Agenda and minutes

The Chair formally commenced the meeting and jointly welcomed all present and those externally viewing the Development Control Committee.

A number of housekeeping matters and remote meeting guidance were highlighted to all.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Roger Dicker.

Any Member who is substituting for another Member should so indicate, together with the name of the relevant absent Member.

The following substitution was declared:

Councillor Andy Neal substituting for Councillor Roger Dicker.

Following which, the Democratic Services Officer verbally outlined all Members of the Committee who were present, together with any attending Councillors and the names of the Officers supporting the meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 8 July 2020 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 July 2020 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary or local non pecuniary interest which they have in any item of business on the agenda, no later than when that item is reached and, when appropriate, to leave the meeting prior to discussion and voting on the item.

Members’ declarations of interest are recorded under the item to which the declaration relates.

Report No: DEV/WS/20/038

Reserved Matters Application - Submission of details under Outline Planning Permission DC/15/2424/OUT - Matters Reserved by Condition 2 (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for the development of Units 1, 2 and 3 (Plots NE1 and NE2) for Class B1, B2 and B8

Application to Discharge Condition 6 (surface water drainage), 7 (HGV traffic movements and deliveries management plan), 8 (loading manoeuvring parking), 10 (soft landscaping), 13 (landscape management plan), 17 (contamination)and 21 (SUDS) of DC/15/2424/OUT

(Councillor David Roach declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item in view of being resident in a property adjacent to the application site.  He stated that that he would not take part in the discussion or the voting thereon.)

Reserved Matters Application - Submission of details under Outline Planning Permission DC/15/2424/OUT - Matters Reserved by Condition 2 (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for the development of Units 1, 2 and 3 (Plots NE1 and NE2) for Class B1, B2 and B8

Application to Discharge Condition 6 (surface water drainage), 7 (HGV traffic movements and deliveries management plan), 8 (loading manoeuvring parking), 10 (soft landscaping), 13 (landscape management plan), 17 (contamination)and 21 (SUDS) of DC/15/2424/OUT

Members were advised that the application site was allocated in Policy HV9 of the Haverhill Vision 2031 as part of one of the designated General Employment Areas in Haverhill.

The reserved matters application before the Committee followed on from:

(i) outline planning permission (with means of access) DC/15/2424/OUT for 'Development of up to 46,000 sq m of floor space for uses within Classes B1, B2 and B8 of the Use Classes Order, road side uses (petrol filling station and restaurant(s), Class (A3/A5), car dealerships (sui generis), builders merchants (sui generis), ancillary lorry park for Business Park occupiers, together with landscaping, car and HGV parking and associated works and facilities including access.' and

(ii) reserved matters application DC/19/1010/RM for submission of details under Outline Planning Permission DC/15/2424/OUT - Matters Reserved by Condition 2 (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for the development of Plots NE1, NE2 and SE2 for Class B1, B2 and B8 use.

The Senior Planning Officer explained that during the course of the application amendments had been made to include changes and alterations to unit 3 and additional information was submitted regarding noise and parking.

The application was referred to the Development Control Committee, at the request of the local Ward Member (Haverhill South East), Councillor Tony Brown, due to concerns that he and local residents shared in respect of the proposed scheme.

A Member site visit took place in September 2019 prior to application DC/19/1010/RM being presented at the Committee meeting in October 2019.

Officers were recommending that the application be approved, subject to conditions as set out in Paragraph 65 of Report No DEV/WS/20/038.

Speakers:    Bill Taylor (neighbouring resident on behalf of fellow residents of Bumpstead Road) spoke against the application

                   Andy Smith (architect) spoke in support of the application

Considerable debate ensued with a number of comments/questions raised by Members on various matters which the Senior Planning Officer responded to as follows:

Noise Assessment – it was confirmed that the noise assessment that had been undertaken related to both Bumpstead Road and the wider area surrounding;

Drawings – all drawings were to scale but the Planning Authority could not require applicants to include annotated dimensions. However, those residents that had requested further detail had been provided with this directly by the Case Officer;

Operating and Construction Hours – these would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

Report No: DEV/WS/20/039

Hybrid Planning Application - 1) Planning Application - Alter and extend existing warehouse/depot to create a new public/private sector hub with new sports and leisure facilities including new energy centre, surface car parks, a multi-storey car park, sports pavilion, associated landscaping and highways improvement works (following demolition of existing leisure centre, retail clearance building and ancillary buildings associated with former operational depot)  2) Outline Planning Application - Early years nursery

(Councillor Susan Glossop declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item in light of being the West Suffolk Cabinet Member under which the application fell.  She would remain in the meeting but would not take part in the debate or the voting thereon.)

Hybrid Planning Application - 1) Planning Application - Alter and extend existing warehouse/depot to create a new public/private sector hub with new sports and leisure facilities including new energy centre, surface car parks, a multi-storey car park, sports pavilion, associated landscaping and highways improvement works (following demolition of existing leisure centre, retail clearance building and ancillary buildings associated with former operational depot)  2) Outline Planning Application - Early years nursery

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee as the development was a major strategic site and the applicant was the Council.

The Committee were advised that a request for a Screening Opinion under Regulation 6 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 was received by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) on 20 June 2019.  A Screening Opinion was subsequently issued on 7 August 2019, which concluded that the development was not Environmental Impact Assessment Development and as such an application would not require the submission of an Environmental Statement.

Members were also informed that amendments had been made during the course of the application to address landscape and ecology and highway matters.  Additional information had also been submitted by the applicant in the form of a Transport Assessment Addendum, Cycleway Review and Addendum and additional plans in respect of the junction of Newmarket Road and Western Way.

The Principal Planning Officer drew attention to the ‘late papers’ that had been circulated supplementary to the agenda and which set out comments received from Network 2 Supplies together with proposed amendments to conditions No 53 (shuttle bus) and No 57 (approved plans).

The Officer also advised of the following typographical errors to the report:

·         The measurement of 55m in Paragraph 13.4 should have read 15m

·         Condition No 46 as detailed in Appendix 1 should have read “To ensure the development does NOT have a detrimental impact on the local junctions…”

·         Condition No 54 as detailed in Appendix 1 should have referenced Condition No 32 and not No 30.

As part of the presentation the meeting was given a ‘fly through’ visualisation of the proposal.

Officers were recommending that the application be approved, subject to a S106 Agreement and conditions as set out in Appendix 1 of  DEV/WS/20/039 inclusive of the amendments set out in the late paper and with an additional further condition in respect of junction capacity works at Beetons Way/Western Way.

Speakers:    Lorraine Weaver-Smith (neighbouring resident) spoke against the application

                   David Cripps (West Suffolk Athletics Club) spoke against the application

                   Richard Torkington (agent) spoke in support of the application (via a pre-recorded audio file submission)

Considerable debate then took place by the Committee with a number of Members posing questions on elements of the application.

The Principal Planning Officer responded to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

Report No: DEV/WS/20/040

Planning Application - 1.5 storey rear extension to accommodate 4no. GP Consulting Rooms, Treatment Room, Interview Room and associated administrative and storage areas (following removal of existing portacabin)

Planning Application - 1.5 storey rear extension to accommodate 4no. GP Consulting Rooms, Treatment Room, Interview Room and associated administrative and storage areas (following removal of existing portacabin)

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee following consideration by the Delegation Panel.

The application was referred to the Delegation Panel as Stanton Parish Council raised concerns, which was contrary to the Officer recommendation of approval, subject to conditions, as set out in Paragraph 29 of Report No DEV/WS/20/040.

As part of his presentation the Principal Planning Officer included videos of the site which he took the Committee through by way of a virtual ‘site visit’.

Speakers:    Councillor Joanna Spicer (Suffolk County Councillor for Stanton) spoke against the application

                   Councillor Francis Hart (Chair, Stanton Parish Council) spoke against the application

                   Councillor Jim Thorndyke (Ward Member for Stanton) spoke on the application

Considerable debate took place on the application with a number of Members echoing the preference voiced by some of the speakers with regard to the alternative site for the village surgery’s development in Upthorpe Road.

In response to which the Service Manager (Planning – Development) advised that any future facility plans/alternative sites were not a material planning consideration for this application.  Furthermore, granting permission would not preclude the surgery from continuing to explore other options for growth.

Councillor Mike Chester proposed that planning permission be refused, contrary to the Officer recommendation, due to insufficient parking provision at the site and highway safety issues being exacerbated by surgery users parking on the neighbouring streets, primarily Parkside and Grundle Close. The proposal was also considered to be contrary to Policies DM2 and DM46. This was duly seconded by Councillor Andy Drummond.

The Service Manager (Planning – Development) advised the Committee that the Decision Making Protocol would be invoked in order for a Risk Assessment to be produced for consideration at a future meeting, prior to Members determining the application.  The further report could also provide a more detailed analysis and interpretation of DM2 and DM46.

Upon being put to the vote and with 10 voting for the motion, 5 against and with 1 abstention it was resolved that

Decision

Members be MINDED TO REFUSE THE APPLICATION, CONTRARY TO THE OFFICER RECOMMENDATION, due to insufficient parking provision at the site and highway safety issues together with being contrary to Policies DM2 and DM46.