Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Nick Wright nominated Councillor Tim Wotherspoon as Chairman. This nomination was seconded by Councillor Alex Riley and, there being no other nominations, the Committee resolved that Councillor Tim Wotherspoon be elected Chairman of the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee for the civic year 2015-16.

Councillor Hazel Smith nominated Councillor Ed Cearns as Vice-Chairman. This nomination was seconded by Councillor David Jenkins.

Councillor Alex Riley nominated Councillor Peter Hudson as Vice-Chairman. This nomination was seconded by Councillor Nick Wright.

Councillor Cearns and Councillor Hudson withdrew from the Chamber (having handed their completed ballot papers to the Democratic Services Officer) and a paper ballot was undertaken.

Councillor Cearns and Councillor Hudson were invited back into the Chamber, and the Committee resolved that Councillor Peter Hudson be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee for the civic year 2015-16.

To receive Apologies for Absence from Committee members. 

     There were no Apologies for Absence.

Councillor Alex Riley reiterated that he had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest by reason of the proximity of his domestic property to Northstowe, but that he had a dispensation allowing him to speak and vote.

Councillor Tim Wotherspoon declared a Non-Pecuniary Interest because he had attended meetings of Oakington & Westwick Parish Council and Rampton Parish Council in order to provide factual information upon request. Councillor Wotherspoon is not an elected or co-opted member of either Parish Council and did not contribute to the debates.

Councillor Nick Wright declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest by virtue of owning land over which the A14 would be re-routed and which could therefore be the subject of a Compulsory Purchase Order. He declared a non-pecuniary interest as a Governor at Swavesey Village College.

Committee members reiterated that they were coming to this meeting afresh.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2015 as a correct record. 

The Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee, by five votes to four with one abstention, authorised the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2015, subject to the following:

Minute 4 - Northstowe - Phase 2 Outline Planning Application

1.     Replace

“Members raised the following:

Implications should the Committee reject the draft Conditions

Answer: there are 90 or so Conditions. It is for South Cambridgeshire District Council as Local Planning Authority to decide what form those Conditions should take. These are draft conditions and there is time between now and the issue of the final consent to amend them.

With

Members raised the following:

 Implications should the Committee reject the draft Conditions

Answer: there are 90 or so Conditions. It is for the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee to agree what form those Conditions should take, and for South Cambridgeshire District Council, as Local Planning Authority, to issue a Decision Notice subject to those Conditions, as agreed.”

2.     At the first bullet pointed comment from Robin Heydon of the Cambridge Cycling Campaign, replace the word “fully” with the word “broadly” so that the comment now starts, “Broadly supports proposals within the new town…”

3.     At the end of the text, add:

“[The following post-meeting note does not form part of the formal minutes, but is included by way of clarification.

While the Chairman purported to adjourn the meeting to 29 April, it became apparent that it would be extremely difficult to reconvene the meeting that month, with the same Committee members present, given the imminent local elections (and purdah period), and Members’ pre-arranged holidays. Subsequent advice was that because no vote had been taken on it the purported adjournment should be seen, instead, as an abandonment of the meeting. The 25 March meeting having been deemed to have concluded, a new meeting would take place in due course. ]”

Councillors Brian Burling, Lynda Harford, Peter Hudson, Alex Riley and Tim Wotherspoon voted to approve the Minutes. Councillors Ed Cearns, David Jenkins, Douglas de Lacey and Hazel Smith voted to reject the Minutes. Councillor Nick Wright abstained because he had not been a Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee member on 25 March 2015 and had not been present that day.

The Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee considered a “hybrid” application, seeking an outline planning permission for the development of Phase 2 on Land to the east of Longstanton and west of the guided busway occupying the northern part of the site used by the former Oakington barracks with details of appearance, landscaping, layout, scale and access reserved, and full planning permission for the Southern Access Road (West). For the purposes of the report the distinction was made between:

A          Development of the main Phase 2 development area for up to 3,500 dwellings, two primary schools, the secondary school, the town centre including employment uses, formal and informal recreational space and landscaped areas, the eastern sports hub, the remainder of the western sports hub (to complete the provision delivered at Phase 1), the busway, a primary road to link to the southern access, construction haul route, engineering and infrastructure works; and

B          Full planning permission for the construction of a highway link (Southern Access Road (West)) between the proposed new town of Northstowe and the B1050, improvements to the B1050, and associated landscaping and drainage.

The Principal Planner introduced the report, highlighting Northstowe’s significance in helping to meet South Cambridgeshire’s housing needs. He said that consideration, at different meetings, of the application and conditions, and Section 106 items and triggers followed the process adopted in determining the application for Phase 1. Subsequent details would be considered at the Reserved Matters stage. He referred Members to the two principal amendments since the committee’s last meeting, namely amended parameter plans and sports strategy.  He also referred to a detailed letter sent to ARUP, agents for the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), by Lois Bowser, the former Northstowe Joint Team Leader, immediately before the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee meeting on 25 March 2015. The Principal Planner ended his opening presentation by mentioning several representations that had been received since publication of the agenda, referring in particular to a desk-top survey commissioned by the HCA into ground conditions suitable for location of a burial ground, which had been circulated to members in advance of the meeting.

The Chairman invited the following people to address the meeting:

·       Alan Joyner – Executive Director, Gallagher Estates

·       Councillor Keith Wilderspin - Swavesey Parish Council

·       Councillor Gill Ashby – Chairman, Longstanton Parish Council

·       Bridget Smith – in her capacity of Project Manager of the Gamlingay Eco-Hub

·       Councillor Simon Edwards – South Cambridgeshire District Councillor for Cottenham, Oakington & Westwick and Rampton

Alan Joyner, whose Company had already secured planning permission in respect of Phase 1, leant his support to the HCA’s application for up to 3,500 homes and associated infrastructure. He said it would provide certainty as Gallaghers proceeded with Phase 1. The Joint Promoters remained committed to working with South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council. It was important to promote Northstowe in a positive manner. Central Government recognised the Northstowe project as important, and progress with improvements to the A14 was significant. Planning permission for Phase  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The next Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee meeting would take place on Wednesday 29 July 2015, starting at 10.00am.

Members joined the Chairman in acknowledging the contribution made by Lois Bowser, former Northstowe Joint Team Leader, in working with the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee.