Agenda and minutes

This being the first meeting of the Development Control Committee since the Authority’s Annual Meeting in May 2023, the Lawyer opened the meeting and welcomed all present.

The Democratic Services Officer was invited to outline the correct membership of the Committee in light of changes having been made to political group appointments since the agenda was published.

The Lawyer then asked for nominations for the Chair of the Committee for 2023/2024.

Councillor Roger Dicker nominated Councillor Andrew Smith as Chair and Councillor Smith accepted the nomination.

There being no other nominations, it was unanimously

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Andrew Smith be elected Chair for 2023/2024.

Councillor Smith then took the Chair for the remainder of the meeting and gave thanks to the Committee for his appointment.

The Chair nominated Councillors Phil Wittam and Jon London for the two Vice Chair positions.  Councillors Wittam and London both accepted their nomination.

There being no other nominations, and with 15 voting for the nomination and with 1 abstention, it was

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Phil Wittam be elected as Vice Chair for 2023/2024.

And with 14 voting for the nomination and with 2 abstentions, it was

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Jon London be elected as Vice Chair for 2023/2024.

No apologies for absence were received.

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

No substitutions were declared.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2023 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2023 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair, subject to it being noted that Councillor Nick Clarke had been missed off the list of Members in attendance and that Councillor Ian Houlder had been mistakenly recorded twice.

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/23/013

Planning application - change of use of land to well-being centre comprising of a. central hub, b. therapy building, c. pets as therapy building, d. replacement storage building and animal enclosure e. installation of four camping domes f. remodelled access, parking and associated works g. replacement garage

(Councillor Mike Chester declared, in the interest of openness and transparency, that he was acquainted with the applicant.)

Planning application - change of use of land to well-being centre comprising of a. central hub, b. therapy building, c. pets as therapy building, d. replacement storage building and animal enclosure e. installation of four camping domes f. remodelled access, parking and associated works g. replacement garage

This application was originally referred to the Development Control Committee on 5 April 2023 following a call-in request by Councillor Mike Chester (Ward Member for Chedburgh and Chevington) and consideration by the Delegation Panel.

At the 5 April 2023 meeting Members resolved that they were ‘minded to’ refuse planning permission, contrary to the Officer recommendation of approval, on the following grounds:

•        Impact on the setting of the listed building

•        Impact on neighbouring amenity

•        Over-development

•        Impact on the countryside

The Decision Making Protocol was invoked requiring a risk assessment report to be produced and which was now presented to the Committee in Report No DEV/WS/23/013.

A Member site visit was held prior to the meeting.

The Senior Planning Officer advised that since publication of the agenda four additional representations had been received, all in support of the application, the content of which was summarised to the meeting.

Officers were continuing to recommend that the application be approved, subject to conditions as set out in Paragraph 42 of the report, together with one further condition which required the animal shelters to be erected prior to first use of the central hub building.

Speakers:    Winifred Evans (neighbouring objector on behalf of herself and other neighbouring objectors) spoke against the application

                   Mr and Mrs Alderton (neighbouring objectors) spoke against the application

                   (Neither Mr or Mrs Alderton were in attendance to personally address the Committee and, instead, the Democratic Services Officer played a pre-recorded audio file to the meeting on their behalf.)

                   Matt Plummer (architect) and Jon Cardy (applicant) spoke in support of the application

During the debate some Members commended the aims of the scheme and recognised the real need for mental health support services such as those proposed.

However, a number of varied concerns and queries were also raised in relation to the scheme.

The Senior Planning Officer responded to questions/comments in connection with the following topics:

Staffing – the facility was mainly to be operated by the two applicants, with one or two specialists being utilised where required, together with potentially one or two other part-time supplementary staff members for services such as housekeeping;

Capacity – the workshops would have a maximum of 12 attendees, plus 3-4 people could occupy each of the two smaller camping domes and a further 4-5 people in each of the two larger camping domes. Members were advised that the occupation of the site would be covered within the required Management Plan and that there was no planning reason to limit numbers on the site, unless a statutory consultee (for example, Highways) had recommended this;

Deliveries –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 351.

Report No: DEV/WS/23/014

Householder planning application - replacement wall to front elevation

(Councillor Susan Glossop declared, in the interest of openness and transparency, that she lived close by to the application site and knew the family in question. Furthermore, she advised the meeting that she had registered to speak on the item as Ward Member but would take no part in the debate or subsequent vote.)

Householder planning application - replacement wall to front elevation

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee following consideration by the Delegation Panel on 18 April 2023.

The Parish Council had made comments in support of the proposal which was contrary to the Officer’s recommendation for refusal, for the reason set out in Paragraph 40 of Report No DEV/WS/23/014.

As part of her presentation to the meeting the Planning Officer showed videos of the site by way of a virtual site visit and reminded the Committee that whilst the application was retrospective in nature, the application should be determined in the usual way having regard to planning policy and any other material considerations.

Speakers:    David Banbury (neighbouring resident) spoke in support of the application

                   Councillor Andrew Speed (Chair of Flempton Parish Council) spoke in support of the application

                   Councillor Susan Glossop (Ward Member: Risby) spoke on the application

                   Charlotte Partridge (applicant) spoke in support of the application

Considerable discussion took place on the application and the related enforcement process.

Whilst some Members considered the current wall to be an improvement on that which was there previously, others on the Committee highlighted the responsibility of the homeowner to be aware of the legal process when owning a Listed Building.

The Service Manager (Planning – Development) explained that it was believed that the property had an original wall but it was not known precisely when that wall was demolished. A second wall was then constructed and remained in situ for approximately 70 years. In 1983 the property in question was formally listed as a Listed Building and the wall seeking retrospective approval was built in 2019.

Irrespective of the current wall in comparison to the previous (intermediate wall), the Committee were reminded of their need to determine the application before them in line with current Policy.

Members were also reminded of the Council’s statutory duty to determine planning applications in line with Material Planning Considerations and statutory duties relating to listed buildings and conservation areas.

Several of the Committee posed questions as to whether a compromise could be reached and if further remedial works could be carried out to the wall in order to make it more in-keeping e.g. the addition of coping and lichen.

Accordingly, Councillor Roger Dicker proposed that consideration of the application be deferred. In order to allow additional time for negotiations to take place between the applicant and the Planning Authority together with the Council’s Conservation Officer. This was duly seconded by Councillor Rachel Hood.

In response to a question, the Service Manager (Planning – Development) confirmed that any action relating to the extant enforcement notice would be held in abeyance, if Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 352.

Report No: DEV/WS/23/015

Application for listed building consent - a. replacement of metal corrugated roof coverings with slate covering and works to hip and ridge details; b. new guttering; c. treatment and repair of failed existing roof structural timbers; d. access and thermal improvement to existing mezzanine

Application for listed building consent - a. replacement of metal corrugated roof coverings with slate covering and works to hip and ridge details; b. new guttering; c. treatment and repair of failed existing roof structural timbers; d. access and thermal improvement to existing mezzanine

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee for determination due to the proposal being on land owned by West Suffolk Council and the Authority was also the applicant.

Officers were recommending that that the application be approved, subject to conditions as set out in Paragraph 38 of Report No DEV/WS/23/015.

Councillor Diane Hind proposed that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation. This was duly seconded by Councillor Ian Houlder.

Upon being put to the vote and with the vote being unanimous, it was resolved that

Decision

Planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

 1       The works to which this consent relates must be begun not later than three years from the date of this notice.

 2       The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out except in complete accordance with the details shown on the approved plans and documents, unless otherwise stated.

 3       A Demolition and Construction Management Strategy shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to work commencing on site. The strategy shall include compound, welfare, access, loading and parking arrangements for contractors’ vehicles and delivery vehicles (locations and times) and a methodology for avoiding deposits from the site tracking onto the highway together with a strategy for remedy of this should it occur. The development shall only take place in accordance with the approved strategy.