Posted in document archives - Planning Committee Minutes

Minutes of the Planning Committee Meeting held in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Bideford on Wednesday 17 February 2010 at 6.00 pm

PRESENT:
North Ward: Councillor Ms E L Farrington (Chairman)
Councillor D C Fulford

South Ward: Councillor P J Pester (Deputy Town Mayor)

IN ATTENDANCE:
Councillor A T Inch
Mrs H J Blackburn (Deputy Town Clerk)
Mrs M Bailey (Community Planning Manager)

081 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Councillors P S Christie (North Ward - Work Commitments) and Mrs P Davies (East Ward - Personal).

082 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Pester declared that as both a Town and District Councillor he wanted to make it clear that he will reconsider the applications at District level, taking into account all the relevant evidence and representations at the District tier.  

083 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

No members of the public were present at the meeting.

084

085 MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 January 2010 were approved and signed as a correct record.

NORTH DEVON AND TORRIDGE CORE STRATEGY

a. The Chairman welcomed Mrs Maria Bailey, Community Planning Manager, Torridge District Council, to the meeting.
b. Mrs Bailey commenced by explaining that she had come to the meeting to answer any questions that members may have about the Core Strategy.  The Core Strategy which is based on the vision for the area will shape development up to 2026.  The regional guidance is to concentrate on the market towns within the area as a focus for new development; however following feedback from rural communities, some development will also be factored in for these locations.  Mrs Bailey explained that within Torridge, Bideford and Northam will be target areas for substantial development.  It is recognised that this needs to be sustainable development and should involve creating employment as well as housing.  Mrs Bailey said that this message probably does not come across strongly enough in the draft document at the moment.  She explained that it has been difficult to get some of the infrastructure providers on board and it is only recently that they have begun to understand that they need to become more engaged at a local level. Once comments have been received on the draft Core Strategy, it will be amended and it will be made available again for re-consultation.  At this stage the Infrastructure Delivery Plan will be available.  This is a key document which has to demonstrate how housing, schools, roads etc will be developed, funded and the timescales involved.  Once the Core Strategy is adopted, an annual monitoring report will be produced at the end of every calendar year which will give planners the opportunity to amend particulars if they are not working, provided that the amended points fit in with the overall objectives.

c. The Chairman then thanked Mrs Bailey Sergeant PCA/PS ConnarBassettfor attending the meeting and updating members accordingly.

d. The members present then compiled a list of bullet points reflecting their observations on the draft Core Strategy as follows:

1The proposed housing between the Link Road and Clovelly Road up to Abbotsham Cross should be deleted and moved to the south of Clovelly Road. The development should be centred between Clovelly Road and a possible new road from Little America to Abbotsham Cross.  There should be a link from Manteo Way to Nutaberry to terminate opposite Little America.

2 New development needs to be concentrated in East-the-Water.  Members would like to see a new secondary school at East-the-Water.

3 It is essential that infrastructure is developed to match the housing.

4 Members were very concerned that the local health provision is becoming overwhelmed.  Local health centres are almost at capacity, parking at these facilities is scarce and North Devon District Hospital is below the standard of other hospitals in the South West.

5 Concern was expressed that the Core Strategy does not look far enough into the future.  It should be planning for the next 30 to 50 years, not 15 years.

6 It was felt that it is difficult to encourage companies to bring business to the area when the necessary roads and infrastructure are not in place and this is something which the Core Strategy needs to address.  It was also felt that it would be beneficial to encourage businesses to move to the area for a specific reason e.g. renewable energy.
7 The government has put aside £100 billion for job creation within renewable energy and it was felt that this should be explored.  Employment needs to come before houses and any development must be sustainable.  Any new buildings should incorporate renewable energy within their design and be built to level code 6.  We need to set the highest possible standards for new homes and work places with a view to becoming a Centre of Excellence for renewable energy.

8 The Core Strategy needs to address how we can attract industry and big companies to the area, which will provide apprenticeships and employment for our young people.

9There is not enough social housing currently being built and this issue needs to be addressed.

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the above list of bullet points is circulated amongst the full Planning Committee for finalisation and additional comments before being submitted to Torridge District Council before 4 March 2010.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

086

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

a. Application No 1/0045/2010/FUL:  Removal of three planted areas to be used as parking. – Morrison Stores, Kingsley Road, Bideford EX39 2LG. -  Applicant: W M Morrisons Plc, Property and Development Div, Hilmore House, Gain Lane, Bradford BD3 7DL (Date received:  21 Jan 10)

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

b. Application No 1/1232/2009/FUL:  Enlargement of first floor window at rear. – 83, Riverside Court, Bideford EX39 2RY. -  Applicant: Ms Julia Barnes, 142 Bay View Road, Northam (Date received:  21 Jan 10)

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

c. Application No 1/1249/2009/FUL:  Conversion of dwelling into two flats including three storey rear extension creation of gable end to roof.  Demolition of garage to side and creation of parking spaces to front. – Amended Description. – 77 Clifton Street, Bideford EX39 4EX. -  Applicant: Mr Michael Patt, 43 Geneva Place, Bideford EX39 3BS (Date received:  25 Jan 10)

Proposed by Councillor Fulford, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

d. Application No 1/0030/2010/OUTM:  Up to fourteen dwellings and a local area of play. – Littlebrook, Mines Road, East-the-Water EX39 4BZ. -  Applicant: Mrs T Rutherford (same address) (Date received:  25 Jan 10)

Proposed by Councillor Fulford, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is refused on the grounds that the Council feels that the habitat should be conserved due to the presence of endangered species and protected trees.  The Council would also have liked to have seen a geological survey to determine the presence of redundant mine workings.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

e. Application No 1/0053/2010/FUL:  Erection of a two bed dwelling. – 17 Barton Tors, East-the-Water EX39 4EY. -  Applicant: c/o Planning Appeal Limited, Tower House, Wenlock Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6JX (Date received:  25 Jan 10)

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved but the Council would like to see some form of renewal energy within the design and for the building to be as close to zero carbon as possible both in its sustainability and construction.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

f. Application No 1/0011/2010/FUL:  Retrospective conservatory. – 14 Clovelly Gardens, North Bideford EX39 3DL. -  Applicant: Mr David Munslow, 46 Greyhound Lane, Norton, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY8 3AQ (Date received:  28 Jan 10)

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved on the grounds that there was previously a conservatory, although the Council does not usually favour retrospective applications.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

g. Application No 1/0009/2010/FULM:  Proposed material amendment to ref: 1/0538/2006/FUL to clarify House Design only of Plots 10, 11 and 12. – Land to the rear of 99 Lime Grove, Bideford EX39 3JN. -  Applicant: Mr J Pearce, Blueberry Homes Ltd, 4 Brentham Way, Ealing, London W5 1BJ (Date received:  29 Jan 10)

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved but the Council would like to see some form of renewal energy within the development and for the buildings to be as close to zero carbon as possible both in their sustainability and construction.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

h. Application No 1/0014/2010/FUL:  Extension and conversion of 5 Westcombe Lane (commercial store) into a dwelling – AMENDED PLAN. Applicant: Mr & Mrs W Curtis (Date received:  29 Jan 10)

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved but the Council would like to see some form of renewal energy within the design and for the building to be as close to zero carbon as possible both in its sustainability and construction.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

i. Application No 1/0087/2010/LBC:  Retrospective creation of links to form dwelling. – 12 Tower Street & 11 Church Walk, Bideford EX39 2BT. -  Applicant: Mrs Myra Martin, 12 Tower Street, Bideford EX39 2BT (Date received:  2 Feb 10)

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

j. Application No 1/0103/2010/FULM:  Proposed four houses, three flats and five maisonettes together with access road, drainage and landscaping. – Land adjacent to Hamilton Close, Bideford. -  Applicant: Mr J Hooper, Alphabuild Devon Ltd, High Wall, Barnstaple EX31 2DP (Date received:  8 Feb 10)

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved but the Council would like to see some form of renewal energy within the design and for the buildings to be as close to zero carbon as possible both in their sustainability and construction.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)
k. Application No 1/0073/2010/ADV:  Proposed gable sign and fascia sign. – 3 Allhalland Street, Bideford EX39 2JD. -  Applicant: Mr Kevin Booth, Abacus Recruitment, 1 Bridge Chambers, Bridge Street, Bideford EX39 2BU (Date received:  8 Feb 10)

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the application is approved.
(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

l. Application No 1/0093/2010/LBC:  Proposed gable sign and fascia sign. – 3 Allhalland Street, Bideford EX39 2JD. -  Applicant: Mr Kevin Booth, Abacus Recruitment, 1 Bridge Chambers, Bridge Street, Bideford EX39 2BU (Date received:  8 Feb 10)

RESOLVED: That the application is approved.

(Vote – For: 3,  Against: 0)

087 PLANNING APPLICATIONS – NOTIFICATION OF DECISIONS BY PLANNING AUTHORITIES

The Committee noted the content of those Planning Applications which had been granted/refused by Planning Authorities since the last meeting.

The business of the meeting having been completed, the Chairman thanked the members for their attendance and the Meeting concluded at 8.05 pm.

Signature of Town Mayor: ……………………………….     Date:……………………............