Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 5 April 2023;

DM.1/23

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 5 April 2023 were confirmed as a correct record by the Committee.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct, Members are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registerable Interests and Non-Registerable Interests including the nature and extent of such interests they may have in any items to be considered at this meeting;

DM.2/23

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

Cllr D O’Callaghan declared a Personal Interest in application 6(d) (minute DM.4/23 (d)) below refers) because they are known to the applicant.  The Member remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote thereon.

Cllr S Rake declared a Personal Interest in application 6(d) (minutes DM.4/23 (d)) below refers because they are known to the applicant.  The Member left the meeting for this item and took no part in the debate or the vote.

By virtue of being a local Ward Member, Cllr M Long advised that he would be relinquishing the Chair for application 6(a) (minute DM.4/23(a) below refers).  As a result, the Vice-Chairman chaired the meeting during consideration of this application.

The Chairman to advise the Committee on any requests received from members of the public to address the meeting;

DM.3/23

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.

To see Letters of Representation and further supplementary information relating to any of the Applications on the agenda, please select the following link and enter the relevant Planning Reference number: http://apps.southhams.gov.uk/PlanningSearchMVC/

DM.4/23

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

6a)      3273/22/FUL            "Sheerwater", Devon Road, Salcombe

                                                  Town:  Salcombe

Development:  Demolition of existing dwelling and construction of new replacement dwelling including existing garage renovation and associated landscaping.

             As highlighted above (Minute DM.2/23 refers), this application was Chaired by Cllr Taylor (Vice-Chair).

             Case Officer Update:   The Case Officer summarised the key issues.  Namely that:

·           The application was submitted prior to 1 December 2022 and the enhanced requirements relating to the carbon implications of the demolition phase did not apply;

·           The proposal did not seek to increase the number of dwellings or the number of bedrooms;

·           The contemporary design had generated both criticism and praise;

·           While the decision was finely balanced, Officers did not consider that the proposal would result in significant harm so as to warrant a refusal and the application was therefore recommended for conditional approval.

             In response to questions, the Officer reported that:

·           the lobby entrance would be partly open;

·           the Salcombe Neighbourhood Plan had been in place for some time;

·           changes and improvements were being made to the parking area and would be a little bit lower in the proposed application;

·           The ridge height was slightly higher and width similar in size.

·           The applicant had removed some of the existing trees which had opened up the view of the estuary.

             Speakers were:  Objector – Chris Watkins, Supporter – Mark Evans, Parish Council – Statement read out by the Clerk, Ward Member – Cllr M Long.

             In response to questions raised, the supporter reported that:

·           there would be a mix of glazing and stone and it would be possible to be able to see partly through the upper area;

·           the design was a linear contemporary form;

·           the building would be stepped into the site following the contours similar to the current building and would retain existing wall and render that was typical for Salcombe;

·           the driveway levels did drop but not significantly;

·           they were undertaking a landscaping scheme for Officers to approve.

The Ward Member thanked Members for their attendance at the site visit earlier in the week.  This application impacted on the area and, if approved, would change the town scape and urban setting.   The Member asked that the Committee seriously look at the design, scale and massing as well as the accumulative impact on the town setting.

During the debate, some Members felt that it was hard to see whether there would be any change in public view and felt that those views would largely remain.  On viewing the application from the estuary, some Members also felt that the building did not look particularly large and was similar to other dwellings in the vicinity.  Another Member felt that the application was extraordinarily large and looked more like a  ...  view the full minutes text for item DM.4/23

DM.5/23

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

DM.5/23

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