Agenda and minutes

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

The minutes of the following meetings of the Castle Morpeth Planning Committee, as circulated, to be agreed as a true record and be signed by the Chair:

(a)       Monday 12 August 2024

(b)       Monday 9 September 2024

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings of the Castle Morpeth Local Area Planning Committees held on Monday 12 August 2024 and Monday  9 September 2024, as circulated, be confirmed as a true record, and be signed by the Chair. 

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required where a matter arises at a meeting; 

1. Which directly relates to Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (‘DPI’) as set out in Appendix B, Table 1 of the Code of Conduct, to disclose the interest, not participate in any discussion or vote and not to remain in room. Where members have a DPI or if the matter concerns an executive function and is being considered by a Cabinet Member with a DPI they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with the matter.

2. Which directly relates to the financial interest or well being of a Other Registrable Interest as set out in Appendix B, Table 2 of the Code of Conduct to disclose the interest and only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak at the meeting but otherwise must not take part in any discussion  or vote on the matter and must not remain the room.

3. Which directly relates to their financial interest or well-being  (and is not  DPI) or the financial well being of a relative or close associate, to declare the interest and members may only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak. Otherwise, the member must not take part in discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the room.

4. Which affects the financial well-being of the member, a relative or close associate or a body included under the Other Registrable Interests column in Table 2, to disclose the interest and apply the test set out at paragraph 9 of Appendix B before deciding whether they may remain in the meeting.

5. Where Members have or a Cabinet Member has an Other Registerable Interest or Non Registerable Interest in a matter being considered in exercise of their executive function, they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with it. 

NB Any member needing clarification must contact monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk.  Members are referred to the Code of Conduct which contains the matters above in full. Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this agenda letter.

Councillor Wearmouth advised that whilst he knew one of the speakers, he had not had any contact with them for quite some time and there was no prejudice.  Councillor Dodd also advised that he also knew one of the speakers.  Councillor Darwin advised that he had met with residents as the Ward Member but had an open mind and was impartial.

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.

Provision of playing field, Multi Use Games Area, Play Area and Airing Court including pitch drainage and landscaping

Pavilion, Stannington, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 6AP

Provision of playing field, Multi Use Games Area, Play Area and Airing  Court including pitch drainage and landscaping

Pavilion, Stannington, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 6AP

An introduction to the report was provided by J Murphy, Planning Area Manager with the aid of a power point presentation.  The following updates were provided: 

·       The report advised comments were awaited from the Local Lead Flooding Authority (LLFA).  These had now been received and stated that the LLFA  had no objection and did not require any further conditions to be added.

·       Comments had also been awaited from Public Protection and these had also now been received.  Public Protection had no objection to the application but had requested an additional condition to be added as follows:

“If during redevelopment?contamination not previously considered within any statement / report that has received the approval of the Local Planning Authority is identified, then a?written Method Statement regarding this material shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority?– the written method statement must?be written by a competent person.? No building shall be occupied until a method statement has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and measures proposed to deal with the?contamination have been carried out.?[Should no?contamination be found during development then the applicant shall submit a signed statement indicating this to discharge this condition].?? “Competent Person” has the same definition as?defined within the?National Planning Policy Framework?(NPPF)? 

Reason:??? To ensure that risks from land?contamination to the future users of the land and dwellings are minimised and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to any future occupants.?”

• A sheet was circulated to the Committee providing amended plan numbers as part of condition 2, which would be filed with the signed minutes.

• Due to the above updates a revised recommendation was now proposed as follows:

Minded to GRANT planning permission subject to the conditions in the report, amendments to condition 2 and additional condition from public protection, and referral to the Secretary of State, should Members be minded to grant planning permission.

Members were also advised that should this application not be approved then the recommendation for the next application would change.

D Moore, Chair of the Residents Association addressed the Committee speaking in support of the application.  His comments included the following:-

·       This had been an ongoing saga for 10 years.  Residents had objected to the proposals put to this Committee last year with strong attendance at the meeting and they had appreciated refusal of that particular application.

·       Good relationships had now been established with Bellway, who had listened to the concerns of residents.

·       Residents welcomed the provision of the proposed facilities which was beyond what they had expected or dreamed of and offered their thanks.

·       In respect of the objection from Sport England, residents were happy that they would be provided with a family friendly facility for use by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

Removal of condition 10(scheme for the restoration and/ or provision of playing fields  and associated facilities, and their availability to the community) on approved application CM/20060893 in order to amend and regularise the proposals in relation to the playing pitch and pavilion.

St Marys Hospital, ST Marys Hospital Drive, Stannington, Morpeth

Northumberland, NE61 6AP

Removal of condition 10(scheme for the restoration and/ or provision of playing fields  and associated facilities, and their availability to the community) on approved application CM/20060893 in order to amend and regularise the proposals in relation to the playing pitch and pavilion.

St Marys Hospital, ST Marys Hospital Drive, Stannington, Morpeth

Northumberland, NE61 6AP

J Murphy, Planning Area Manager provided an introduction to the application. 

J Ridgeon, Agent addressed the Committee speaking in support of the application.  His comments included the following:

·       The application was to regularise and remove Condition 10. 

·       In respect of the previous application and its timings, he confirmed that it would go out to tender almost immediately, and subject to approval by the LPA of the timetable, and weather dependent it would be carried out as soon as possible.

·       Condition 4 also required the planting to be carried out within the next planting season which was November to March.

·       The applicant had liaised with residents to ensure that their needs were satisfied as Bellway did want the issue resolved as soon as possible.

Councillor Darwin proposed acceptance of the recommendation to approve as outlined in the report which was seconded by Councillor Beynon.   A vote was taken on the proposal and it was unanimously

RESOLVED that the Committee be Minded to GRANT planning permission for the removal of Condition 10 from planning permission CM/20060893, subject to the approval of application reference 23/04728/FUL.

Siting of 15 no. holiday lodges and 33 no. holiday chalets with reception; change of use from boiler room to 5-bedroom managers dwelling (C3 use); development of entrance kiosk and cafe/picnic barn link

Whitehouse Farm , Whitehouse Farm Centre, Stannington, Northumberland, NE61 6AW

Siting of 15 no. holiday lodges and 33 no. holiday chalets with reception; change of use from boiler room to 5-bedroom managers dwelling (C3 use); development of entrance kiosk and cafe/picnic barn link

Whitehouse Farm , Whitehouse Farm Centre, Stannington, Northumberland, NE61 6AW

T Wood, Principal Planning Officer, provided an introduction to the application with the aid of a power point presentation.  Updates were provided as follows:-

·       A sentence was to be added to paragraph 7.39 to say...”In addition the design of the cafe extension, replacement kiosk and boiler house conversion are also considered to be acceptable”

·       After the report had been issued an updated landscaping and biodiversity strategy had been submitted and whilst the consultation period for this was beyond the date of this Committee, the County Ecologist advised that they still had concerns and, on this basis, the application was still recommended for refusal. 

·       Reason for refusal 01 - the word “residential” in the second sentence should be replaced with “holiday chalet”.

E Beardsmore addressed the Committee speaking in objection to the application.  His comments included the following:

·       He was a resident of Glororum who had enjoyed visiting Whitehouse Farm and did not object to the parts of the application in respect of the existing operation, however he did object to the provision of chalets.

·       Signposts bring visitors to Whitehouse Farm off the A1 at Clifton and they then travel through Glororum on a road which currently was at full capacity and had dangerous pinch points and blind spots with property already having been damaged by drivers who did not respect the road.

·       Traffic came into conflict with pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders who also used the road.  In the summer peak season it had also been known for people to walk from Clifton to Whitehouse Farm with children and push chairs on the single track road.  It was not unknown for residents of Glororum to offer lifts to people in this situation for safety reasons.   Any increase in use would exacerbate the situation.

·       The traffic survey undertaken as part of the application had been carried out in January when Whitehouse Farm was actually closed, and this should be redone during the summer when visitor numbers were at a peak. 

·       In terms of noise and amenity for residents, the saving grace at the current time was that Whitehouse Farm shut at 5pm, but if these chalets were allowed to go ahead then this would be non stop.

S Harries also addressed the Committee speaking in objection to the application.  His comments included the following:

·       He was a resident of Dovecote and he was speaking on behalf of residents.  He concurred with the previous speaker in terms of the traffic problems in the area.  There would be additional traffic travelling through neighbouring villages and also passing Stannington School. There had been no mention of any improvements to infrastructure.

·       In terms of noise, this would continue into the night and be to the detriment of neighbouring residents.

·       The environmental  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.