Agenda and minutes

At its Annual Meeting, the Council had elected Councillor James Tonkin as Chairman of the Planning and Regulatory Committee for the forthcoming municipal year.

Councillor Bridger nominated Councillor Crockford-Hawley for the vacant position of Vice Chairman. 

Resolved: that Councillor Crockford-Hawley be elected as Vice Chairman of the Planning and Regulatory Committee for the Municipal Year 2021-22.

To receive submissions from any person who wishes to address the Committee.  The Chairman will select the order of the matters to be received.

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).

Given the extremely limited space in the council chamber due to ongoing social distancing requirements, those wishing to speak on an application are strongly encouraged to submit a written statement which will be read out on their behalf by an officer at the meeting.  Members of the public are advised that 400 words at normal speaking speed equate to a three minute statement. ** If you are attending in person to speak on an application, you MUST register this intent 48 hours before the meeting with the committee clerk named above.

If there is more than one person submitting a statement objecting to an application, the Chairman will invite those persons to agree on a combined statement.  In default of agreement the Chairman may select statement to be read out/person to be heard.

Requests and full statements must be submitted in writing to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, or to the officer mentioned at the top of this agenda letter, by noon two days before the meeting and the request must detail the subject matter of the address.

At the invitation of the Chairman, local resident Dr David Martin addressed the Committee speaking against the application for planning permission at land to the east of Youngwood Lane, Nailsea.

The agent for the applicant then spoke in support of the application.

At the request of the Chairman, the representative of the Assistant Director Legal and Governance read out a statement from Alder King, agent for the applicant for planning permission at B&M Bargains, The Triangle, Clevedon.  Full details had been published on the council’s website in advance of the meeting.

At the invitation of the Chairman, local resident John Cockram addressed the Committee speaking against an application for planning permission at land off Moor Lane, Yatton.

At the request of the Chairman, the representative of the Assistant Director Legal and Governance read out a statement on behalf of the applicant, Persimmon Homes.  Full details had been published on the council’s website in advance of the meeting.

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.

21 April 2021, to approve as a correct record (attached)

Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting be approved as a correct record.

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

The Director of the Place Directorate’s representative drew members’ attention to the update sheet which included additional comments from Natural England on the Habitats Regulations Assessment and an amended site layout plan submitted by the applicant.  He reported that an additional 17 letters of objection had been received and that Nailsea Town Council reiterated its objection.  He further noted an amendment to part (a) of the officer’s recommendation.

Resolved: to REFUSE the application contrary to officers’ recommendation for the following reason:

1. The proposed development lies within a Strategic Gap where the proposed development would harm the open and undeveloped character of the area, result in incremental erosion of the gap separating Nailsea and Backwell and the landscape setting of Nailsea contrary to Policy CS19 of the Core Strategy and Policy SA7 of the Site Allocations Plan.

As the application fell within Section 1 of the agenda it is held over to the next meeting for the final decision to be made.

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

The Director of the Place Directorate’s representative drew members’ attention to the update sheet which included additional information supplied by the applicant in respect of car parking spaces and the retention of trees and the location of the residential building.  He noted additional comments from the council’s Arboricultural Officer and the receipt of amended plans from the applicant.  He further noted additional third-party comments including those from The Trustees of Curzon Clevedon Community Centre for Arts and Clevedon BID and the officers’ consideration of the application of Listed Building and Conservation Area legislation.

Resolved: that the application be DEFERRED for a Committee Site Inspection and for further consideration of the application and issues.

Section 2 report of the Director of Place Directorate (attached)

The Director of the Place Directorate’s representative drew members’ attention to the update sheet which included additional information from the applicant on the Nationally Described Space Standards and the 15% carbon reduction target.  He noted the requirement for mitigation measures under the Habitat’s Regulation Assessment and the consideration given by officers to biodiversity aspects of the application.

Resolved: that the application be REFUSED contrary to recommendation for the following reason:

1. The proposed road would result in the unacceptable loss of trees, hedgerow and habitat and would have a detrimental impact on the rural character and appearance of the former orchard and rural setting of the village contrary to policies CS4 and  CS5 of the Core Strategy, policies DM9, DM10 and DM32 of the Development Management Polices Sites and Polices Plan Part 1, the North Somerset Landscape Character Area Supplementary Planning Guidance 2018 and policy SA1 of Sites and Policies Plan Part 2: Site Allocations Plan.

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

The Director of Place Directorate’s representatives reported on appeal decisions and appeals that had been lodged since the date of the last meeting.  He noted the pressure on the service as a result of the number of appeals and enforcement requests.

He further noted the arrangements for the Bristol Airport Planning Inquiry.

Resolved: that the report be noted.