Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bawn, Dickinson, Dunn, Foster and Sanderson.

The minutes of the Castle Morpeth Planning Committee on Monday 14 October 2024, as circulated, to be agreed as a true record and be signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Castle Morpeth Local Area Planning Committee held on Monday 14 October 2024, 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.

Extension to existing holiday site comprising 139 no. pitches for holiday lodges plus ancillary features including water feature and play area

Land North East Of Felmoor Caravan Park, Felmoor Park, Felton, Northumberland

Extension to existing holiday site comprising 139 no. pitches for holiday

lodges plus ancillary features including water feature and play area

Land North East Of Felmoor Caravan Park, Felmoor Park, Felton, Northumberland

An introduction to the report was provided by R. Whittaker, Planning Officer.  Members were advised that plan details in Condition 3 were required to be updated. 

Doug Green, Vice Chairman of Thirston Parish Council addressed the Committee speaking against the application.  His comments included the following:

·       Thirston Parish Council objected to this application as it did not comply

 with the Thirston Neighbourhood Plan (TNP).   Policy 7 covered tourism accommodation and it stated that expansion of existing large-scale holiday parks and the creation of new large-scale holiday parks would not be supported.  Approving this application would go against that  democratic process.  This was an important issue and if the Committee Members approved this application they would be undermining the voice of the residents.

·       He questioned where the evidence was of the demand for an extra 139 holiday lodges as Felmoor Park and Bockenfield Country Park had not as yet installed all units they had planning permission for.  Between the two parks there were over 250 units approved on the existing sites.  There was also the Cheviot View development in this location which had 30 holiday lets. To add another 139 units in this location would take the number to over 425 units, with the holiday lodges far outweighing the residential properties of the parish and would provide little benefit to the parish.

·       The Parish Council had concerns in relation to the access as the plans still stated the access route would be via the existing Felmoor Park. This was questioned as the original application site had changed hands since the plans were submitted.

·       He asked how construction traffic would access the site, as there had recently been issues with construction traffic to Cheviot View development site blocking the single track road affecting access for visitors to the zoo.

·       The road onto the A1 was often congested and blocked up due to traffic accessing the caravan park and the zoo.  There was often a number of cars waiting to get onto the A1 and drivers taking risks to get out into the traffic.  There were also issues with traffic queuing on the A1 to access the entrance road.  Whilst there was a waiting area on the A1 there had been occasions where there was not enough space for the vehicles queuing and this was an accident waiting to happen.

·       In summary this application should be refused on the basis of it did not comply with the Neighbourhood Plan and when taken into consideration with the existing holiday lets was over development in this location.

Richard Humphreys addressed the Committee speaking on behalf of the applicant in support of the application.  His comments included the following:

·       The professional officers of the Environment Agency, Local Lead Flood Authority, Natural England, Highways England and County Council did not object to the application on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

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

RESOLVED that the information be noted.