Easterton Parish Council Meeting Monday 20th January 2020 at 7.30 p.m. Minutes Present: Chair of the meeting Cllr Chris Saunders (CS), Cllr Ben Myerscough (BM) (Vice-Chair), Cllr Victoria Turner (VT), Cllr Bob Bulson (BB), Cllr Anthony Snook (AS), Cllr Judy Boyt ( JB)and Cllr Andy Fuller (AF). In attendance: Gillian Tatum Clerk, Charlotte Watkins Director Land & Property Planning consultants for Applicant Mr Ford and 11 Parishioners. The meeting started at 7.30pm. 20/00001 Absence Apologies and Declaration of Interests Apologies; Wiltshire Councillor Philip Whitehead .Members are bound by the provisions of the Code of Conduct and are required to declare either personal or prejudicial interests; Cllrs CS & BB declared an interest under item 8(d) Village Hall and Cllr AS declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 4 application 19/10155/FUL as a neighbour to the proposed application site. 20/00002 Minutes of Parish Council Meeting 16th December 2019. The minutes were signed by the Chair as a true record. 20/00003 Adjournment. Welcome to the Public. 12 in attendance. All were attending in regard to the planning matters and so questions were taken under item 4. 20/00004 Planning Matters : To obtain statutory view of the Parish Council New Planning Applications; Application Ref: 19/11584/FUL Application for Full Planning Proposal:- Erection of new 3 bedroom dwelling on infill land to the south east of The Beeches, 2 Kings Road, with existing access at The Beeches, 2 Kings Road, Easterton, Devizes, SN10 4PS A neighbouring parishioner had engaged a consultant to review this planning application on his behalf and informed the Parish Council that permission had previously been granted in 2008 and 2011 (and lapsed) for what he believed a similar sized 3 bedroomed property at this location. He therefore acknowledged a precedent in favour of the application but of course he would rather the land was kept as a garden. Cllrs discussed that the proposal was big for the size of plot and no details on drainage. Unanimously resolved; The Parish Council understands that there was a previous application at this address granted in 2008 and again in 2011, which has now lapsed hence the new application. The Parish Council is minded to have no objections to this proposal (bearing in mind the past planning history) as long as the proposal is of the same size and density of the past permission. It does emphasis however that the proposal is large for the plot and should not exceed a 3 bedroomed property. It was also noted that no details were given for drainage. Action: Clerk to inform Wiltshire Council Clerk 2. Application Ref; 19/11921/OUT Application for Outline Planning; Proposal:- Outline application with some matters reserved for the proposed erection of 4 no. self/custom build dwellings and associated works at Land at, The Clay, Easterton, SN10 4PB Charlotte Watkins (CW), consultant for the Applicant Mr Ford (given the opportunity for 3 min presentation as per standing orders); Govt. legal duty to identify land for custom/self-build properties, Wiltshire Council is apparently not meeting the allocation. Applicant would sign up to a legal agreement only genuine local connection wanting self-build/custom housing for the 4 plots. Site is within the village & development on road frontage only, with sheep grazing and lambing continuing on the remaining field. Not green belt land won’t affect trees, not flood zone, sewage will be dealt with bio-digesters, outside 1 conservation zone, highways statement says roads can accommodate the traffic with the proposal. There is no president set for building on agricultural land with the proposal and this is an outline application; all details on design, landscaping will be dealt with later. There is a specific need for self-build – Wiltshire does not address this, this application for 4 self/custom built meeting local demand and she asks the PC to give their approval to it. Q from Cllrs; Not green belt? CW; No Greenfield. Q2 Wiltshire strategy is for infill only in small villages such as Easterton; you state is not infill. Also not convinced on the need in the village when there are similar size properties up for sale in the village, plus the Phase 2 detached houses development at the Jam Factory (Strawberry Fields) as well as having already affordable housing on the same site. This proposed site would elongate the village; it is not infill and would change the character. CW; outside core policy 2 yes but Self build/custom is an exception to this policy. It’s a way to get people on to the ownership market cheaper than normal way. Cllr Q3; kits are around £300k plus the plot not really affordable. CW; Wiltshire have a register showing people who want to self-build, task force looking at this not meeting the present need. Sustainable, walk to amenities in the village Cllr Q4; still elongating the village not infill, no shop in Easterton, muddy bridleway to West Lavington only need to drive. 4/5 beds moving away from affordability , also car spaces for 3 cars each plot, large houses tight on the plot proposed for each. CW; Survey was in local church magazine for Easterton and West Lavington 6 interest, would agree to S106 agreement to limit local people and size of properties. Cllr Q4; gaps in ecological survey particularly for bats (bat boxes don’t work) and site acts as corridor for other invertebrates. Cllrs Q5; precedent set recent brownfield site refused CW; Every site unique and decided on its merits, emphasis this is self-build exceptional circumstances, does not encroach to next village. 5 acres left for sheep grazing. Cllr Q6; advert response not many were actually from Easterton not locals not convinced on need. Concern on water runoff impact on white street ditch and drainage, 12 additional cars impact on junction to high street as well as the clay and white street. Parishioners comments; next door owner; worried road unsuitable for more traffic, narrow country land, no facilities beyond her property, served by septic tank and private water supply, no need already got Strawberry Field development, worried about contractors traffic during construction phase. Proposal shows her private drive as a potential passing space for the new traffic. No footpaths on the Clay or White Street worried increase in traffic, difficult already, bottleneck at end of road to get onto the high street. Greenfield site, open site, 4 houses and 12 parking spaces proposed, no to any development, not a through road, only a bridleway muddy unlit beyond, traffic congestion. Field would be lost, attraction to the village, beautiful part of the village, used a lot by the community; walking, bikes, horses on the bridleway all lost. Change character of the village and its environment. There must be a better place for Self-Build in Wiltshire. Doesn’t meet the policy as dangerous road. Worried if this goes ahead, even more development will follow. Resolved 6 votes, one abstention (declared non-pecuniary interest as neighbour to application site) “To object to Planning Application 19/11921/OUT on the following grounds; a) The proposal is contrary to Wiltshire Core Policy 48 protecting rural life, precluding development in the open countryside on a green field site. b) Core Policy 2 limits housing development in a small village to “infill” within the existing built up area of the village and NOT to elongate /extend the village. The applicant itself admits that this proposal is not “infill” and is in breach of Core Policy 2. c) Easterton is classed in core policy 12 as a “small village” where under core policy 1 development is limited to that needed to help the housing needs of the settlement and to improve employment opportunities, services and facilities. The Parish Council believes no need has been demonstrated; the research undertaken is flawed, respondents are not from our immediate Parish and 6 only responded, 4 houses proposed, so assumed a 60% success rate on those that did respond will go on and buy a plot. 2 d) In addition to the lack of demonstration of need (objection c), the Parish Council highlights the Strawberry Fields housing development phase 2 currently under construction in Easterton which provides similar large scale houses and also true affordable housing is already available to prospective occupants of Easterton. e)The proposal is for 4 self or custom build houses and the applicant makes the comment that these will help local residents secure affordable or lower cost housing (than market value). The Parish Council feels that there is no demonstration of significant financial saving for prospective self or custom builders given the potential cost of the plot and the size of the dwellings proposed. f) The proposal is inappropriate and detrimental to the village environment of Easterton and will not fit into the street scene or local open landscape environment. It would change forever the rural fabric, character and enjoyment of the small village. g) Traffic proposals associated with the development are not appropriate for the condition of White Street and the Clay (proposed access route), being narrow, limited passing places (indeed the applicant has proposed existing private driveways as passing places without the permission of current owners) and the Parish Council is concerned about the additional traffic at the junction of White Street with the High Street. h)There is concern about proposed drainage and run off issues with the proposed development including impact on White Street Ditch which already suffers from erosion, blockage and is already monitored for flooding. i) The Parish Council believe there are omissions in the Ecological Appraisal undertaken in relation to bats and invertebrates and believe that this Clerk open field acts as a corridor for local wildlife which would be detrimentally affected by the proposal.