Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no Apologies for Absence.

Interests were declared as follows:

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2015 as a correct record.

The Committee authorised the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2015.

Residential Development and Associated Works including Access.

The Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director. Members agreed the reason for refusal as being that the increase in density and urbanisation is inconsistent with South Cambridgeshire District Council policy allowing 40 dwellings per hectare in Waterbeach, thus rendering the proposal as out-of-keeping with the village.

Brian Williams addressed the meeting both as an individual objector and as representative of Waterbeach Parish Council. Hannah Albans (applicant’s agent) also addressed the meeting, and was supported by Alex Kenny (Technical Director) who was present to answer questions of clarification.  The major objections to the proposal related to flooding and drainage, position and safety of the access road, the lack of publicity, and sustainability issues. Objections from Councillor Peter Johnson (a local Member) had been circulated to Committee members and other interested parties. The Chairman read out a letter of objection from Councillor James Hockney (the other local Member).

Some Members speculated about the increase in the number of dwellings from the original 90 to a proposed 144. The Senior Lawyer reminded them though that the application had to be assessed in the context of national and local planning policy, and that the applicant’s motives were not a material planning consideration.

The District Council’s Drainage Manager confirmed that he had no general concerns about surface water in general, but said that the Internal Drainage Board was likely to insist on measures to ensure that such surface water did not enter the sewer system. He added that it was not unusual for buildings in the area to be below the five metre level.

Concerns related to:

·       Health provision – the financial contribution should be increased, and paid directly to Waterbeach Surgery rather than to NHS England;

·       Affordable Housing – affordable only during the first term granted;

·       the relatively small amount being offered by Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990;

·       quality of the proposed development; and

·       the loss of very important green space.

The Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director. Members agreed the reason for refusal as being that the increase in density and urbanisation is inconsistent with South Cambridgeshire District Council policy allowing 40 dwellings per hectare in Waterbeach, thus rendering the proposal as out-of-keeping with the village.

Erection of two detached houses following demolition of existing house, and new highway access

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

Members visited the site on 12 January 2016.

Jane Westbrook (objecting on behalf of a group of neighbours), Don Proctor (applicant’s agent), Councillor Andrew Stephenson (Little Shelford Parish Council) and Councillor Charles Nightingale (a local Member) addressed the meeting. Objections related to adverse impact on the Conservation Area, loss of amenity, the proposal not being in keeping with the surrounding area, the loss of sunlight for Beach Cottage, and overbearing nature of the proposal.

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

Student residential accommodation together will ancillary meeting, office and social space (maximum 14,700 square metres), auditorium (maximum 1,300 square metres) replacement buildings and grounds maintenance workshops, one new and relocated sports pitch, additional ‘ball-stop’ fencing, relocated tennis courts, two new vehicular accesses and replacement car park.

The Committee gave officers delegated power 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 appropriate contributions towards off-site transport infrastructure, and the Conditions and Informatives set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Members visited the site on 12 January 2016.

Deborah Lowther (Girton College Bursar) addressed the meeting. Councillor Tom Bygott (a local Member) had indicated his support for the proposal.

Councillor Sebastian Kindersley welcomed the positive manner in which this application had been had been constructed through joint working. He said that there existed very special circumstances for granting planning permission in the Green Belt in this instance.

The Committee gave officers delegated power 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 appropriate contributions towards off-site transport infrastructure, and the Conditions and Informatives set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, and subject to the application not being called in for determination by the Secretary of State.

76 Dwellings

The Committee refused the application for the reasons set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Members visited the site on 12 January 2016.

Philip Kratz (agent for Foxton Parish Council) addressed the meeting. He conveyed the Parish Council’s objections on the grounds of adverse impact, scale, and isolation from the existing village.

The Committee refused the application for the reasons set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Dwelling

The Committee approved the application, as amended by plan received on 12 January 2016, subject to the Conditions set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, an additional Condition securing details of the construction of the driveway and parking area, and an Informative relating to the removal of the on-site telegraph pole.

Members visited the site on 12 January 2016.

Katharine Jeary (objector), Peter McKeown (applicant’s agent) and Councillor Grenville Chamberlain (local Member) addressed the meeting. Objections related to the reduction in size of the plot, proximity to neighbours, cramped nature of the proposal, lack of space for soft landscaping, adverse impact on the character of the area, bring forward the building line, sub-urban nature of the proposal, highway safety, and the absence of visitor parking.

The Committee approved the application, as amended by plan received on 12 January 2016, subject to the Conditions set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, an additional Condition securing details of the construction of the driveway and parking area, and an Informative relating to the removal of the on-site telegraph pole.

Demolition of dwelling and erection of nine dwellings

The Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director. Members agreed the reason for refusal as being over-development by virtue of the applicant’s failure to demonstrate that nine dwellings could be accommodated on the application site without having an adverse impact on neighbour amenity.

Members visited the site on 12 January 2016.

Kate Kell (objector) and Councillor Enid Bald (Linton Parish Council) addressed the meeting. Objections related to the adverse impact on residential amenity, loss of privacy, cramped nature of the proposal, and design.

The Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director. Members agreed the reason for refusal as being over-development by virtue of the applicant’s failure to demonstrate that nine dwellings could be accommodated on the application site without having an adverse impact on neighbour amenity.

Installation of two Biomass Boilers and two Drying Kilns (Retrospective)

Members visited the site on 12 January 2016.

Annarita Demetriou (objector), Nick Ward (applicant), Councillor Les Rolfe (Bourn Parish Council) and Councillor Mervyn Loynes (a local Member) addressed the meeting. Objections related to nuisance, loss of residential amenity, health concerns, and hours of operation.

Members explored with officers options relating to the environmental health aspect of the application.

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

Detached Dwelling

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 12 January 2016.

Emma George (Project Officer) addressed the meeting.

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

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.  The Chairman drew Members’ attention to the number of Appeals that had been dismissed, and congratulated officers on their success.