Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 26 September 2023

The minutes of the Planning Committee held on 26 September 2023 were confirmed as a true record.

Guidance is available online to Councillors and co-opted members on making declarations of interest

Minute 78. 22/1973/MOUT (Major) OTTERY ST MARY

In accordance with the code of good practice for Councillors and Officers dealing with planning matters as set out in the constitution the Chair on behalf of the Committee advised lobbying in respect of this application.

Minute 84. 22/2838/MOUT (Major) WOODBURY & LYMPSTONE

In accordance with the code of good practice for Councillors and Officers dealing with planning matters as set out in the constitution the Chair on behalf of the Committee advised lobbying in respect of this application.

Non-Committee Members

Minute 78. 22/1973/MOUT (Major) OTTERY ST MARY

In accordance with the code of good practice for Councillors and Officers dealing with planning matters as set out in the constitution Councillors Bethany Collins, Peter Faithfull, Vicky Johns and Devon County Councillor Jess Bailey advised lobbying in respect of this application.

Minute 81. 23/0851/FUL (Minor) BUDLEIGH AND RALEIGH.

Councillor Geoff Jung, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Member of Pebblebed Heath Nature Reserve.

Minute 82. 23/0852/FUL (Minor) BUDLEIGH AND RALEIGH.

Councillor Geoff Jung, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Member of Pebblebed Heath Nature Reserve.

Minute 83. 23/0868/FUL (Minor) BUDLEIGH AND RALEIGH.

Councillor Geoff Jung, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Member of Pebblebed Heath Nature Reserve.

Information on matters of urgency is available online

There were none.

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including press) have been excluded. There are no items that officers recommend should be dealt with in this way.

There were none.

Update from the Development Manager

The Committee noted the planning appeals statistics report setting out the appeal decisions, of which both had been dismissed.  The Development Manager drew Members attention to the current appeals in progress, paying attention to two Inquiries.  The first related to a solar farm at land at Marsh Green Farm in which Members noted the Inquiry had now closed and a decision was awaited.  The second appeal related to the installation of a battery energy storage system at Pound Road BESS, Hawkchurch and Members noted that the Inquiry had been adjourned, reconvening at the end of October 2023 for two further days.

The report provided a summary of house building monitoring information to the year ending 31 March 2023 and updated Members on the current five-year housing land supply position.

RESOLVED:

The Planning Committee noted that the district five-year housing land supply position shows a shortfall resulting in an on-going need to apply the tilted balance and to give significant weight to bolstering the housing land supply position when taking decisions.

Land East of Sidmouth Road, Ottery St Mary.

Applicant:

ALD Developments (Mr A Davis).

Location:

Land east of Sidmouth Road, Ottery St Mary.

Proposal:

Outline application with some matters reserved (access) for the residential development of up to 63 dwellings and associated infrastructure.

RESOLVED:

Refused contrary to officer recommendation.

Members considered that the proposed development would have an overwhelming impact on the character and appearance of the area and would result on the loss of grade II agricultural land and was contrary to Strategy 7 (Development in the Countryside); Policy D1 (Design and Distinctiveness); Strategy 46 (Landscape Conservation Enhancement); Policy EN13 (Development on High Quality Agricultural Land) and NP1 (Development in the Countryside) of the Ottery St Mary Neighbourhood Plan.

The Development Manager advised that there is currently no mechanism submitted to secure the necessary delivery of affordable housing, open space and healthcare provision and a contribution towards mitigation measures to inspect of the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Special Area of Conservation and as such this should be a further reason for refusal.

Land North Of Eastfield, West Hill.

Applicant:

Blue Cedar Homes.

Location:

Land north of Eastfield, West Hill.

Proposal:

Erection of up to 30 dwellings with all matters reserved apart from means of access.

RESOLVED:

1.          The Appropriate Assessment be adopted.

2.          Approve as per officer recommendation, subject to:

                       i.          The inclusion of an additional condition requiring the provision of a footpath to the adjacent land.

                     ii.          The completion of a S106 agreement to ensure that the footpath is made available for use by members of the general public (to prevent the creation of a ransom strip).

                    iii.          A slight change to the wording of Condition 1 to read:

Application for approval of all the reserved matter shall be made to the Local Planning Authority before the expiration of one year from the date of this permission.

Warren View Sports Ground, Halsdon Avenue, Exmouth, EX8 3DH.

Applicant:

Mr N James (Exmouth Youth Football Club).

Location:

Warren View Sports Ground, Halsdon Avenue, Exmouth, EX8 3DH.

Proposal:

Engineering operations for playing pitch improvement works including raising and levelling of surface.

RESOLVED:

Approved with conditions as per officer recommendation plus an extra condition requiring the provision and agreement of a Construction Management Plan to include details of the route for construction traffic.

Model Airfield Car Park, Bicton Common, Yettington.

Applicant:

Mr Neil Harris (East Devon District Council).

Location:

Bicton Common, Yettington Model Airfield Car Park, Grid Reference SY 03771 86378

Proposal:

Installation of new tarmac entrance, layout changes, vehicle barriers and alterations to boundary treatments.

RESOLVED:

Approved with conditions as per officer recommendation.

Uphams Car Park, Yettington.

Applicant:

Mr Neil Harris (East Devon District Council)

Location:

Uphams Car Park, Yettington.

Proposal:

Installation of new tarmac entrance, layout changes, vehicle barriers and alterations to boundary treatments.

RESOLVED:

Approved with conditions as per officer recommendation.

Wheathill Plantation Car Park, East Budleigh.

Applicant:

Mr Neil Harris (East Devon District Council).

Location:

Wheathill Plantation Car Park, East Budleigh, Grid Reference SY 04062 84763.

Proposal:

Improvements to the car park.  The improvements include provision of a new tarmac entrance, layout changes within the existing car park extents, expansion of the car park area to the southern side, the provision of new signage, vehicular barriers and boundary treatments in the form of logs, wooden posts or earth bunds.

RESOLVED:

Approved with conditions as per officer recommendation.

Land To South Broadway, Woodbury.

Applicant:

Hayes Grange LLP.

Location:

Land to South Broadway.

Proposal:

Outline application for the construction of up to 70 residential units including open space, affordable housing and offsite highway works (all matters reserved except for access).

RESOLVED:

Deferred to allows officers to consult further with the Environment Agency and South West Water to obtain comments about whether they are concerned with the increased pollution of the Exe Estuary and whether they raise any objections to the proposal.

Land East Of Antiques Complex/Harriers Court Industrial Estate, Long Lane, Rockbeare.

Applicant:

Mr James Dickson.

Location:

Land east of Antiques Complex/Harriers Court Industrial Estate, Long Lane, Rockbeare.

Proposal:

Outline application for the erection of HVDC Converter Station and associated infrastructure with all matters reserved.

RESOLVED:

Approved with conditions as per officer recommendation but with condition requiring details of bridges removed.

Land North Of Railway, Whimple.

Applicant:

Ms & Mr V & C Kendrew & Pring.

Location:

Land north of Railway, Whimple.

Proposal:

Conversion of existing building from barn into dwelling.

RESOLVED:

Approved with conditions as per officer recommendation.

Fosse Way Court, Seaton, EX12 2LP.

Applicant:

Mr Erwin Davis.

Location:

Fosse Way Court, Seaton, EX12 2LP.

Proposal:

Variation of Condition 4b (working hours) of application 14/0187/MFUL (Refurbishment and extension of existing apartment blocks (including additional levels) and construction of new link apartment block to provide an additional 30 residential apartments and additional parking provision) to read: ‘no construction or demolition works shall be carried out or deliveries received outside of the following hours: 7:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday and 8:00am to 1:00pm on Saturdays and not on Sundays and public holidays.

RESOLVED:

Refused as per officer recommendation.