Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members may wish to declare interests relating to specific agenda items at this stage but must do so again immediately before the Committee considers those items (or as soon as a declarable interest becomes apparent).

Councillor Sebastian Kindersley declared a personal interest as an elected member of Cambridgeshire County Council. 

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 August 2010 as a correct record.  These minutes are attached to the website version of the agenda.

The Committee authorised the Acting Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the minutes of the meetings held on 4 August 2010,

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities), subject to the relationship between Plots 5 and 6 in terms of overlooking, and landscaping concerns being formally addressed satisfactorily.  Reasons: The cumulative size of the affordable housing area should not be considered a factor as the adjacent John Breary Close had been developed in accordance with planning permission granted in 1996.  The proposal would not detract from the character of the area.  Members instructed officers to attach a number of Conditions, details of which should be agreed with Shepreth Parish Council and the local District Councillor, including Conditions relating to noise mitigation, hours of construction, dust control, lighting at the BMX site, fencing, drainage and the submission of a management scheme.  Measures should also be put in place to secure the affordable housing as affordable in perpetuity.

Michelle Link (a Cambridgeshire County Council Youth Worker supporting the application), County Councillor Susan van de Ven (representing the Electoral Division of Melbourn, which includes the parish of Shepreth), and Councillor surinder Soond (the local District Councillor) addressed the meeting.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application, contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities), subject to the relationship between Plots 5 and 6 in terms of overlooking, and landscaping concerns being formally addressed satisfactorily, and to Conditions, details of which should be agreed with Shepreth Parish Council and the local District Councillor, and which should include Conditions relating to noise mitigation, hours of construction, dust control, lighting at the BMX site, fencing, drainage and the submission of a management scheme.  Measures should also be put in place to secure the affordable housing as affordable in perpetuity.

 Members agreed the reasons for approval as being that the cumulative size of the affordable housing area should not be considered a factor as the adjacent John Breary Close had been developed in accordance with planning permission granted in 1996., and that the proposal would not detract from the character of the area. 

Councillor Nick Wright declared a personal interest as having attended a meeting about this issue with Councillor Susan van de Ven, local district Councillor at the time.

The Committee approved the application as set out in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities). 

George Davidson (applicant’s agent) addressed the meeting.

The Committee approved the application as set out in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities). 

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application subject to consultation responses and Conditions relating to implementation timescales, agreed plans, materials, landscaping, boundary treatment, ecological mitigation, and highway concerns.  A Section 106 Legal Agreement would be required to secure public open space.

Cyril Allen (objector) addressed the meeting.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application subject to consultation responses the prior completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement securing public open space, and Conditions relating to implementation timescales, agreed plans, materials, landscaping, boundary treatment, ecological mitigation, and highway concerns. 

The Committee noted that this application had been withdrawn from the agenda. 

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application subject to Anglian Water confirming that the existing foul water sewerage system had sufficient capacity to cater for the proposed development.

Mrs V Vigus (objector) and Nick Ridgeway (applicant) addressed the meeting.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application subject to Anglian Water confirming that the existing foul water sewerage system had sufficient capacity to cater for the proposed development, and to the Conditions referred to in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities).

The Committee approved the Reserved Matters of layout, scale, appearance, access and principles of landscaping, as amended by plans received on 18 August 2010 and 1st September 2010, subject to the Conditions attached to Outline permission S/1371/92/O, dated 20 April 1994, and to the additional Conditions set out in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities), Condition 1 being amended and, subject to confirmation by the Landscape Design and Ecology Officers, Conditions 2 and 5 being deleted.

Darren Blake (applicant’s agent) addressed the meeting.

The Committee approved the Reserved Matters of layout, scale, appearance, access and principles of landscaping, as amended by plans received on 18 August 2010 and 1 September 2010, subject to the Conditions attached to Outline permission S/1371/92/O, dated 20 April 1994, and to the additional Conditions set out in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities), Condition 1 being amended and, subject to confirmation by the Landscape Design and Ecology Officers, Conditions 2 and 5 being deleted.

The Committee refused the application, contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities).  Reasons: the proposal would have a significant adverse impact on the amenities of neighbouring properties, particularly at 84 Rampton Road .  The proposal would cause significant harm in planning terms to the character of the street scene by virtue of its design, contrary to Policy DP/2 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007.

Ian Young (objector), David Mudd (Chairman, Cottenham Parish Council) and Councillor Simon Edwards (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

The Committee refused the application, contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities).  Members agreed the reasons for refusal as being that the proposal would have a significant adverse impact on the amenities of neighbouring properties, particularly at 84 Rampton Road, and that it would cause significant harm in planning terms to the character of the street scene by virtue of its design, contrary to Policy DP/2 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007.

Councillor Lynda Harford declared a personal interest as a member of Cottenham Parish Council.  Sshe was present at the meeting where this application had been discussed, but was now approaching the matter afresh.

The Committee deferred the application to give the applicant a further opportunity to provide evidence of any special circumstances giving rise to the need for the proposed building in the Green Belt.

Wendy Timbs (Haslingfield Parish Council) and Councillor Liz Heazell (local Member) addressed the meeting.

The Committee deferred the application to give the applicant a further opportunity to provide evidence of any special circumstances giving rise to the need for the proposed building in the Green Belt.

Councillor Sebastian Kindersley declared a personal interest as Cambridgeshire County Councillor for the Electoral Division of Gamlingay, which includes the parish of Haslingfield.

Contact officer:

Gareth Jones - Head of Planning  

Tel: 01954 713155

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

The Committee received a report summarising the drainage situation as at 19 August 2010. The Planning Lawyer gave a verbal update and, in particular, highlighted paragraph 5 of the written report which referred to the acknowledgement by both MCA Developments and Anglian Water that ultimate success of the works would only be achieved once the drains had successfully coped with a prolonged period of rainfall. The Planning Lawyer referred to the sustained heavy rain showers in Cambourne during the week beginning 23 August 2010 which showed that the works carried out during the summer had not been as successful as MCA  Developments and Anglian Water had anticipated.

Following some discussion about the merits or otherwise of the Council being more proactive in applying pressure on the developers and Anglian Water to resolve drainage issues in Cambourne, Members requested that a detailed report be presented to the Planning Committee at its meeting on 6 October 2010, such report to set out the legal measures available to the Council in seeking to ensure an early and permanent resolution of the drainage issues in Cambourne.