Agenda item

Total Demolition of the buildings known as the ‘Great Eastern Drying Shed’.

By seven votes to four, the Planning Committee gave officers delegated authority to grant Listed Building consent for the demolition of the Grade II* Listed Building known as the Great Eastern Drying Shed in Sawston, subject to

1.    The Conditions and Informatives set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development; and

2.       the Secretary of State being notified should the Victorian Society register an objection to the proposed demolition.

Members visited the site on 9 July 2019.

Noting the approximately 20-year history of the matter in question, Councillor Milnes declared a non-pecuniary interest because, as a Sawston resident for much of that time, he had from time to time commented on factors concerning the Drying Shed prior to him becoming a South Cambridgeshire District Councillor. He was considering the matter afresh.

·         Councillors John Batchelor, Anna Bradnam and Deborah Roberts had each been a Planning Committee member when that Committee had previously considered the Great Eastern Drying Shed. Each of them declared a non-pecuniary interest and was considering the matter afresh.

The case officer:

·         Reported that an additional consultation response had been received and published on South Cambridgeshire District Council’s website;

·         Read out loud the letter accompanying that response;

·         Confirmed that the Victorian Society had been consulted but, although comments had been received, the Council was seeking clarification as to whether these comments constituted an objection. Should an objection be registered, the Council would have to notify the Secretary of State;

·         Informed Members that the application was for Listed Building Consent only: Planning officers had received legal advice that Planning Permission was not required for the works;

·         clarified the issue of Departure from the Development Plan as follows

o   Paragraph 98 of the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, stated that “Applications should be determined in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.” This wording had been taken from Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and Section 70(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. These two Acts concern themselves with applications for planning permission.

o   As the present application was for Listed Building consent, the requirement did not apply.

o   Nevertheless, Policy NH/14 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 remained a material planning consideration.

o   Paragraph 98 of the report also stated that there was some conflict with Policy NH/14 as not all the criteria set out in Paragraph 195  of the National Planning Policy Framework could be met.

o   Therefore, if the application was to be determined in accordance with the Development Plan, this conflict with Policy NH/14 would constitute a departure from the Plan.

o   The report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development stated that the application was not a departure. This remained the case as there was not a statutory requirement to have regard to Policy NH/14 of the Local Plan.

Judith Martin (objector) and Emma Sharp (applicant’s agent) addressed the meeting.

Members appreciated the Drying Shed’s significance in terms of its scale, form and historical uniqueness. Demolition would be regrettable, and Members contemplated opportunities for the reuse of materials or wholesale reconstruction elsewhere, and discussed the deferral of the decision until this had been considered further.

Officers from Historic England and the in-house Built and Natural Environment team acknowledged the issue of significance but said that that significance was also a handicap. Methods of building recording were discussed, with electronic recording being requested. Officers agreed to consider this further, in so far as potential amendments to the wording of the recommended condition regarding building recording.

Members noted that Historic England was continuing to investigate options for digitising the building.

By seven votes to four, the Planning Committee gave officers delegated authority to grant Listed Building consent for the demolition of the Grade II* Listed Building known as the Great Eastern Drying Shed in Sawston, subject to

1.    The Conditions and Informatives set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development; and

2.       the matter being referred to the Secretary of State should the Victorian Society register an objection to the proposed demolition.

(Councillors Henry Batchelor, John Batchelor, Bradnam, Cahn, Milnes, Handley and Heylings voted to grant Listed Building consent. Councillors Bhattacharya, Ellington, Roberts and Heather Williams voted against)