Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor Ben Shelton sent Apologies for Absence. Councillor David Bard was his substitute.

Members made declarations as follows:

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2015 as a correct record. These are available on the Council’s website.

The Committee authorised the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2015.

The Committee gave officers delegated authority to approve the application, subject to:

1.    The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing financial contributions towards public open space and community facilities, and the affordable gousing in perpetuity;

2.    Outstanding comments from, and any further work required by, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Archaeology Service; and

3.    The Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Committee gave officers delegated authority to approve the application, subject to:

1.    The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing financial contributions towards public open space and community facilities, and the affordable housing in perpetuity;

2.    Outstanding comments from, and any further work required by, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Archaeology Service; and

3.    The Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Committee gave officers delegated authority to approve the application, subject to:

1.    The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing financial contributions towards public open space, community facilities, and waste receptacles; and

2.    The Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Committee gave officers delegated authority to approve the application, subject to:

1.    The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing financial contributions towards public open space, community facilities, and waste receptacles; and

2.    The Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Committee gave officers delegated authority to approve the application, subject to:

1.    The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing financial contributions towards public open space, community facilities, waste receptacles, and monitoring and legal fees;

2.    The Conditions and Informatives referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director; and

3.    An additional Condition (as agreed with the applicant) requiring the two windows on the first floor south east elevation and serving a kitchen and bathroom to be either hi-level or obscure glazed in order to prevent overlooking.

The Committee gave officers delegated authority to approve the application, subject to:

1.    The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing financial contributions towards public open space, community facilities, waste receptacles, and monitoring and legal fees;

2.    The Conditions and Informatives referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director; and

3.    An additional Condition (as agreed with the applicant) requiring the two windows on the first floor south east elevation and serving a kitchen and bathroom to be either hi-level or obscure glazed in order to prevent overlooking.

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

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

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

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

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 regulating the provision and occupation of the development, and to the Conditions set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

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 regulating the provision and occupation of the development, and to the Conditions set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

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

1.    Public Byway No.2 Papworth must remain open and unobstructed at all times (it is an offence under Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980 to obstruct a public Highway).

2.    No alteration to the footpath surface is permitted without consent from Cambridgeshire County Council (it is an offence to damage the surface of a public footpath under s 1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971).

3.    Landowners are reminded that it is their responsibility to maintain hedges and fences adjacent to public rights of way, and that any transfer of land should account for any such boundaries (Section 154 Highways Act 1980).

4.    The granting of planning permission does not entitle a developer to obstruct a public right of way (Circular 1/09 para 7.1).

Frazer Stannard (applicant) and Dr. Chris Howlett (Papworth Everard Parish Council) addressed the meeting.

During the course of the public speaking, Members noted comments about

·         The desirability for the company to operate from a building it had renovated

·         Employment benefits for the village

·         Noise

·         The Parish Council’s preference for the company to operate from the Business Park

·         Traffic congestion along the A1198

·         The lack of pedestrian and cycle access

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

1.    Public Byway No.2 Papworth must remain open and unobstructed at all times (it is an offence under Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980 to obstruct a public Highway).

2.    No alteration to the footpath surface is permitted without consent from Cambridgeshire County Council (it is an offence to damage the surface of a public footpath under s 1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971).

3.    Landowners are reminded that it is their responsibility to maintain hedges and fences adjacent to public rights of way, and that any transfer of land should account for any such boundaries (Section 154 Highways Act 1980).

4.    The granting of planning permission does not entitle a developer to obstruct a public right of way (Circular 1/09 para 7.1).

The Committee gave officers delegated authority to approve the application, subject to:

1.    The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing financial contributions towards public open space, community facilities, waste receptacles, and monitoring and legal fees; and

2.    The Conditions referred to in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

Sue Kerr (objector), Robert Fogg (applicant) and Councillor Nick Wright (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

During the course of the public speaking, Members noted comments about

·         The reduction in natural light and sunlight for the neighbour

·         The neighbour’s view would be of a brick wall

·         The overshadowing and dominant nature of the proposal

·         Traffic congestion

·         A desire to reduce the size of the garden

·         The openness of the Conservation Area, which is neither preserved nor enhanced by the proposal

·         Opposition to the proposal from Fen Drayton Parish Council

The Committee gave officers delegated authority to approve the application, subject to:

1.    The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing financial contributions towards public open space, community facilities, waste receptacles, and monitoring and legal fees; and

2.    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 encroachment into the countryside, contrary to Policy DP/7 (Development Frameworks) of the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007, and the need to guard against incremental growth.

Members resolved to take enforcement proceedings as might be indicated, including the issue of Enforcement Notices and a notice under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as officers consider appropriate, with three-months allowed for compliance, in respect of the unauthorised change of use from agricultural land outside the development framework to use as garden land, and the unauthorised use of part of the site as a builder’s yard, which was considered detrimental to visual amenity.

The Senior Lawyer reminded the Committee that it was necessary to determine the application in the context of the shortfall in South Cambridgeshire District Council’s five-year land supply. Responding to Members; concerns, he added that the poorly maintained condition of the site was not a material planning consideration.

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 encroachment into the countryside and the need to guard against incremental growth contrary to Policy DP/7 (Development Frameworks) of the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007.

Members resolved to take enforcement proceedings as might be indicated, including the issue of Enforcement Notices and a notice under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as officers consider appropriate, with three-months allowed for compliance, in respect of the unauthorised change of use from agricultural land outside the development framework to use as garden land, and the unauthorised use of part of the site as a builder’s yard, which was considered detrimental to visual amenity.

The Committee approved the application, contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, subject to the imposition of safeguarding Conditions relating to, among other things, materials and landscaping. Members agreed the reasons for approval as being that

1.    The proposed replacement dwelling, despite the scale of the two storey rear element and its impact on the design of the dwelling, would not have an unacceptable impact on the visual amenity of the area and would not materially increase the impact of the site on its surrounding to the detriment of the openness and the character of the countryside; and

2.    The proposal was compliant therefore with Policies DP/2, DP/3 and HG/7 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007.

Karen Forbes (applicant) addressed the meeting. She made the following points:

·         The proposal is needed in order to accommodate a family that has outgrown the current dwelling

·         Castle Camps Parish Council supports

·         Neighbours support

·         Happy to landscape

The Committee approved the application, contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, subject to the imposition of safeguarding Conditions relating to, among other things, materials and landscaping. Members agreed the reasons for approval as being that

1.    The proposed replacement dwelling, despite the scale of the two storey rear element and its impact on the design of the dwelling, would not have an unacceptable impact on the visual amenity of the area and would not materially increase the impact of the site on its surrounding to the detriment of the openness and the character of the countryside; and

2.    The proposal was compliant therefore with Policies DP/2, DP/3 and HG/7 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007.

This application has been removed from the agenda. Comberton Parish Council has withdrawn its objection so that its recommendation no longer conflicts with that of Planning Officers. As such, the application can now be determined in accordance with the Planning Committee's Scheme of Delegation.

The Committee noted that this application had been removed from the agenda because Comberton Parish Council had withdrawn its objection so that its recommendation no longer conflicts with that of Planning Officers. As such, the application would now be determined in accordance with the Planning Committee's Scheme of Delegation.

The Committee noted that this application had been removed from the agenda because Comberton Parish Council had withdrawn its objection so that its recommendation no longer conflicts with that of Planning Officers. As such, the application would now be determined in accordance with the Planning Committee's Scheme of Delegation.

The Committee deferred this item for a site visit.

Tom Horner (objector) addressed the meeting. He made the following comments:

·         A two-bedroom property was being replaced with a four-bedroom one

·         Loss of sunlight to neighbouring property

·         Overlooking leading to a loss of privacy

·         Biodiversity issues

·         Concerns about design

The Committee deferred this item for a site visit.

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.