Agenda item - Application for Advertisement Consent DC/20/0817/ADV - Land adjacent to Willie Snaith Road, Newmarket (Report No: DEV/WS/20/042)

Agenda item

Application for Advertisement Consent DC/20/0817/ADV - Land adjacent to Willie Snaith Road, Newmarket (Report No: DEV/WS/20/042)

Report No: DEV/WS/20/042

 

Application for Advertisement Consent - 1 no. internally illuminated freestanding totem sign

 

Minutes:

(Councillor Rachel Hood declared a non pecuniary interest in this item in light of the fact that she had taken part in Newmarket Town Council’s consideration of the application when they resolved to oppose the scheme.  However, Councillor Hood stressed that she would keep an open mind and listen to the debate prior to voting on the item.)

 

Application for Advertisement Consent - 1 no. internally illuminated freestanding totem sign

 

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

 

The proposal related to the site upon which planning permission had recently been granted by the Development Control Committee on 3 June 2020 for 2no. drive-through cafe/restaurant units (DC/18/2210/FUL).

 

Newmarket Town Council objected to the proposal which was in conflict with the Officer’s recommendation of approval, subject to conditions as set out in Paragraph 61 of Report No DEV/WS/20/042.

 

As part of his presentation the Senior Planning Officer made reference to the supplementary ‘late papers’ which had been circulated following publication of the agenda and which set out a correction in respect of the distance of the proposed advertisement from an existing dwelling.

 

Speaker:      Douglas Hall (resident objector) spoke against the application

 

During the debate Councillor Rachel Hood addressed the meeting and made reference to the conflict with the Newmarket Neighbourhood Plan and the proximity of the nearby skatepark development.

 

A number of comments were made with regard to the design of the proposal and the Service Manager (Planning – Development) highlighted the changes that had been made to the application since pre-application enquiry discussions.

 

Councillor Jason Crooks proposed that the application be approved as per the Officer recommendation and this was duly seconded by Councillor Mike Chester.

 

Upon being put to the vote and with 8 voting for the motion and 8 against the Chair exercised his casting vote against the proposal and the motion was therefore lost.

 

Councillor Peter Stevens then moved that the application be refused, contrary to the Officer recommendation, due to the impact the proposal would have on visual amenity.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Richard Alecock.

 

In response to the proposal the Service Manager (Planning – Development) explained, due to the subjective nature of the concerns raised by Members about the proposed sign relating to amenity, that the Decision Making Protocol would not be invoked in this instance, meaning the motion would not be a ‘minded to’ refuse.

 

Further discussion then took place, with a number of Members voicing support for a deferral in order to allow additional time in which for the applicant to work with Newmarket Town Council on an alternative design, which was welcomed by Councillor Hood on behalf of the Town Council.

 

Henceforth, Councillor Jason Crooks proposed an amendment to the motion on the table in order to defer consideration of the application.

 

The Lawyer advising the meeting explained that the alternative proposal that had been made (but not seconded) was not an amendment to the refusal motion as it was a substantively different proposition.

 

(At this point in the meeting there was a technical fault and a number of attendees lost connection.  A meeting adjournment slide was displayed in the live stream whilst time was allowed for all parties to reconnect. Once present, the Democratic Services Officer undertook a roll call of attendance.)

 

On resuming the meeting, Councillors Stevens and Alecock (as proposer and seconder) withdrew their motion for refusal.

 

Subsequently, Councillor Roger Dicker moved that consideration of the application be deferred in order to allow the applicant additional time in which to liaise with Newmarket Town Council on an alternative design proposal.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Jason Crooks.

 

Upon being put to the vote and with 13 voting for the motion and 3 against it was resolved that

 

Decision

 

Consideration of the planning application be DEFERRED in order to allow the applicant additional time in which to liaise with Newmarket Town Council on an alternative design proposal.

 

(On conclusion of this item the Chair permitted a short comfort break and asked that an adjournment slide be displayed in the live stream, before reconvening the virtual meeting and taking a roll-call of those present.)

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