Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors C.J. Spencer and P.L. Thomas.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

Councillor C.A. Hotham declared an Other Disclosable Interest in Agenda Item 8 (Planning Applications 2017/0077, 2017/2078 and 2017/0079 – Land to the south of Stonehouse Lane, Hopwood) in that he had a predetermined view on the matter and would be withdrawing into the public gallery to speak to the item as Ward Councillor under the Council’s public speaking rules.   Following the conclusion of public speaking, Councillor Hotham withdrew from the meeting for the duration of the Committee’s debate and took no part in the Committee’s consideration nor voting on the matter.

Councillor C. Allen-Jones declared an interest in Agenda Item 9 (2017/0111 – Clifford Cottage, Top Road, Wildmoor, Bromsgrove, in that the Application site was in his Ward.

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 6^th March 2017 were received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting be approved as a correct record.

Officers provided updates on various matters relating to an amendment to the description of the proposed development; representations received from the County Highways Authority in regard to financial contributions towards highway improvements in the area; and proposed revised recommendations/conditions, as detailed in the published Update Report, copies of which were provided to the Committee and public gallery prior to commencement of the meeting.   

At the invitation of the Chairman, Miss. Claire Fryer, resident, addressed the Committee objecting to the Application.  Mr. Jason Tait, on behalf of the Applicant, also addressed the Committee.

The Committee then considered the Application which Officers had recommended for approval.  Concerns were expressed by Members on various matters relating to:  the current relevance of the Longbridge Area Action Plan (LAAP); a lack of Section 106 contributions to directly benefit the local area specifically and Bromsgrove generally in terms of amenities, education and health provision; the wider impact of the development on the local highway infrastructure; and the shortfall of housing provision agreed in the LAAP and the associated loss of affordable housing provision.  

RESOLVED that the matter be deferred for Officers to address and provide clarification on various matters raised during the Committee’s consideration of the application. 

In conjunction with Agenda Item 5 (Application 2016/1085 – Longbridge East and River Arrow Development Site, Groveley Lane, Cofton Hackett), Officers reported on representations received from the County Highways Authority in regard to financial contributions towards highway improvements in the area; and proposals for amended and additional conditions, as detailed in the published Update Report, copies of which were provided to Committee Members and the public gallery prior to commencement of the meeting.     

At the invitation of the Chairman, Miss. Claire Fryer, resident, addressed the Committee objecting to the Application.  Mr. Jason Tait, on behalf of the Applicant, also addressed the Committee.

The Committee then considered the Application, which Officers had recommended for approval, in conjunction with discussions on the previous Agenda item.  Members expressed similar concerns again in relation to: the current relevance of the Longbridge Area Action Plan (LAAP); a lack of Section 106 contributions to directly benefit the local area specifically and Bromsgrove generally in terms of amenities, education and health provision; the wider impact of the development on the local highway infrastructure; and the shortfall of housing provision agreed in the LAAP and the associated loss of affordable housing provision.  

RESOLVED that, a decision on the application be deferred for Officers to similarly address the various matters raised during consideration of the application and the previous, related application (Minute 74 refers).  

RESOLVED that

1)    authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services to determine the Planning Application following the agreement by all parties to a suitable and satisfactory legal mechanism covering the following matters:

i)               that in the event that Consent 2016/1143 is implemented, the detached garage approved under 2009/0684 is rescinded;

ii)              that in the event that Consent 2016/1143 is implemented, no development described in the provisions of Classes A, D and E of Schedule 2 of Part 1 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (as amended) is carried out;

iii)             that in the event that permitted development is carried out and / or the detached garage approved under 2009/0684 is implemented, the new Planning Permission will not be implemented and Consent 2016/1143 will be treated as effectively revoked;

and

2)    subject to the Conditions and Informatives as detailed on pages 34 to 35 of the main agenda report.

To consider jointly, the following related retrospective Planning Applications:

2017/0077

Change of use of land from agricultural to mixed use consisting of agriculture and a sport fish (angling) rearing facility, including alterations to an existing small lake and immediate curtilage: RETROSPECTIVE

2017/0078

Widening and resurfacing with granular material of existing farm / lake service road, alterations to existing lake by remedying undercut banks, removal of noxious weed, removal of small island and dredging to remove noxious silt.  Alterations to existing highway access to provide highway compliant visibility and set back, and resurfacing with granular material.  RETROSPECTIVE

2017/0079

Erection of open sided over-water structure for the use of housing plant and for the maintaining life support for fish and automatic feeder and docking for punt. (7.9m x 5.9m x 4.8m(h) (including overhanging roof detail), Block of 4 small log utility cabins, comprising a WC, and ancillary uses. 4.7m x 3.7m x 5.3m (h) and standing on 600mm concrete base: RETROSPECTIVE

Officers reported on further representations received in support of the Applications, as detailed in the published Update Report, copies of which were provided to Committee Members and the public gallery prior to commencement of the meeting.

Mr. R. Bremner, a local resident, addressed the Committee objecting to the applications.  Councillor C. A. Hotham, in whose Ward the development Site was located, also addressed the Committee.

Planning Application 2017/0077

RESOLVED that retrospective Planning Permission be refused for the reason set out on pages 49 to 50 of the main agenda report.

Planning Application 2017/0078

RESOLVED that retrospective Planning Permission be refused for the reasons set out on pages 50 to 51 of the main agenda report.

Planning Application 2017/0079

RESOLVED that retrospective planning permission be refused for the reasons set out on page 51 of the main agenda report.

RESOLVED that authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services to determine the Planning Application, following receipt of a suitable and satisfactory legal mechanism in relation to controlling the erection of only one garage on the site, and subject to the Conditions and Informatives as detailed on pages 55 to 56 of the main agenda report.