Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 15^th March 2017, copies of which had been circulated, were taken as read, and having been approved were signed as a correct record of the proceedings.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Paul Maxwell and Martin Wale.

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 Mike Best, Sue Osborne and Angie Singleton

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.

Councillors are requested to note that the next Area West Committee meeting is scheduled to be held on 17^th May 2017 at 5.30pm at Swanmead Community School, Ilminster.

Members noted that the next meeting of the Area West Committee would be held on Wednesday 17^th May 2017 at 5.30pm at Swanmead Community School, Ilminster.

This is a chance to ask questions, make comments and raise matters of concern.

Parish/Town Councils may also wish to use this opportunity to ask for the District Council’s support on any matter of particular concern to their Parish/Town.

Anyone wishing to raise matters in relation to items on the agenda may do so at the time the item is considered.

There were no questions from members of the public.

The Chairman reported that due to the relaunch of the Chard Regeneration Scheme coupled with the One Public Estate work and the SSDC property review, all of which have occurred since last June, and the fact that the use of the Holyrood Lace Mill may change as a result of this work, it has been agreed to pause investment and the launch of the Chard Business Hub Project until the autumn. The Area Development Team will continue to promote events for businesses and the wider community to gather information about local needs and priorities.

The Economic Development Manager presented his report to the Committee which advised of the next stages in the regeneration of the town centre sites at the Boden Mill, the adjoining car parks and relevant adjacent SSDC land-holdings.  He informed members that the District Executive had agreed to commit funding the development of new options, development appraisals, scheme design and public consultation.  The District Executive had also set aside funding for 3 years of project management to drive the development programme forward. 

During his presentation, the Economic Development Manager informed members about the work undertaken to move the project forward which included the following:

·         Revised CRS Board membership which would include all Chard District Ward Members;

·         The recruitment of a Regeneration Project Manager;

·         Recruited specialist architectural design, surveying and project evaluation services through NPS Consultancy Group;

·         Consultation with the One Public Estate Programme would be maintained;

·         The Project was included in the SSDC Annual Action Plan and was part of the Transformation Programme;

·         The Chief Executive would maintain a strategic overview of the Project.

The Economic Development Manager responded to questions from members which included the following:

·         There would be every opportunity for the Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders to have an input.

·         The Chief Executive advised that regeneration in Chard was important but it was also important to take more of a commercial approach and produce a scheme that would pay back over a period of time;

·         Public consultation was anticipated to take place in August;

·         The Assistant Director (Communities) confirmed that the funding allocated for the Chard Business Hub would be returned to the Area West Capital reserve if it was no longer required;

·         Public Transport would be addressed as part of the scheme.

The Chairman thanked the Economic Development Manager for his report.

The Housing and Welfare Manager introduced her report.  She informed members that there were over 8000 applicants on the Homefinder Somerset Register and that approximately 2050 of these were in South Somerset. She further advised that there had been a decrease in the number of Gold applicants since the introduction of revised policy.

She referred members to the figures for households on the Homefinder Somerset Register expressing their first choice of location for Area West and explained that the highest demand was in Chard, Ilminster and Crewkerne.  The figures gave a snapshot in time and were not the only way of assessing housing need especially in rural areas.  Members were informed that there was a decrease in the number of properties let across the district due to less new builds and less transfers of social housing tenants.

The Housing and Welfare Manager explained that the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Bill would have implications for the Council and its residents and highlighted that more pro-active help would be available to try and resolve homelessness.

Members were invited to attend a briefing session being held on 22^nd May at 9.30am at Westlands Entertainment Venue on the Homelessness Reduction Bill and Universal Credit. (Post meeting note: Since the announcement of the General Election, this briefing has been cancelled)

The Housing and Welfare Manager responded to questions from members.

The Chairman thanked the Housing and Welfare Manager for her report.

The Community Health and Leisure Manager presented the agenda report, which provided members with an update on the work of the Community Health and Leisure Service.  With the aid of a powerpoint presentation she highlighted the following key points:

·         Summary of the key achievements for each delivery area in the last 12 months across the district:

-       Transforming playspaces and expanding access to youth facilities

-       Innovative leisure opportunities in areas of need

-       Supporting young people

-       Playdays and holiday activities enjoyed by more than 21,000 people in 2016

-       Invested £812,229 of S106 funding on 18 projects in 2016/17

-       Delivering Strategic Facilities

-       Health walks in South Somerset

-       Adapted sports taking place in 11 communities across South Somerset

·         Summary of Area West Achievements:

-       Successful play days

-       Health walks

-       CLICK into Activity project

-       In It Together courses

-       £103,000 of S106 received from Area west developments

-       Negotiations to secure land for playing pitches in Chard ongoing

-       Ongoing support for Sport Action Group (Chard Ward Members)

The Community Health and Leisure Manager highlighted that many of the projects would not have happened without the support of the Community & Leisure staff.  The service offered good value for money and had brought in £2,825,546.

The Chairman thanked the Community Health and Leisure Manager for her excellent report.

Reference was made to the agenda report, which informed members of the proposed Area West Committee Forward Plan.  The following items were suggested as items to be added to the Forward Plan:

·         Progress report on the Chard Regeneration Scheme

·         Report on progress of the LEADER Programme

·         Report on the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Members noted the schedule of planning applications to be determined as outlined in the agenda.

Application Proposal: The erection of 5 No. dwellinghouses and a block of 4 No. flats with associated vehicular access, parking, landscaping and the formation of an area equipped public open space (revised application)

The Planning Officer introduced the report and with the aid of slides and photographs summarised the details of the application.  He advised that a revised layout had been received and that replacement planting and boundary treatment was being proposed.  The Planning Officer referred to the key considerations and advised of a correction on page 28 of the report.  He confirmed that the application was seeking 100% affordable housing.  The Planning Officer’s recommendation was for approval subject to a Section 106 Planning Obligation and conditions.

In response to a member question, the Area Lead West confirmed that no correspondence had been received in response to the amended plans.

The Committee was addressed by the Agent, Shaun Travers, in support of the application.  He confirmed that nine affordable homes would be guaranteed by legal agreement and delivered by Knightstone Housing.  In response to earlier concerns, he advised that plots 1-5 had been moved further away and planting introduced.

Ward Member, Cllr. Jenny Kenton commented that as no adverse comments had been received on the amended plans and more appropriate tree planting was being proposed she was content to support the application.

It was proposed and seconded to approve the application as per the Planning Officer’s recommendation.  On being put to the vote the proposal was unanimously approved.

Application Proposal: The erection of 1 No. attached dwellinghouse and erection of extension to front of existing dwellinghouse

The Planning Officer introduced the report and with the aid of slides and photographs summarised the details of the application which was for a two storey extension to provide a 3 bedroom dwelling.  He advised that the impact on the character and appearance of the streetscene was not acceptable and was therefore recommending refusal of the application.

In response to questions from members, the Planning Officer confirmed the width of the proposed dwelling and advised that the proposed property was not within a Conservation Area.

The Agent, Mr S Sherlock advised that the proposed building was 6 metres wide and the existing building was 5.8 metres.  He concurred that the area was full of generously proportioned properties and noted that the proposed property being only slightly wider matched the existing properties on the estate. He referred to the staggering of properties on the estate and in particular two properties opposite not being consistent with the fixed building line.    

Ward Member, Cllr. Angie Singleton advised that no objections had been received from local residents or the Town Council.  She felt that the aerial view showed an open estate but was not the impression that she got when walking through the estate.  She noted that a caravan was currently located in front and did not feel that a house would be any more harmful.  She was of the opinion that the scale and siting of the development was not out of character and would add to the housing numbers for Crewkerne. 

Ward Member, Cllr. Mike Best concurred with the comments of his fellow ward member and felt that there would be plenty of space around the building and the proposal would not detract from the existing area. 

Ward Member, Cllr. Marcus Barrett also commented that the estate was not as open plan as it appeared on the aerial view.  He concurred with the views of the other ward members and agreed that the application should be approved.

During a short discussion on the application, members felt that the proposal was an acceptable form of development and there was no need to preserve the building line.

It was proposed and seconded to approve the application contrary to the Planning Officer’s recommendation for the reason suggested by the Planning Officer.

Conditions suggested by the Planning Officer and agreed with Members included the following:

Time Limit

Approved Plans

Boundary treatment

Parking spaces

Drainage measures

On being put to the vote the proposal to approve the application subject to conditions was unanimously agreed.