Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E., Mrs. J. D. Luck and P. J. Whittaker.

Councillor R. J. Deeming declared a personal interest in application ref. 10/0745 and stated that he is acquainted with the applicant.

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 6th September 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED that the minutes be approved as a correct record.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services reported the comments of the Tree Officer and Lickey and Blackwell Parish Council.  She also stated that a further objection to the application had been received.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Ms. D. Goodall addressed the Committee and spoke in opposition to the proposals.  Councillor C. B. Taylor also addressed the Committee in his capacity as Ward Member for the area in which the application site was located.

RESOLVED that permission be refused for the reasons referred to on pages 11 and 12 of the report.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services reported the comments of the Economic Development Officer.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. C. Spear addressed the Committee and spoke in support of his application.

Consideration was then given to the application which had been recommended for refusal by the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services.  On the matter being put to the vote, Members considered that:

§         the proposals caused very limited harm to the openness or visual amenities of the Green Belt;

§         the proposals related to an extension of an existing use, rather than a new enterprise; and;

§         in the current economic climate, the creation of additional employment opportunities should be supported.

Members were of the opinion that these facts 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, and any other harm identified in the refusal reasons referred to on page 19 of the report.

RESOLVED that permission be granted subject to any reasonable conditions and notes considered necessary by the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services, to specifically include appropriately-worded conditions attached to the Decision Notice in respect of:

(a)       the time period within which the commencement of development must be undertaken;

(b)       landscaping;

(c)        drainage;

(d)       a scheme to show the surfacing of the storage area;

(e)       granting personal consent to the applicant and restoration of the land to its previous use; and

(f)         fencing and boundary treatments.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services reported the comments of Councillor P. M. McDonald.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services to approve the application upon the satisfactory completion of an agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended, in respect of financial contributions relating to educational provisions and off-site play space;

(b)       that consent be granted for one year from the date of approval; and

(c)        that an additional condition be attached to the Decision Notice to require the submission of a satisfactory scheme, within three months of the date of approval, detailing the demolition of the fire damaged units on the site in order to improve the appearance of the site.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services reported the comments of the Environmental Health Manager in respect of noise exposure at the application site.

RESOLVED that permission be refused for the reasons referred to on page 50 of the report.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services referred to this application and requested that it be deferred pending clarification of legal issues relating to the proposals.

RESOLVED that further consideration of this application be deferred.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services reported the comments of Worcestershire Highways and stated that an additional objection had been received.  In addition, she reported the receipt of an amended site plan from the applicant.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mrs. M. Lane addressed the Committee and spoke in opposition to the application.

RESOLVED that permission be granted subject to the conditions and notes set out or referred to on pages 61 and 62 of the report, together with the following additional conditions:-

9.         Before any other works hereby approved on the application site are commenced, the new entrance shall be set back two metres from the nearside edge of the adjoining carriageway.  On each side of the set back entrance splays shall be formed at an angle of 45 degrees with the highway boundary and the whole of the splayed areas shall be graded and cleared so that no part thereof exceeds a height of 0.6 metres above the relative level of the adjoining carriageway.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety in accordance with policy T.1 of the Worcestershire County Structure Plan 2001, policy TR11 of the Bromsgrove District Local Plan 2004 and the advice contained within PPG13: Transport.

10.       Prior to the first occupation of the dwelling hereby approved secure parking for two cycles to comply with the Council's standards shall be provided within the curtilage of the dwelling and these facilities shall thereafter be retained for the parking of cycles only.

Reason: To comply with the Council’s parking standards in accordance with policy T.4 of the Worcestershire County Structure Plan 2001 and policy TR11 of the Bromsgrove District Local Plan 2004 and the advice contained within PPG13: Transport.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services reported that, following the receipt of an additional plan and other related documents from the applicant, the description of the development would be amended accordingly.  In addition, she clarified the policies which related to the application, together with clarification of the comments received from Catshill and North Marlbrook Parish Council.

Furthermore, the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services reported the comments of the Environmental Health Manager, relating to both noise/air quality and commercial regulation, and she stated that two additional letters of support and two further letters of objection had been received.  Finally, she stated that the recommendation on page 69 of the report had been amended.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mrs. L. Storer addressed the Committee and spoke in opposition to the proposals, whilst Ms. D. Long spoke in favour on behalf of the applicant.

RESOLVED that permission be refused for the following reasons:-

(a)       The proposed change of use and new parking provision in the rear garden would have a detrimental effect on the amenities of the occupiers of the neighbouring properties with regard to increased general disturbance, contrary to policy SD.2 of the Worcestershire Council Structure Plan 2001, policies S19 and DS13 of the Bromsgrove District Local Plan 2004, and the general provisions of PPS1.

(b)       The lack of communal amenity space to the rear of the site would result in a development that would be inappropriate to the form and character of other plots in the vicinity and would lead to an unacceptable lack of amenity space for the new occupiers of the Residential Assessment Centre, contrary to policy SD.2 of the Worcestershire Council Structure Plan 2001, policies S19 and DS13 of the Bromsgrove District Local Plan 2004, and the general provisions of PPS1 and SPG1.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services reported the receipt of the following in respect of this application:

§         20 additional letters of objection;

§         an objection from the Joint Radio Company, on behalf of itself, EON Central Networks and the National Gas Network;

§         the comments of the Environmental Health Manager, in respect of noise;

§         the comments of Worcestershire Highways; and

§         photographs received from the applicant indicating that the proposed turbine would be of a juniper green colour.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mrs. F. Griffin spoke in opposition to the proposals, whilst Mr. I. Smith spoke in favour.  Councillor Mrs. A. E. Doyle also addressed the Committee in her capacity as one of the Ward Members for the area in which the application site was located.

RESOLVED that permission be refused for the reasons referred to on page 75 of the report, together with the following additional reason:-

3.         The proposal is a noise generating development.  No information has been provided to show that the development would not cause unacceptable levels of noise, contrary to policy SD.2 of the Worcestershire County Structure Plan 2001, policies DS13 and ES14A of the Bromsgrove District Local Plan 2004, and the provisions of PPS1 and PPG24.

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services referred to her report in respect of this agenda item and requested that it be deferred.

RESOLVED that further consideration of the three Tree Preservation Order issues be deferred.

Consideration was given to a report which outline the decision reached in three appeals, the details of which had been received since the last meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.