Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Sedgemoor Room, Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater, TA6 3AR. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services Email: democraticservicesnorth@somerset.gov.uk 

Media

Items
No. Item

9.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

Minutes:

Apologies were received from:

 

Councillor Gill Slocombe

Councillor Alan Bradford

 

10.

Minutes from the Previous Meeting (To follow)

To approve the minutes from the two meetings held on 10 December 2024.

Minutes:

The minutes from the two meetings held on 10 December 2024 would be approved at the meeting to be held on 11 February 2025.

11.

Declarations of Interest

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 )

Minutes:

Councillor Bob Filmer declared an Other Registrable interest as a member of Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board but had not taken part in any discussions.

 

Councillor Alistair Hendry declared an Other Registrable interest as a member of Axe Brue Internal Drainage Board but had not taken part in any discussions.

 

Councillor Matthew Martin declared an Other Registrable interest in Planning Application 33/24/00010 Rookery Retreat, Northwick Road, Mark, Highbridge, TA9 4PG as it was in his Division. Whilst he was aware of the application,  he had taken no part in any conversations and remained open minded.

12.

Public Question Time

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 democraticservicesnorth@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.

Minutes:

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

 

National Planning Policy Framework

 

Before the first Planning Application was discussed there was a short PowerPoint slide presentation from the Development Management Officer to update Members on the Revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

13.

Planning Application 33/24/00010 Rookery Retreat, Northwick Road, Mark, Highbridge, TA9 4PG pdf icon PDF 289 KB

Variation of Conditions 2 & 3 of Planning Permission 33/18/00028 (Variation of Condition 2 of Planning Permission 33/17/00004 (Provision of new farm-stay tourist development consisting of the erection of 9 holiday cottages, associated landscaping, parking, access & ancillary agricultural buildings) to revise layouts of plots 2, 5, 8 & 9 to provide 3 bedrooms instead of 2) to amend the approved plans listed in Schedule A and to revise “farm stay” elements with change of use of consented calf building to ancillary store/rest area.

Decision:

Resolved to grant planning permission subject to conditions detailed in the Officer’s Report.

Minutes:

The Committee were presented with the application by way of a PowerPoint presentation. The Planning Officer updated the committee explaining that the application was for the variation of Conditions 2 & 3 of Planning Permission 33/18/00028 (Variation of Condition 2 of Planning Permission 33/17/00004 (Provision of new farm-stay tourist development consisting of the erection of 9 holiday cottages, associated landscaping, parking, access & ancillary agricultural buildings) to revise layouts of plots 2, 5, 8 & 9 to provide 3 bedrooms instead of 2) to amend the approved plans listed in Schedule A and to revise “farm stay” elements with change of use of consented calf building to ancillary store/rest area.

 

A  Parish Councillor for Mark, Councillor Will Human, spoke in objection to the application highlighting:

 

·           That the development consisted of significant dwellings, not just small holiday cottages, which could become upmarket housing.

·           The Parish Council saw the minor changes as part of a plan to change the status of the properties to residential, which they viewed as an erosion of the original permissions.

·           The original permissions included a farm stay link to protect the Greenfield site from becoming just another residential development.

·           The Parish Council opposed replacing wood cladding with other materials, as it would not look as good.

 

Next to speak was Alex Sebbinger from Westward Planning Ltd, representing the applicant, TDI Properties, who highlighted:

 

·           The proposal sought to amend farm stay elements, including a welfare facility for site maintenance and replacing the approved pig enclosure with a revised calf shelter and enclosure. All other farm stay elements would be retained which would be managed by Rookery Farm Creamery.

·           The Parish Council’s concerns were addressed by retaining all but one farm stay element. The loss of one element (pig enclosure) is not seen as significant enough to undermine the original business plan.

·           The accommodation must be used for holiday and tourism purposes, which would remain unchanged by the application.

·           The design and layout of the revisions were acceptable to the officers.

·           The Drainage Board’s condition regarding the emergency service road would be addressed.

 

After deliberations surrounding the provision of the farm stay elements, the conditions attached to that (condition 2 requiring provision of this) and the use of the holiday accommodation (secured by condition 3), Councillor Alastair Hendry proposed to grant permission, subject to conditions detailed in the Officer’s Report, which was seconded by Councillor Brian Bolt.

 

(Vote: For: 10, Against: 1, Abstain: 0)

 

Resolved:

 

To grant planning permission subject to conditions detailed in the Officer’s Report.

14.

Appeal Reports pdf icon PDF 52 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted the reports as detailed within the agenda for the Appeals Received and the Appeal Decisions for December 2024.