Minutes, Council, 2020 05 12
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NORTH AND SOUTH WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL Parish Clerk: Sara Stilliard T The Old Milking Parlour, Cottam Road, South Leverton, Retford, Notts. DN22 0BU. Tel: 01427 881582 www.northandsouthwheatleyvillage.co.uk. Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 12th May 2020 This meeting was held remotely via Zoom and all documents had been circulated by e-mail prior to the meeting Present: Cllrs M Newby (Chair), R Naish; V Wilson; D Cooke; M Burton; A Parker; J Goacher; D Cartwright; C Page; J Nixon and Clerk: S Stilliard. Residents: none present Guests: DCllr James Naish PUBLIC FORUM – none present Address by the Chair Welcome and thank you for attending This meeting would normally have been preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting and the PC’s AGM. However, as I informed you all last month, NALC directed that for this year (2020-21) these meetings could be either postponed or cancelled entirely. Given the current rules on social distancing I don’t think we would be able to hold a Parish Meeting until September at the earliest, and even that may not be possible, so I would propose that we cancel this year’s Annual Parish Meeting. The PC’s AGM is currently deferred until we can meet in person but if councillors are happy for Rob and me to continue as Deputy Chair and Chair then we could also cancel the AGM. I’ll take views on this. I would like to propose a vote of thanks to the Clays Responders for the excellent work that they are doing to support the vulnerable members of our community during this period of Lock Down and in particular to Lucy Easthope and James Naish for their work in establishing and running this group. James will be giving us an update on the current status of the group later on in the meeting. The purpose of this meeting is two-fold: • To cover off any essential PC business – we have a reduced agenda so that we can concentrate strictly on the essential items. • To allow all councillors to share views to make sure that we are fulfilling our duties and that we have not let anything slip. I note that neither Sturton nor North Leverton are meeting this month but all PCs have to meet in June to sign off the annual accounts. Depending on how social distancing rules go over the next few weeks we’ll make a decision closer to the time about whether this should be via another zoom meeting or whether we would feel safe to meet in person. Obviously it is much easier and more productive to meet in person, and I would propose that we use the VH large room so that we can maintain a safe degree of separation, but I’ll seek individual views on this closer to the time. Clerk’s note: Since the PC meeting NALC has made it clear that face to face meetings must not be held in the current circumstances therefore future meetings will be made via Zoom until further notice Page 1346 PLANNING MEETING Apologies for Absence - none Declarations of Interest and Confidentiality – Planning Meeting – none New Applications – none Old Applications awaiting decisions – Works to Trees in a Conservation Area Consisting of Fell One Walnut Tree. Treetops Stone Lane North Wheatley Retford Nottinghamshire DN22 9DF Ref. No: 20/00436/CAT | Received: Thu 02 Apr 2020 | Validated: Thu 02 Apr 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision Demolish Existing Conservatory and Erect Single Storey Front, Side and Rear Extensions Conifers Sturton Road South Wheatley Retford Nottinghamshire DN22 9DL Ref. No: 20/00272/HSE | Received: Tue 03 Mar 2020 | Validated: Thu 05 Mar 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision Installation and Operation of a Solar Farm Comprising an Array of Ground Mounted Solar PV Panels with Associated Infrastructure Including Housing for Inverters a Substation Compound, Point of Connection Mast, Fencing, Security Cameras, Cabling, Access Tracks and a Temporary Construction Compound. Land North West And South Of Field Farm Wood Lane Sturton Le Steeple Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 20/00117/FUL | Received: Tue 04 Feb 2020 | Validated: Thu 06 Feb 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision Erect Two-Bedroom Dwelling with Integral Garage ( Resubmission of P.A 19/00299/FUL) The Manor Sturton Road South Wheatley Retford Nottinghamshire DN22 9DH Ref. No: 19/01540/FUL | Received: Thu 28 Nov 2019 | Validated: Thu 28 Nov 2019 | Status: Awaiting decision Decisions – Erection of 29 Dwellings, Comprising of 16 Houses, 10 Apartments and 3 Bungalows Land Adjacent To The Sun Inn Low Street North Wheatley Nottinghamshire Ref. No: 20/00245/FUL | Received: Wed 26 Feb 2020 | Validated: Fri 06 Mar 2020 | Status: Rejected One Dwelling with Detached Double Garage (Plot 1) Amendment to P/A 17/01660/FUL Land Adj Laburnum House Low Street North Wheatley Retford Nottinghamshire DN22 9DR Ref. No: 20/00036/FUL | Received: Wed 15 Jan 2020 | Validated: Fri 17 Jan 2020 | Status: Granted Works to Trees in a Conservation Area T1 Ash Remove T2 Ash Remove T3 Conifer Remove T4 Holly Tree Remove The Rowans Stone Lane North Wheatley Retford Nottinghamshire DN22 9DF Ref. No: 20/00327/CAT | Received: Wed 04 Mar 2020 | Validated: Wed 04 Mar 2020 | Status: No Preservation order required Other planning issues The Solar Farm proposal – DCllr Naish gave the PC an update on this as follows:- In recent weeks, I have met with Planning Officers at Bassetlaw to discuss the progress of this application (see below extracts from an email to the Chair of Sturton Parish Council on 27/03) and with the developer to agree compensation for the development if it goes ahead. A decision is likely to be delayed slightly due to movement restrictions which have prevented the in- person completion of the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) by consultants appointed by Bassetlaw. This document is likely to take 3 weeks to complete as soon as the consultants are able to visit the site. DCllr Naish’s full report follows:- • I had a meeting with some of Bassetlaw’s Planning Team on Friday 20/02. The Chair of Planning, Cllr David Pidwell, was also present. Page 1347 • It is no surprise to planners that they are seeing applications of this size starting to land. Without significant government subsidies, the smaller solar farms have become unviable • There have been several public responses about the applicant’s proposal but not masses. I said that this is likely because local opinion was canvassed extensively last summer • The Planning Team has looked extensively at the need for a full EIA and completed an internal screening process as required by environmental legislation. They have concluded, like the developer, that a full EIA isn’t needed. This isn’t because the environmental impact of the proposal isn’t important, but because a full EIA involves engagement with the Secretary of State and will significantly increase both costs and timelines for – primarily – bureaucratic purposes. Bassetlaw believes that there is enough information provided to enable decision-making without going down this route (but acknowledges that it cannot be 100% confident that everything provided by the applicant is accurate). The applicant would likely contest producing a full EIA because of the hurdles involved, and it is likely that the Government would agree that it isn’t required in this instance. Government policy towards green energy at the moment is “the more, the better”, so there would have to be very specific reasons for requesting a full EIA which Bassetlaw’s internal screening hasn’t suggested • The Planning Team at Bassetlaw has visited the site and saw it being used by c.30 ramblers and cyclists. The Rambling Association has been consulted about the proposal but hasn’t responded yet – this is worth pursuing • Following your engagement, Notts CC has asked for permission to resubmit its response to ask for additional information about flooding impacts. This is permitted and has been explained to the applicant who apparently “didn’t bat an eyelid”. The applicant needs to demonstrate that the proposal will have “nil impact” on flooding (it doesn't have to reduce the risk but can't make it any worse). The applicant is providing further information as requested. Bassetlaw’s Planning Team doesn’t have expertise in flooding so Notts CC is expected to play a key role here • The applicant is perceived to be working effectively towards the 10% ecological enhancement which is required under current legislation. One or two third parties have raised specific questions about aspects of its plans but there aren’t expected to be any major issues for the applicant on this front • The biggest question and personal concern for Bassetlaw’s Planning Team is the visual impact. Having visited the site, they appreciate that it will have a big impact on our local area. External consultants have, therefore, been appointed to complete a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) which helps to identify the impact of developments on views / landscapes. They will make a recommendation to support or approve the application, which will likely shape Bassetlaw’s overall recommendation. This work is ongoing. Bassetlaw has contacted the applicant to say that they would like to see visual representations of the site once built and to understand the exact parameters of the solar panels that will be installed (size, how many in total, spacing between panels etc.). The applicant has provided vague responses so far but decision-making councillors will likely want to know this information, so they will need to provide it fairly soon • The application fee for this proposal was significant – several thousand pounds. Rejection will likely result in an appeal to the Secretary of State and will cost Bassetlaw money if it loses at appeal.