Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, First Floor

Contact: Ian Senior, 03450 450 500 Email: democratic.services@scambs.gov.uk  Members of the public wishing to speak at this meeting are requested to contact the Support Officer by no later than noon on Monday before the meeting. A public speaking protocol applies.

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Councillor Pippa Heylings sent Apologies for Absence and appointed Councillor Henry Batchelor to be her substitute. To receive apologies for absence from committee members. 

Minutes:

Councillors Peter Fane and Pippa Heylings sent Apologies for Absence. Councillors Eileen Wilson and Henry Batchelor were the respective substitutes.

 

In Councillor Heylings’ absence, the Committee agreed by affirmation that Councillor Brian Milnes be appointed Vice-Chairman for this meeting.

2.

Declarations of Interest

 

1.         Disclosable pecuniary interests (“DPI”)

A  DPI is where a committee member or his/her spouse or partner has any kind of beneficial interest in the land under consideration at the meeting.

 

 2.        Non-disclosable pecuniary interests

These are interests that are pecuniary involving a  personal financial benefit or detriment but do not come within the definition of a DPI.  An example would be where a member of their family/close friend (who is not their spouse or partner) has such an interest.

 

3.         Non-pecuniary interests

Where the interest is not one which involves any personal financial benefit or detriment to the Councillor but arises out of a close connection with someone or some  body /association.  An example would be membership of a sports committee/ membership of another council which is involved in the matter under consideration.

Minutes:

Councillor Peter Topping declared a non-pecuniary interest in Minute 5 (S/0350/19/FL - Duxford (Land south of A505 and west of SMT Great Britain)) because, as Cambridgeshire County Councillor for Duxford, he had been present at meetings at which this application had been discussed. He had taken no part in discussions there and was now considering the matter afresh.

 

Councillor Nick Wright declared a non-pecuniary interest in Minute 6a (S/2709/18/DC - Cambourne (Land to the west of Cambourne, Cambourne, CB23 6ER) because some of the land within the site of Cambourne West was owned by relatives of his. Councillor Wright said that he would not be voting on this item.

3.

Recorded voting

Minutes:

Upon the proposal of Councillor Brian Milnes, seconded by Councillor Dr. Martin Cahn, the Committee unanimously agreed that all substantive votes at the current Planning Committee meeting should be recorded by name and / or number and name

4.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 74 KB

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 8 May 2019 as a correct record.

Minutes:

  The Committee authorised the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 8 May 2019, subject to the following:

 

Minute 1 – Apologies

The Committee noted that Councillor Peter Topping had sent apologies and that Councillor Sue Ellington had been present as his substitute (as indicated in the attendance list).

 

Minute 7 – Cambourne

Insertion of the following replacement text:

 

“Members identified and debated the following issues:

 

·         Overdevelopment of the site.

·         The impact on the character of the area and the street scene.

·         Detrimental effect on amenity of the neighbouring residential properties, including in respect of overbearing impacts and overshadowing of neighbouring property.

·         Adverse impact on the quality of life and amenity of the application site, through the loss of external amenity space.

·         Whether the development sets a precedent for similar development of other properties in the area .

·         The applicant’s fall-back position with regards to permitted development rights.

 

The case officer confirmed permitted development rights were intact for the property, with an exception in relation to the conversion of the garage, and advised that the assessment had taken into account the potential impacts of a single storey extension erected utilising those rights. The case officer also confirmed the Local Planning Authority was the determining body with regards to parking and loss of parking spaces, and that the Local Highway Authority had not objected, but had noted there may be impacts from the loss of parking to be considered.

 

However, the Vice-Chairman said it would be difficult to defend refusal based on adverse impact in terms of residential amenity of neighbouring property or visual impacts and the Local Highways Authority had not objected to the proposed development in terms of highway safety of the loss of parking.”

 

A statement from Councillor Shrobona Bhattacharya (a local Member) had also been read out.

5.

S/0350/19/FL - Duxford (Land south of A505 and west of SMT Great Britain (please refer to Supplement for complete report) pdf icon PDF 186 KB

 

Proposed erection of two new car dealerships / showrooms for occupation by Lancaster Porsche and Aston Martin (sui generis) incorporating (i) the sale of new and used cars plus parts storage and sales (ii) new means of access from the A505 including provision of a protected right turn lane into the site when approaching from the west, (iii) totem signs, (iv) servicing and MOT areas, (v) washing and car preparation / valet areas, (vi) display, staff and customer car parking, (vii) new internal circulation roads, cycle paths and footpaths, and (viii) hard and soft landscaping including provision of a 1.5m high mound on the western site boundary.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Committee unanimously refused the application for the three reasons set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, and for three additional reasons of there being insufficient information to demonstrate that

 

·         the development would be acceptable in highway safety terms

·         the development would not cause an increased risk of flooding

·         habitats of importance would be protected as a result of the proposed development.

Minutes:

Members visited the site on 11 June 2019.

 

The case officer updated the report following the receipt of comments relating to highways and transport, drainage and ecology.

 

Colin Brown (applicant’s agent) and Councillor Harris (Duxford Parish Council) addressed the meeting. The case officer reported that Councillor Peter McDonald (local Member) had recommended that the application be refused.

 

Members commented on the following:

 

·         The application was for development of a Greenfield site

·         The failure to identify an alternative site was concerning

·         Traffic issues

·         Adverse impact on the landscape

·         The proposed site had not been allocated in the Local Plan 2018

·         Highway safety

·         The potential for flooding

·         Incursion into the ‘green separation’ between Duxford and Whittlesford

·          

The Committee unanimously refused the application for the three reasons set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, and for three additional reasons of there being insufficient information to demonstrate that

 

·         the development would be acceptable in highway safety terms

·         the development would not cause an increased risk of flooding

·         habitats of importance would be protected as a result of the proposed development.

6.

S/0974/19/FL - Over (30 Hilton Street) pdf icon PDF 68 KB

 

Conversion of existing garage and first floor side extension.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Minutes:

7.

S/2709/18/DC - Cambourne (Land to the west of Cambourne, Cambourne, CB23 6ER) pdf icon PDF 106 KB

Discharge of condition 8 (Site wide Design Code) of

planning permission S/2903/14/OL

 

URGENT ITEM OF BUSINESS:

 

The Chairman of the Committee has agreed to allow the above application to be dealt with at this meeting as an urgent item of business pursuant to Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

 

The item is urgent because as there is an agreed Planning Performance Agreement timetable in place for this scheme and determination is required in June 2019 to comply with this agreement and to ensure that the effective delivery of the outline planning permission is achieved.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Planning Committee Chairman agreed to allow the this application to be dealt with at this meeting as an urgent item of business pursuant to Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The item was deemed urgent because there was an Planning Performance Agreement timetable in place for this scheme and determination was required in June 2019 to comply with that Agreement, and to ensure that the effective delivery of the outline planning permission could be achieved.

 

By nine votes to nil, the Committee deferred this item to an Extraordinary Planning Committee on Friday 28 June 2019.

 

(Councillors Henry Batchelor, John Batchelor, Cahn, Handley, Milnes, Roberts, Topping, Heather Williams and Wilson voted for deferral. Councillor Wright abstained. Councillor Rippeth had left the meeting part way through consideration of the Cambourne West Design Guide and did not vote.)

Minutes:

The Planning Committee Chairman agreed to allow this application to be dealt with at this meeting as an urgent item of business pursuant to Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The item was deemed urgent because there was a Planning Performance Agreement timetable in place for this scheme and determination was required in June 2019 to comply with that Agreement, and to ensure that the effective delivery of the outline planning permission could be achieved.

 

Dick Longdin (Architect) addressed the meeting.

 

Members engaged in a brief discussion centred around the significance of a Planning Performance Agreement, and of words such as ‘must’ and ‘should’. Councillor Deborah Roberts was minded to defer further consideration of the item to allow time for Members to receive a briefing on the issues involved. Her proposal was seconded by Councillor Peter Topping and, following a short adjournment, the Committee deferred this item,  by nine votes to nil, to an Extraordinary Planning Committee on Friday 28 June 2019.

 

(Councillors Henry Batchelor, John Batchelor, Cahn, Handley, Milnes, Roberts, Topping, Heather Williams and Wilson voted for deferral. Councillor Wright did not vote. Councillor Rippeth had left the meeting part way through consideration of the Cambourne West Design Guide and also did not vote.)

8.

Enforcement Report pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received and noted an Update on enforcement action.    

9.

Appeals against Planning Decisions and Enforcement Action pdf icon PDF 63 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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