Agenda and minutes

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.

[If Councillors have any questions relating to predetermination, bias or interests in items on this Agenda, then please contact the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting]      

*P&L 33         

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

Cllr T G Pearce declared a personal interest in all applications, by virtue of being a Member of the Devon Building Control Partnership.  He remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote on each item.

Cllr P R Sanders declared a personal interest in application 2173/16/FUL: Proposed two storey detached dwelling, demolition of existing garage, alterations to existing utility and garden room, new detached double garage and reinstatement of original vehicle entrance – Bay Tree House, The Crescent, Crapstone by virtue of knowing the applicants. He remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote.

Meeting held on 18 October 2016

*P&L 34         

The Minutes of the Planning and Licensing Committee Meeting held on 18^th October 2016 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

*P&L 35         

The Committee considered the applications prepared by the Development Management Specialists and considered also the comments of Town and Parish Councils together with other representations received, which were listed within the presented agenda reports and summarised below, and RESOLVED:

(a)    Application No:  2173/16/FUL   Ward: Buckland Monachorum

Site Address: Bay Tree House, The Crescent, Crapstone PL20 7PS   

Proposed two storey detached dwelling, demolition of existing garage, alterations to existing utility and garden room, new detached double garage and reinstatement of original vehicle entrance

Speakers included:  Parish Council Representative – Cllr Cheadle

RECOMMENDATION:         Conditional Approval

COMMITTEE DECISION:    Defer for Site Inspection (confirmed by Chairman’s casting vote)

(b)Application No:  3001/16/VAR    Ward: Okehampton

Site Address: Land adjacent to 25, 26, 27, 28 & 29 Hillside Drive, Hillside Drive, Okehampton

Variation of condition number 2 of planning consent 01324/2014 to allow revisions to approved drawings

Speakers included:  Local Ward Member – Cllr Leech

RECOMMENDATION:         Conditional Approval delegated to the COP Lead Development Management in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Planning and Licensing Committee, subject to deed of variation of the section 106 Agreement

During discussion, Members noted that the application broadly resolved issues that had been raised whilst they were on site viewing an adjacent proposal.

COMMITTEE DECISION: Conditional Approval delegated to the COP Lead Development Management in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Planning and Licensing Committee, subject to deed of variation of the section 106 Agreement         

(c)          Application No:  2544/16/FUL          Ward: Okehampton North

Site Address: Land to rear of 65 Exeter Road, Okehampton, Devon EX20 1QF

Alternative proposal for construction of dwelling

Speakers included:  Supporter – Mr Steve Blakeman:  Parish Council Representative - Cllr Leech

RECOMMENDATION:         Conditional Approval

In presenting the application, the Case Officer advised that Condition 4 as shown in the presented report was no longer required.  In discussion, the height of the proposal was noted by Members, particularly in relation to the surrounding properties.  However, that the upstairs windows were skylights was also noted so there would be no consequent overlooking issues.

COMMITTEE DECISION:  Conditional Approval

Conditions:  (please refer to report for conditions in full)

·           Standard time limit

·           Build in accordance with plans

·           Removal of PD

·           Boundary treatments

·           Drainage details to be submitted/approved

·           Parking to be provided and retained

·           Landscape Scheme

·           Environmental Health condition relating to unsuspected contaminated land

*P&L 36         

The Committee received and noted the updated list of Planning Appeals including enforcement appeals.

*P&L 37         

The COP Lead Development Management presented the Performance Indicators and outlined the key information for Members consideration. 

P&L 38           

Consideration was given to a report that sought to recommend to Council amendments to the delegation of powers so that the Committee only made decisions on licences that had minimal technical input and where the basis of the determination should be quasi-judicial.

The COP Lead Environmental Health presented the report and gave a number of practical examples of the proposed amendments.  He and the Senior Specialist Environmental Health responded to questions of clarity.  Members asked that any future proposed amendments be presented as a tracked change document so that the differences between the current position and the proposed position were clear.  Some Members felt that the discussion should be postponed until such information was forthcoming and a motion was PROPOSED and SECONDED that any decision was deferred until a document was provided showing the before and after position, however, on being put to the vote this motion was LOST. 

It was then RESOLVED:

That Council be RECOMMENDED to adopt the amendments proposed to the Constitution in relation to the delegation of powers for the determination of licensing decisions, as attached at Appendix A.

P&L 39           

Consideration was given to a report that recommended to Council that the draft Taxi Driver Licensing Policy be adopted at the meeting on 6 December 2016.

The Senior Specialist Environmental Health presented the report and reminded Members of the background and consultation.  He then responded to a number of questions of clarity.  In proposing the recommendation, the Chairman added that the policy was to take affect from 1 January 2017.

It was then RESOLVED:

That Council be RECOMMENDED to adopt the Taxi Driver Licensing Policy at the meeting on 6 December 2016 to take affect from 1 January 2017.