statements, Petitions or Questions

(1) At the time of publication, no items had been submitted.

 

(2) To note that, regarding planning applications to be considered, members of the public who have given the requisite notice to the Committee Administrator will be able to make a statement to the Committee immediately before their respective applications are considered. There will be a time limit of 3 minutes for each proposal, ie 3 minutes for the Parish and Town Councils, 3 minutes for the objectors to the proposal and 3 minutes for the applicant, agent and supporters. This allows a maximum of 9 minutes per proposal.

Minutes:

The Democratic Services Officer informed the meeting that there were various members of the public etc. wishing to make statements on planning applications in Report 10 and that they would be able to do so when reaching those items on the Agenda.

125.

Items from Councillors and Co-opted Members

To deal with any petitions or questions from Councillors and where appropriate Co-opted Members

Minutes:

There were no items from Councillors.

126.

Minutes: 18 January 2012 pdf icon PDF 243 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 18th January 2012 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

127.

Major Developments

The Senior Professional – Major Developments to provide a verbal update

Minutes:

The Senior Professional, Major Developments updated Members on the on-going works in the centre of Radstock. He explained that currently Wessex Water were carrying out a sewer replacement exercise and that this was causing some traffic delays to the area. He added that the latest information he had was that these works would last for a further two weeks.

 

He explained that the site compound which is currently being used by Wessex Water will be retained and used by the Council for their use when undertaking the Cabinet approved road works for the area in March.

 

He added that Bellway Homes were no longer involved in the local housing development and that Linden Homes had taken over the project.

 

Councillor Eleanor Jackson commented that she was concerned over the lack of an archaeologist on site and that there may be a risk to wildlife through contamination. Her concerns stemmed from the original planning application of 2006.

 

The Chairman replied that it was his understanding that the works involving the utilities were permitted development.

 

The Senior Professional, Major Developments added that only if and when the development approved in 2007 commences would the conditions of that permission come into effect. He explained that any concerns over possible contamination in connection with the Wessex Water works could be reported to the Council’s Contaminated Land Officer or to the Environment Agency.

 

Councillor Les Kew asked if he was able to update the Committee on the site of the Gainsborough Hotel.

 

The Senior Professional, Major Developments replied that he was not involved with that particular site himself and would therefore ask for a written response to be sent to Councillor Kew.

 

Councillor Les Kew asked if all the current conditions associated with the Train and Bus station on the Southgate development had been met.

 

The Senior Professional, Major Developments replied that there were a large number of conditions associated with the site and that these were designed to be discharged in a phased manner. He added that all of the currently relevant conditions had been met.

 

Councillor Douglas Nicol asked for an update on the site of Green Park House as he was concerned over the amount of litter that was in close proximity to the site.

 

The Senior Professional, Major Developments replied that the site had been purchased and that therefore the developer was responsible for the maintenance and tidiness of the site. He would however ask colleagues to provide a written update for Councillor Nicol.

 

In response to a further request from Councillor Eleanor Jackson, Officers will also provide a written update for Members with regard to the Bidwell Metals site at Clandown, Radstock.

 

The Members of the Committee noted the update.

128.

Main Plans List - Applications for Planning Permission Etc for Determination by the Committee pdf icon PDF 887 KB

The attached document is a revised version of the original published on 7 February 2012. It incorporates amendments to the “Reasons for reporting the Application to the Committee” in respect of two applications:

 

application1, The Bath Press, Lower Bristol Road, Westmoreland, Bath, (10/03380/EFUL)

 

application 3, Clearbrook Farm, Midford Hill, Hinton Charterhouse, Bath, (11/04422/FUL).

 

This revised document was published on 10 February 2012.

Minutes:

The Chairman announced that the applications relating to the proposed new Tesco development on the former Bath Press site and the expansion of Sainsbury’s at Green Park had been withdrawn from this agenda and would be debated at the March meeting of the Committee.

 

The Committee considered

 

  • A report by the Development Manager on various applications for planning permission etc

 

  • Oral statements by members of the public etc on Item Nos 3-5, the Speakers List being attached as Appendix 1 to these Minutes

 

  • An Update Report by the Development Manager on Item Nos 1-3, a copy of which is attached as Appendix 2 to these Minutes

 

RESOLVED that, in accordance with their delegated powers, the applications be determined as set out in the Decisions List attached as Appendix 3 to these Minutes.

 

Item 3 - Native Woodland Ltd. Clearbrook Farm, Midford Hill, Hinton Charterhouse, Bath, Bath And North East Somerset. Use of agricultural land as a natural burial ground (revised resubmission).

 

The Case Officer reported on this application and his recommendation for refusal. The public speakers made their statements on the application.

 

Members asked questions to which the Case Officer responded.

 

Councillor Eleanor Jackson stated that she felt that the application was not inappropriate within the Green Belt and moved that the Committee disagree with the officer recommendation and grant the application. The motion was seconded by Councillor Martin Veal. Members debated the motion. It was generally agreed that the main issue was the impact of the car parking on the site but that such use would be intermittent and well screened and therefore not harmful to openness or visual amenity.

 

The Chairman therefore asked the Committee to vote on the motion moved by Councillor Jackson to delegate to officers to permit the application subject to appropriate conditions.

 

Voting: 7 in favour, 2 against and 2 abstentions. Motion carried.

 

Reasons: the Committee felt that the proposal was not an inappropriate development within the Green Belt as it would not cause any harm to the openness of the Green Belt – the burial ground itself would have little impact and members were satisfied that car parking associated with the development would be intermittent and would be well screened by the existing hedgerow. For the same reasons, members were also satisfied that the impact on the countryside and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty would be acceptable.

 

Item 4 - Avon Wildlife Trust. Folly Farm, Folly Lane, Stowey, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset. Change of use from Class C2 to Mixed Use combining Classes C2/ D2 for residential education, wedding ceremonies and receptions with ancillary cafe, teaching and workshop facilities (Retrospective).

 

The Case Officer reported on this application and his recommendation to permit with conditions. A public speaker and Ward Councillor Vic Pritchard made their statements on the application.

 

Members asked questions to which the Case Officer responded.

 

Councillor Les Kew stated that he saw the application as a continuation in the use of the site, which had caused no  ...  view the full minutes text for item 128.

129.

New Planning Appeals Lodged, Decisions Received and Dates of Forthcoming Hearings/Inquiries pdf icon PDF 36 KB

To note the report

Minutes:

At the request of the Chairman, the Development Manager confirmed the events in March involving the Committee.

 

The Committee RESOLVED to note the report.

 

 

Appendix 1: Speakers List pdf icon PDF 12 KB

Appendix 2: Update Report pdf icon PDF 20 KB

Appendix 3: Decisions List pdf icon PDF 24 KB