Agenda item

Approval of the matters reserved for the layout of the site, the scale and appearance of buildings, the means of access and landscaping following outline planning permission S/1963/15/OL for up to 55 dwellings with landscape buffer and new vehicular access.

By eight votes to one, the Committee deferred the application for review by the Design Enabling Panel in respect of the scale, layout, appearance and landscaping of the scheme. The Committee asked officers to consider further issues concerning flood risk in the area abutting the site, and biodiversity.

(Councillor John Batchellor, having withdrawn from the Committee for this item, did not vote. Councillor Peter Topping voted against deferral.)

Members visited the site on 9 April 2019.

Councillor John Batchelor declared a Non-disclosable Pecuniary Interest because his son, Councillor Henry Batchelor, had a business relationship with the developer. In view of the legal advice he had received, Councillor John Batchelor withdrew to the public gallery, took no part in the debate, and did not vote. However, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Monitoring Officer had granted Councillor John Batchelor a dispensation allowing him to address the Committee as a local Member. Councillor Pippa Heylings (Planning Committee Vice-Chairman) took the Chair and, by affirmation of the Committee, Councillor Brian Milnes was appointed Vice-Chairman for this item.

Following a short introduction from the case officer, Councillor Nick Wright asked why this application was not being considered as a departure from the Development Plan. The Principal Planning Lawyer said that he was satisfied that the principle of development had been established when the Outline application had been granted planning consent.  The case officer added that the application had been advertised as a departure in any event.

Mr. and Mrs. Pearse (objectors), Councillor Enid Bald (Linton Parish Council) and Councillor John Batchelor (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

The ensuing debate revolved around housing mix, design, flood risk, landscape and renewable energy. Officers drew Members’ attention to the matters dealt with at the Outline stage, and reminded them that they should focus on Reserved Matters. Housing mix had already been agreed, and the question of renewable energy had been conditioned as part of the Outline planning consent and would be compliant with Policy CC/3 of the Local Plan 2018.

By eight votes to one, the Committee deferred the application for review by the Design Enabling Panel in respect of the scale, layout, appearance and landscaping of the scheme. The Committee asked officers to consider further issues concerning flood risk in the area abutting the site, and biodiversity.

(Councillor John Batchelor, having withdrawn from the Committee for this item, did not vote. Councillor Peter Topping voted against deferral.)