Issue - meetings

The New Communities Portfolio Holder:

1.                  AGREED the classification of building 97 at 54 Park Lane as non-eligible and the classification of the converted water tank at 33 Cootes Lane as eligible; and

2.                  AGREED the adoption of the Fen Drayton Former LSA Estate SPD as included in Appendix 2 to the report. 

Decision taken Thursday 19 May 2011 and published Tuesday 24 May 2011.  Call-in expires at 5 pm on Wednesday 1 June 2011.  Decision may be implemented from 2 June 2011.

Appendix 2 is available on the Council’s website at www.scambs.gov.uk/meetings

The New Communities Portfolio Holder:

1. agreed the classification of building 97 at 54 Park Lane as non-eligible and the classification of the converted water tank at 33 Cootes Lane as eligible; and
2. agreed the adoption of the Fen Drayton Former LSA Estate SPD as included in Appendix 2 to the report.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder considered a report summarising the results of further discussions relating to the classification of buildings at 54 Park Lane and 33 Cootes Lane, and seeking adoption of the Fen Drayton Former Land Settlement Association (LSA) Estate Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

The Portfolio Holder noted that, once adopted, the SPD would form part of the Local Development Framework and be a material consideration when determining planning applications. 

The New Communities Portfolio Holder considered an email from David Mead (Partners in Planning) acting on behalf of the landowner of 54 Park Lane, commenting on the officer conclusions and recommendations in relation to the building at 54 Park Lane.

Councillor Nick Wright (a local Member) thanked officers for their recommendation that the converted water tank at 33 Cootes Lane be classified as eligible.  However, he had misgivings about the recommendation that the building at 54 Park Lane be classified as non-eligible.  Councillor Wright based such concern on the perception of fairness, adding that it appeared as though the landowner of 54 Park Lane had been penalised for tidying up his holding even though the land could easily be brought back into agricultural use. 

The New Communities Portfolio Holder acknowledged this concern but highlighted that the SPD needed to take a consistent approach and that any case for an exception to the approach would more properly be considered as part of any future planning applications.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder:

1. agreed the classification of building 97 at 54 Park Lane as non-eligible and the classification of the converted water tank at 33 Cootes Lane as eligible; and
2. agreed the adoption of the Fen Drayton Former LSA Estate SPD as included in Appendix 2 to the report.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder considered the representations received on the draft Fen Drayton Former LSA Estate SPD and agreed provisionally the Council’s responses (as included in Appendix 2); and the adoption of the Fen Drayton Former LSA Estate SPD (as included in Appendix 3) subject to further consideration of footprint issues relating primarily (but not exclusively) to 54 Park Lane and 33 Cootes Lane. 

This decision was published on Wednesday 9 March. Democratic Services must be notified of any call-in by 5pm on Wednesday 16 March. If not called-in the decision may be implemented on Thursday 17 March.

Appendices 1, 2 and 3 are on CD and the Council’s website. 

 The New Communities Portfolio Holder considered the representations received on the draft Fen Drayton Former LSA Estate SPD and agreed provisionally the Council’s responses (as included in Appendix 2); and the adoption of the Fen Drayton Former LSA Estate SPD (as included in Appendix 3) subject to further consideration of footprint issues relating to 54 Park Lane and 33 Cootes Lane.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder

(a)               agreed that the draft Fen Drayton Former Land Settlement Association Estate Supplementary Planning Document attached to the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities)’s report as Appendix 1  be issued for consultation;

(b)               noted the Sustainability Appraisal Statement (Appendix 2) and Habitat Regulations Assessment Statement (Appendix 3); and

(c)               gave the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities) the authority to make minor amendments to the documents attached to the report as Appendices 1, 2 and 3.

Decision taken on Thursday 7 October 2010 and published Monday 11 October 2010.  Call-in expires at 5 pm on Monday 18 October 2010.  Decision can be implemented from Tuesday 19 October 2010 if not called-in. 

The SPD (Appendix 1) and Appendices 2, 3 and 4 are attached to the website version of the agenda.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder

(a)        agreed that the draft Fen Drayton Former Land Settlement Association Estate Supplementary Planning Document attached to the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities)’s report as Appendix 1  be issued for consultation.

(b)        noted the Sustainability Appraisal Statement (Appendix 2) and Habitat Regulations Assessment Statement (Appendix 3).

(c)        gave the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities) the authority to make minor amendments to the documents attached to the report as Appendices 1, 2 and 3.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder considered a report about the Fen Drayton former Land Settlement Association (LSA) Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

Peter Fox and Colin Lockwood from the former LSA estate addressed the meeting.  They focussed on a number of concerns including:

·           The need to consider evidence such as title deeds, photographs and historical maps to establish footprints rather than simply relying on the survey;

·           The relationship between footprint and floorspace and the discrimination against any applicant wishing to have only ground floor accommodation;

·           The exclusion from the definition of eligible buildings of ancillary buildings associated with the glasshouses;

·           The suspension of charges for pre-application discussions due to the complexity of the potential developments;

·           The emphasis on the role of the wider community in achieving experimental and groundbreaking sustainable living;

·           The need for clarity over the level of proof required for any development involving buildings deemed eligible (i.e. the ‘red buildings’) as identified in the SPD; and

·           The need for flexibility over the footprint when considering proposals for non-residential uses.

The Planning Policy Manager advised the New Communities Portfolio Holder to publish the SPD, as attached to the agenda on the Council’s website, for public consultation.  He added that the comments received since publication of the agenda, and those made by Colin Lockwood and Peter Fox at the meeting, were the type of comments he expected the Council to receive through the consultation, and that all comments received would be considered in the process of finalising the SPD.

Councillor Nick Wright (a local Member) urged officers and the New Communities Portfolio Holder to clarify the status of ‘Live-Work units’ and to work with the LSA and Fen Drayton Parish Council in encouraging the village as a whole to embrace sustainable living.  The New Communities Portfolio Holder noted that Feed-in Tariff would remain at a premium rate until March 2012, after which it would decrease incrementally over time.

Councillor Bridget Smith urged officers and the New Communities Portfolio Holder to consider more equitable treatment of those occupying a single level and those occupying more than one level.

The New Communities Portfolio Holder

(a)        agreed that the draft Fen Drayton Former Land Settlement Association Estate Supplementary Planning Document attached to the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities)’s report as Appendix 1  be issued for consultation.

(b)        noted the Sustainability Appraisal Statement (Appendix 2) and Habitat Regulations Assessment Statement (Appendix 3).

(c)        gave the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities) the authority to make minor amendments to the documents attached to the report as Appendices 1, 2 and 3.

Agreement terminated as report. 

The Committee considered a report seeking termination of an Agreement entered into on 30^th March 1937 between the Land Settlement Association Limited and the Chesterton Rural District Council, a predecessor authority to South Cambridgeshire District Council.

The Committee RESOLVED that the Land Settlement Association Agreement be terminated as having been superseded by Policy Fen Drayton 1 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2004, and relevant policies contained in the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007.

Withdrawn from the agenda. 

The Committee noted that this report had been WITHDRAWN from the agenda to allow further consultation to take place. 

Deferred  

The Committee DEFERRED this item to allow full consultation to take place with Fen Drayton Parish Council and to await adoption of relevant policy SP/9 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework.