Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Virtual meeting - Online. View directions

Contact: Ian Senior, 03450 450 500 Email: democratic.services@scambs.gov.uk  Members of the public wishing to speak at this meeting are requested to contact the Support Officer by no later than 4pm on Wednesday 20 May. A revised public speaking protocol applies.

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Chairman's Announcements

Minutes:

For the benefit of members of the public viewing the live webcast of the meeting, the Chairman introduced Committee members and officers in attendance.

 

He explained that this meeting of the Planning Committee was being held virtually and asked for patience bearing in mind the challenges posed by the technology in use and by the new meeting skills required.

 

The Chair confirmed that the Planning Committee would continue with the practice of recording votes unless a resolution could be reached by affirmation. He explained the process he would follow in a virtual meetings environment.

 

He confirmed that the meeting was quorate but informed members of the public that, if a Committee member was absent for any part of the presentation of or debate about an agenda item then that member would not be allowed to vote on that item.

2.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence from committee members. 

Minutes:

There were no Apologies for Absence. However, Councillor Sue Ellington was absent.

3.

Declarations of Interest

 

1.         Disclosable pecuniary interests (“DPI”)

A  DPI is where a committee member or his/her spouse or partner has any kind of beneficial interest in the land under consideration at the meeting.

 

 2.        Non-disclosable pecuniary interests

These are interests that are pecuniary involving a  personal financial benefit or detriment but do not come within the definition of a DPI.  An example would be where a member of their family/close friend (who is not their spouse or partner) has such an interest.

 

3.         Non-pecuniary interests

Where the interest is not one which involves any personal financial benefit or detriment to the Councillor but arises out of a close connection with someone or some  body /association.  An example would be membership of a sports committee/ membership of another council which is involved in the matter under consideration.

Minutes:

Councillor John Batchelor declared a non-pecuniary interest in Minute 5 (S/1213/19/RM - Great Abington (Strawberry Farm)). He had been present when Great Abington Parish Council had considered this application. However, Councillor John Batchelor had not contributed in any way to the discussion and was now considering the matter afresh.

 

Councillor Deborah Roberts declared a  non-pecuniary interest in Minute 6 (S/4081/19/FL - Fowlmere (Hideaway, Lynch Lane)) as a member of Fowlmere Parish Council.  She would be considering the matter afresh.

4.

Recommendation to defer applications from the agenda

Minutes:

At the Chair’s invitation, the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development informed the Committee that, due to an administrative oversight, interested parties had not been notified about the planning applications on the current agenda. While those involved with the application in Great Abington had agreed and expressed a wish that that application be determined, the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development recommended that applications S/4302/19/FL in Girton (16 High Street), S/4081/19/FL in Fowlmere (Hideaway, Lynch Lane) and S/3858/19/FL - Whittlesford (2 Whiskins) be deferred to the Planning Committee meeting on 10 June 2020.

 

At the recommendation of Councillor John Batchelor, seconded by Councillor Anna Bradnam, and by affirmation, the Committee deferred planning applications S/4302/19/FL in Girton (16 High Street), S/4081/19/FL in Fowlmere (Hideaway, Lynch Lane) and S/3858/19/FL in Whittlesford (2 Whiskins) to the Planning Committee meeting on 10 June 2020.

5.

S/4302/19/FL - Girton (16 High Street) pdf icon PDF 595 KB

 

Erection of 15 no. one-bedroom apartments and a small office building including car and cycle parking bin stores a replacement substation landscaped open space and associated development.

Decision:

The Committee deferred this application for administrative reasons.

Minutes:

The Committee noted that this application had been deferred and would be considered at the meeting on 10 June 2020.

6.

S/1213/19/RM - Great Abington (Strawberry Farm) pdf icon PDF 328 KB

 

Reserved Matters for appearance, landscaping, layout and scale following outline planning permission S/1433/16/OL for the erection of 8 dwellings including housing provision landscaping and associated infrastructure.

Decision:

By six votes to two, the Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development. Members agreed the reason for refusal as being a conflict with planning policies including Policy HQ/1 (Design Principles) of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 by virtue of the proposal’s design quality, height and scale making it out of keeping with the character of, and fail  either to preserve or enhance, the local area and landscape. Members also agreed that final wording for the Decision Notice should be agreed by officers in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee.

 

(Councillors John Batchelor, Bradnam, Heylings, Milnes, Roberts and Wright voted to refuse the application. Councillors Cahn and Fane voted to approve it. Councillors Ellington, Rippeth and Heather Williams were not present.)

Minutes:

Members had visited the site prior to consideration of the outline application.

 

The case officer highlighted two substantive amendments to the agenda report. The planning history at paragraph 5 should include application reference S/1106/18/FL, refused by Committee, and subsequently dismissed at Appeal. In Condition (a), reference to Plot 4 Plan 19038-07 should be a reference to 19038-07 Revision A. Condition (c) replicated Condition 10 in the approved outline planning permission S/1433/16/OL. Condition (c) should therefore be removed and Conditions (d) to (i) re-designated (c) to (h).

 

Councillor Judith Rippeth announced that she had missed a few minutes at the beginning of this item. In response to the Chair, the Senior Planning Lawyer advised that, as a result, Councillor Rippeth could take part in the debate but must not vote.

 

The case officer confirmed that the proposed housing mix accorded with policies in the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018, adopted after consideration of the outline application. In response to questions, the case officer highlighted several links between the outline permission and the Reserved Matters application.

 

Stephen McDonnell (objector), Matt Hare (applicant’s agent), Councillor Bernie Talbot (Great Abington Parish Council) and Councillor Henry Batchelor (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

 

While public speaking was taking place, Councillors Judith Rippeth and Heather Williams left the meeting.

 

During the ensuing Committee debate, the following concerns were raised:

 

·       Building heights

·       Design

·       The proposal’s relationship with the remaining part of the former Land Settlement

·       Weight should be given to the Great Abington Neighbourhood Plan

 

The Delivery Manager (Strategic Sites) observed that the outline permission had pre-dated the Neighbourhood Plan. He advised Members to focus on policies within the Local Plan instead.

 

A contrary Member view was that the design and character did reflect the local vernacular.

 

Councillor John Batchelor, speaking as a local Member, regretted the design, and said it did not reflect the character of the area. More weight should be given to the comments from the Urban Design Officer.

 

Upon a roll call being conducted and by six votes to two, the Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development. Members agreed the reason for refusal as being a conflict with planning policies including Policy HQ/1 (Design Principles) of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 by virtue of the proposal’s design quality, height and scale meaning it was out of keeping with the character of, and failed  either to preserve or enhance, the local area and landscape. Members also agreed that final wording for the Decision Notice should be agreed by officers in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee.

 

(Councillors John Batchelor, Bradnam, Heylings, Milnes, Roberts and Wright voted to refuse the application. Councillors Cahn and Fane voted to approve it. Councillors Ellington, Rippeth and Heather Williams were not present.)

7.

S/4081/19/FL - Fowlmere (Hideaway, Lynch Lane) pdf icon PDF 150 KB

 

Single storey rear extension

Decision:

The Committee deferred this application for administrative reasons.

Minutes:

The Committee noted that this application had been deferred and would be considered at the meeting on 10 June 2020.

8.

S/3858/19/FL - Whittlesford (2 Whiskins) pdf icon PDF 157 KB

 

Single storey rear extension

Decision:

The Committee deferred this application for administrative reasons.

Minutes:

The Committee noted that this application had been deferred and would be considered at the meeting on 10 June 2020.