Agenda and minutes

*DM&L.15       

Apologies were received from Cllr Ric Cheadle for who Cllr Mandy Ewings substituted.

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&L.16     

 Cllr Mott declared she had received an email from the applicant of

                     application 1314/23/OPA. Some other Members had received the

 same email. 

 Cllr Ewings declared her daughter had married a person with the

 surname ‘Kneebone’ which was the same surname as the applicants

 for planning application 1314/23/OPA, but was not sure they were

 related.

To consider those items which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered by the Meeting as matters of urgency (if any). 

*DM&L.17     

 There was no urgent business brought forward to this meeting.

Meeting held on 5 September 2023

*DM&L.18     

The minutes from the Committee meeting held on 5 September 2023 were approved as a true and 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

*DM&L.19  

The Committee proceeded to consider the reports that had been prepared by the relevant Planning Officer on the following applications and considered also the comments of the Town and Parish Councils together with other representations received, which were listed within the presented agenda report and summarised below:

(a)    Application No.  1314/23/OPA   Ward: Okehampton North

Site Address: Land at SX 567 996, Inwardleigh

Development: Outline planning application (with all matters reserved apart from access) for up to four holiday units and stable block

       Recommendation: Refusal

        Key issues for Committee consideration:

•  Principle of development

•  Proven need for a countryside location

•  Proven need for holiday accommodation

•  Highways

•  Biodiversity

•  Drainage

•  Low carbon

Following the case officer’s presentation of the application and her report, in response to a statement made by the applicant in the email that had been sent to members of the Committee, the Head of Development Management explained when a Planning Officer reviews any application, the higher level strategic polices within the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan are looked at first. In the case of this application those policies identified that the application site is in a rural and unsustainable location and therefore ‘in principle’ would fail to meet the SPT policies of the Plan. The Planning Officer would then look at the TTV policies, which allocate development to certain areas and identify where development should be located, followed the DEV policies which look at the more detailed aspects of the application.

The applicant then addressed the Committee. He stated he farmed in Devon and Cornwall and ran holiday lodge accommodation a 60 day camp site. He stated that he worked with an equestrian centrein Launceston where a similar equestrian business is established. The centre approached the applicant as they are full to capacity andcannot expand on their site. Staff for the site would be sourced locally and he felt this application would benefit the local economy.

The applicant was asked when the site was last used for equestrian use and he stated it was used last year for certain events but not used for long term use for some years.

The Ward Member spoke on the application, stating that he felt the detailed policies were important and in a rural area diversification was an important consideration.

In debate, policy DEV 32 was queried. The Planning Officer clarified that the proposal was contrary to the aims of the policy rather than specific parts of the policy. It was argued by a Member that in rural areas public transport was limited. A member voiced concerns over broadband connectivity to the site and the access out on to the main road for vehicles leaving the site.

Committee Decision:  Refusal

(b) Application No.  4490/22/HHO     Ward: Tavistock South-West       

      Site Address: 58 Whitchurch Road, Tavistock PL19 9BD

      Development: Readvertisement (revised plans) Householder application for proposed demolition of single story garden room and erection of two storey extension, over cladding of existing external envelope with insulation,  ...  view the full minutes text for item *DM&L .19/23

*DM&L.20    

 The Head of Development Management took Members through an application that was dismissed at Morwell ham Dam Bungalow, Morwellham, for a holiday let. The second appeal was at Brook Barn, Milton Combe for a householder application for an extension as a replacement for an existing conservatory. This was a split decision and the Inspector agreed the extension should be dismissed but allowed the slight increase in the size of the two accesses on the basic that it had a neutral effect on the conservation area and AONB.

*DM&L.21   

There were no questions on this item.