Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Bridgett.

Minutes of the meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council held on Thursday, 23 June 2022, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.  

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council held on Thursday, 23 June 2022, 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.

sures at the rear of this agenda letter.

Councillor Clark and Councillor Watson disclosed an interest in the planning application 22/02125/FUL and would leave the room while the application was discussed.

Councillor Hunter disclosed that she was clerk to Tillside Parish Council and had a personal but non-prejudicial interest in item 21/04958/FUL

Councillor Thorne disclosed that he had a personal but non-prejudicial interest in application 21/04958/FUL

Councillor Clark disclosed an interest in the planning applications 22/00020/VARYCO and 22/00022/VARYCO and would be leave the room for those applications.

Councillor Castle disclosed a personal and prejudicial interest in applications 22/00020/VARYCO and 22/00022/VARYCO and would be leave the room for those applications.

Councillor Swinbank explained that he was the chair of planning on the Town Council when the original applications were submitted for 22/00020/VARYCO and 22/00022/VARYCO and enquired with the solicitor whether he had to declare an interest and leave the room. The chair announced that he would declare a short break before the planning applications to allow Councillor Swinbank to receive legal advice.

The North Northumberland Local Area Council are asked to approve the appointment of three new angling club members, for three years to the River Tweed Commissioners.

Mr SJR Innes
Mr E Seymour

Mrs C Foreman

The North Northumberland Local Area Council were asked to approve the appointment of three new angling club members, for three years to the River Tweed Commissioners.

Mr SJR Innes

Mr E Seymour

Mrs C Foreman

RESOLVED that this was agreed.

Councillor Hardy (Vice Chair – Planning), in 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 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 this was noted.

Councillor Clark and Councillor Watson left the room.

Installation of artwork to new car park development. Artwork measuring 5000mm x 2000mm will be attached to metal posts (Similar to a normal traffic sign) by contractors working on the site.

Car Park, Turner Street, Amble, Northumberland, NE65 0DH

Installation of artwork to new car park development. Artwork measuring 5000mm x 2000mm will be attached to metal posts (Similar to a normal traffic sign) by contractors working on the site.

Car Park, Turner Street, Amble, Northumberland, NE65 0DH

J. Sharp – Senior Planning Officer, introduced the application with a PowerPoint Presentation, there had been no updates since the agenda was published.

Following questions from members to the planning officer, the following information was provided:

·       The artwork would be located in the verge of the carpark and would face out onto the road.

·       The artwork would be installed in the same manner as a road sign by the Council’s Highway Engineers.

·       The artwork was part of a series in a trail, it was to have a QR code imbedded containing information about the artists.

Councillor Thorne proposed to accept the recommendation stating that it would be a welcome addition and would help tourism in the area, this was seconded by Councillor Patterson.

A vote was taken and was it was unanimously

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED in line with conditions set out in the report. 

Councillor Clark and Councillor Watson returned to the room. 

Resubmission – Retrospective application for outdoor dining facilities within car parking area to front. Material amendment to roof covering and part timber cladding.

Percy Arms, Chatton, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 5PS

J. Sharp – Senior Planning Officer, introduced the application with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation.

H. Prytherch spoke in objection to the application and gave the committee the following information:

·       The applicant bought the Public House without the outdoor seating area. If additional dining was needed, the applicant could use the rooms East of the main entrance.

·       The development would not be in keeping with the village.

·       There was noise and visual impacts to the cottage adjacent to the development.

·       There was no accessible car parking on site.

·       Closing of the archway to the rear car park had resulted in the only access to the rear car park being from the steep single-track lane.

T. Hume spoke on behalf of Tillside Parish Council and gave the committee the following information:

·       Chatton Village sat either side of the main road from Wooler to the A1 at Bellshill. The village centred around a Public House, a Post Office, and Village Hall.

·       During the farming calendar, forage and harvest times clashed with the tourism season, overwhelming the village with vehicles who have stopped to use the local services.

·       Lack of parking within the village has previously resulted in countryside gridlock as general parking takes up both sides of the B road.

·       Tillside Parish Council had lodged objections on the application being within a conservation area, with the proposal not meeting necessary criteria.

·       The sheds and timber with imitation slate and stone was not in keeping with the conservation area or with the buildings appearance and was not a positive contribution to the village.

·       The application would impede an easy access to the rear parking facilities. The alternative access to the rear parking area was from the North which followed a narrow bank with no guard rails. NCC departments were unable to resolve the parking issue as no appropriate areas had been located in the village.

·       There would be additional noise and light pollution from the outdoor area.

·       Tillside Parish Council objected to permission being given.

D. Dobson spoke on behalf of the applicant, in support to the application, and gave the following information:

·       The outside dining area of the Percy Arms had contributed hugely to the survival of the business over the past 18 months, after such a difficult period for the hospitality industry.

·       The previous owners had used all the car park as a socialising area, obstructing access to the car parking spaces/stable cottage, but the applicant believed that they had tidied that up using one side, making it more visually appealing and heavily investing to help future proof the viability of a traditional county pub.

·       The small amount of car park spaces that would be lost at the front, would be gained at the rear where the access road would be more than adequate for a standard car.

·       The application has been considered against the relevant sections within the National Planning Policy Framework.

·       The outside seating would ensure the ongoing viability of the local Public House, used by local residents  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

Replace portacabin (office) with permanent residential unit including new site office.
Wingates Sawmill, Wingates, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 8RW

Replace portacabin (office) with permanent residential unit including new site office.

Wingates Sawmill, Wingates, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 8RW

J. Sharp – Senior Planning Officer, introduced the application with the aid of a PowerPoint Presentation and gave the following update:

·       Public Protection had submitted their consultation response and they objected due to lack of information relating to contamination and ground gases. “The proposed dwelling would be located within a working saw mill with potential anomalies, vibration, and dust to cause loss of amenity for any future occupiers. If the application were to be approved, it should be restricted to someone working on the site. Lighting should be designed to minimise light pollution and further information on the provision of water to the site was also required.”

·       Additional information was available to address highway concerns although was not made available prior to the report being published, so had not yet been assessed by Highways.

D. Troupe spoke in support of the application and gave the following information:

·       The purpose of building a log cabin at Wingates Sawmill was to provide a modest, 100% carbon neutral home for D. Troupe or a Sawmill worker.

·       The proposed log cabin would be built from Oak trees which blew down during Storm Arwen.

·       Heat and electricity would be provided by using a bio-mass boiler burning sawmill sweepings.

·       Wingates was a thriving working hamlet with two working farms and a sawmill.

·       The log cabin would be erected in a corner of the sawmill and provide a basic dwelling with lovely views in an unpolluted area of Northumberland and would fit both in appearance and the topography of the hamlet.

C. Tate, also spoke in support of the application and gave further information:

·       NCC had declared a climate emergency and had set out plans to be carbon neutral by 2030.

·       The proposed development structure would be made from wood from fallen trees from Storm Arwen and insulated from sheep’s wool.

·       The cabin would be south facing, making it perfect for solar panels to provide a renewable source of electricity and heating.

·       The cabin resonated with the NCC climate change plans.

·       The residents and the Parish Council were in support of the application.

Following questions from members to the planning officers, the following information was provided:

·       There had been no information submitted to support a rural worker dwelling.

·       Any new “off-grid” development should be accompanied by a sewage package treatment plan

·       The principle of development was not acceptable without further information however the Planning Officers stated that the design of the applicant was appropriate.

·       The Planning department would be happy to assist the applicant in advising which planning policies to look at and gather more information.

Councillor Castle proposed to accept the officer’s recommendation to refuse the application to allow the applicant to provide more information with an added note to the applicant that there was sympathy overall but would require more information to be submitted. This motion was seconded by Councillor Seymour.

Councillors agreed that there had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

Variation of conditions Variation of Condition 2 (approved plans) and 21 (protected species licence) pursuant to listed building consent 19/00500/FUL to allow amendments to the general site layout, retirement living block, listed building, and mews houses.

Former Alnwick The Dukes Middle School, The Dunterns, Alnwick, Northumberland

Variation of conditions.

Variation of Condition 2 (approved plans) and 21 (protected species licence) pursuant to listed building consent 19/00500/FUL to allow amendments to the general site layout, retirement living block, listed building, and mews houses.

Former Alnwick The Dukes Middle School, The Dunterns, Alnwick, Northumberland

Councillor Hardy explained to the committee that the presentation would be for both application 22/00020/VARYCO and 22/00022/VARYCO however questions, debate and voting would be separate.

J. Hudson – Senior planning officer introduced applications 22/00020/VARYCO and 22/00022/VARYCO with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, there had been no further updates from the publication of the report.

Following questions from members to the planning officers, the following information was provided:

·       The original submission for the retirement living block included a change to the external materials to include elements of brick and render. That had been removed following discussions between officers and the applicant.

·       UPVC windows were still proposed for the mews houses.

Councillor Swinbank proposed to accept the recommendation and add a condition that windows were not UPVC, with wording of condition to be delegated to the Director of Planning in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee. Councillor Thorne seconded the motion.

A vote was taken on the above proposal as follows: FOR; 8, AGAINST; 0, ABSTAIN; 1

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED in line with the conditions set out in the report and with an additional condition for no UPVC windows, with wording of condition to be delegated to the Director of Planning in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee.

Variation of Condition 11 (Approved Plans) pursuant to listed building consent 19/00501/LBC to allow amendments to the general site layout, retirement living block, listed building, and mews houses.

Former Alnwick The Dukes Middle School, The Dunterns, Alnwick, Northumberland

Variation of Condition 11 (Approved Plans) pursuant to listed building consent 19/00501/LBC to allow amendments to the general site layout, retirement living block, listed building, and mews houses.

Former Alnwick The Dukes Middle School, The Dunterns, Alnwick, Northumberland

Councillor Swinbank proposed to accept the recommendation and add a condition that windows were not UPVC, with wording of condition to be delegated to the Director of Planning in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee. Councillor Thorne seconded the motion.

A vote was taken as follows: FOR; 8, AGAINST; 0, ABSTAIN; 1

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED in line with the conditions set out in the report and with an additional condition for no UPVC windows, with wording of condition to be delegated to the Director of Planning in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee.

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 this was noted.

The next meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council is scheduled for Thursday, 22 September 2022, Berwick Leisure Centre, Northumberland Rd, Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 2AS

The next meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council was scheduled for Thursday, 22 September 2022, Berwick Leisure Centre, Northumberland Rd, Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 2AS

RESOLVED that this was noted.