Agenda item

Creation of a mixed-use food hub with additional parking

By 7 votes to 3, the Committee deferred the application.

Councillor Heather Williams returned to the meeting. Councillor Bill Handley withdrew from the Committee in line with his Declaration of Interest.

The Principal Planning Officer, Tom Gray, presented the report. Members asked a number of questions of clarity. In response to a question, officers stated that access to the site would be via Brockley Road. Enquiries were raised regarding parking and officers detailed the parking provision laid out in the proposal. A number of questions were asked regarding policy E/23 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and officers offered clarity on a number of points including impact on the village shop, the nature of goods to be sold and the local sourcing of goods for sale.

The Committee was addressed by two objectors, Richard French (resident) and James Howell (Treasurer, Elsworth Village Shop), who felt that the application would have a negative impact on the village of Elsworth and that it was contrary to Local Plan policies. The objectors responded to questions of clarity on the how many volunteers assisted with the running of Elsworth Village Shop and that type of goods it sold. In response to a question on what policies were breached by the proposal, the objectors informed the Committee that policies S/2 (in particular S/2[f]), S/3, S/10 and E/23 were all breached by the proposal. Two supporters of the application, Anthony Davison (applicant) and Peter Newton (resident), addressed the Committee. Members asked questions of clarity regarding the sourcing of goods for sale, the nature of potential events being hosted on the site, the local reception of the proposal and the impact of the proposal on the Village Shop. Councillor Peter Deer of Elsworth Parish Council addressed the Committee on behalf of the Parish Council who had concerns regarding the proposal. In response to a question, Councillor Deer clarified that the Parish Council would like to see a number of mitigations be implemented regarding traffic and the impact on Elsworth and the management of events and parking provision for events. At the Chair’s discretion, Councillor Peter McDonald, the Lead Cabinet Member for Economic Development. addressed the Committee to present the independent advice from the Business Support Unit which supported the application and stated that he would not speak to planning matters. In response to a question, Councillor McDonald informed the Committee that he was there to clarify the economic development perspective on the proposal, conveying the independent advice of officers, but not to direct the Committee regarding planning matters. Councillor McDonald also respond to a question of clarity regarding other similar schemes in the District (Gog Magog and Arrington Farm) and if they had any impact on existing shops.

A number of Members raised concerns over Councillor McDonald’s address of the Committee and some felt that the representation was political in nature and had concerns over the description of Councillor McDonald’s address as being “instead of the local Member”. Having sought clarification from the planning officer the Senior Planning Lawyer advised that the economic department of the Council was not a consultee and that any   comments made were not taken into account by the planning officer. It was clarified that Councillor McDonald was given the opportunity to speak in order to represent the economic unit perspective following the distribution to the Committee of emails regarding this. The Senior Planning Lawyer advised that, whilst she viewed the statement as representing economic perspectives and not one of a political nature, political merits were not a reason to make a decision on a planning application and that Members should make their decision based on the information in front of them.

Officers offered clarity on potential traffic and footfall on the site and offered comparison with the Gog Magog site in response to a question. Further concerns were raised over the representation by Councillor McDonald, and the lack of representation from the local Member. Councillor McDonald provided clarity on why he had addressed the Committee. The Committee continued to discuss the issue.

Councillor Judith Rippeth, seconded by Councillor Heather Williams, proposed that the application be deferred. This was due to concerns over the representation from Councillor McDonald and to allow the other local Member (Councillor Mark Howell), who had called-in the application, to speak. Councillor Heather Williams stated in the justification for the deferral that it would not be appropriate for a decision to be made without an investigation as to how Councillor McDonald was allowed to address the Committee and the information circulated to the Committee being in the public domain.

By 7 (Councillors Anna Bradnam, Geoff Harvey, Judith Rippeth, Peter Sandford, Heather Williams, Dr Richard Williams and Eileen Wilson) votes to 3 (Councillors Dr Martin Cahn, Peter Fane and Ariel Cahn) the Committee voted to defer the application.

Councillor Bill Handley rejoined the Committee. Councillor Heather Williams left the meeting.