Meeting documents

Details of all Members’ interests in District, Town and Parish Councils can be viewed on the Council Website

The Statutory Register of Member’s Interests can be inspected via request to the Democratic Service Team.

The Committee will consider the accuracy of the attached minutes.

The Minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 9 February 2023 were accepted as accurate and signed.

The Chair will allow members of the public to present a petition on any matter within the Committee’s remit. Questions or statements about the matters on the agenda for this meeting will be taken at the time when the matter is considered and after the Case Officers have made their presentations. Each speaker will be allocated 3 minutes. The length of public question time will be no more than 30 minutes.

The Chair advised that a request to speak had been received from Mr Herbert, applicant, in respect of agenda item 5 - Application No. SCC/4002/2022. The statement was considered as part of relevant agenda item.

Demolition of Torr Blockworks and lateral extension of quarry on land at Torr Works

Applicant - Aggregate Industries UK Ltd

To consider this report.

Note – members of the Committee will be undertaking a site visit ahead of the meeting.

The purpose of a Members’ site visit is to view the site and its surroundings. The site visits are fact-finding exercises and there will be no discussion of the merits of the applications, nor will any decision be taken. Somerset County Council’s Constitution states that "applicants, owners, agents, objectors and other interested parties are able to attend site visits and observe but there should be no lobbying of Committee members."

Application for demolition of Torr Blockworks and lateral extension of quarry on land at Torr Works, East Cranmore, Shepton Mallet BA4 4RA – Application No SCC/4002/2022

Applicant - Aggregate Industries UK Ltd.

Committee Members had undertaken a site visit ahead of the meeting.

The Committee RESOLVED:

1.    That planning permission be GRANTED subject to the conditions set out in section 10 of the report and to the prior completion by the applicant and all other parties as necessary of a Section 106 Agreement to secure ecological mitigation including:

·         provision of a minimum of 2.05 hectares of woodland planting and 2.8ha of grassland reversion accessible to greater horseshoe bats to comprise: 2.05ha native woodland / woodland buffer planting; 0.10ha native woodland planting in the grassland reversion site; 0.12ha of buffer planting alongside the undesignated woodland to the south of Asham Woods; 2.8ha of grassland reversion; and 310m of hedgerow enhancement. The habitat should be broadly consistent with the Ecological Enhancement Plan as contained within the shadow HRA (SLR, 2023).

·         Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP).

·         Programme of implementation.

·         Long-term maintenance and management scheme for the woodland planting and grassland reversion, to include legal and financial mechanisms.

·         Water monitoring and other measures, where relevant, in line with those agreed for the main site (application reference 2010/0984) contained in the section 106 agreement dated 7th August 2012.

·         Provision for future maintenance of the bridleway diversion.

·         The works associated with the diversion of the bridleway SM8/11/1.

2.    That authority to undertake any minor non-material editing which may be necessary to the wording of those conditions being delegated to the Service Director.

To consider this report.

The Committee RESOLVED to support the proposed changes and amendments to the Rights of Way Statement of Priorities and noted that the decision as to whether or not to adopt any amendments to the current policy will be made by the Lead Member for Transport and Digital.

The Chair may raise any items of urgent business.