Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor SGM Kindersley declared a personal interest as a Cambridgeshire County Councillor.

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2008 as a correct record.  The draft minutes are available on the Council’s website by going to www.scambs.gov.uk/meetings, and following the links to this Committee (Committees > Planning Committee > Browse meetings) 

The Committee authorised the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2008, subject to the following additional text (shown in italics) to the proposed amendment of the Minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2007, not accepted by Members:

“In connection with Minute 139 (S/1767/07/O – Impington (Land adjacent St Georges Court off Milton Road)), Councillor JF Williams proposed that the distance between the proposed site and village facilities be incorporated into the decision notice as an additional reason for refusal, as this had been Members’ main motive in refusing the application…”. 

Approval subject to the Conditions referred to in the report (landscaping scheme to be agreed in consultation with local Members) and an additional Condition requiring sampling of water quality in the Millbridge Brook and informative relating to pollution control. 

Councillor Mrs Ann Elsby (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

The Committee APPROVED the application subject to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities) (landscaping scheme to be agreed in consultation with local Members), an additional Condition requiring sampling of water quality in the Millbridge Brook and informative relating to pollution control. 

Approval subject to the Conditions referred to in the report (landscaping scheme to be agreed in consultation with local Members) and an additional Condition requiring sampling of water quality in the Millbridge Brook and informative relating to pollution control. 

Councillor Mrs Ann Elsby (a local Member) had addressed the meeting in connection with application S/2147/07/F.

The Committee APPROVED the application subject to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities) (landscaping scheme to be agreed in consultation with local Members), an additional Condition requiring sampling of water quality in the Millbridge Brook and informative relating to pollution control. 

Appendices 1 and 2 are available on the Council’s website by going to www.scambs.gov.uk/meetings, and following the links to this Committee (Committees > Planning Committee > Browse meetings) 

Condition 3 (a) (iii) discharged as report. 

Bob Menzies and Stuart Kingscott (Cambridgeshire Guided Bus Team), Dr Lacey (Girton Parish Council) and Councillor Mike Mason (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

The Committee RESOLVED that Condition 3 (a) (iii) be discharged in view of the amended design (drawing no. GB-HJY-JNGIR-D-I-001F) of the Park Lane, Histon junction, subject to Cambridgeshire County Council agreeing (through its Signals Team) to detailed signals design.

Councillor MJ Mason declared a personal interest as a member of Histon Parish Council.

Approved as report subject to the matters referred to in paragraph 15. 

Tim Slater (on behalf of the applicant company) and Councillor Mike Mason (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

It was noted that the applicant was Persimmon Homes (East Midlands) Ltd.

Prior to considering this application, the Committee attended a site visit on 6 February 2008.  The Committee APPROVED the application, subject to the satisfactory resolution of the issues referred to in paragraph 14 of and to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities).  

Delegated approval of the application, as amended, for temporary consent, subject to Conditions and the application not being called in for determination by the Secretary of State.

The Committee was MINDED TO DELEGATE APPROVAL of the application for a three-year temporary consent, as amended by letter dated 13 November 2007, subject to it being referred to the Secretary of State as a departure from the Development Plan and not being called in by her for determination, and to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities).

Councillor Hazel Smith declared a personal interest as a member of Milton Parish Council present at the meeting at which this application was discussed.  She had met the applicant on a number of occasions and had received from him a guided tour around the site in question.  Councillor Smith announced that she was considering the matter afresh with the information now available.

Councillor Deborah Roberts was not present in the Chamber during any part of the debate and did not vote.

Refused contrary to report.  Reasons for refusal: (1) conflict with the supplementary planning document in terms of cumulative effect, (2) density insufficient in the context of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003 and South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework. 

Paul Hicks (Papworth Everard Parish Council) and Councillor Nick Wright (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

It was noted that the applicant was the Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia.

The Committee REFUSED the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities).  Members agreed the reasons for refusal as being conflict with Policy SP/8 of the Submission Draft of the Site Specific Policies of the Local Development Framework in terms of cumulative effect, and density being inadequate in the context of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003 and South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007. 

Councillor Mrs DP Roberts declared a personal interest as a Roman Catholic but stated that she had never been a member of St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Papworth Everard.

Councillor NIC Wright declared a personal interest as having attended mass at St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church for many years before an alternative church building in Papworth was found.            

Approved as report. 

Councillor Ray Manning (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

It was noted that the applicant was the Flagship Housing Group.

Prior to considering this application, the Committee attended a site visit on 6 February 2008.   The Committee APPROVED the application, subject to no material planning objections being received in relation to consultation over the revised plans, completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement securing affordable housing provision, outdoor sport facilities and highway alterations, and to the Conditions referred to in the report (including a sustainable urban drainage system).

Refused contrary to report.  Reason for refusal: inability of local service providers to cope with additional pressure, subject to officers identifying evidence of that.  Should there be no evidence, the application would be referred back to Committee. 

Councillor Ray Manning (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

The Committee REFUSED the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities)..  Members agreed that, subject to officers establishing evidence to support it, the reason for refusal would be the inability of local service providers to cope with additional pressure.  Should there be no such evidence, the application would be referred back to Committee. 

Councillor Deborah Roberts was not present in the Chamber during any part of the debate and did not vote.

Appendices 1, 2, 3 and 4 are available on the Council’s website by going to www.scambs.gov.uk/meetings, and following the links to this Committee (Committees > Planning Committee > Browse meetings) 

Recommendations in the report all approved. 

The Committee considered a report reviewing consultation responses and seeking adoption of a local list of information requirements for the validation of planning applications.

Recognising the concern expressed by some Parish Councils about electronic applications, officers had decided to issue one paper copy to each relevant Parish Council, regardless of whether the original planning application had been submitted electronically or in paper format.

The Committee RESOLVED

(1)         to adopt  the Local List and the documents drawn from the Local List for each application type;

(2)         to grant to the Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities) delegated powers to make any corrections, minor amendments or minor points of clarification before the commencement date of 6^th April 2008;

(3)         to review the Local List in three years’ time, in accordance with Government guidance: contained in The Validation of Planning Applications (December 2007), but that any amendments in the meantime (other than minor amendments) should be the subject of reconsultation and adoption of new lists; and

(4)         to exempt Parish Councils from the obligation to receive application consultations electronically.

Appendices 1 and 2 are available on the Council’s website by going to www.scambs.gov.uk/meetings, and following the links to this Committee (Committees > Planning Committee > Browse meetings) 

Approved as report. 

The Committee considered a report reviewing officer delegation procedures for determining planning and other applications.

The Planning Services Portfolio Holder welcomed the successful introduction of public speaking at Planning Committee meetings, and supported paragraph 11 sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of the report from the Development Control Quality Manager.  He stated however that the legal advice quoted in paragraph 11, sub-paragraph (d) was unequivocal, and that, where local Members were unable to attend Chairman’s Delegation meetings, they should appoint substitutes from within the elected membership of the District Council rather than from the relevant Parish Council.  The Portfolio Holder congratulated the Development Control service over its achievement in relation to its performance indicators.

The Committee RESOLVED

(1)         to transfer, at the appropriate time, the existing powers delegated to Area and Senior Planning Officers to the new Team Leaders, Assistant Team Leaders and Senior Planning Officers respectively to be appointed in view of Senior Management Team’s decision to re-organise the four area development control teams into two teams;

(2)         to delegate to the Principal Conservation Officer powers identical to those powers already delegated to the Conservation and Design Manager, a post which was currently vacant;

(3)         to amend the powers of the Chairman’s Delegation Meeting, referred to at paragraph A2 in Appendix 1, to include the matters in A1 (iii) (Member written requests for ‘other’ developments to be referred to Committee) and A1 (iv) (a recommendation of approval upon a ‘major’ development contrary to written representations from owners or occupiers of property), both of which had been agreed by Committee in August 2007 and incorporated into the approved delegation procedure;

(4)         to instruct officers

(a)         to publish agendas for Chairman's Delegation Meetings four clear working days in advance of the relevant meeting;

(b)         to send to each relevant Parish Council Clerk a copy of the agenda;

(c)         to publish each agenda on the Council's intranet; and

(d)         to restrict attendance at Chairman’s Delegation meetings to the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Planning Committee and the local District Councillor or Councillors, as at present, provided that, in the absence of the local District Councillor (particularly in a single-Member ward) the onus should be on that Councillor or the Parish Council to inform officers about a substitute District Councillor to attend in the place of that local Member.

Agreement terminated as report. 

The Committee considered a report seeking termination of an Agreement entered into on 30^th March 1937 between the Land Settlement Association Limited and the Chesterton Rural District Council, a predecessor authority to South Cambridgeshire District Council.

The Committee RESOLVED that the Land Settlement Association Agreement be terminated as having been superseded by Policy Fen Drayton 1 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2004, and relevant policies contained in the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007.

Summaries of Decisions of interest attached.

Contact officers:

Gareth Jones, Corporate Manager (Planning and Sustainable Communities)  – Tel: 01954 713155

John Koch, Appeals Manager (Special Projects) – Tel: 01954 713268

Noted 

The Committee received a report on Appeals against planning decisions and enforcement action, and received decision summaries relating to

·                   Whitfield Group – Installation of extract fan sound attenuators and acoustic enclosure and amendment of condition preventing the use of machinery between the hours of 6 p.m.and 8 a.m. on weekdays and at any time on Sundays and Bank Holidays  – Unit J, Broad Lane Lane, Cottenham – Appeal dismissed.

·                  A Rrahmani – Use of land as hand car wash – 2  Cambridge Road, Foxton – Appeals against refusal of planning permission and issue of enforcement notice allowed