Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and authorise the Chairman to sign the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 23 September 2015;

DM.33/15       

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 23 September 2015 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members are invited to declare any personal or disclosable pecuniary interests, including the nature and extent of such interests they may have in any items to be considered at this meeting;

DM.34/15       

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

The Chairman declared a personal interest on behalf of all Committee Members in application 37/2548/14/O:  Outline application (with some matters reserved) for mixed use development of 70 dwellings, allotments, community facility, recreation and employment land – SX 5670 4944, West of Collaton Park, Newton Ferrers by virtue of the applicant being an Honorary Alderman of the Council.  Members remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote thereon; 

Cllr Steer declared a further reason for his personal interest in this application by virtue of knowing the applicant’s son through his work as a land agent.  He remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote thereon;

Cllr Hitchins declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in application 58/1014/15/F:  Redevelopment of site to provide replacement public house and restaurant and 10 no. holiday units with owner’s apartment.  Construction of 6no. 2 bed apartments on associated land – The Eddystone Inn, Heybrook Bay, Plymouth by virtue of having commercial dealings with the applicant’s relatives and knowing the objectors well.  He left the meeting for the duration of this application;

Cllrs Rowe and Cane both declared a personal interest in the following applications by virtue of being the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the South Devon AONB Partnership Committee within which the applications were sited.  They remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote on each of these applications:-

37/2548/14/O:  Outline application (with some matters reserved) for mixed use development of 70 dwellings, allotments, community facility, recreation and employment land – SX 5670 4944, West of Collaton Park, Newton Ferrers;

58/1014/15/F:  Redevelopment of site to provide replacement public house and restaurant and 10no. 2 holiday units with owner’s apartment.  Construction of 6no. 2 bed apartments on associated land – The Eddystone Inn, Heybrook Bay, Plymouth; and

37/1621/15/F:  Householder application for proposed erection of a garage and boat store – 3 Beacon Hill, Newton Ferrers, Plymouth.

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

DM.35/15       

The Chairman proceeded to announce that the following members of the public had registered their wish to speak at the meeting:-

·         58/1014/15/F:  Objector – Mrs Lizzie Bowman:  Supporter – Mr Mark Evans:  Parish Council Representative – Cllr Dermod Drought:  Redevelopment of site to provide replacement public house and restaurant and 10no. holiday units with owners apartment.  Construction of 6no. 2 bed apartments on associated land – The Eddystone Inn, Heybrook Bay, Plymouth;

·         14/1687/15/VAR:  Objector – Mr Chris Edwards:  Variation of condition 6 (Traffic Management Plan) and removal of condition 7 (Closure of Access) of planning consent 14/3161/14/F – Stables, Lownard Mill, Dartington;

·         37/1621/15/F:  Objector – Mrs Townley:  Supporter – Cdr Simon Hallett: Parish Council Representative – Cllr Alan Cooper:  Householder application for proposed erection of a garage and boat store – 3 Beacon Hill, Newton Ferrers, Plymouth;

·         32/1742/15/F:  Supporter – Mr Norman Brown:  Proposed siting of mobile home – Land at SX 718 489 adjacent to Robins Park Industrial Estate, South Brent Road, Loddiswell.

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.36/15       

The Planning Case Officers submitted details of the planning applications as presented in the agenda papers. 

During discussion of the planning applications, the following motions (which were in contradiction to the planning officer recommendation in the published agenda report), were PROPOSED and SECONDED and on being put to the vote were either CARRIED or LOST:-

a)      In respect of application 37/2548/14/O:  Outline application (with some matters reserved) for mixed use development of 70 dwellings, allotments, community facility, recreation and employment land – SX 5670 4944, West of Collaton Park, Newton Ferrers, the Case Officer began by reminding Members that this application had been deferred from the previous meeting (23 September, 2015, minute DM.31/15 refers) to enable further information and clarification.  The Case Officer introduced his updated report and advised Members of the key issues for consideration.  He outlined the reasons for recommending refusal of the application. 

The Lead Specialist Place and Strategy advised Members that the proposal was policy compliant as it was offering 50% affordable housing. The Case Officer added that some weight should be given to the position in respect of the five year land supply and the housing needs survey. 

During discussion, Members were advised that, if minded to approve the proposals, an additional condition for Reserved Matters application to be received within 18 months was suggested, and it was confirmed that the s106 would be drawn up on the basis of 50% affordable housing provision.  Any change to that prior to signing would require Committee approval.  It was confirmed that the affordable houses would remain affordable in perpetuity as the landowner intended to manage them.  Clarification was sought on the elements to be included in the application and at what stage they would be built out. 

Both Ward Members, whilst recognising the local objections to the application, spoke in favour of the proposal.  A number of Members thought the proposal offered a generous opportunity for affordable homes and associated elements.

It was then PROPOSED, SECONDED and on being put to the vote declared CARRIED:

‘That application 37/2548/14/O be conditionally approved’

Reasons:

Whilst paragraph 115 of the NPPF requires great weight to be given to conserving landscape and scenic beauty in National Parks, the Broads and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it was the consideration of Committee that the provisions of paragraph 116 are met in the respect that exceptional circumstances exist to justify development in the AONB, and development is considered to be in the public interest.  Specifically, need is demonstrated by the 2008 Parish Housing Needs Survey and the absence of a five year housing land supply; that no other site is available in the Parish to meet the need; that the quality of development is of a very high standard; that the site is previously developed land; and the impact on the landscape and biodiversity would be limited.  With respect to the latter point, appropriate parameters and design standards would be secured through a s106 Agreement and conditions.  ...  view the full minutes text for item DM.36/16

DM.37/15       

The COP Lead Specialist Planning advised Members of updates relating to the presented list of appeals and she and the Solicitor responded to questions.