Agenda and draft 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 58         

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

Cllr C Mott declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in application 0788/16/OPA:  Outline application for erection of 7 dwellings – Land adjacent to Station Road, Bere Ferrers by virtue of the applicant doing business with her husband.  She left the room for the duration of the debate and vote on this item;

Cllrs L J G Hockridge and T G Pearce both declared a personal interest in application 0788/16/OPA:  Outline application for erection of 7 dwellings – Land adjacent to Station Road, Bere Ferrers by virtue of knowing the applicant.  They both remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote thereon;

Cllr J Yelland declared a personal interest in application 3644/16/OPA:  Outline application with all matters reserved for the construction of three houses – land west of Willow Tree Close, Okehampton by virtue of being a member of the Town Council.  She remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote thereon;

Cllr T G Pearce also 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.

Meeting held on 7 February 2017

*P&L 59         

The Minutes of the Planning and Licensing Committee Meeting held on 7^th February 2017 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To see Letters of Representation and further supplementary information relating to any of the planning applications on the agenda, please select the following link and enter the relevant Reference number: http://westdevon.gov.uk/searchlanding

*P&L 60         

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:  0788/16/OPA Ward: Bere Ferrers

Site Address: Land adj. to Station Road, Bere Ferrers

Outline application for erection of 7 dwellings

Speakers included:  Objector – Mr Roger White:  Supporter – Mr Ed Persse:  Parish Council – Cllr Brian Lamb:  Ward Member – Cllr Musgrave

RECOMMENDATION:         That delegated authority be given to the Community of Practice Lead Development Management, in consultation with the Committee Chairman, to grant conditional planning permission subject to the signing of a section 106 Agreement

During discussion, Members noted that the application was within the AONB and outside the development boundary of the village.  The differing views of the AONB and the Landscape Officer put Members in a difficult position.  Several Members noted that the application did not meet any identified local need in terms of housing.  Members were concerned that the proposal did not follow the linear development of the village.  The emerging Neighbourhood Plan and Joint Local Plan were mentioned, although it was accepted that little weight could be given to either document at this stage.  Concerns were also raised regarding highways issues and drainage on the site.

The proposal to conditionally approve the application was PROPOSED, SECONDED and on being put to the vote, unanimously declared LOST. 

It was then PROPOSED, SECONDED and on being put to the vote unanimously declared CARRIED, that the application be refused for the following reasons:

The proposed Urban form of development in the open countryside will lead to adverse harm to the visual appearance and the character of the of AONB and, as such does not comprise sustainable development which is contrary to policies NE10 of the adopted West Devon Lical Plan, policies SP1 and SP17 of the adopted West Devon Core Strategy and paragraphs 7, 8, 14, 17 and 115 of the NPPF and polices 1 2 & 3 of the emerging JLP

COMMITTEE DECISION:  Refusal

(b)   Application No:  3644/16/OPA Ward: Okehampton North

Site Address: Land west of Willow Tree Close, Okehampton

Outline application with all matters reserved for the construction of three houses

Speakers included:  Supporter – Mr Steve Blakeman:  Ward Member – Cllr T F Leech

RECOMMENDATION:         Conditional Approval

COMMITTEE DECISION:  Conditional Approval

(c)    Application No:  3244/16/OPA Ward: Milton Ford

Site Address: Land adjacent to Ashton Court, Lamerton

Outline permission with some matters reserved for proposed erection of 5 dwellings and improvement to access

Speakers included:  Parish Council – Cllr John Edgar:  Ward Member – Cllr R E Baldwin

RECOMMENDATION:         Conditional Approval

COMMITTEE DECISION:  Conditional Approval

(d)   Application No:  1535/16/FUL Ward:  Tavistock South West

Site Address: The Poplars, Westbridge Industrial Estate, Tavistock, Devon PL198DE

Proposed development of 7 apartments

Speakers included:  Supporter – Mr Mike Williamson:  Ward Member – Cllr J Evans

RECOMMENDATION:         Conditional Approval

During  ...  view the full minutes text for item *P&L60

*P&L 61         

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

Members discussed an allowed appeal on the presented list, and were disappointed that the Inspector had come to a decision that was out of line with previous decisions. Members agreed that a letter should be directed to the Inspector, to register their concerns on this specific decision.

*P&L 62         

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