Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair outlined the procedure which would be followed at the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Foster, Jackson, Jones and Towns.

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required to disclose any personal interest (which includes any disclosable pecuniary interest) they may have in any of the items included on the agenda for the meeting in accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council on 4 July 2012, and are reminded that if they have any personal interests of a prejudicial nature (as defined under paragraph 17 of the Code Conduct) they must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the room. NB Any member needing clarification must contact the monitoring officer by email at monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk. Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this agenda letter.

Councillor Wearmouth advised that the applicant had stood for political office at the last local elections and as the Chair or the Northumberland Conservative branch he was required to sign the paper for their National Office in order that the candidate could use the Conservative emblem.  He did this for every candidate selected and had no choice.  He did not know everyone he signed for considered that this was not prejudicial and he was happy to consider the application with an open mind.  Councillor Bawn advised of a similar non prejudicial situation in that the applicant had stood for election and whilst he knew him he was not a close personal friend and he had not had any discussion regarding the application.

To request the committee to decide the planning applications attached to this report using the powers delegated to it.   

Please note that printed letters of objection/support are no longer circulated with the agenda but are available on the Council’s website at  http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning.aspx 

The report requested the Committee to decide the planning applications attached to the report using the powers delegated to it.  Members were reminded of the principles which should govern their consideration of the applications, the procedure for handling representations, the requirement of conditions and the need for justifiable reasons for the granting of permission or refusal of planning applications. 

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

Variation of condition 2 of planning permission reference 18/01707/VARYCO to allow for continuation on a permanent basis of the hours of 8am to 8pm on any day when aircraft can take off, land or move around within the airfield (circuit training - which shall continue to operate between 9am and 7pm only - and emergencies excepted)

Bockenfield Aerodrome Ltd, Eshott Airfield, Felton, Morpeth, Northumberland NE65 9QJ

Variation of condition 2 of planning permission reference 18/01707/VARYCO to allow for continuation on a permanent basis of the hours of 8am to 8pm on any day when aircraft can take off, land or move around within the airfield (circuit training - which shall continue to operate between 9am and 7pm only - and emergencies excepted)

Bockenfield Aerodrome Ltd, Eshott Airfield, Felton, Morpeth, Northumberland NE65 9QJ

G Horsman, Principal Planning Officer provided an introduction to the application with the aid of a Power Point presentation.  Councillor S Dickinson arrived at 4.06 pm and in order to allow his participation in the debate on the application, Mr Horsman started his presentation from the beginning.  Updates were provided as follows:-

·       10 further letters of objection and 1 further letter of support had been received since committee report had been published.

·       New issues raised included a request that an independent aviation expert reviewed the management plan; NCC should enforce current alleged breaches; and a Noise Abatement Procedure condition should be added if permission was granted.

·       One of the letters contained further Counsel advice received by a local resident and in summary requested the following:

o   If the Committee approved the 8am – 8pm hours this must be for trail period of 12 months and must have the correct monitoring in place to assess the impact on residents.

o   The wider impacts of this application needed to be assessed for the neighbouring settlements not just the immediate properties due to the significant change in aircraft noise since the original application, ie older noisier aircraft and helicopter activity.  NCC was underestimating the level of harm to neighbouring settlements.

o   The Management Plan must be robust, clear and concise to enable NCC to take enforcement action should it not be adhered to.

o   A comprehensive circuit pattern must be put in place which avoided surrounding settlements from low overflying aircraft which NCC did have the authority to request and act upon should it not be adhered to.

o   An independent acoustic noise consultant should be appointed to assess the impact on neighbours and the surrounding settlements.

That Counsel advice on behalf of a local resident questioned the validity of the noise assessment methodology adopted by NCC Public Protection to assess the application.

Reference was also made to the committee report not fully assessing non-emergency training activities at the airfield and visits to the airfield by aircraft over the 5700kg weight limit.

Re-wording was suggested regarding proposed conditions 2 and 3 however Officers had assessed these and did not consider them to be necessary. 

·       Further comments had been received from NCC Public Protection following re-consultation regarding the change to extended hours.  Having had regard to flight data provided by the applicant and commentary in the committee report regarding this data and correspondence received from residents regarding out of hours activity, they maintained their stance of no objection. In this regard they advised that the applicant had now amended the proposed extended hours from 0700-2300 to 0800-2000. This  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

Change of use from field to construct a riding arena 22 metres x 40 metres for private use

Land North West Of Hulwane, U6003 Ulgham To Ulgham Park Junction, Ulgham, Northumberland

Change of use from field to construct a riding arena 22 metres x 40 metres for private use 

Land North West Of Hulwane, U6003 Ulgham To Ulgham Park Junction, Ulgham, Northumberland 

W Laing, Planning Officer provided an introduction to the report with the aid of a power point presentation.  He advised that there was a slight amendment to condition 3 in that …. the access shall be retained and maintained in perpetuity and condition 6 …. Clear and public access to the public right of way No 1 Footpath Ulgham ….

D Moore addressed the Committee speaking in objection to the application.  Her comments included the following:-

·       She owned the wood directly north of the application site and had right of access through the proposed site of the arena.  She was a horse owner and competitor and had never come across an arena so disassociated with its buildings and involved crossing a public right of way.

·       She questioned why the online report did not state which policies the application had been judged against stating that other arena applications seemed to be judged against the emerging Northumberland Local Plan and all fell within the curtilage of associated steadings, unlike this application.

·       She could not understand why the Officer stated that the application site was not within the Green Belt when a previous application 21010204 was and also application 1903885/FUL for the stabling stated it was within Green Belt and also map 3.2 key diagram in the Northumberland Local Plan. 

·       She highlighted and quoted from Polices ENV2 3(a); ENV3 1 (3) (iii) (v) and (vi) in the Northumberland Local Plan which had been used in other applications.  The application did not contribute positively and in fact detracted.

·       It created a stand-alone feature in a separate field abounded by an ancient hedgerow and woodland and altered the topography of the landscape in a rural environment with its rubber surface as viewed from the public footpath.

·       It would create additional pressure on the edge of Ulgham where a landowner is trying to create a caravan park. 

·       In relation to QOP1, the application did not make a positive contribution as it would alter the landform and topography and was a considerable distance from existing buildings.

·       In relation to Policy QOP2 it would result in an adverse impact on neighbours as the arena would be clearly visible from the surrounding area and from the public footpath where it dissects the site.

·       The site of the arena would be hazardous to the right of way users, footpath users and the applicant.

·       Currently there were 8 horses kept as a herd by one person and to take one away created anxiety amongst the rest.  The arena would be 100m from the stables, passing through four gates, across the vehicular right of access for her and the public footpath, both of which were entered as separate entities on her deeds.

·       An agitated 400kg horse could cause a lot of damage, and some users of the footpath have been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

For Members’ information to report the progress of planning appeals.  This is a monthly report and relates to appeals throughout all 5 Local Area Council Planning Committee areas and covers appeals of Strategic Planning Committee.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

The next meeting will be held on Monday, 8 November 2021

The next meeting which was a Planning only meeting would be held on Monday 11 October 2021 at 4.00 pm.

To consider such other business as, in the opinion of the Chair, should, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.