Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Area South Committee held on 25^th June 2019, 18^th Dec 2019, 4^th March 2020 and 5^th October 2022.  The draft minutes can be viewed at:

https://modgov.southsomerset.gov.uk/ieDocHome.aspx?bcr=1

The minutes of the Area South Committee held on 25^th June 2019, 18^th Dec 2019, 4^th March 2020 and 5^th October 2022, copies of which had been circulated, were agreed as a correct record and were signed by the Chairman.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Nicola Clark, David Recardo and Jeny Snell.

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, Tony Lock, Peter Seib and Andy Soughton.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no questions from members of the public.

The Chairman informed members that there will be a meeting held in March and will be the last meeting of Area South Committee prior to vesting day of the new Somerset Authority.

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

There were no reports from representatives on outside organisations.

Members noted the schedule of planning applications.

Proposal: Partial demolition, renovation and extension of Octagon Theatre, Yeovil.  Expansion of main auditorium from 622 to 900 seats, construction of 2no. new cinemas, dance studio and expanded foyers.  Construction of new theatrical fly-tower and expanded backstage provision.

The Planning Specialist presented the application and with the aid of slides, she proceeded to highlight the site and proposed plans including:

·         Levels and access to the building.

·         Various elevations.

·         Highlighted the fly tower extension.

·         Location of trees, tree removal plans and those trees to be retained.

·         Proposed landscape plan.

·         Heritage impact on the listed buildings of Hendford Manor and the Coach House along with the conservation area.

·         Illustrative plans of the proposed building and outside areas.

·         Proposed drainage plan including surface water drainage and location of proposed attenuation tanks. She confirmed that discussions were on-going with the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) and that subject to agreement to the revised drainage strategy the details of this could be dealt with by condition.

The Planning Specialist presented the key considerations and comments in summarised form were:

·         Principle of Development – Yeovil is the strategic town as allocated in the Local Plan with development identified for leisure and cultural and therefore supported by Local Plan Policy.

·         Landscape and Trees – Initial concerns were raised regarding the detail of tree protection and landscaping scheme, however following further discussion and additional information the council’s tree officer is now satisfied subject to the relevant conditions.

·         Heritage Impact – Acknowledge there is some impact but consider it to be less than substantial and with considerable public benefit is acceptable and therefore outweighs any harm.  She noted the improved landscaping and the removal of parking and that the proposed mitigation suggested by Historic England could not be provided where this was not in the control or ownership of the applicant.  

·         Access and Parking – No objections have been raised by the Highways Authority with the adjacent Petters Way car park and with several other car parks in close proximity believe to be acceptable.  As requested by the Highway Authority a travel plan will be implemented and controlled with a legal agreement if required.

·         Drainage – Reiterated her comments regarding discussions with the LLFA and the intention that drainage details can be dealt with by condition.

Referring to the slides she proceeded to clarify that her recommendation was to approve the application subject to:

·         The completion of suitable legal agreement to secure the detail and implementation of the Travel Plan for the site, if required and necessary given the timing of the forthcoming Unitary Authority.

·         Agreement of the drainage strategy and suitable conditions in agreement with the LLFA.

And with the conditions as set out in the agenda report with amendments to the following conditions following the tree officers’ comments:

·         Delete landscape plan from list as stated in condition 2.

·         Revised wording within condition 4.

·         Revised wording within condition 5 and 6.

In response to members’ questions the Planning Specialist and Lead Specialist, Planning clarified:

·         Exact curtilage of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

The Case Officer, Strategy and Commissioning informed members of an additional report would be brought to the March meeting regarding the Welcome to Yeovil Signs.  There were no other updates.

Members noted the report.

Members noted the planning appeals.