Agenda and minutes

Venue: John Meikle Room, The Deane House, Belvedere Road, Taunton TA1 1HE. View directions

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

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Ross Henley, Andy Sully (substituted by Councillor Habib Farbahi) and Rosemary Woods (substituted by Councillor Mandy Chilcott).

Councillor Marcus Kravis was absent.

2.

Minutes from the Previous Meeting

Minutes from the previous Planning Committee meetings of Somerset West and Taunton Council held on 23 February, 2 March, 27 March and 30 March 2023 (two meetings) will be approved at the meeting of the Full Council on 24 May 2023.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair advised that the minutes of the previous Somerset West and Taunton Planning Committee meetings held on 23 February, 2 March, 27 March and 30 March 2023 (two meetings) would be approved at the Full Council meeting on 24 May 2023.

3.

Declarations of Interest or Lobbying pdf icon PDF 81 KB

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

(The personal interests of Councillors of Somerset Council, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In addition to the interests listed in the agenda papers, Members present at the meeting declared the following interests:

 

Councillors Simon Coles, Norman Cavill, Dixie Darch and Caroline Ellis confirmed that following the Taunton Town Council elections, which took place after the agenda was published, they are no longer Taunton Shadow Town Councillors.

 

Agenda item 5 – application 19/22/0023

No declarations of interest were made in relation to this application

 

Agenda item 6 – application 32/22/0004

All Councillors on the Committee (with the exception of Councillors Chilcott and Farbahi) had received an email from the agent in respect of this application.  Councillors confirmed that they had not fettered their discretion and were able to take part in the debate and vote on the application.

 

Councillor Gwil Wren confirmed that, as the Divisional Ward Member he’d had a telephone conversation with the agent/ applicant and had also sent them an email.  Therefore, he would abstain from voting on this application.

Councillor Sarah Wakefield also confirmed that she’s had a conversation with the agent but had not fettered her discretion.  

Councillor Cavill declared a personal interest as a farmer.

 

Agenda Item 7 – application 42/23/0022

Councillor Farbahi confirmed that he represented Comeytrowe and had commented on previous planning applications, particularly relating to the pumping station.  However, in relation to this application he had expressed no view and would take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

 

 

4.

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 and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue.

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’.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Mrs Janet Lloyd (former Somerset West and Taunton Councillor) addressed the Committee to highlight a discrepancy with the published timescales for public speaking.  In one place it stated 12 noon providing 1 clear working day before the meeting. (for example, for a meeting being held on a Wednesday, the deadline will be 12 noon on Monday prior to the meeting).  However, in the planning committee guidance it says no later than 12 noon on the working day before the Committee meeting. 

 

The Chair confirmed that the discrepancy had already been picked up by Democratic Services and was in the process of being amended.

 

There were no other speakers in public question time. 

 

Speakers for the applications were as follows:

 

Application No.

Name

Position

Stance

32/22/0004

Mr Piers Pepperell

 

 

Cllr Janet Lloyd

 

 

 

Mr Sam Tucker

Member of the public/ local vet

 

Chair of Sampford Arundel Parish Council

 

Applicant

In support

 

 

In support

 

 

 

In support

 

 

There were no registered speakers for applications 19/22/0023 and 42/23/0022.

5.

19/22/0023 Erection of a detached garage with store and office above at Deep Springs, Village Road, Hatch Beauchamp pdf icon PDF 82 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Officer’s Report stated that this application had been referred to the Planning Committee West as the agent submitting the application is an agency member of staff working in the Employment, Economy and Planning Service.

 

The Recommendation was that permission be granted subject to conditions. 

 

The proposal is considered to comply with policy and would not have an adverse impact upon the neighbouring properties.  Amended plans had been submitted reducing the height by approximately 1 metre, taking into account the comments received from the Parish Council.  The dimensions of the building measure approximately 7 metres tall by 9.5 metres wide and 7 metres deep.

 

The Planning Officer outlined the application to the Committee with the assistance of a presentation.

 

There were no public speakers for this application. 

 

Discussion took place around:

 

·       The height and how it compared to the historic application.  The Planning Officer confirmed that the original application approved in 2019 didn’t have the store above but this one does to make a home office in the store.  Also, that the height of the garage was 7 metres tall and designed to accommodate a motor home, and that conditions 3 and 4 in the report relate to it as a residential garage.  It cannot be changed without a further planning permission.

 

·       Whether residents would be aware that the plans had changed and were given the opportunity to comment on the amended plans.  The Planning Officer confirmed any amended plans go back out to consultation.

 

·       Whether the structure would be visible from the road.  The Planning Officer confirmed that there would be glimpses only.

 

·       In terms of condition 1, what the time limit three years related to.  Officers confirmed that condition 1 limits the life of the planning permission and means that work would need to begin within 3 years of the date of the planning permission.

 

·       In terms of condition 2, what is meant by drawing numbers.  Officers confirmed that if the Committee decides to approve the application the plans would be included in Condition 2 so the developer is clear about what is permitted when they carry out the building work

 

·       In respect of conditions 3 and 4, relating to the garage being retained for parking and ancillary use of the garage and office, and what that meant.  Officers confirmed it would be ancillary to residential use of the building known as Deep Springs.  Many people work from home now so that would be appropriate but if the it could not be used as an independent commercial unit without coming back for a separate new planning permission. 

 

·       Whether the conditions were enforceable.  Officers confirmed that the conditions are enforceable and if the Council received a complaint, the enforcement officer would carry out a visit and issue an enforcement notice if appropriate. 

 

The Committee RESOLVED that planning application 19/22/0023 be approved in accordance with the Officer’s Recommendation which was that permission be granted subject to conditions.

 

Proposed by Cllr Steven Pugsley; seconded by Cllr Caroline Ellis

 

On being put  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

32/22/0004 Application for Outline Planning with all matters reserved, except for access, for the erection of 1 No. agricultural workers dwelling on land to the South East of Home Farm, Breach Hill, Sampford Arundel pdf icon PDF 127 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Planning Officer outlined the application to the Committee with the assistance of a presentation.

 

The key points were:

 

·       This is an outline application with the access only for consideration.  Appearance, landscaping, layout and scale are not under consideration at this stage. 

·       The proposed development uses existing access from the main driveway, goes around existing agricultural buildings and then joins back up to the development site. 

·       There is a proposal for an orchard between the existing Farm House and the proposed new agricultural workers dwelling to protect the amenity of each dwelling.  The proposed orchard is not for consideration as part of this planning application and overlooking and loss of amenity would be considered at the design stage of the dwelling at reserve matters should this application gain consent.

·       The proposal is that the new dwelling would be sited adjacent to the existing dwelling.  This would then make it adjacent to the settlement boundary of the village and the existing farm complex. 

·       The site is in the countryside in an unsustainable location and therefore needs to fully compliment Policy 1a which assesses new permanent agricultural workers dwellings.

·       The proposed dwelling would be required for a full time worker employed by the business which is considered to be financially acceptable.  Figures show 9.38 full time employees are required to service the existing business. 

·       There is no other dwelling associated with the holding. 

·       The applicant’s vets submitted two letters, the first submitted as part of the application stating it would be wise to have 1 preferably 2 experienced workers situated on site at Home Farm.  The second letter confirmed it is essential rather than wise.

·       The access to be used by the proposed dwelling and highway conditions would be used to secure parking provision, use of garages and electric vehicle charging points.

·       Policy H1a relates to permanent housing for rural workers.   Point d states ‘the functional need could not be fulfilled by another existing dwelling on the unit, or any other existing accommodation in the local area which is suitable and available for occupation’. 

·       In this case the justification for criteria d) is 10-15 minute drive time.  That is the search area for the local area.  An alternative accommodation assessment was submitted by the agent which showed two 2 bedroom dwellings with parking all within the 10-15 minutes drive time.

·       A further update for committee was an additional reason for refusal relating to phosphates and the fact that insufficient information had been submitted to satisfy the Local Planning Authority that the ecology impacts from the development have been sufficiently taken into account and, as such substantial mitigation measures have not been provided’.

 

The Planning Officer set out that the recommendation was to refuse the application on the grounds of:

1.      The proposed development does not accord with policy H1a of the Site Allocations and Development Management Plan as there is other suitable accommodation available within a 10-15 minute drive time.

2.     The proposed development has failed to successfully address the matter of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

42/23/0022 Application for the approval of reserved matters following outline application 42/14/0069 for the access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale for the erection of a substation to service the Primary School at Orchard Grove, Comeytrowe pdf icon PDF 133 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Officer’s Report stated that this application had been referred to the Planning Committee West as Each application at the Comeytrowe Garden Community, known as Orchard Grove, had been subject to Planning Committee scrutiny given the significance of the scheme and the public interest

 

Cllr Coles confirmed that he had asked for the application to come forward due to Members having had lots of conversations with the public in relation to the Comeytrowe development.  Therefore he felt that it was reasonable to bring it before the Committee so that members of the public could come along and comment if they chose to.

 

The Planning Officer outlined the application to the Committee with the assistance of a presentation and confirmed that this was a minor application compared to other Comeytrowe applications and related only to the erection of a substation to service the Primary School at Orchard Grove, Comeytrowe.

 

The officer recommendation was that planning permission be granted subject to conditions and to delegate approval to the Service Manager, Development Management in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair subject to no adverse comments being received by end of 19 May 2023 (the end of the consultation period). 

 

There were no public speakers for this application. 

 

There was no debate on this application.

 

The Committee RESOLVED that planning application 42/23/0022 be approved in accordance with the Officer’s Recommendation which was that planning permission be granted subject to conditions and to delegate approval to the Service Manager, Development Management in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair subject to no adverse comments being received by end of 19 May 2023 (the end of the consultation period). 

 

Proposed by Cllr Steven Pugsley; seconded by Cllr Mandy Chilcott

 

On being put to the vote the proposal was carried unanimously by 11 votes in favour, 0 vote against and 0 abstentions.

 

 

8.

Access to Information - Exclusion of the Press and Public - Agenda item 9

During discussion of the following item (Agenda Item 9) it may be necessary to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Section 1.34 in Part A of the Constitution (decisions are as open and transparent as possible). This decision may be required because consideration of this matter in public may disclose information falling within one of the descriptions of exempt information in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The Committee will need to decide whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Recommend that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business (Agenda Item 9) on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee RESOLVED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business (Agenda Item 9 on the ground that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

 

9.

Enforcement Action