Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive apologies for absence from committee members. At the time of publishing the agenda, Apologies had been received from Councillors Pippa Corney and Robert Turner. 

Councillors Pippa Corney, Caroline Hunt and Robert Turner sent Apologies for Absence. Councillors David Bard and Charles Nightingale sunstituted for Councillors Corney and Turner respectively.

Members made declarations as follows:

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2014 as a correct record. To read the Minutes, visit www.scambs.gov.uk and follow the links from Your Council.

The Committee authorised the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2014.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, subject the Conditions set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, an additional Condition requiring the submission, approval and implementation of a Travel Plan, and to the Secretary of State raising no objections to the proposal.

Members visited the site on 4 November 2014.

Derek Jones (applicant’s agent) and Councillor Tony Orgee (local Member) addressed the meeting.

During the course of the public speaking, Members noted

·         The significance of the campus

·         The demand for units, and lack of current capacity

·         The community aspect

·         An argument that Green Belt issues should be be considered in the context of the special circumstances of this application

·         Access

·         Transport implications for Babraham High Street

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, subject the Conditions set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, an additional Condition requiring the submission, approval and implementation of a Travel Plan, and to the Secretary of State raising no objections to the proposal.

The Committee approved the application subject to the Conditions set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Members visited the site on 4 November 2014.

The Committee approved the application subject to the Conditions set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Appendix 5 (photographs of tree) is attached to the electronic version of this agenda, which can be found by visiting www.scambs.gov.uk and follow the links from Your Council.

The Committee confirmed Tree Preservation Order 02/14/SC at 34 Fen Road, Milton without modification.

Mr. Jones (supporter of the Tree Preservation Order) addressed the meeting.

The Committee confirmed Tree Preservation Order 02/14/SC at 34 Fen Road, Milton without modification.

The Committee deferred the application.

Aly Anderson (objector) addressed the meeting.

During the course of the public speaking, Members noted

·         A description of the proposal as “inappropriate urbanisation of the Green Belt”

·         Impact on nearby public footpaths

·          Impact on residents’ amenity

·         Suggested risks to aviation

·         Absence of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

·         An argument that the circumstances were not sufficiently special to outweigh the Council’s Green Belt policies

The Senior Lawyer told the Committee that officers were examining a solicitor's letter regarding the EIA point, and were recommending delegated approval subject to being satisfied there was no risk of challenge. 

The Committee deferred the application.

The Committee gave officers officers delegated powers to approve the application (as amended) subject to the comments of the Local Highways Authority, Cambridgeshire County Council Historic Environment Team and Ecology Officer and the Conditions and informatives: set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Members visited the site on 4 November 2014.

Myra Gaunt (objector (, Chris Akril (applicant’s agent) and Councillor Peter Johnson (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

During the course of the public speaking, Members noted

·         Concern about vehicular access

·         The condition of School Lane

·         Health and Safety issues

·         Possible alternative access routes

·         An argument that this represented best use of the land

·         Ecology issues

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application (as amended) subject to meeting with the applicant’s agent, Local Highways Authority, Waterbeach Parish Council, Ward Councillors and residents to agree upon a traffic management plan, the comments of Cambridgeshire County Council Historic Environment Team and Ecology Officer and the Conditions and informatives: set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Committee gave officers officers delegated powers to approve the application (as amended) subject to the comments of the Local Highways Authority, Cambridgeshire County Council Historic Environment Team and Ecology Officer and the Conditions and informatives: set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Members visited the site on 4 November 2014.

Jessica Gittoes (applicant’s agent) and Councillors Val Barrett and Jose Hales (local Members) addressed the meeting.

During the course of the public speaking, Members noted

·         The number of letters in support (35) and objection (1)

·         Biodiversity gain

·         Landscaping proposals

·         An argument that any planning harm would be outweighed

·         There was substantial local support

·         Following construction of this proposal and proposal S/1902/14/FL, there would be no capacity on the local electricity grid for any more solar farms (or similar)

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application (as amended) subject to the comments of the Local Highways Authority, Cambridgeshire County Council Historic Environment Team and Ecology Officer and the Conditions and informatives: set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application (as amended) subject to the comments of the Local Highways Authority, Cambridgeshire County Council Historic Environment Team and English Heritage and the Conditions and informatives: referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Members visited the site on 4 November 2014.

Jessica Gittoes (Applicant’s agent) addressed the meeting, and drew Members’ attention to the proposed heritage and biodiversity management plans and proposals to enhance landscaping along the western and northern boundaries.

Councillors Val Barrett and Jose Hales (local Members) indicated that

·         There was substantial local support

·         Following construction of this proposal and proposal S/1898/14/FL, there would be no capacity on the local electricity grid for any more solar farms (or similar)

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application (as amended) subject to a revised access to address highway objections, the comments of Cambridgeshire County Council Historic Environment Team and English Heritage and the Conditions and informatives: referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Committee noted that this application had been withdrawn from the agenda.

The Committee noted that this application had been withdrawn from the agenda.

Appendices 1 and 2 (Appeal decisions) are attached to the electronic version of this agenda, which can be found by visiting www.scambs.gov.uk and follow the links from Your Council.

The Committee approved the application (as amended), subject to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Councillor Peter Johnson (a local Member) addressed the meeting. He voiced concern about flood risk.

A statement from Councillor James Hockney (a local Member) was read out. Issues related to the loss of farmland, and the further reduction of the separation zone between Waterbeach village and the proposed New Town.

The Committee approved the application (as amended), subject to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Committee refused the application, contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director. Members agreed the reasons for refusal as being

1.    The enormous intensification of use, which would have an adverse impact on the amenity of neighbours by virtue of noise and light pollution

2.    That the special circumstances set out in the application were insufficient to outweigh the harm that would be caused, and therefore contravened policies, including Policy GB/1, contained in the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007

Members visited the site on 4 November 2014.

Terrence Montgomery (objector), Sandy Lynam (representing the applicants and accompanied by Clare Frost from Savills), and Councillors Douglas de Lacey and Tom Bygott (local Members) addressed the meeting.

During the course of the public speaking, Members noted

·         Noise and light issues

·         Adverse impact on neighbours’ amenity, including enjoyment of their gardens

·         Inappropriate for a village setting

·         The proposal represented investment in sport

·         There was no room for such development within the city of Cambridge

·         Public engagement that had, or had not, taken place

·         The proposal represented the urbanisation of a village location, and adversely impacted upon “the Girton Gap” (Green Belt)

·         Pollution

·         The absence of any special circumstances that would justify impacting on the Green Belt

·         Impact on health and wellbeing of neighbours

·         Unacceptable intensification of use in a residential area

·         Neighbours should not be expected to provide their own noise mitigation measures

The District Environmental Health Officer outlined what noise investigations had been made by South Cambridgeshire District Council, and summarised the key elements needed to prove statutory nuisance.

 The Committee refused the application, contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director. Members agreed the reasons for refusal as being inappropriate development in the Green Belt; conflict with the site’s Green Belt function of preserving an appropriate open gap between Cambridge and Girton; the intensification of use, which would have an adverse impact on the amenity of neighbours by virtue of noise and light pollution; and that the very special circumstances set out in the application were insufficient to clearly outweigh the harm that would be caused, and therefore contravened policies contained in the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007.

As the meeting at this stage had lasted for four hours, and in accordance with Standing Order no. 9, the Chairman asked the Committee whether it wanted to continue the meeting, or adjourn the remainder of the agenda to another day. The Committee voted unanimously to continue the meeting.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, subject to the consideration of comments about the revised drawings, and the applicant entering into a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing the required contributions to public open space, community facilities and waste receptacle provision, the Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director and an additional Condition requiring the provision of two extra car parking spaces (below the Beech trees) making a total of 22 car parking spaces altogether.

Members noted the following comments from Linton Parish Council and Councillor Roger Hickford (a local Member):

·         Car parking concerns

·         Concern about overlooking

Mark Hodgson (applicant’s agent) addressed the meeting about

·         The site’s prominence within the village

·         Sustainability issues

·         Public engagement carried out

·         Alterations in the bulk of the property on Plot 9

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, subject to the prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing the required contributions to public open space, community facilities and waste receptacle provision, the Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director and an additional Condition requiring the provision of two extra car parking spaces (below the Beech trees) making a total of 22 car parking spaces altogether.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, subject to prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990  securing contributions towards community facilities, open space and waste receptacles, and to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.    

David Tebbs (applicant) addressed the meeting.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, subject to prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990  securing contributions towards community facilities, open space and waste receptacles, and to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.    

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, subject to prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990  securing contributions towards community facilities, open space and waste receptacles, and to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Leslie Rolfe (Bourn Parish Council) addressed the meeting. Comments from Councillor Alison Elcox (a local Member) were read out. Members noted the following comment:

·         Bourn was witnessing too many two-bedroom bungalows being replaced with larger properties

·         Concern with “domestic style” of garage giving rise to fears that the garage could be converted to living accommodation in future

·         Reduction in number of the kind of property needed in Bourn

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, subject to prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990  securing contributions towards community facilities, open space and waste receptacles, and to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Committee accepted the amendment, as shown on drawings 0001-005 Rev 028 and 0001-002 Rev 028.    

The Committee approved the amendment, as shown on drawings 0001-005 Rev 028 and 0001-002 Rev 028.  

The Planning Committee recommended to Full Council that the revised planning scheme of delegation as outlined in Appendix A (amendments shaded grey) be incorporated as part of South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Constitution.

The Planning Committee recommended to Full Council that the revised planning scheme of delegation as outlined in Appendix A (amendments shaded grey) be incorporated as part of South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Constitution.

The Committee received and noted an Update on enforcement action.

The Committee received and noted a report on Appeals against planning decisions and enforcement action.