Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Jo Boucher, Case Services Officer (Support Services) - 01935 462011  Email: jo.boucher@southsomerset.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

89.

Minutes

To approve the minutes of the previous meetings held on 16th July 2019, 3rd September 2019 and 17th September 2019. 

 

Minutes:

The minutes of the Regulation Committee meetings held on 16th July 2019 and 3rd September 2019, copies of which had been circulated, were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

90.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Adam Dance, David Recardo and William Wallace. 

 

It was noted that Councillor Mike Stanton was acting as substitute for Councillor Adam Dance.

91.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

Councillor Neil Bloomfield declared a personal interest in Agenda item 5: Planning Application 18/01917/FUL – Land off Shiremoor Hill, Merriott, as the applicant was known to him.

 

Councillor Peter Gubbins advised that he had visited the site of Planning Application 18/03298/OUT – Land rear of Public House, Broadway Road, Charlton Adam and had been directed to the site by the Chairman of the Parish Council but no discussion on the application had taken place between them.

92.

Public Question Time

Minutes:

There were no questions from members of the public present.

93.

Planning Application 18/01917/FUL - Land off Shiremoor Hill, Merriott pdf icon PDF 756 KB

Minutes:

Erection of 39 No. dwellings and associated works including access, open space, parking, landscaping and drainage infrastructure

 

The Specialist, Development Management, introduced the report and advised that the application proposed 39 dwellings on a site in the centre of Merriott.  Land to the North already had outline planning permission for 30 dwellings which was a material consideration in the determination of this application.  Part of that application included a gift of land to the Parish Council which was immediately to the North of this application site.  He advised that:-

 

·         A revised site layout had been received.

·         10 additional car parking spaces were now proposed. 

·         A landscape plan was proposed.

·         Attenuation tanks would be sited underground. 

·         The stream through the site would be culverted.

·         The applicant was Stonewater Housing and 37 of the proposed 39 houses would be affordable.

·         The principle of development on the site had been established as there was an extant outline permission and this was a Full application.

 

To address the Area West Committee’s reasons for refusal, the Specialist, Development Management advised:-

 

·         A viability report had been received with the application and because the SCC Education Service had revised their pupil education contribution from 9 to 2 as enrolment at the school roll was falling, the Valuation Office had confirmed the scheme was now fully compliant with all other contributions.

·         The application proposed an additional 9 dwellings above the number already agreed at the site and although 200 new dwellings already had planning permission in Merriott, an additional 9 was not so significant to warrant refusal.

·         Merriott was a rural settlement and Policy SS2 would normally apply but it was considered out of date because of the Council’s lack of a 5 year housing land supply.

·         The optimum number of car parking spaces for the site was 125 and the application proposed 103, however, the Highway Authority had not raised any objections to this.

·         The drainage scheme had been amended to underground attenuation tanks and it was proposed to culvert the stream as a bridge across it was not viable.

·         The Right of Way across the site would need to be diverted and a separate application to SCC would need to be made but their Rights of Way officer had not raised any objections to this. 

·         The site was not part of the County Wildlife site as this was further to the West.

 

In response to questions from Members, the Specialist, Development Management advised:-

 

·         The local Flood Authority were satisfied with the proposed attenuation tanks and culverting of the stream.

·         SCC had increased their assessment of the number of children per household but the school roll showed a reduction in pupils.

·         A Housing Needs Assessment had been conducted in the village 2 years previously and it did reveal some demand for housing but there was also a district wide demand.

·         Existing development sites within the village included Church Street, Moorlands and Tail Mill – some were complete and some not yet started.

·         Ringfencing the affordable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 93.

94.

Planning Application 18/03298/OUT - Land rear of Public House, Broadway Road, Charlton Adam pdf icon PDF 677 KB

Minutes:

Outline application for residential development of up to 24 No. dwellings, access via the existing Fox and Hounds Public House access, provision of orchard, public open space and associated infrastructure.

 

The Lead Specialist, Development Management, introduced the report in the absence of the case officer.  He advised the application was for outline permission for 24 dwellings with access through the car park of the Fox and Hounds public house.  A late representation had been received from the Chair of Governors of the Charlton Mackrell primary school stating that they were operating below their capacity of 90 pupils and so the school welcomed appropriate developments which attract families to the area.  He noted that an additional condition was proposed to phase works to allow footpath links to existing rights of way.  He advised that:-

 

·         The site was 2.5ha in size and to the east of Charlton Adam.

·         The Parish Council had made reference to the linear form of development in Charlton Adam however, this had been breached by developments at Withyhayes Road and Neville Close.

·         The field to the north of the site had planning permission for 8 dwellings approved in 2017 – 2019.

·         The site was remote from the conservation area and heritage assets within the village.

·         A previous application in 2016 at the site was refused permission because of vehicle access but this had been changed to access through the public house car park.

·         There was a proposed pedestrian access to a forecourt area to provide a link to the village.

·         The application was for outline permission and so all details relating to layout and design were for later determination.

·         The hedgerow boundaries and trees were conditioned to be protected.

·         There was a visibility splay of 43m either side of the access and the application was supported by the SCC Highway Authority.

·         All policies of the Local Plan were complied with.

·         The lack of a 5 year housing land supply and the lack of technical objections meant that presumption was in favour of the development.

·         35% affordable housing would be provided and contributions would be made towards education and sports/leisure in the area.

·         Flooding and drainage were a concern for Area East Committee and so representatives of Wessex Water were present at the meeting.

·         There had been a significant number of representations received but the weight of objection could not be a reason for refusal.  There must be clear planning reasons to refuse.

·         The reasons for refusal put forward by Area East Committee were addressed in the report and officers from Wessex Water and SCC Highways were present.

 

In response to questions from Members, the representative from Wessex Water and the Lead Specialist, Development Management advised:-

 

·         Non-return valves were usually installed in properties lower than the sewerage system or where deemed necessary.

·         There were over 1,200 overflows in the Wessex Water area which were permitted by the Environment Agency to protect properties from sewer flooding.  Details of how often this occurred was published on their website.

·         Wessex Water could  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94.

95.

Date of Next Meeting

The next scheduled meeting of the Regulation Committee will be held on Tuesday 19th November 2019 at 10.00am. However this meeting will only take place if there is business to conduct.

 

Post meeting note: An additional special meeting of the Regulation Committee has been arranged for 29th October 2019.

 

 

 

Minutes:

Members noted that an additional special meeting of the Regulation Committee had been arranged for 9.30am on Tuesday 29th October 2019 in the Council Chamber, Brympton Way, Yeovil.

 

It was noted that the next scheduled meeting of the Regulation Committee would be held on Tuesday 19th November 2019 at 10.00am. However this meeting would only take place if there was business to conduct.