Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

Apologies were received from Councillors Jason Baker, Mike Best, Oliver Patrick, Jeny Snell and Martin Wale.

It was noted that Councillor Mike Stanton was attending as substitute for Councillor Mike Best and Councillor Richard Wilkins was attending as substitute for Councillor Oliver Patrick and Councillor John Bailey was attending as substitute for Jason Baker.

At the start of the meeting Councillor Peter Seib as Chair proposed to the committee that Councillor Richard Wilkins be Vice- Chair for the duration of the meeting.  This was unanimously agreed by the committee.

To approve the minutes from the previous meeting.

The minutes document will be published separately as a supplement to this agenda.

Resolved that the minutes of the Planning Committee - South held on 24^th October 2023be confirmed as a correct record.

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 Sue Osborne declared a personal interest in Item 5 Planning Application 18/01311/OUT as she is the Divisional member.

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 8 November 2023.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To consider an outline planning application with all matters reserved aside from access for the erection of up to 35 dwellings and associated works (resubmission of 17/04239/OUT).

RESOLVED:

That planning application 18/01311/OUT for outline planning application with all matters reserved aside from access for the erection of up to 35 dwellings and associated works (resubmission of 17/04239/OUT) at Land OS 4538 The Pound, Broadway Road, Broadway, Ilminster Somerset be APPROVED, subject to the prior completion of a section 106 planning obligation and the imposition of conditions as per the officer recommendation as detailed in the agenda report.

(voting: 6 in favour, 0 against, 2 abstentions)

The Planning Officer introduced the application to the committee with the assistance of a powerpoint presentation.  She explained the background of the application and the reason why it had again been brought back to committee due to a challenge from Broadway Parish Council and specifically to address those concerns.  A copy of the original 2019 committee report was also appended within the agenda for completeness.

She clarified this was an outline application with all matters reserved except for the consideration of access.  She referred to the key considerations from the original application and confirmed that the recommendation was the same as the two previous conditionally approved applications. 

She proceeded to detail the reasons for approval and various planning obligations required along with the conditions listed within the report and highlighted what key considerations had changed since the 2019 resolution including:

·         Council’s lack of five-year housing land supply.

·         Phosphate mitigation solution agreed.

·         First homes requirement has come into force – now included.

·         Update to recommendation to reflect and minor tweaks.

A member of the public addressed the committee and spoke in objection to the application.  Some of his comments included:

·         Raised concerns regarding the landscape impact and loss of open space.

·         The scheme would result in a large block of mixed housing in an otherwise linear pattern and is therefore out of keeping with the village setting.

·         Application does not address the issues previously raised from the Landscape assessment in 2019. 

·         The application should be amended to further address these issues before the application is considered.

A representative from Broadway Parish Council addressed the committee. He voiced his disappointment regarding the lack of information and assurance regarding the flooding concerns of the village and its residents.   He said the issues around the sewerage system in Broadway remain unresolved and that this application will only exacerbate the pollution and contamination in the village.  He said that the application should be deferred until the report from Wessex Water had been received.

The Applicant then addressed the committee.  Some of his comments included:

·         This was a high-quality scheme that they had been working on since 2017 and were committed to delivering.

·         Scheme had already been approved twice and that this application had only once again been brought back to committee solely for legality reasons.

·         Scheme delivers many benefits including a contribution to the housing number and delivery of affordable housing.

A representative from Wessex Water, who attended the meeting virtually, responded on the points raised by the public speakers and questions raised by members around the recent meeting associated with the issues in Broadway and the development of this site.  She explained the statutory requirements and ongoing improvements to the local network and water recycling scheme and the aspiration to work with the parish council and existing households to help utilise and realign the foul sewerage system in the area.

The Lead Specialist acknowledged the concerns raised by the local residents and the need to upgrade the foul sewerage system however this development was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

To consider an outline planning permission with all matters reserved except for access, for up to 140 dwellings (use class C3), public open space, landscape planting and biodiversity enhancements, vehicular access from Bowden Road, community use (flexible use class E, F1 and/or F2), and associated infrastructure works.

RESOLVED:

That planning application 22/03560/OUT for outline planning permission with all matters reserved except for access, for up to 140 dwellings (use class C3), public open space, landscape planting and biodiversity enhancements, vehicular access from Bowden Road, community use (flexible use class E, F1 and/or F2), and associated infrastructure works at Land OS 6975, South Of Bowden Road, Templecombe, Somerset be APPROVED, subject to the prior completion of a section 106 agreement and the imposition of conditions as per the officer recommendation as detailed in the agenda report.

(voting: unanimous)

The Planning Officer introduced the application to the committee and with the aid of slides gave a comprehensive presentation and highlighted in detail the site and proposed plans including: 

·         Confirmed that this was an outline application with all matters reserved except for access.

·         Proposed pedestrian and cycleway links and proximity of local facilities.

·         Proposed landscaping strip.

·         For clarity showed a detailed site plan splitting the site into 3 fields to help and show proposed development in each.

·         Detailed drawings of proposed access from Bowden Road.

·         Network of footpaths in area and photos along each.

·         Gradients of the site.

·         Highlighted areas of the site safeguarded for Class E/F1/F2 uses and clarified these uses by referring to the current Use Classes Order.

He proceeded to detail the reasons for approval and various planning obligations required along with the conditions listed within the report and highlighted the key considerations.  His comments in summarised form were:

·         Principle of Development – Referred to relevant planning policy and explained why in policy terms the application met these requirements, including the Council’s lack of 5 year land supply and explained the ‘tilted balance’ and benefits of the proposal.  He also confirmed that Counsel legal opinion had been sought about Local Plan Policy SS2 in particular and explained the history of other nearby site at Manor Farm and why that appeal had been dismissed.

·         Visual amenity – Council Landscape consultant acknowledged some harm, but site already influenced heavily by adjacent housing, no objection raised.

·         No objections had been raised from the statutory consultees regarding access and highway safety, flooding and drainage, ecology, archaeology/listed building or loss of agricultural land.

·         Residential Amenity – although acknowledged some harm would result, reference was made to a proposed 5m landscape strip along northern boundary and the matters of layout, siting, heights and massing of dwellings would be considered at the detailed application stage and not as part of this outline application.

He also referred to the local concerns raised regarding the Foot and Mouth Disease burial site and potential damage to human health.  He explained that the applicant had commissioned a geo-environmental and geo-technical site investigation and explained that advice was sought from Natural England, Environment Agency and the Council’s Environmental Health and summarised the advice given.

In conclusion he referred to the benefits and dis-benefits of the application and that the recommendation was for approval for the reasons as detailed in the agenda report.

Five members of the public addressed the committee in objection to the application.  Some of their comments included:

·         Inappropriate number of housing which represents overdevelopment in a rural setting.

·         Infrastructure and sewerage system already under strain.

·         Concern for flooding in the area and water run off.

·         Road is very narrow with limited visibility and therefore a danger to highway safety for car and pedestrian users as there is no footpath along Bowden Road.

·         Clarity was still required regarding the concerns of contamination and pollution of water supply from foot and mouth burial site.

·         The surrounding roads  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

Members noted the appeal decisions.