Meeting documents

SSDC Area South Committee
Wednesday, 3rd July, 2019 2.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil.

Contact: Jo Boucher, Case Services Officer (Support Services) - 01935 462011  Email: jo.boucher@southsomerset.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

97.

Minutes of previous meeting

To approve the minutes of the Area South Committee held on Wednesday 5th June 2019.

 

Minutes:

The minutes of the Area South Committee held on 5th June 2019 copies of which had been circulated, were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

 

98.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors John Clark, Karl Gill, David Gubbins, Mike Lock, Peter Seib and Rob Stickland.

99.

Declarations of Interest

In accordance with the Council's current Code of Conduct (as amended 26 February 2015), which includes all the provisions relating to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI), personal and prejudicial interests, Members are asked to declare any DPI and also any personal interests (and whether or not such personal interests are also "prejudicial") in relation to any matter on the Agenda for this meeting. 

Members are reminded that they need to declare the fact that they are also a member of a County, Town or Parish Council as a Personal Interest.  Where you are also a member of Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council within South Somerset you must declare a prejudicial interest in any business on the agenda where there is a financial benefit or gain or advantage to Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council which would be at the cost or to the financial disadvantage of South Somerset District Council. 

Planning Applications Referred to the District Council’s Regulation Committee

The following members of this Committee are also members of the Council's Regulation Committee:

Councillors Peter Gubbins, Tony Lock, David Recardo and Andy Soughton.

Where planning applications are referred by this Committee to the Regulation Committee for determination, Members of the Regulation Committee can participate and vote on these items at the Area Committee and at Regulation Committee. In these cases the Council's decision-making process is not complete until the application is determined by the Regulation Committee.  Members of the Regulation Committee retain an open mind and will not finalise their position until the Regulation Committee.  They will also consider the matter at Regulation Committee as Members of that Committee and not as representatives of the Area Committee.

Minutes:

Councillors Wes Read and Pauline Lock declared they had visited the site of Planning Application 19/00825/HOU with the Planning Case Officer.

 

Councillor Peter Gubbins declared that he had also visited the site of Planning Application 19/00825/HOU but had not spoken to anyone regarding this application.

 

 

 

100.

Public question time

Minutes:

There were no questions from members of the public.

101.

Chairman's announcements

Minutes:

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

102.

Reports from representatives on outside organisations

This is an opportunity for Members who represent the Council on outside organisations to report items of interest to the Committee.

Minutes:

There were no reports from representatives on outside organisations.

103.

Schedule of Planning Applications to be Determined by Committee pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Minutes:

Members noted the schedule of planning applications.

104.

Planning Application: 19/00825/HOU - 27 Carisbrooke Gardens Yeovil Somerset pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Minutes:

Proposal: Raising of front garden to form private parking space. (Part retrospective)

 

The Case Officer, Service Delivery presented the application as detailed in the agenda and with the aid of a powerpoint presentation showed the site and proposed plans.  She confirmed the application was part retrospective and that Yeovil Town Council support the application.  

 

Referring to a plan which she distributed to members of the committee, she confirmed that she had offered the applicant what she believed to be an improved scheme but that the applicant did not wish to accept this approach.

 

The Case Officer confirmed that there were no further updates to the report and summarised the key considerations being visual impact, impact on residential amenity and highway safety.   She concluded that her recommendation was to refuse the application for reasons as set out in the agenda report.

 

In response to questions, she informed members that the Somerset Parking Strategy guidance states that the minimum length of a parking space should be 4.80m long.  The proposed space is 4.60m long. She also confirmed that the Highway Authority had confirmed that the standard advice apply to this application and therefore the 4.80 is their optimum length.

 

The Case Officer also confirmed that advice had been regarding the option for a disabled parking space.  However, believed the applicant did not wish to pursue this option as understood this space could not be solely dedicated to them and could conflict with other local residents.

 

Two members of the public then spoke in support to the application.  Their comments included:

 

·         Emphasised that Yeovil Town Council support the application.

·         Believe the proposal would improve the streetscene view due to lowering of the front wall.

·         Believe the measurements stated in the officer’s report are slightly misleading and inaccurate and the 4.80m is only a recommendation.

·         Similar driveways built in the area.

·         Driveways are very steep and this proposal will aid the owner of the property.

·         This proposal would remove a vehicle from the street.

 

The agent then addressed the committee and said that he was willing to replace any plants and make good any damaged caused in the construction phase.  He explained that he had kept the neighbours fully informed of his plans throughout the building phase and expressed his disappointment on the lengthy process and time taken.    He referred to the Planning Appeal and the Inspectors comments and hoped that this application addresses these concerns and that members would support this application.  

 

Ward member, Councillor Wes Read stated he was not comfortable with the current proposal and believed was demonstrably harmful to the visual amenity and raised concern over the safety issue of the current plan. He would therefore not support the application.

 

Ward member, Councillor Pauline Lock also raised safety issues over the current plan and impact on the adjacent neighbour’s view.  She felt a disabled parking bay should be considered and a way forward and that the proposal was contrary to the standard guidelines and could set a precedent.  She would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.

105.

Planning Application 18/02750/FUL - The Park School The Park Yeovil Somerset (Application withdrawn from the agenda) pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Minutes:

This application was withdrawn from the agenda.