Agenda item

Report No: DEV/FH/15/024

Change of use of land to residential use for three gypsy families including 3 no. mobile homes and 6 no. amenity buildings

The Chairman agreed to bring this item forward on the agenda in order to accommodate the attendance of the representative from the Environment Agency and the Council’s Environmental Health Officer.

Change of use of land to residential use for three gypsy families including 3 no. mobile home and 6 no. amenity buildings.

This application had been deferred from the Development Control Committee meeting on 3 June 2015 in order to allow additional information on the contamination risk to be provided prior to a decision being made.  Officers had also arranged for Mr A Ireland to be attendance from the Environment Agency in order to answer any Members’ questions together with an Officer from the Council’s Environmental Health department.

A Member site visit had been held prior to the June Committee meeting.  Officers were continuing to recommend that the application be approved subject to conditions.

The Planning Officer advised that since publication of the agenda a further letter had been received from the applicants’ representative which highlighted that the applicants and their families were currently living in cramped conditions at Willow Park travellers site in Beck Row and that their children already attended local schools.

Officers had also been made aware of a further letter of objection that had been sent to all Members by a local resident.

As part of the presentation the Officer drew attention to amended plans which showed the minor levels changes on the site, the relocation of the septic tank on the plot closest to the access track and the plot layouts.

In response to questions put to him by the Committee, Mr Ireland from the Environment Agency explained that evidence indicated that there would be minimal contamination from the site and that it could be managed with conditions.  The Planning Officer added that the Council would liaise with the Environment Agency to ensure that the relevant conditions had been discharged prior to the work being commenced on site..

Councillor David Bowman proposed that the application be granted subject to all the conditions identified and this was seconded by Councillor Simon Cole and with the vote being unanimous, it was resolved that:

Planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

1.   Standard time limit

2.   In accordance with submitted plans

3.   Details of all facing and roofing materials to be agreed for the utility/day blocks and outbuildings

4.   Occupation limited to those who satisfy the planning definition of a Gypsy or Traveller, as set out in PPTS

5.   Details of vehicular access to be provided

6.   Means to prevent discharge of water onto highway to be agreed

7.   Light source shall not be visible from any highway

8.   Parking and manoeuvring areas to be provided

9.   Gates to be set back a minimum of 10m and shall only open into the site.

10.                Details of visibility splays to be provided

11.                Clear visibility to be provided and thereafter permanently retained

12.                Scheme of foul water drainage

13.                Scheme of surface water drainage

14.                Full contamination assessment and remediation to be carried out and completed prior to any other works commencing (as per EA and Environmental Health recommendations)

15.                Amenity buildings not to be used for residential occupation

16.                Site levels to be agreed