Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hayward Burt, Tony Capozzoli and Kevin Messenger.

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 Regulation Committee

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

Councillors Tony Capozzoli, Henry Hobhouse, Paul Rowsell, William Wallace and Colin Winder.

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.

Councillors Mike Lewis and William Wallace asked that it be noted they were also members of Somerset County Council.

The Committee were addressed by a local resident regarding Agenda item 5: Planning Applications 14/02554/OUT and 15/03942/FUL - Land at Upper Mudford, Primrose Lane, Yeovil.  He said that his evidence of a higher development value per square metre was based upon evidence from over 100 house sales on the Wyndham Park estate during 2017 and 2018 and was not a future forecast.  The District Valuer’s appraisal in 2019 did not evidence how their value was arrived at and too little was being asked of the developer towards affordable housing.  He said there was also an absence of trigger points in the development for the delivery of infrastructure and he referred to light pollution from the development and possible issues with mortgage lenders if anthrax became a known issue. 

There were no announcements from the Chairman.

14/02554/OUT: Outline planning application for up to 765 dwellings (C3); 65 bed Care Home; 2.02ha of employment land (B1); Community Building; Neighbourhood Centre comprising up to 1000m2 retail, (A1, A2,A3, A5) and a Health Centre (D1); new means of access to A359 and to Lyde Road; Master Plan layout, (roads; landscaping; drainage) and associated off site works.

15/03942/FUL: Engineering works to create two attenuation basins and a landscape buffer to support application 14/02554/OUT

Members noted the presentation made by the Senior Planning Advisor during the Area South Committee meeting, which they had all attended.  The presentation included the introduction of officers from Development Management, Environmental Health, Legal Services, SCC Highway Authority and Public Health England.  The Senior Planning Advisor emphasised that there were two planning applications to be determined with two officer recommendations.  He explained the site in detail, covering:-

• The site visit made by Members the previous week.
• The site was allocated for development in the Local Plan.
• The landscape buffers, open space and viewing corridors proposed throughout the site, including the retention of hedgerows and trees.
• The strong walking and cycling links from the site.
• Tests at the site for anthrax contamination which had all been negative.
• Historic England had expressed concern about the view from Grade 1 listed buildings in Trent but dense planting and mature trees would mask this.
• There would be some landscape impact at the ridge of the hill but this was not considered significant.

He said that since writing his report, further letters of objection from residents in Primrose Lane, Mudford, Mudford PC and local MP’s and one in support had been received and all had been replied to. 

Dr T Brookes of Public Health England outlined the possible means of contracting anthrax, the testing that had been conducted at the site which had proved negative and his conclusion that the risk of contamination was extremely low.

Councillor Charlie Hull, Ward Member for Northstone, Ivelchester and St Michael’s expressed his concern about the infrastructure needed to deliver the development and the difficulty in attracting professional and skilled personnel like school teachers and health care workers to the area.  He also referred to the recently adopted Environment Strategy which he did not feel the proposed development was in accord with. 

Councillor Paul Rowsell, Ward Member for Northstone, Ivelchester and St Michael’s said he was impressed by the information put forward by the residents and Parish Council of Mudford.  However, he felt the proposed development would blend into the town of Yeovil although he regretted its proximity to the village of Mudford.

In response to questions from Members, the Senior Planning Advisor and the professional expert officers advised:-

·         Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) would not be charged on the urban extensions, however, other community benefits like the health centre and school would be provided as part of the development.

·         The £4.8m for affordable homes was the cost to the developer and was a mix of land value and loss  ...  view the full minutes text for item 86.