Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

Apologies were received from Councillors Brian Bolt and Pauline Ham – there were no substitutes.

To receive and note any declarations of interests in respect of any matters included on the agenda for consideration at this meeting.

(The other registrable interests of Councillors of Somerset Council, arising from membership of City, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes: City, Town & Parish Twin Hatters - Somerset Councillors 2023 )

Councillor Gill Slocombe declared an Other Registrable Interest as she is a member of the Hinkley Monitoring Board but took no part in discussions on this application.

Councillor Alan Bradford declared an Other Registrable Interest as he is a member of the Quantock Hills AONB but took no part in any discussions on this application.

The Chair to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme.

For those members of the public who have submitted any questions or statements, please note, a three minute time limit applies to each speaker.

Requests to speak at the meeting at Public Question Time must be made to the Monitoring Officer in writing or by email to democraticservicesteam@somerset.gov.uk  by 5pm on Wednesday 20 March 2024.

Details of public speaking are captured under the minutes of the appropriate application.

To consider an application for part retrospective change of use of agricultural field for the provision of 145 caravan pitches and the continuation of existing caravan site for use by HPC workers until 31st December 2028. Erection of welfare building, bus shelter and pump house. Development of a footpath from the site to Nether Stowey village.

That Planning Application 36/22/00024 was approved with conditions as detailed within the agenda report and the updated wording to those conditions as detailed by the Planning Officer in their presentation to the committee, with the additional wording to address the impact of lighting on neighbouring residences and businesses as proposed by the committee.

The planning officer introduced the application with the aid of a power point presentation, explaining that the application had been reconsulted on and further comments had been received from Fiddington Parish Council.

The planning officer updated the committee on the conditions as the wording had been amended on all the conditions to clarify timescales and temporary permission.

The committee were addressed by a representative of Fiddington Parish Council who explained that the previous conditions had not been adhered to and that there was an adverse impact on neighbouring dwellings from the lighting. He also expressed concerns with the property built within the red line of the site that was unauthorised and also that there would be a visual impact from the proposed site due to the elevated position. They were also concerned that much of the application was retrospective.

The agent for the application then addressed the committee. She stated that the application had been amended and that the building within the redline was subject to a separate application and being dealt with by the owner of the site. There would be a building for welfare purposes and a pump building and a new footpath proposed for the inhabitants of the caravans to link to the nearby village, they also supported the amendments to the wording of the conditions.

In response to the comments made by the Parish Council, the planning officer explained that the building within the red line will be subject to a separate application and was not part of this application. Both the landscaping and lighting plans were subject to triggers for completion and it was noted that the previous landscape scheme agreed on a previous application had now expired, therefore the condition on landscaping now covered the whole of the site (including the areas already authorised) and there were triggers to be met.

In response to comments from a Councillor, it was noted that Condition 4 would need to be amended to remove “Holiday use” and that conditions relating to the landscaping plan and lighting plan would need to meet time scales of six months after approval.

Members also were assured that the reason on lighting would be amended to include impact on neighbouring dwellings and not just for ecological purposes.

At the end of the debate, Councillor Bob Filmer proposed that the application be approved subject to the amended wording on the conditions and Councillor Alistair Hendry seconded the proposal. 

Resolved:

That Planning Application 36/22/00024 was approved with conditions as detailed within the agenda report and the updated wording to those conditions as detailed by the Planning Officer in their presentation to the committee, with the additional wording relating to impact from lighting on neighbouring dwellings and businesses.

(Unanimous)