Chair approved Minutes of a meeting of the Planning Committee held in the Council Chamber, Council Offices on Tuesday 16 February 2016.

Present: Cllrs. A. Vaughan (Chair), A. Aldis, M. Newton, K. Read, F. Richards and N. Tile. Ward Cllr. C. Liddy also attended for part of the meeting.

Apologies: Cllr. S. Boughton

1. MINUTES . RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2016 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

2. PLANNING APPLICATIONS. Two applications had been received.

COL 15/2550 REGISTERED 27/11/15 Sue Jackson Proposal: Removal/Variation of a condition of planning permission 145776 (variation is to subdivide the ground floor into three units) Location: Bawley House, Walter Radcliffe Road, Wivenhoe, CO7 9FG Applicant: Mr J Frank Recommendations: The original concept for this development has become eroded over the years with this proposal affecting the last commercial space left. The whole Cooks’ development was marketed with the promise of bringing employment, commercial and social benefit to the area and enhancing the community without negative impact and also reflecting a little bit of Wivenhoe’s past. A good restaurant that specialised in fresh local seafood would have supported our local fishermen, and could have brought income into the town from visitors. The residents of the Cooks’ development consists mainly of commuters and working families who had been looking forward to having a restaurant within their midst. The original s106 Agreement secured a visitors’ car park and was leased to the Town Council with the intention of providing much needed income from the commercial units and the restaurant. With the danger of the estate becoming primarily residential the visitors’ car park will be rendered a white elephant. The Town Council does not accept Mr. Frank’s reasons for varying the condition as this has just confirmed their fears from the onset that the concept of commercial units and the restaurant was just a ‘backdoor’ to more residential units.

The application has been called in and will go before CBC Planning on 18 February 2016. Cllr. Aldis will attend the meeting and Cllr. Liddy will also speak on the application.

Members expressed their frustration and disappointment on these changes to the original planning permission for the Cooks development which led the Town Council to dutifully sign 5 leases (2 of which were for car parks) based on the original planning permission in 2004. The original planning permission highlighted employment, commercial and social benefit to the area and the restaurant would have attracted visitors, making use of the car parks.

COL 16/0247 REGISTERED 25/11/15 Eleanor Moss Proposal: Alteration to Planning approval 152556. (Single storey front and rear extensions and two storey side extension) Location: 18 Woodland Way, Wivenhoe, Colchester, CO7 9AP Applicant: Mr N Newman Recommendations. same as before, viz: Provided the proposal is within Permitted Development there were no material planning objections apart from views of neighbours to be taken into consideration and concern for the loss of permeable land.

1 Chair approved 3. DECISIONS. Two had been received, as follows:

COL 15/2426 REGISTERED 05/11/15 Chris Harden Proposal: Conversion of existing outbuilding into holiday lettings and storage. Location: The Black Buoy Inn, The Black Buoy Public House, Black Buoy Hill, Wivenhoe, Colchester, CO7 9BS Applicant: Mr M Bielecki Recommendations: No material planning objections apart from views of neighbours to be taken into consideration. DECISION: Approved with 4 conditions.

COL 15/2800 REGISTERED 18/12/15 Eleanor Moss Proposed: Proposed front extension Location: 16 Broomfield Crescent, Wivenhoe, Colchester, CO7 9PZ Applicant: Mr & Mrs Adrian Collier Recommendations: No material planning objections apart from views of neighbours to be taken into consideration. DECISION: Approved with 3 conditions.

4. SECTION 106 MATTERS. Cllr. Liddy advised that updates on s106 are only issued quarterly from Colchester Borough Council and when received by the Town Council the Town Clerk copies the report to all members of the Town Council’s Planning Committee.

5. OTHER MATTERS. a) Positioning of Pontoon. Cllr. Read reported that following the recent survey by Intermarine it appeared that the pontoon needed to be sited at a slightly different angle to avoid the storm trench and follow the contours of the river, bringing it more into line with that of the Colne Barrier. Town Clerk will relay this to Sue Jackson Planning Officer for advice.

6. DONM

Date of next meeting Tuesday 8 March 2016.

The meeting ended at 8.11pm

Chairman

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