Agenda, decisions and minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 17^th July 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dave Bulmer, Sue Osborne, Garry Shortland and Anthony Vaughan.

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 Jason Baker and Sue Osborne.

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 Best, Ben Hodgson and Robin Pailthorpe declared a personal interest in Planning Application No. 18/01737/OUT – Land South of KitHill, Crewkerne as members of Crewkerne Town Council who had commented on the application.

Councillors are requested to note that the next Area West Committee meeting is scheduled to be held on Wednesday 18^th September 2019 at The Guildhall, Chard.

Councillors noted that a special meeting of the Area West Committee would take place on Tuesday 3^rd September 2019 at The Guildhall, Chard commencing at 6.00pm. 

The Area West Committee was also scheduled to meet on Wednesday 18^th September 2019 at The Guildhall, Chard commencing at 5.30pm.

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.

The Committee were addressed by the Chairman of Chard Museum.  He said that the Museum’s lease with SSDC was due for renewal in April 2021 and currently they paid £9,000pa for the lease of the building. Initial discussions with officers had indicated that the rent was likely to rise and this was of concern to the Museum.  It had been suggested that a capital asset transfer could be made so the Museum would be managed by charitable trustees in the future, or, in the event of a serious loss of money, then the Area West Committee may be able to cover this.  He concluded that this had only been a verbal discussion with officers and he would be happy to answer questions or show Councillors the work of the Museum.

The Chairman thanked the Chairman of the Chard Museum for his update. 

The Chairman reminded Members of the special meeting to be held on Tuesday 3^rd September 2019 at 6.00pm in the Guildhall, Chard.

(Voting: unanimous in favour)

The Locality Officer, Service Delivery, introduced the report for a community grant to extend the porch on the village hall at Chaffcombe and replace the fascia boards.  He introduced two representatives from the village hall committee who were attending to answer questions. He concluded that since writing his report, bats had been discovered roosting in the roof of the village hall, however, this would not affect the work to be carried out. 

Councillor Linda Vijeh, as the County Council Ward Member, said both she and the District Council Ward Member, Sue Osborne, supported the grant application.

In response to questions from Members, the Locality Officer and the representative from the village hall committee confirmed that:-

·         The work on extending the porch would be started shortly but the replacement of the fascia boards would be delayed by 2 months to allow time for the bats to leave the roofspace as they would naturally leave during colder weather.

·         The Village Hall Committee was a charity and was separate to the Parish Council.

At the conclusion of the debate, Members unanimously supported the grant of £5,455 to Chaffcombe Village Hall.

(Voting: unanimous in favour)

In response to a question, the Chairman said that the future of service reports at Area Committee meetings was being discussed at the Area Chairmens meetings and he would report the outcome of the discussions shortly.

Councillor Martin Wale advised that further funding had been made available to the DEFRA Making it Local grants scheme so applications for funding were open again.  He said that he would report the outcome when he gave his Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) report to Committee in November 2019.

Members noted the report detailing one planning appeal received and one allowed.

Members noted the schedule of planning applications to be determined by the Committee.

Proposal: Outline application for residential development of up to 150 dwellings, public open space, landscaping and associated works with access from Lang Road, Crewkerne

The Specialist – Development Management introduced the application related to a residential development on land at KitHill, Crewkerne. He advised that since writing his report, two further letter of objection had been received reiterating previous concerns on highway access and housing in the town.  He said the applicants had provided revised plans which detailed some road improvements and so two further conditions would be added to those detailed in the report.  He advised that he had requested an officer from the SCC Highway Authority be present at the meeting to answer questions, however, none were available.  They had provided a statement and he read that to the Committee regarding the access issues at Cathole Bridge Road.

The Specialist – Development Management said the main considerations were the means of access, the additional traffic generated and highway safety.  He noted that the Highway Authority had withdrawn their objections and although access and additional traffic on Cathole Bridge Road were the main issue for local residents, the application could only be refused on highway safety or a cumulative or serious traffic impact in the area.  His recommendation was to approve the application

In response to questions from Members, the Specialist – Development Management confirmed:

·         The traffic survey had been conducted over one day and it did show heavy traffic movement on Cathole Bridge Road as a well-used road.  The survey had been accepted by the Highway Authority.

·         Visibility at the Cathole Bridge road junction with the B3165 was to be improved for traffic moving westwards but not for the return heading eastwards.   

·         Minor traffic incidents on the Cathole Bridge Road were not recorded and only incidents where an ambulance was called were recorded by the Highway Authority. Consequently, the Highway Authority considered the overall impact was acceptable.

·         A full ecological report had been submitted and there were conditions to secure additional planting and other ecology measures.

·         The site was a preferred development site within the current Local Plan.

·         It was for the Highway Authority to determine the frequency of hedge cutting along Cathole Bridge Road.

The Committee were then addressed by a representative of the Town Council and three members of the public in opposition to the application.  Their comments included:-

·         The Town Council object to the development because there is a lack of infrastructure, no employment proposed and no transport links. 

·         There was only one access proposed to the site on a steep bend which could be difficult for emergency access.

·         There was only one doctor and dentist in the town and the schools were full.

·         A water pipe from Sutton Bingham reservoir crossed the site and because of this it was understood the site would never be developed.

·         The traffic survey was supposed to be conducted at 3 junctions along Cathole Bridge Road but I only saw one person who only stayed until 6.00pm.

·         The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 195.