MINUTES of the MEETING OF THE DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

held in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, FOLLATON HOUSE, TOTNES, onWEDNESDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2024

Members in attendance * Denotes attendance Ø Denotes apologies
*	Cllr V Abbott	*	Cllr A Nix
*	Cllr G Allen (for 6(a), (b), (c) and (d) only (Minute DM.53/24 refers)	Ø	Cllr D O’Callaghan
*	Cllr L Bonham	Ø	Cllr G Pannell
*	Cllr J Carson	*	Cllr S Rake
*	Cllr J Hodgson	*	Cllr B Taylor (Vice Chairman)
*	Cllr M Long (Chairman)	*	Cllr Steele (substituting for Cllr O’Callaghan

Other Members also in attendance:

Officers in attendance and participating:

Item No:	Application No:	Officers:
All agenda items		Head of Development Management, Senior Planning Officers, Agricultural Consultation, Landscape Officer, Principal Housing Officer; IT Specialists and Senior Democratic Services Officer

DM.50/23       MINUTES

                        The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 January 2024 were confirmed as a correct record by the Committee.  Agreed

DM.51/23       DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members and officers were invited to declare any interests in the items of business to be considered and the following were made:

By virtue of being a local Ward Member, Cllr M Long advised that he would be relinquishing the Chair for application 6(d) (minute DM.53/24(d) below refers).  As a result, the Vice-Chairman chaired the meeting during consideration of this application.

Cllr L Bonham declared an Other Registerable Interest in application 3353/23/HHO (Minutes DM.53/24 (d) below refer), he knows the neighbour.  The Member remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote thereon.

DM.52/23       PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The Chairman noted the list of members of the public, Town and Parish Council representatives, and Ward Members who had registered their wish to speak at the meeting.

DM.53/23       PLANNING APPLICATIONS

The Committee considered the details of the planning applications prepared by the relevant Case Officers as presented in the agenda papers, and considered the comments of Town and Parish Councils, together with other representations received, which were listed within the presented agenda reports, and RESOLVED that:

                        6a)      1885/23/FUL             Land at SX 743 506, Woodleigh

                                                                                   Parish:  Woodleigh Parish Council                  

                        Development:  Application for a permanent agricultural workers dwelling

The Case Officer summarised the key issues, namely that:

·    Two main concerns raised following consultation.  Officers consider landscape to have been addressed however the size of the proposed dwelling continues to be of concern.

                        The Case Officer responded:

· The dwelling includes an office and meetings rooms.

· The ridge height around 7 – 7.5 metres.

· The size of an for agricultural building should be between 140 – 170 sqm of floor space. 

                        The Agricultural Consultant explained that the business should be sustainable and profitable to build and finance the property whilst still providing a living wage for the worker.  The dwelling should be commensurate to the needs of the requirements.

                        Having heard from speakers on behalf of supporters together with the Ward Councillor, Members debated the application.  During the debate, one Member felt there were serious merits being proposed and to look at the broader proposals such as bringing in students for agricultural purposes.  If a smaller proposal before us could get further applications to extend the property.  This was an opening for other farmers to improve farming and to encourage younger people into the farming community.     Another Member had concerns on the size of the dwelling and whether it could be reduced in size.  

Recommendation:             Refusal

                        Committee decision:         Delegated approval to the Head of Development Management to agree the wording in consultation Chair, Vice Chair and Cllr J Hodgson (Proposer) and Cllr A Nix (Seconder).

                        6b)      3764/23/ARM           Land at Ashford SX 677 487, Aveton Gifford

                                                                       Parish:  Bigbury

                        Development: Application for approval of all matters reserved following outline approval reference 0409/21/OPA for erection of agricultural worker’s dwelling (resubmission of 2395/23/ARM)

Case Officer Update:  The Case Officer summarised the key issues, namely that:

· Exceeds generally accepted floorspace for agricultural worker dwellings.

· Size contributes to landscape impact due to levelling works required.

· Change to topography and bulk of dwelling harmful to protected landscape.

· Size remains the same as previously refused scheme.

                        The Case Officer explained:

· There were no public footpaths in the area.

· Height of the dwelling was 4 metres above the hedge line.

                        Having heard from speakers on behalf of supporter together with the Ward Member, Members debated the application.  During the debate, Members raised concerns on the level of groundworks required and the landscape impact.  Members requested that reasons for refusal to amended as follows:

· Reason for refusal 1 to be removed.

· Reason for refusal 2 to be amended to include Members concerns on the visual impact on the wider landscape, needs to be more cut in and ridge height modified,

Recommendation:             Refusal

                        Committee decision:          Delegated refusal to the Head of Development Management to agree the wording in consultation Chair, Vice Chair and Cllr J Hodgson (Proposer) and Cllr M Long (Seconder).

                        6c)      3653/23/FUL             Pittaford Farm, Slapton, TQ7 2QG

                                                                        Parish:  Slapton

                        Development: Regularise the change of use of part of an agricultural building to a dog grooming business (sui generis use). (Retrospective and Resubmission 4272/22/FUL)

Case Officer Update:  The Case Officer summarised the key issues, namely:

· Does the use applied for require a countryside location?

· Does the use applied for require a coastal location?

· Does the use applied for result in an increase in private vehicle journeys?

· Can these journeys be mitigated through sustainable travel measures?

                        The Case Officer explained:

· Not a new building and was previously an agricultural dwelling.

· Sustainable travel was not offered as part of the solution.

                        Having heard from speakers on behalf of the supporter, Parish Council and Ward Member, Members debated the application.  During the debate, one Member raised felt this was rural diversification and felt uncomfortable with refusal.  Another Member felt this ticked a lot of positive boxes with a number of happy clients and important to support the rural economy.  Another Member felt the need to protect our coastal areas but failed to see this would have a detrimental effect on the undeveloped coast.  Some Members felt this supported the local economy and farming diversity and was in a building that already exists and would cause no harm or damage to the undeveloped coast.

Recommendation:             Refusal

                        Committee decision:          Delegated approval to the Head of Development Management to agree the wording in consultation Chair, Vice Chair and Cllr J Hodgson (Proposer) and Cllr G Allen (Seconder).

6d) 3353/23/HHO            Eastcot, Grenville Road, Salcombe, TQ8 8BJ

                                                                        Town:  Salcombe

                        Development:  Householder application to clad the top half of the front elevation with cedral cladding (Retrospective)

                        Cllr Taylor chaired this application.

Case Officer Update:  The Case Officer summarised the key issues, namely that:

· The proposed use of cedral cladding was expected have a neutral impact on the character of the existing property and surrounding area.

· The palette of materials were widely seen within the Grenville Road street scene and surrounding area.

· The localised impact on the National Landscape was neutral and acceptable within an existing residential context.

· The impact upon neighbouring amenity and adjourning property, Wisteria was acceptable.

                        Having heard from speakers on behalf of the supporter together with the Ward Member, Members debated the application.  During the debate, Members felt the applicant was future proofing their home and the street scene already has a mix of styles of properties.  The cladding was similar in colour to nearby neighbouring properties and not out of place. 

Recommendation:              Conditional Approval

                        Committee decision:          Conditional Approval

Conditions:                          1. Accordance with Plans

2. Avoidance of doubt

6e) 3650/23/FUL             Land At Sx 782 623, Symonds Drive, Dartington

                                                                        Parish:  Dartington Parish Council

                        Development:  Application for the erection of a single residential           dwelling (Affordable Discount Market)

                        Case Officer Update:  The Case Officer summarised the key issues, namely that:

· Principle of development:  Site allocated for development.  Increase from 80 to 81 dwellings (1.25% increase) was within acceptable range of allocation and makes more efficient use of the available land.

· Affordable Housing:  Additional affordable dwelling beneficial in light of the Council's declaration of Housing Crisis.

· Landscape character:  Dwelling would be read as part of the wider developed site, contained within previously approved built form.

· Ecology:  Existing biodiversity measures agreed would not be affected.  Devon hedge to southern boundary, conditions recommended regarding external lighting.

                        The Case Officer explained:

· The SPD requires 3-bedroom properties to have 2 parking spaces.                         

· Highways raised no objections.

                        Having heard from speakers on behalf of the supporter, Parish Council together with the Ward Member, Members debated the application.  During the debate, some Members felt was a good idea and something that should be pursued.  Another Member felt that the impact of accumulative development needed to be considered and whether there was a need to squeeze in another house.  Members raised the 80% affordability and felt more comfortable to approve if it was 60% affordable. 

                        The meeting was deferred to allow the applicants to look at figures.

Recommendation:             Conditional Approval subject to completion                                                                   of S106.        

                        Committee decision:          Deferred

                        6f)       4240/23/CLP             Land South of Woolwell Centre, Woolwell

                                                                        Parish:  Bickleigh

                        Development:  Certificate of lawfulness for proposed creation of a tarmac track for wheeled sports, with associated reprofiling of earth at the site to create supporting berms and features

                        Case Officer Update:  The Case Officer summarised the key issues, namely that:

· Application seeks a legal determination whether the proposal constitutes permitted development (PD).

· Planning merits of the case (and thus policies of the JLP) were not material to the determination of this type pf application.

· Consideration purely focuses on whether the proposal complied with the relevant requirements of the GPDO.

· The proposal was considered to comply with the requirements set out in the GPDO and was concluded to constitute permitted development.

                        Having heard from the Ward Member, Members debated the application.  During the debate, Members welcomed this type of facility.

Recommendation:              Certificate of Lawfulness (Proposed) Certified

                        Committee decision:          Certificate of Lawfulness (Proposed) Certified

DM.54/23       PLANNING APPEALS UPDATE

Members noted the list of appeals as outlined in the presented agenda report. 

DM.55/23       UPDATE ON UNDETERMINED MAJOR APPLICATIONS

Members noted the update on undetermined major applications as outlined in the presented agenda report.

(Meeting commenced at 10.00 am with a lunch at 13.44 pm and adjourned at 15.09 pm. Meeting concluded at 15.42 pm)

_______________

                                                                                                Chairman

Voting Analysis for Planning Applications – DM Committee 14 February 2024

Application No:	Site Address	Vote	Councillors who Voted Yes	Councillors who Voted No	Councillors who Voted Abstain	Absent
1885/23/FUL	Land at SX 743 506, Woodleigh	Approved	Cllrs Abbott, Allen, Carson, Hodgson, Nix, Rake, Steele and Taylor (8)	Cllrs Bonham and Long (2)		Cllrs O’Callaghan and Pannell (2)
3764/23/ARM	Land at Ashford SX 677 487, Aveton Gifford	Refused	Cllrs Abbott, Allen, Bonham, Hodgson, Long, Nix and Steele (7)	Cllr Taylor (1)	Cllrs Carson and Rake (2)	Cllrs O’Callaghan and Pannell (2)
3653/23/FUL	Pittaford Farm, Slapton, TQ7 2QG	Approved	Cllrs Abbott, Allen, Bonham, Carson, Hodgson, Nix and Rake (7)		Cllrs Long, Steele and Taylor (3)	Cllrs O’Callaghan and Pannell (2)
3353/23/HHO	Eastcot, Grenville Road, Salcombe, TQ8 8BJ	Conditional Approval	Cllrs Abbott, Allen, Bonham, Carson, Hodgson, Nix, Rake, Steele and Taylor (9)	Cllr Long (1)		Cllrs O’Callaghan and Pannell (2)
3650/23/FUL	Land At Sx 782 623, Symonds Drive, Dartington	Deferred	Cllrs Bonham, Carson, Hodgson, Long, Nix, Rake, Steele and Taylor (8)		Cllr Abbott (1)	Cllrs Allen, O’Callaghan and Pannell (3)
4240/23/CLP	Land South of Woolwell Centre, Woolwell	Certificate of Lawfulness (Proposed) Certified	Cllrs Abbott, Bonham, Carson, Hodgson, Long, Nix, Rake, Steele and Taylor (9)			Cllrs Allen, O’Callaghan and Pannell (3)