Agenda Item No: 5

Democratic Services PO Box 136 County Hall NN1 1AT

Development Control Committee

Minutes: 30 June 2009

Venue: Council Chamber, County Hall, Northampton

(Meeting held in public)

PRESENT:-

Councillor Ben Smith (Chairman)

Councillor George Blackwell Councillor Don Edwards Councillor Matthew Golby Councillor David Hugheston-Roberts Councillor Dennis Meredith Councillor Ron Pinnock Councillor Rupert Reichhold Councillor Alan Wright

Also in attendance (for all or part of the meeting)

Roy Boulton Chief Planner (NCC) Paul Hanson Committee Manager (NCC) (Minutes) Phil Watson Development Control Manger (NCC)

And 6 members of the public.

18/09 Apologies for non-attendance

None received.

19/09 Notification of Requests From Members of the Public to Address the Meeting

Item 6A – Mr Jim Hollowell – Resident Mr Will Reese – School

Item 7a – Mr John Clarke, Chairman, Boughton Parish Council

20/09 Declaration of Members‟ Interests

Item Councillor Type Nature 6b, 7b George Blackwell Personal Granddaughter a pupil at school referred to in report. Member of the Borough Council of Wellingborough. All Edwards Personal Substitute member, West

Northamptonshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee 8 David Hugheston- Personal Receives a pension from the Roberts Hanson Group. All Dennis Meredith Personal Substitute member, West Joint Strategic Planning Committee All Ben Smith Personal Member of the Anglian Northern Flood Defence Committee, Member of the WNDC Board

21/09 Chairman‟s Announcements

The Chair informed the Committee that the Development Control Manager (DCM) would introduce each item relating to applications and summarize the main points. The Chair would then invite members of the public to address the meeting on the item. Once all public speakers had completed their statements the DCM or appropriate officer/person would respond to the points made. Members of the Committee would then be given the opportunity to ask further questions or to clarify statements.

22/09 Minutes of the meeting held on 17 March 2009

The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 17 March 2009, (copies of which had been previously circulated).

RESOLVED that: the minutes of the meeting of the held in public on 17 March 2009 (copies of which had been previously circulated) be signed as a true and accurate account of the meeting.

23/09 County Council Planning Applications: a) 09/00001/CCD – Parking space coach drop-off/parking facility with turning space including lighting and widened access road to accommodate coach parking. Various minor internal alterations to road layout, primarily road markings and speed hump, relocation of polytunnels and planting beds and low level planting to coach parking area at Guilsborough School, Road, Guilsborough, NN6 8QE

The Chairman invited the DCM to introduce the report (copies of which had been previously circulated) who highlighted the following: The application had been submitted by Guilsborough School. Some objections have been received during consultation; Guilsborough Parish Council felt that the development was out of proportion to the size of the village; Sport objected to the loss of the portion of playing field unless certain conditions relating to the area being marked for sports activity were met. The school was not prepared to meet those conditions; The highway authority had no objections to the proposal; On balance, the development was justified because of the potential health and safety benefits; and Lighting issues would be controlled by the planning process. Trees would not be affected as the fence had been moved since the original application had been made.

The Chairman invited Jim Hollowell to speak. Mr Hollowell made the following comments: He was speaking on behalf of some of the residents of Guilsborough; The proposed development would overlook the rear of their properties; Local children would also have to cross the busy access road in the morning‟ The development would be another loss of green space and would also cause light pollution; and The £300k the development would cost could be better spent elsewhere, such as on security for the school; and No accidents had occurred yet in the 50 year history of the school.

The Chairman invited Will Reese to speak. Mr Reese made the following comments: The issue of parking for buses had been an issue for some time and the nub of the current problem was that there was no division between children and moving vehicles; The fact there had been no accident yet was not a reason for not approving the development; The area in question had not been used for significant sporting activities for some time; The area would still function as an informal area where students could congregate at break times; The facility for lighting would be included but would not be used very frequently; and The proposed development should be able to cope with growth estimates for the school‟s catchment area.

Councillors made the following points: It was felt that an accident was inevitable if nothing was done; A condition should be added to offer to provide some shrubs to shield the bungalow adjacent to the development; The question of whether the access road could be widened was raised; and Parking and safety were important issues for all schools.

The DCM agreed that conditions could be added or amended in relation to the provision of shrubs. He also said that following consultation with the school he was recommending amendments to conditions 6 and 8.

RESOLVED that: the Committee approved the planning application, subject to the conditions outlined in Appendix A to the report with the addition of: Condition 5 to include reference to the applicant offering to plant shrubs to shield the bungalow adjacent to the development; Condition 6 to change the hours of construction to “deliveries shall not be permitted to enter or leave the site between 08.15 – 09.00 and 14.45 – 15.45”; and Condition 8 to change the hours of use for lighting to between 07.30 – 09.00 and 15.00 – 18.00 except for school organised open/parent evenings on a maximum of 10 occasions per year. b) County Council planning applications determined and outstanding

The Development Control Manager introduced the report (copies of which were circulated) to the Committee. He informed the Committee that the planning applications listed in the report had been dealt with since the last meeting of the Development Control Committee, unless listed as outstanding.

RESOLVED that: the Development Control Committee noted the report.

24/09 Minerals and Waste Planning Applications a) Boughton Quarry, Brampton Lane, Boughton – Planning application for proposed temporary parking of 5 rigid body HGV‟s and 2 road sweepers until 30/11/2013.

The Chairman invited the DCM to introduce the report (copies of which had been previously circulated) who highlighted the following: The application was put before the committee as it had been judged to be an issue that could potentially prejudice the restoration of the former quarry; and In spite of this, the applicant was only applying for permission to park vehicles on the site until 2013, whereas the restoration of the site was not due to be completed until 2015.

The Chairman invited Mr John Clarke, Chairman of Boughton Parish Council to address the Committee. Mr Clarke made the following points: The concerns of the Parish Council were set out in report; They were particularly concerned that the application for temporary overnight parking could become permanent; and They were also concerned that this application had not been mentioned in the local liaison meetings with the applicant.

The DCM explained that the application was for temporary consent and the committee could not take into account any possible future application for permanent use when making a decision.

RESOLVED that: the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined in Appendix A to the report.

b) Minerals and Waste Planning applications determined and outstanding.

The Development Control Manager (DCM) introduced the report (copies of which were circulated) to the Committee. He informed the Committee that the planning applications listed in the report had been dealt with since the last meeting of the Development Control Committee, unless listed as outstanding.

In response to a comment about the „green roof‟ on the Alibone recycling facility, the Chairman explained that the plant used on the roof was a species of sedum which changed colour in dry conditions but would return to a darker green colour in wet conditions.

RESOLVED that: the report be noted. c) Enforcement action undertaken by Council Planning Authority

The DCM explained that with regards to the enforcement action on Mr John Daleman he clarified that the proceedings to recover the monies owed would be progressed further once the charges on the land were in place.

The Chairman said that he was very concerned about this situation and he had asked officers to work with Legal Services Department to try to speed the process up. He said that the council should be vigilant in enforcing planning law. He asked that a timetable for resolving the issue be bought back to the next meeting of the committee.

RESOLVED that: the report be noted and a further report be brought back to the next meeting with a timetable for action.

25/09 Validation of Planning Applications – Local Requirements

The Chairman invited the DCM to introduce the report (copies of which had been previously circulated) who highlighted the following: The process for validating planning applications had been haphazard and regulations had never stipulated the whole range of information required for applications; and A number of changes has been made to the list and were now being brought to the committee for agreement.

The Chairman said that he would like to see the following changes to the document: Regarding Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), all applicants who were submitting applications of a size and scale close to the EIA guidance requirements should be encouraged to complete these; Regarding photographs and photomontages, the integrity of the photographs should be maintained; and Regarding trees and hedgerows, that the phrase “suitably qualified and experienced arboriculturalist” be replaced with “suitably qualified person”.

RESOLVED that: the local validation requirements for County Council Regulation 3 and County Matter (Minerals and Waste) applications as set out in Appendices A and B be agreed subject to the following amendments: regarding Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), all applicants who were submitting applications of a size and scale close to the EIA guidance requirements should be encouraged to complete these; regarding photographs and photomontages, the integrity of the photographs should be maintained; and regarding trees and hedgerows, that the phrase “suitably qualified and experienced arboriculturalist” be replaced with “suitably qualified person”.

26/09 Urgent Business

There was none.

There being no further business, the meeting concluded at: 11.30am.

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