Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: That application 18/01502/OP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the reasons set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager, with an amendment to Condition 9 to read:

“Prior to the commencement of development, a development and infrastructure phasing plan is to be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA  which must be agreed with the Local Authority in consultation with Thames Water.  This plan is to set out the measures / works required to ensure that the local infrastructure has the capacity to serve the development and to allow the development to be occupied.  Where a development and infrastructure phasing plan is agreed no occupation shall take place other than in accordance with the agreed development and infrastructure phasing plan.

Reason: Sewage Treatment Upgrades are likely to be required to accommodate the proposed development. Any upgrade works identified will be necessary in order to avoid sewage flooding and/or potential pollution incidents.”

Audio recording – 6 minutes 18 seconds

The Acting Development and Conservation Manager advised of the following updates:

·         Three late letters had been received and circulated to Members ahead of the meeting.

·         HCC Growth and Infrastructure Team had requested that monitoring fees be included as well as the Section 106 contributions, following a change in their guidance. They had also requested that the fire hydrants be included as a condition for this application, and this now formed Condition 25.

·         Councillor Hill maintained her objection to the application.

·         Barkway Parish Council had continued their objection to the application. The response from the Planning Officer to the Parish Council regarding their additional conditions proposed had been published and the Planning Officer had offered support to three of these additional proposals.

Councillor Tony Hunter advised that due to comments made during the Local Plan process he was predetermined on this item and would therefore speak as a Member Advocate before leaving the Chamber for the remainder of the item.

The Acting Development and Conservation Manager presented the report in respect of application 18/01502/OP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

(At this point of the meeting Councillor Phil Weeder entered the Chamber at 19.48)

The Chair invited Ms Jacqueline Veater and Ms Aimee Cannon to speak against the item.

Ms Veater thanked the Chair for the opportunity to speak and provided the Committee with a verbal presentation, including:

·         Objections to the development had come from all areas.

·         The new development of housing will remain remote from the village in the near future.

·         The Parish Council would support the District Council if the application was refused permission.

·         The village was at risk of becoming nothing more than a housing estate, with limited employment opportunities.

·         The 140 homes proposed would make a minimal contribution to the housing supply in the district.

·         There were amendments to the Levelling Up Bill which aimed to commit developers to offset pollution caused to environments, but the phased sewage plant scheme for this development is not enough to protect the River Quinn.

·         Requested that the sewage plant condition be amended to require an upgrade to the sewage plant before commencement of the development.

·         Requested additional wording to Condition 19 to ease parking and traffic congestion around the site.

·         Further exploration of the proposed shop is required.

·         The application should be refused as an inappropriate and unsustainable development.

Ms Cannon thanked the Chair for the opportunity to speak and provided the Committee with a verbal presentation, including:

·         Newsells Park Stud farm remain of the view that this development is not suitable, but request measures are put in place to mitigate against harm if permission is granted.

·         The parameters needed setting at this stage of the application.

·         No noise assessment has been made as part of the application and an acoustic fence should be required around the boundaries of the site and this should be in place before development

·         There should be no development until the mature landscaping around  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36