Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the Area South Committee held on 3^rd January 2018 copies of which had been circulated, were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor John Field.

In accordance with the Council's current Code of Conduct (as amended 26 February 2015), which includes all the provisions relating to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI), personal and prejudicial interests, Members are asked to declare any DPI and also any personal interests (and whether or not such personal interests are also "prejudicial") in relation to any matter on the Agenda for this meeting. 

Members are reminded that they need to declare the fact that they are also a member of a County, Town or Parish Council as a Personal Interest.  Where you are also a member of Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council within South Somerset you must declare a prejudicial interest in any business on the agenda where there is a financial benefit or gain or advantage to Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council which would be at the cost or to the financial disadvantage of South Somerset District Council. 

Planning Applications Referred to the District Council’s Regulation Committee

The following members of this Committee are also members of the Council's Regulation Committee:

Councillors Peter Gubbins, Graham Oakes, David Recardo and Gina Seaton.

Where planning applications are referred by this Committee to the Regulation Committee for determination, Members of the Regulation Committee can participate and vote on these items at the Area Committee and at Regulation Committee. In these cases the Council's decision-making process is not complete until the application is determined by the Regulation Committee.  Members of the Regulation Committee retain an open mind and will not finalise their position until the Regulation Committee.  They will also consider the matter at Regulation Committee as Members of that Committee and not as representatives of the Area Committee.

Councillor Andy Kendall declared a personal interest in Item 12 Planning Application 17/04679/FUL as he had been involved in the project leading to the submission of the application.

There were no questions from members of the public.

The Chairman informed members of the Yeovil Refresh launch to be held in the Quedam Shopping Centre on 2^nd and 3^rd March 2018 between 12.00 – 2.00pm. 

He also suggested that following the Transformation briefing held before today’s committee a further briefing be arranged after the next Area South Committee in order that all members have the opportunity to attend.  Further discussions will take place with the Transformation team and members will be informed accordingly.

This is an opportunity for Members who represent the Council on outside organisations to report items of interest to the Committee.

Councillor John Clark told members that following the conditional award of £50,000 for the Westfield Community Hall from the Big Lottery, pledges had also been made from Yarlington Housing Group for £50,000 and £3,500 from Yeovil Without Parish Council.  A capital bid of £94,000 was also being taken to the next Full Council.

Richard Needs, Somerset County Council’s Service Manager – Engineering Design with the aid of slides presented members with an update of the Programme of Works.

He updated members on the personnel of the site team from both Somerset County Council and the main contractor Alun Griffiths and gave details of the Project Information Centre opened opposite Palmers Garden Centre , open Tuesdays 13.00 – 17.00 (from Dec 2017).

He appreciated it was a complex scheme and that every effort has been made to minimise congestion in the coming months.  He informed members of the progress of the works to date, including the work currently being carried out at Bluebell roundabout and the upcoming tree removal programme of works along Preston Road.

During discussion the Service Manager – Engineering Design noted the comments from members and responded to questions including:

·         Appreciate concerns regarding the upcoming tree removal scheme to take place along Preston Road, however there is a need to provide an improved footway/cycleway and that the fir trees need to be removed in order to build a retaining wall to safeguard the adjacent properties.  He acknowledged there could be a slight increase in noise levels however these properties were located at a significantly higher level than the existing highway. 

·         There may be an opportunity in liaison with the SSDC Tree Officer to discuss a future landscaping scheme to mitigate any noise from the removal of these trees once the programme of works had been completed.

·         Local consultation has been going on for some time and residents had been made fully aware of these works being carried out.

·         Appreciate concerns regarding the congestion of traffic this will cause especially as Thorne Lane is currently closed.  However due to the bird nesting season tree removal is required to be completed by the end of February and in order to minimise congestion decided on the week beginning the 12^th February as this was school half term week.

·         Once all works had been completed a review of the road islands would take place with Yeovil in Bloom to agree a replanting arrangement.

At the conclusion of the discussion it was confirmed the next quarterly update presentation be made at the May committee.  The Chairman thanked the SCC Service Manager for his presentation.

The Chairman welcomed Angela Kerr, Chief Executive Officer, Citizens Advice South Somerset to the meeting.  With the aid of a powerpoint presentation she informed members of the work and future development of Citizens Advice South Somerset.  Points mentioned during her presentation included the following:

·         Activity Statistics for 2017/18 up to end of December 2017 – approximately a similar number of clients being dealt with however the complexity of cases and length of time is changing.

·         The main client issues were around benefits and tax credits, debt and housing.

·         Comparison of the National Client Trends regarding rise in young people needing advice, online access and face to face clients and future preference for access to services.

·         Ambitions for the future – Extend outreach – weekly in every town and twice  weekly in Chard; Work more closely with health & other Advice centres; Continuing to invest in Skype bringing advice into rural communities and Focusing on priority groups.

·         Recruitment of volunteers – 35% increase in number of hours volunteers are active (average 936 month); Average number of volunteers 47; 8 interns in Training.

·         Working with various partners including to help build confidence with Mental Health clients and Legal advice.

·         Fuel Poverty advice sessions.

·         Working with Surviving Winter, Macmillan Cancer support and MS Society.

·         General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Having to renew Data Sharing with SSDC.

·         Universal Credit and issues in relation to Habitual Residency Test (HRT).

In response to questions, the Chief Executive Officer, Citizens Advice South Somerset informed members that:

·         Changes to GDPR will not have a huge impact on the service as CASS does not share information with outside organisations.  Main issue with GDPR is that data can be removed by right of individual.

·         Acknowledged that engaging schools and young people regarding financial education and personal budget sessions is a challenge. 

The Chairman thanked Angela Kerr, Chief Executive, Citizens Advice South Somerset for attending the meeting.

The Case Services Officer confirmed to members that the confidential Historic Buildings at Risk report and the Strategic Key Sites report and would be brought to the April and May committee respectively.

The Work of the Conservation Service Report would not be presented as the Council moved towards Transformation and the Yeovil Vision and Regeneration Update report be reviewed due to the position of the Yeovil Refresh project. 

(Voting: Without dissent)

Members noted the Planning Appeals.

Members noted the Schedule of Planning Applications.

The Planning Assistant presented the application as detailed in the agenda explaining it had been referred to committee due to SSDC being the applicant and the neighbourhood objections received.  With the aid of a powerpoint presentation proceeded to show the site and proposed plans. 

She referred to the two main issues for consideration being the visual impact of the floodlights and the impact the floodlights on residential amenity.   She explained that given conditions imposed on similar facilities in the district a condition is proposed to prevent operation of the floodlights for outside the hours of 0800 and 2130 hours.  She therefore concluded that for reasons set out in the agenda report the recommendation was to approve the application.

In response to members’ questions the Planning Assistant confirmed that:

·         The existing lighting columns within the site were used to light the general vicinity of the park.

·         The application has been assessed by the Council’s Environmental Protection Officer who had raised no objection regarding the illuminance levels of the proposed floodlights.

Councillor Andy Kendall, Ward member believed the proposal would enhance the use of the facilities, benefit the wider community use and promote health and well-being.

Councillor Kaysar Hussain, Ward member believed there was a clear need to support the increase use of the Multi Ball Court and Skate Park and that the light pollution would not have a significant effect on the nearby properties as they were positioned some 50 metres away.  He believed the lighting would improve the anti-social behaviour and therefore overall would support the application.

During a short discussion members expressed their full support of the application and therefore it was proposed and subsequently seconded to approve the application as per the officer’s recommendation as set out in the agenda report.  On being put to the vote this was carried by 15 votes in favour, 0 against and 1 abstention.

RESOLVED:

That application 17/03894/FUL be approved for the following reasons:

01.       The proposed development, due to its location, scale and nature, is not considered to result in any demonstrable harm to the local landscape, residential or visual amenity and therefore accords with the aims and objectives of EQ2 (General Development) of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006-2028) and the principles of the National Planning Policy Framework (2012).

SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING:

01.       The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

            Reason:  To accord with the provisions of section 91(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

02.       The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

            Location plan (scale 1:1250) and MC1-RevA

            Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning

03.       The materials to be used in the development hereby permitted shall be those as identified within the planning application form and technical information dated on the electronic file 09 January 2018 hereby approved and no other materials unless the Local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.

(This item was taken before Item 12 on the agenda)

The Area South Lead presented the application as detailed in the agenda and with the aid of a powerpoint presentation showed the site and proposed plans. 

She clarified the two main issues for consideration being the visual impact on the surrounding area and the impact the proposal would have upon the setting of the heritage asset. 

The Area South Lead referred members to the Landscape Officers’ comments who said the proposal would erode the local character and is located in an isolated area.  She also reported the Conservation Officers’ concerns who felt the current temporary form of the building would contrast with the more formal proposed building which would be harmful to the setting of the listed building and believed the siting of the polytunnel would harm the open setting of the burial ground.  She therefore concluded that for reasons set out in the agenda report the recommendation was to refuse the application.

In response to members’ questions the Area Lead South confirmed that:

·         The building is located on an open greenfield site some distance from the village.

·         The upkeep of the burial ground and its access is the responsibility of the owner and because it is listed the Council has a layer of protection to ensure its preservation.

·         There is no residential occupancy of the current building and therefore used in accordance with the uses of the land.

Helen Lazenby, the agent then addressed the committee.  She said the buildings were lawful and could be used for the foreseeable future however the applicant wished to increase the output and tidy up the overall site and building.  She said it was not practical to move elsewhere and that the building had been erected prior to the wall being listed.  She believed the proposal would enhance the visual appearance of the area and the resetting of the building away from the wall would allow for the exterior to be properly maintained.  She referred to Policy EQ3 of the Local plan stating that heritage assets should be conserved and enhanced where possible and that the surrounding fields also contained barns, stables and fencing and therefore this proposal would not be out of keeping.  She referred to the support of the Odcombe Parish Council and that there had been no local objections. 

Councillor Gina Seaton, Ward member believed the proposal would blend with the current landscape due to the numerous stables and equestrian buildings located nearby in the surrounding fields.  She believed this to be a sensible development, be in keeping with the area and should look to support this enterprise.  She noted support from Odcombe Parish Council and would therefore support the application.

Councillor Cathy Bakewell, Ward member believed the area would benefit from a tidy up and understood that the adjacent listed burial ground had not been used for a considerable time.  She felt the resetting of the building would improve the appearance of the wall and would not affect  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74.

Members noted the Items for Information.