Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: That application 18/00794/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the conditions and reasons contained in the report of the Principal Planning Officer.

Audio recording 1 hour 27 minutes 11 seconds

Change of Use of land to use as a residential caravan site for 8 gypsy families including retention of hardstanding and existing lights.

NB: Councillor Sue Ngwala re-joined the meeting at 8.50pm

Councillor David Levett notified the Committee that as he was named in some of the objections he would not take part in the debate or vote.

The Development and Conservation Manager presented the report with plans and provided the following updates:

·                Nigel Smith, Strategic Planning Manager was present to answer questions on Appendix 2 – the Matter 25 statement that related to the Local Plan;

·                Chris Braybrooke, Senior Compliance Officer was present to answer questions which might be appropriate on any enforcement matters;

·                An apology was given for the lack of photographs – the case officer was not working at the time and due to time and Covid travel restrictions the Development and Conservation Manager had not been able to travel to the site to take photographs;

·                Appendix 1 showed the Temporary Planning Permission which was granted for Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation on this site which had been allowed on appeal against an Enforcement Notice served by the Council. Five year planning permission had been granted by the Inspector to enable the resolution of the issue through the new Local Plan;

·                The Appeal Permission had expired on 8^th March 2017 so from that date this had been an unauthorised development. By 9^th March 2021, the use of land would become lawful, by virtue of the  4 year rule which is well-established in planning law for residential uses;

·                The determination of this planning application had been delayed on the basis that this site would be needed and that the Local Plan would be resolved by March 2021. Recent Local Plan hearings had revealed that the occupiers of this site may not be travellers;

·                The Council was seeking the Inspector’s agreement to modify the plan policy designation as greenbelt. This will allow the Council to regain control of the site and enable the occupants to find alternative accommodation by October 2022;

·                Should Members agree the recommendation, this strategy would negate the need for the Council to rush through an enforcement notice;

·                The alternative of an Enforcement Notice was viewed as unnecessarily adversarial.

Ms Joan Shiach thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee in objection to application 18/00794/FP.

Ms Shiach’s presentation included:

·                The following points contained in a letter from Codicote Parish Council;

·                The Parish Council continued to object to this application especially when the original appeal application allowed a temporary permission for six pitches whereas this application was indicating eight pitches;

·                The standard of living conditions on site could not be established as no site visits had been undertaken for some considerable time and none were planned in the foreseeable future;

·                The Parish Council would not want to see an increase from six to eight pitches nor for the extension period to be 18 months but would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 106