Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

Apologies were received from Councillor Tony Robbins. Councillor Ros Wyke was his substitute.

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 )

There were none.

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.

We are now live webcasting most of our committee meetings and you are welcome to view and listen to the discussion. The link to each webcast will be available on the meeting webpage, please see details under ‘click here to join online meeting’.

Requests to speak at the meeting under Public Question Time must be made to democraticserviceseast@somerset.gov.uk  by 5pm on the Wednesday prior to the meeting.  For those wishing to speak on an application, requests must be made by 5pm on the Thursday prior to the meeting.

There were none.

To consider an Application for Outline Planning Permission for the erection of up to 1,700 dwellings (Use Class C3), two care homes (Use Class C3), 6.7 hectares of employment land (Use Classes E, B2 and B8), a mixed use local centre for primary school (Use Class F1), cafes/restaurant and convenience store (Use Class E) and other supporting social and physical infrastructure (Use Classes F1, F2 and E), provision of greenspace and other supporting ancillary works. All matters (Access (within the site), Layout, Scale, Appearance, Landscaping) reserved except for four new vehicular site access points from the existing highway.

To be ‘minded to refuse’ the planning application on grounds of lack of sustainability with officers to give consideration to the impacts on the transport network and environmental impacts. Also, the departure from the Local Plan, disproportionate level of growth, loss of valued landscapes, effects on the setting of the town, insufficient economic benefits, the climate impacts, loss of existing resident’s amenity, no Delivery vehicle, insufficient surface and foul water management plans and insufficient S106 allocated to local town and parish councils. Overall, the harms identified outweighed the benefits.

Furthermore, Officers to advise at a forthcoming committee meeting the strength of any reasons for refusal relative to the concerns raised and present the most optimal position for members to consider before taking a final decision on the application.

The application to be deferred for up to two months with Officers given delegated authority to draft the detailed reasons for refusal and to report back to Committee for further consideration.

Votes: 7 for, 5 against, 1 abstention

The Committee were presented with the application with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation. The Planning Officer updated the Committee explaining that the application was to consider Outline Planning Permission for the erection of up to 1,700 dwellings (Use Class C3), two care homes (Use Class C3), 6.7 hectares of employment land (Use Classes E, B2 and B8), a mixed use local centre for primary school (Use Class F1), cafes/restaurant and convenience store (Use Class E) and other supporting social and physical infrastructure (Use Classes F1, F2 and E), provision of greenspace and other supporting ancillary works. All matters (Access (within the site), Layout, Scale, Appearance, Landscaping) reserved except for four new vehicular site access points from the existing highway.

Subject to:

·                  the Secretary of State having notified the Council that they do not intend to issue a ‘call-in’ direction; and

·                  National Highways having withdrawn their Holding Recommendation

The Officer Recommendation was that Planning Permission be granted for the reasons set out in the Officer Report subject to: • the recommended Conditions set out in the Officer Report and the prior completion of a s.106 Legal Agreement to secure the matters set out in the Officer Report.

There were various public speakers representing Friends of the River Frome, Stop SGC, CPRE Somerset and Frome Civic Society who spoke in objection to the application highlighting:

Friends of River Frome

·       Concerns that there was already an existing sewage problem with outflows discharging sewage into the river (400 hours of outfall in 2023) and that new homes and businesses would make the situation worse.

·       Concern regarding the need to agree Drainage Infrastructure upfront and concern that conditions (23) does not consider phases resulting in piece meal development.

·       Concern was raised regarding the location of the playing field and play area in Flood Zones 2 and 3 resulting in them being unusable in the winter months. Requests for them to be relocated and area used for flood mitigation.

·       Friends of River Frome want to be engaged in the development and maintenance of the river side park to ensure consideration to flood risk, attenuation and impact on the wider town.

·       Concern regarding adequate maintenance over the build out period (15 years) and weakness of conditions and informatives to control surface water run-off.

Stop SGC

·       Raised 3 legal reasons to resist the application. Conflict with the adopted local plan, conflict with the National Framework and conflict with EIA Regulations.

·       No response on the application from Active Travel

·       It was raised that the report highlighted the need to assess the impact of the scheme on the wider designated area raising concern that the Environmental Statement failed to assess the impact of the scheme on wider designated area.

·       Paragraph 11 ‘Tilted balance’ should not be relevant as the 5-year land supply includes Covid and Frome has had disproportionate growth.

·       Development over a 15-year period would not provide significant benefit to ‘5 year’ supply due to scale.

·       Concerns in terms of ability to deliver the scheme and impact on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 243.

To consider an application for a single storey front, side and rear extension.

This agenda item was deferred to a future meeting of Planning Committee East due to time constraints.

This agenda item was deferred to a future meeting of Planning Committee East due to time constraints.

To consider an application for the erection of a detached two storey self-build dwellinghouse and garage.

This agenda item was deferred to a future meeting of Planning Committee East due to time constraints.

This agenda item was deferred to a future meeting of Planning Committee East due to time constraints.

To consider the report of appeals decisions made by the Planning Inspectorate between 19 October 2024 and 15November 2024.

This agenda item was deferred to a future meeting of Planning Committee East due to time constraints.

This agenda item was deferred to a future meeting of Planning Committee East due to time constraints.