Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dickinson and Towns.

The minutes of the meeting of the Castle Morpeth Local Area Committee held on Monday 9 October 2023, as circulated, are to be agreed and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Castle Morpeth Local Area Planning Committee held on Monday 9 October 2023, as circulated, be confirmed as a true record, and be signed by the Chair.

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 not 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.

Variation of Condition 14 (Occupancy) pursuant to planning permission 12/01313/COU to amend the wording as follows:-, 'The occupation of the caravan pitches shall be restricted to genuine holiday makers.  A register of holidaymakers shall be kept and made available for inspection by an authorised officer of the Council at all reasonable times. Details of the alternative occupation of any caravan(s) that may be required shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, prior to their first occupation, and shall thereafter be occupied in accordance with the approved details unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.'

Morpeth Caravan Park, Longhirst, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 3HZ

Variation of Condition 14 (Occupancy) pursuant to planning permission 12/01313/COU to amend the wording as follows: -, 'The occupation of the caravan pitches shall be restricted to genuine holiday makers.  A register of holidaymakers shall be kept and made available for inspection by an authorised officer of the Council at all reasonable times. Details of the alternative occupation of any caravan(s) that may be required shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, prior to their first occupation, and shall thereafter be occupied in accordance with the approved details unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.'

Morpeth Caravan Park, Longhirst, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 3HZ

R Soulsby, Senior Planning Officer provided an introduction to the report with the aid of a power point presentation. 

Mr G Fahy, the applicant addressed the Committee speaking in support of the application.  His comments included the following:

·       He understood that planning applications in open countryside were usually controversial and Longhirst was no different, however this site was a brownfield rateable site, formerly British Rail sidings and later a haulage yard. The Northumberland local plan placed the site and land east of the main east coast rail line as outside the Green Belt area. The original five-acre site had been split up decades ago. Approximately one acre was now a storage yard and garage, another acre was a plant hire business and the other three acres had been regenerated into his holiday rental business. The site is less than 50 metres away from the former UK Coal Potland surface mining site.

·       The cottages might be in “open countryside,” but they were not in Green Belt and were certainly not in an area of outstanding beauty.

·       The holiday business was their only source of income and neither himself nor his wife had any other employment. Information from their chartered accountant had been supplied to the planning department with the accounts for the last three years which showed an average profit of £7560 each.

·       The cottages had been built on land attached to their own garden and there was no intention of selling to make a quick profit, they simply would like the chance to run a year-round business and allow their children to inherit the cottages.

·       In addition to his wife and himself the business currently employed cleaning staff from Ashington and Blyth and supplied work for the local laundrette in Guidepost. If they were unable to extend the current six-month summer holiday let season, there was a likely that the holiday let business would close in the near future. Although holiday cottages on the coastline could often prolong their season by several months and charge a higher rate, they currently were unable to do this, and short-term winter rentals would be a lifeline for the business.

·       There had been no objections at all to this planning application, with both immediate neighbours fully supporting the application and had written to the Planning Department to confirm this.

·       The Parish Council’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

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.