Issue - meetings

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services reported the comments of the Drainage Engineer.

She also reported that the recommendation contained within the report (referred to on both page 31 and page 36) had been revised to take into account the expiry of the publicity period for the application being on 9th March 2012.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. N. Bradnack addressed the Committee and spoke in opposition to the proposals, followed by Mr. P. Horridge who spoke in support of the application.

Consideration was then given to the application which the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services was minded to refuse upon the expiration of the publicity period on 9th March 2012, subject to no further representations being received.  However, on the matter being put to the vote, Members considered that significant weight should be given to the contents of paragraph 7.18 of the supporting Planning Statement (January 2012) which had been submitted with the application, and that the lightweight and open-sided appearance of the structure itself did not affect the openness of the Green Belt.

Paragraph 7.18 of the supporting Planning Statement (January 2012) asserted that -

"The benefits of the scheme are significant.  The gazebo provides an important component of the life for a number of elderly and vulnerable people living in the Nursing Home who have no alternative way of safely enjoying the grounds of the home, the surrounding countryside and local wildlife.  These benefits are wholly in line with Government policy guidance on providing accommodation for the elderly set out in the National Minimum Standards for Care Homes, the End of Life Care Strategy and the more recent Essential Standards of Quality and Safety."

The Committee considered that these issues constituted very special circumstances to outweigh the harm that would be caused to the openness of the Green Belt and the purposes of including land within the Green Belt.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that, subject to the receipt of no further representations during the remainder of the consultation period, authority to approve the application, subject to the imposition of suitable and reasonable conditions, be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services upon the expiry of the publicity period on 9th March 2012; or

(b)       that, in the event of further representations being received before the expiry of the consultation period, authority to determine the application be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services in consultation with the Chairman of the Planning Committee to assess whether new material considerations have been raised, and to issue a decision after the expiry of the statutory publicity period accordingly.