Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Marie Todd  01225 394414

Items
No. Item

51.

Emergency evacuation procedure

The Chairman will ask the Committee Administrator to draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

Minutes:

The Democratic Services Officer read out the emergency evacuation procedure.

52.

Apologies for absence and Substitutions

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from:

 

Cllr Vic Clarke – substitute Cllr Vic Pritchard

Cllr Hal MacFie – substitute Cllr Alison Born

53.

Declarations of Interest

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number and site in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest,  (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officer before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

Minutes:

Cllr Eleanor Jackson made a statement about application number 18/05623/OUT, Co-operative Store A, Wells Road, Westfield.  Cllr Jackson explained that she is a shareholder of Radco, holding a very small amount of shares which cannot be sold and from which she does not receive a dividend.  She also attended the Radco Annual General Meetings and had urged the management to submit a planning application to re-develop the site.  However she had never given a view about the merits of such a proposal and the outcome of the planning application would not cause her financial detriment or gain.  She stated that she would consider the application with an open mind and would remain in the meeting and vote on this item.

54.

To Announce any Urgent Business Agreed by the Chairman

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.

55.

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 a number of people wishing to make statements on planning applications and that they would be able to do so when these items were discussed.

56.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 84 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2019.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2019 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

57.

Main Plans List - Applications for Planning Permission Etc for Determination by the Committee pdf icon PDF 649 KB

Minutes:

The Committee considered:

 

·  A report by the Head of Planning on various planning applications.

 

·  An update report by the Head of Planning on item 1 attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes.

 

·  Oral statements by members of the public and representatives.  A copy of the speakers’ list is attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes.

 

RESOLVED that in accordance with the delegated powers, the applications be determined as set out in the decisions list attached as Appendix 3 to these minutes.

 

Item No. 1

Application No. 18/05623/OUT

Site Location: Co-Operative Store A, Wells Road, Westfield, BA3 3RQ – Hybrid planning application for the mixed-use redevelopment of the Co-Operative store and associated car park in Radstock comprising:

1.  Full planning permission for the demolition of existing store and construction of 1795sqm retail floorspace including replacement store (Class A1), 722sqm office floorspace (Class B1), and 28 dwellings (Class C3), with associated car and cycle parking, works to existing access, landscaping, public realm, drainage and infrastructure.

2.  Outline planning permission for 26 dwellings with associated car parking, landscaping, drainage and infrastructure (access, scale, and landscaping determined, all other matters reserved).

 

The Case Officer reported on the application and his recommendation to delegate to permit.  He explained that this was a hybrid application which included requests for both full and outline permission in different parts of the site.  He also informed members that the proposed S106 Agreement would require the implementation of a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan, and confirmed that this would contain a requirement to protect these areas in perpetuity.

 

Representatives from Westfield Parish Council and Radstock Town Council spoke in favour of the application.

 

The applicant and agent spoke in favour of the application.

 

Cllr Robin Moss, local ward member, spoke in favour of the application.  He commended Radco for consulting with local residents and listening to their concerns.  He pointed out that Radco is a local community hub which is valued by residents who wish to see it thrive.

 

Cllr Jackson, local ward member on the committee, stated that the Radco store is currently not in a good condition.  The store was designed in the 1960s and is now an eyesore.  She hoped that the proposal would conserve and enhance the area.  She noted that there was a slight concern regarding the height of the new store and whether it was an appropriate building for the gateway to Westfield.  Cllr Jackson felt that, on balance, the viability statement provided was acceptable.  She also pointed out that the Radco car park is a private facility and stated that the car parking provision seems appropriate.

 

Officers then responded to questions as follows:

 

·  Access arrangements to the wild area had not yet been agreed and would form part of the S106 Agreement.

·  The building heights were contentious as there would be some obstruction of hillside views. Some harm would, therefore, be caused by the development.  However, the Case Officer concluded that this is acceptable when weighed against the public benefit.  The urban  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

Update Report - 23 October 2019 - Appendix 1 pdf icon PDF 52 KB

Additional documents:

58.

Quarterly Performance Report - July to September 2019 pdf icon PDF 218 KB

The Committee is asked to note the quarterly performance report.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the quarterly performance report for July to September 2019.  Councillor Hounsell queried the low number of enforcement notices issued compared to the amount of investigations launched.  He stated that more detailed information is required to enable the Committee to fully comprehend the issues behind the figures presented.

 

The Deputy Head of Planning agreed to feed these views back to the Enforcement Team.  She explained that often, although investigations are launched, an enforcement notice is not actually required because the matter is resolved by negotiation.  The Enforcement Team also work with applicants and communities to resolve issues before they reach the enforcement notice stage of the process.

 

RESOLVED: To note the report.

59.

New Planning Appeals Lodged, Decisions Received and Dates of Forthcoming Hearings/Inquiries pdf icon PDF 117 KB

The Committee is asked to note the report.

Minutes:

The Committee considered the appeals report.

 

RESOLVED: To note the report.