Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillors CC Barker, Dr JPR Orme and RGR Smith sent apologies for absence.

To authorise the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 7^th April 2004, copies of which have been made available electronically.

The Committee authorised the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 7^th April 2004.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer (Transport) updated the Committee on progress being made in prioritising work in relation to determining the Core Strategy and Area Action Plans, which would be included in the Local Development Framework.  In particular, he explained the process that was likely to be required by imminent legislation. The first stage was the consultation with statutory bodies, which was underway. In the autumn, there would be participation in the Preferred Options stage by the general public that would inform policies in the Core Strategy, for Rural Centres, and in the Area Action Plans for Northstowe, Cambridge East and the Cambridge Southern Fringe.

One of the aspects of the new process to be followed in adopting the LDF was the binding, rather than advisory, nature of the Inspector’s report of the Independent Examination.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer (Transport) undertook to circulate to all Members and Parish Councils a briefing note on the LDF timetable.  The Leader of the Council stressed that no formal decisions, including those on areas of separation between the new town and existing communities, had yet been made in relation to Northstowe.

Councillor SGM Kindersley thanked the Principal Planning Policy Officer (Transport) for explaining the LDF process to Gamlingay Parish Council.

Erection of six dwellings, extension and conversion of school house into three dwellings and extension and conversion of sextons cottage into two afordable dwellings following demolition of existing industrial buildings, oblic engineering site, church street, for parklans homes ltd.

APPROVE

The Committee was Minded to APPROVE the application, subject to it being advertised and referred to the Secretary of State as a departure from the development plan, it not being called in by him for determination, the prior completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement securing the provision of affordable housing within the site and a contribution towards education provision, and safeguarding Conditions.

Upper Cambourne infrastructure for MCA Developments Ltd

Delegated Approval

DELEGATED APPROVAL, subject to the comments of the Environment Agency; and planning Conditions including those relating to protected species, hours of working and compound location, noise and nuisance protection for the residents of the property known as Oakdene, tree protection measures, landscaping, and clarification of materials to be used on the footpaths.

Extension to form annexe at 26 Lyles Road for Mr. T. Lonc

Withdrawn from the agenda

This application had been WITHDRAWN from the agenda.

Erection of a house on land adjacent to ‘White Gates’, Honey Hill for S.Whybrow

Delegated Approval/Refusal

DELEGATED APPROVAL/REFUSAL, contrary to the recommendation contained in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the applicant agreeing to re-site and re-orientate the proposed dwelling and address, to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority, any adverse impact it might have on neighbouring properties in terms of privacy.  While the Committee considered that the application should be approved, it stated that, subject to consultation with the local Member, officers should refuse it if negotiations about the matters referred to above were unsuccessful.

Removal of Condition 6 of planning permission S/1910/00/F (restricted occupier Condition), Interglow Ltd, Shepreth Road for Interglow Ltd

Approval

APPROVAL for a temporary period of three years, for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein, and to a further Condition precluding the enclosure of the car ports without planning permission having been granted.  Members had visited the site prior to the meeting.

(Councillor Mrs DP Roberts declared a prejudicial interest in this item, as a neighbouring landowner who had made representations about the application, and withdrew from the Chamber.)

Conversion of garage to sitting room, 42 High Street for Mr and Mrs Young

Approval

APPROVAL for a temporary period of three years, for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein, and to a further Condition precluding the enclosure of the car ports without planning permission having been granted.  Members had visited the site prior to the meeting.

Erection of additional dwelling and garage at Westfield House, 11 Westfield Road for Mr and Mrs Longhurst-Goldspink

Deferred for a site visit.

DEFERRED for a site visit.

Installation of Automatic Teller Machine at the Co-Op Store, 76 High Street, Great Shelford for the Co-Operative Bank

Delegated Approval         

DELEGATED APPROVAL for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Condition referred to therein and to there being no new material objections (not previously considered) from the occupier of no. 78 High Street.           

Erection of two dwellings following demolition of existing dwelling at 24 Church Street for Godfrey and Hicks Builders Ltd.

Approval

APPROVAL for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein.  Contrary to the statement made in the report, Members had not considered it necessary to visit this site.

Erection of detached dwelling at Sycamore Greens, 20 The Crescent for Mr and Mrs Ison

APPROVAL

APPROVAL, contrary to the recommendation contained in the report from the Director of Development Services.  Having visited the site, Members were satisfied that the proposal would have no significant adverse effect on matters of planning interest, that the proposed dwelling would not be disproportionately large, dominant, prominent or intrusive and, therefore, that it would not contravene Policy SP1/3 of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003 or Policies SE2 and Impington 3 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2004.

[Councillor G Elsbury declared a personal interest as a friend of the applicant’s father, and withdrew from the Chamber.)

Erection of two timber seasoning storage buildings at Milestone Farm, Barley Road for Whippletree Hardwoods

Minded to approve departure application

Contrary to the recommendation contained in the report from the Director of Development Services, Members were Minded to APPROVE the application, subject to it being advertised as a departure from the Development Plan, being referred to the Secretary of State, and not being called in by him for determination.  Having visited the site, Members were satisfied that:

·                      subject to appropriate landscaping, the development would not have a significant adverse impact on the visual amenities of the countryside;

·                      the proposed use was a quiet one and appropriate in the countryside and on this site;

·                      the proposal related to the expansion of an existing business, which was unique and unable to compete financially for storage space with other businesses;

·                      jobs would be created; and

·                      by combining the operation onto one site, there would no longer be any need for the slow moving side loading vehicle to travel along the A505 between this site and the Heath Farm site, to the benefit of other users of the A505.

Approval would be subject to safeguarding Conditions relating, among other things, to landscaping.  Other Conditions would ensure that the applicant Company was the first occupier, and require the removal of the buildings and reinstatement of the land to its current condition should the buildings no longer be required for the purpose of dry storage of timber.

(Councillor LJ Wilson declared a personal interest in this item as a customer of the company.)

Bungalow (revised design) – Plot 1, land off Granta Vale for Bennett PLC

Approval

APPROVAL for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein.

Change of use of first floor flat to offices/storage, staff training room and rest room to be used in association with existing hairdressing salon at 5A Mortlock Street, for J Young

Approval

APPROVAL for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein.

Erection of workshop/welfare building at Hillcrest Farm, Toseland Road, for Intervet UK Ltd.

Approval

APPROVAL for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein.

Twenty one dwellings on land off Haymans Way for Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association

Approval

APPROVAL, as amended by plans date stamped 18^th March 2004, for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services and subject to the Conditions referred to therein and to the prior completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement securing the provision of key worker housing and the maintenance of amenity areas.

 (Councillor MP Howell, the local Member, declared a personal interest in this item as a warden employed by the Papworth Trust.)

Residential development, land south of North Lodge Drive, for the Varrier-Jones Foundation

Minded to Approve

APPROVAL for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein and to the prior completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement securing funding for the restoration and modernisation of Papworth Everard Village Hall, an education contribution, and the provision of Public Open Space.

Extension to shop premises at 52 High Street for Mr B Patel

APPROVAL

APPROVAL for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein, and an additional informative relating to the requirements of Section 76 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Building Regulations 2000 (As Amended)as regards access for disabled people.

(Councillors Dr DR Bard and Mrs SA Hatton abstained from voting and asked that their abstentions be recorded.)

Extensions at 11 Fennec Close for Mrs Abbas

DEFERRED for a site visit.

DEFERRED for a site visit.

Nine houses (including four affordable dwellings), land adjacent to 13 Trap Road for Mrs F Adlington and Cambridgeshire County Council

Minded to Approve

The Committee was minded to APPROVE the application, subject to it being advertised as a departure from the Development Plan, and not being called in by the Secretary of State for determination, to the comments of the Local Highway Authority, Environment Agency and Trees and Landscapes Officer in respect of the revised drawing, a further resiting of the proposed house on Plot 1, the prior completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement securing the provision of affordable housing, an education contribution and the landscaping to the east of the site, and appropriate safeguarding Conditions.

 (Councillor R Driver declared a personal interest as Chairman of Cambridgeshire County Council.)

Extension and conversion into four dwellings and erection of garage block, Cheyneys Lodge, Station Road for Mr R Parmee and Mrs B White

Delegated Approval

DELEGATED APPROVAL, as a departure from the Development Plan, subject to the prior completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement securing an education contribution, and to further discussions reflecting concerns raised by the Chief Environmental Health Officer about noise nuisance, details of a scheme addressing the requirement of the Environment Agency about the provision of suitable foul water sewerage, and the submission of amended drawings addressing the concerns of the Trees and Landscapes Officer  Members noted that, in the circumstances outlined in the report dated 7^th April 2004, it was unnecessary to refer the application to the Secretary of State.

(Councillor NJ Scarr abstained from voting and asked that his abstention be recorded.  Councillor Tony Turner, Chairman of Steeple Morden Parish Council, addressed the meeting.)

Extension and conversion of barns into four dwellings and ancillary buildings, Church Farm Barns, Church Farm Lane, for Byrne and Thomas Ltd

APPROVAL

APPROVAL, as complying with Policies P1/2 and P7/6 of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003 and Policy EN/30 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2004.

(Councillor Tony Turner, Chairman of Steeple Morden Parish Council, addressed the meeting.)

Garage at 28 Lode Avenue for Dr. A. Morgan

APPROVAL

APPROVAL, for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein.

Change of use of outbuilding to office and storage of wine; 62 High Street for Mr J Millard

APPROVAL

APPROVAL for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services, subject to the Conditions referred to therein.

Alteration and extension of buildings 3 and 4: Use of building 4 for industrial (manufacture of foiled products

Refused

REFUSED, contrary to the recommendation contained in the report from the Director of Development Services.  Having visited the site, Members considered that the proximity of the proposal to residential dwellings and hazardous industrial process in the countryside would have an adverse impact on nearby residents, and therefore contravened Policy EM/10 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2004.   The applicant had also failed to demonstrate that a satisfactory junction could be created.

(Councillor SGM Kindersley declared personal interests as Clerk to Hatley Parish Council and being well acquainted with Councillor Jeremy Ridgway, who addressed the meeting on behalf of Hatley Parish Council.)

Erection of 43 dwellings (including 11 affordable units) together with public open space and access, land off Coles Lane for Taylor Woodrow

DELEGATED APPROVAL

DELEGATED APPROVAL for the reasons set out in the report from the Director of Development Services subject to the Conditions referred to therein, clarification of drainage issues, and submission and approval of a landscaping scheme

(Councillor Mrs J Hughes declared a prejudicial interest in this item, as the cousin of one of the objectors to the proposal, and withdrew from the Chamber.)

Extension to provide additional dwelling and extension to existing dwelling, 7 Barrons Green for Miss O Macdonald

Refused

REFUSED for the reason set out in the report from the Director of Development Services.

The Committee NOTED the following from the report prepared by the Director of Development Services:

·                      Decisions notified by the Secretary of State

·                      Summaries of recent decisions of interest

·                      Appeals received

·                      Local Inquiry and Informal Hearing dates scheduled before the next meeting of the Committee on 2^nd June 2004

·                      Appeals withdrawn or postponed

·                      Advance notification of future local inquiry and Informal Hearing dates (subject to postponement or cancellation)

In connection with S/0177/03/F – Meldreth, the Deputy Director of Development Services confirmed that officers were exploring the option of removing Permitted Development Rights in an effort to prevent further development on site.

Members RECEIVED and discussed a list of applications over 13 weeks old awaiting decision as at 27th April 2004.

In connection with Traveller issues in Cottenham, Councillor JA Nicholas (a local Member) thanked officers for the honest and unbiased nature of news releases from the Council, and stressed the importance of carrying on with this practice in order to counter the inaccurate information emanating from certain other sources.

In connection with S/2403/03/F – Oakington, Members discussed options for securing adoption of a small area of Public Open Space at Water Lane.  The Committee indicated that the matter should be resolved by the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economic Development.

Members NOTED Planning Appeal statistics for the period from 1^st January 2004 to 31^st March 2004.

Members NOTED performance criteria for the three-month period ended 31st December 2003.

The Deputy Director of Development Services explained that the figures reflected an ever-increasing workload being placed on planning officers, and outlined a number of options being looked at as a way of addressing the problem. One of the roles of the Informal officers had been to take enquiries about development proposals away from the case officers. This, in addition to reducing the case officers’ workload, had encouraged the submission of applications which could be determined within the relevant time periods.  Meeting the Government’s targets would determine the amount of money the service would get from Government to improve. Without a prompt response, agents were submitting applications without prior discussion. The figures produced by the Development Control Quality Manage confirmed that this was the case.

Members NOTED graphs in respect of:

·                      Planning Decisions for the period from October to December 2003

·                      Planning Decisions for the year ended 31^st December 2003

·                      Total decisions issued quarterly by South Cambridgeshire District Council

·                      Percentage of applications determined within eight weeks

·                      Planning Decisions by development type and speed of evaluation for the three-month period and year ended 31^st December 2003

The Committee NOTED action taken in the light of recommendations made by the Scrutiny and Overview Committee relating to enforcement.

The Deputy Director of Development Services expressed a hope that enforcement response times would improve now that the two vacant Enforcement Officer posts had been filled and new procedures had been adopted.

RESOLVED    that the Council’s stance be maintained for the time being, and that a further report be received at the next meeting.

The Committee NOTED a further report on the lack of provision, in Cambourne, of a series of facilities required under the terms of the Section 106 Legal Agreement dated 20^th April 1994, and its stance of withholding further permission for market housing, pending progress with such provision.

RESOLVED    that the Council’s stance be maintained for the time being, and that a further report be received at the next meeting.