Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to this face-to-face meeting of the Planning & Regulatory Committee in the New Council Chamber.

He explained the new arrangements in place for speaking on planning applications under Standing Order 17A, with speakers to be invited to address the committee immediately before an application rather than at the start of the meeting.

The Chairman then introduced those officers present at the meeting.

Please note that following changes to SO17A, public speaking about applications for planning permission will be at the start of relevant agenda items rather than at the start of the meeting.  Time limits and notification deadlines remain unchanged, as set out below.

To receive and hear any person who wishes to address the Committee. The Chairman will select the order of the matters to be heard. Each speaker will be limited to a period of five minutes for public participation on non-planning matters (up to a maximum of 30 minutes) and three minutes for the applicant/supporters and three minutes for objectors on a planning application (up to a maximum of 30 minutes).

If there is more than one person wishing to object to an application, the Chairman will invite those persons to agree a spokesperson among themselves. In default of agreement the Chairman may select one person to speak.

Requests to speak must be submitted in writing to the Assistant Director Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer, or to the officer mentioned at the top of this agenda letter, by noon on the day before the meeting and the request must detail the subject matter of the address.

Please ensure that any submissions meet the required time limits and can be read out in five minutes for public participation on non-planning matters (up to a maximum of 30 minutes) and three minutes for applicant/supporter statements and three minutes for objector statements on a planning application (up to a maximum of 30 minutes). Members of the public are advised that 400 words at normal speaking speed equate to a three minute statement.

It was noted there were no speakers under Standing Order 17.

Resolved: that Standing Order 17A be suspended under Standing Order 40 to allow for four speakers to address the Committee in support of the application and four speakers against, with each speaker limited to three minutes.

A Member must declare any disclosable pecuniary interest where it relates to any matter being considered at the meeting. A declaration of a disclosable pecuniary interest should indicate the interest and the agenda item to which it relates. A Member is not permitted to participate in this agenda item by law and should immediately leave the meeting before the start of any debate.

If the Member leaves the meeting in respect of a declaration, he or she should ensure that the Chairman is aware of this before he or she leaves to enable their exit from the meeting to be recorded in the minutes in accordance with Standing Order 37.

None

22 February 2023 to approve as a correct record (attached)

Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting dated 22 February 2023 be approved as a correct record.

Construction of a 3.3km single carriageway road from the A371 Summer Lane

to A368 Towerhead Road, including a 3m shared use path to Sandford, one

bridge, ten culverts, associated infrastructure, and landscaping. Construction

of a 0.63km (including junction link to Banwell Bypass) single carriageway

 Southern Link Road, including associated infrastructure and landscaping.

Mitigation and enhancement measures, which consist of environmental

mitigation and enhancement measures in connection with the Banwell Bypass

and the Southern Link including flood compensation areas, planting and

habitat creation, attenuation basins, associated infrastructure and

landscaping. Placemaking improvements within Banwell, comprising

mitigation and enhancement measures to the public realm. Active travel

routes including works to footpaths, cycleways and bridleways. Improvements

 to the wider local road network in Sandford, Churchill, Locking and

Winscombe and creation of shared use paths between Sandford and Churchill

and Langford and Churchill 

Section 1 report of the Director of Place Directorate (attached)

Construction of a 3.3km single carriageway road from the A371 Summer Lane to A368 Towerhead Road, including a 3m shared use path to Sandford, one bridge, ten culverts, associated infrastructure, and landscaping. Construction of a 0.63km (including junction link to Banwell Bypass) single carriageway Southern Link Road, including associated infrastructure and landscaping. Mitigation and enhancement measures, which consist of environmental mitigation and enhancement measures in connection with the Banwell Bypass and the Southern Link including flood compensation areas, planting and habitat creation, attenuation basins, replacement playing fields at Banwell Football Club, associated infrastructure and landscaping. Placemaking improvements within Banwell, comprising mitigation and enhancement measures to the public realm. Demolition of a wall at 25 Castle Hill. Active travel routes including works to footpaths, cycleways and bridleways. Improvements to the wider local road network in Sandford, Churchill, Locking and Winscombe and creation of shared use paths between Sandford and Churchill and Langford and Churchill

The Committee’s proceedings with Standing Order 17A suspended then followed.  The speakers listed below addressed the meeting:-

Speakers against the application

    1. Cllr Tom Nicholson, Parish Councillor, Winscombe & Sandford Parish

        Council, Banwell Bypass Working Group

    2. Cllr Archie Forbes, Chair, Winscombe & Sandford Parish Council

    3. Simon Hegarty, local resident, Churchill

    4. Philip Hale, local resident - registered to speak but was unable to attend at

       the last minute

Speakers for the application

    1. Allan Pitt, ARUP,on behalf of the Applicant (Banwell Bypass ProjectTeam)

    2. Cllr Paul Blatchford, Chair, Banwell Parish Council

    3. Steve Voller, local resident

    4. David Eddins, Mendip Activity Centre

The Chairman thanked the speakers for their addresses.

_____________________________________________

At the conclusion of public speaking the Committee’s proceedings under the provisions of Standing Orders then resumed.

The Director of Place’s representative presented the report.  He also drew attention to the Update Sheet published the previous day which made reference to further representations about The Old Police House. He explained the Public Sector Equality Duty including reference to the requirement to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and advance equality of opportunity.   He confirmed that both the applicant and the local planning authority had taken the equality duty into account and these issues would continue to be fully considered at the detailed design stages.  The impacts of the development on The Old Police House were dealt with within the main report. 

Reference was made to additional third party comments.  Two additional letters of support had been received since the report was published.  No issues were raised which had not been previously considered. 

A further email and attachments had been received from Churchill Parish Council reiterating comments previously made including concerns about the impact on surrounding villages, the volume of traffic; travel times; active travel and safety of children attending Churchill Academy.

Additional comments were also received from Natural England (NE), National Highways (NH), Historic England (HE) and Sport England. The Update Sheet referred to the fact that as the Habitats Regulation Assessment had been concluded, and National Highways  ...  view the full minutes text for item PAR 61

Section 3 report of the Director of Place Directorate (attached)

The Director of Place Directorate’s representative reported on appeal decisions and appeals that had been lodged since the date of the last meeting. 

Resolved: that the report be noted.

For a matter to be considered as an urgent item, the following question must be addressed: “What harm to the public interest would flow from leaving it until the next meeting?” If harm can be demonstrated, then it is open to the Chairman to rule that it be considered as urgent. Otherwise the matter cannot be considered urgent within the statutory provisions.

None