Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Bridgett and Watson.

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 Hunter disclosed that she was a Parish Clerk for Beadnell Parish Council and had a personal, but non prejudicial interest in item 5 of the agenda. Planning application 21/04346/FUL.

Councillor Hill disclosed that she sat on the executive board for Berwick Civic Society however did not sit on the planning committee and had a personal but non-prejudicial interest in item 8 of the agenda. Planning application 22/00494/FUL.

Councillor Seymour disclosed that she was a member of Berwick Civic Society and had a personal but non-prejudicial interest in item 8 of the agenda. Planning application 22/00494/FUL.

This report sets out the details of the draft Local Transport Plan (LTP) programme for 2023-24 for consideration and comment by the Local Area Council, prior to final approval of the programme by the Executive Director responsible for Local Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Local Services.

A Craig - Programme Officer (Highways Maintenance) and R McCartney - Infrastructure Manager introduced the report to the committee, giving a brief overview of the draft Local Transport Plan programme for 2023-24.

Following the overview, members were invited to comment or ask questions of the officers. The following information was provided:

·       A record of requests from members was stored and used to develop future LTPs.

·       The LTP list was determined by area of priority.

Members thanked A Craig and R McCartney for attending.

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.??? 

Members were informed that the following planning application was withdrawn from the agenda:  

·       21/03496/FUL
Proposed new detached dwelling. Westlea Bed and Breakfast, 29 Riverside Road, Alnmouth, NE66 2SD

Replace Existing Building (3no Flats/14 No Bed Sits Space) With 3no Detached Houses With 18 Bed Spaces. On The Beach, Harbour Road, Beadnell, NE67 5AN

 Replace Existing Building (3no Flats/14 No Bed Sits Space) With 3no Detached Houses With 18 Bed Spaces.

On The Beach, Harbour Road, Beadnell, NE67 5AN

D Love – Senior Planning Officer introduced the application with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation and gave members the following updates:

·       An addendum report had been circulated to members prior to the meeting which provided details of the consultee response from Highways.

·       There had been a late comment from Beadnell Parish Council questioning the consultation process with Highways, a response from Highways was provided and read: “When approaching from the north there are essentially two ways you can get into Beadnell, one of which is the road in question.

From a highway safety perspective, on approach to where the development perspective is located when you are coming from the north, drivers have good visibility of the cluster of buildings, with the development in question one of the first ones you can see. The speed limit signage is also clearly visible where it changes to 30mph meaning vehicles should not be getting up to high speeds.

There is already an existing access and existing access(es) to the cluster of buildings on this road where vehicles currently manoeuvre out onto the highway and no record of road safety incidents in the last 5 years and so there is no evidence that would suggest there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety in this instance.”

·       Members had received direct communication from Beadnell Parish Council prior to the meeting questioning the description of the development by the case officer in terms of unit numbers and accommodation capacity and the description of the access road to the site by the case officer and the highways comments in relation to turning and parking. D. Love confirmed that they had queried the description with the applicant, the offering was advertised as 14, but the potential was there without planning permission for 18.

·       D Love confirmed to members that the existing unit was not residential. As per the use classes order, it was a sui generis use and not residential C3. For the purposes of the assessment, it was a commercial operation.

G. Martindale spoke on behalf of Beadnell Parish Council and gave members the following information:

·       The current building did not present an attractive entrance to the village and the Parish Council were generally supportive of the intention to demolish and replace it.

·       This was an overdevelopment of the site, with one building replaced by three.

·       The height and uniformity of the buildings did not respond to local character within the Beadnell Conservation area in which the site was situated.

·       The site was boarded by the main road into and out of Beadnell to the North. The Parish Council were concerned that the reduction in parking provision from 25% to 15% of the site area would result in cars backing onto the highway and across a well-used pedestrian path.

·       Parking was a major concern in all areas with high concentrations  ...  view the full minutes text for item 121.

Conversion of existing garages to form 4 bungalows. Mouldshaugh Lane Garages, Mouldshaugh Lane, Felton, Northumberland

Conversion of existing garages to form 4 bungalows.

Mouldshaugh Lane Garages, Mouldshaugh Lane, Felton, Northumberland

T Lowe – Principal Planning Officer introduced the application with a PowerPoint presentation and gave members the following updates:

·       Condition 15 should read “No building shall be brought into use or occupied until a verification report to the approved methodology in Condition 14 has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.”

·       Since the publication of the report, a number of additional objections had been received and had been uploaded to public access and members had had the opportunity to view them. Objections included; loss of current use of garages for household and other storage, need for the bungalows, loss of parking and design of the bungalows.

·       The Housing Delivery Manager had confirmed that the garages were allocated/contracted for the storage of motor cars. All occupiers who identified their need to garage cars, could be accommodated in the remaining garages in Block C.

·       The Housing Enabler Officer had confirmed the local ‘Need’ for the size/type of accommodation.

A Culprit spoke on behalf of Felton Parish Council and gave members the following information:

·       Felton Parish Council supported the values of the application and were in favour of regenerating brownfield sites however opposed to the scheme on behalf of residents.

·       The garages were said to be disused however they were used for vehicle parking and tool storage.

·       Felton lacked garages and off-street parking.

·       There was a waiting list for the garages, and the Parish Council were shocked to find out that some were empty.

·       There was no need for additional housing.

·       The development was not appropriate.

R Edwards spoke in support of the application and gave members the following information:

·       The application was for 100% affordable housing.

·       There was an increasingly aging population in Felton.

·       The construction method would be sustainable as the development would be made from pre-manufactured panels.

·       The bungalows were all accessible, energy efficient, two bed properties.

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

·       The garages were contracted to be used as a car garage, across all three blocks, all who responded to the Housing consultation to garage cars could be accommodated in Block C.

·       There would be five dedicated parking spaces for the bungalows as well as visitor parking.

·       Parking, access, and the road widths were all acceptable.

·       No compensation would be offered to residents.

·       The garages were owned by Northumberland County Council.

·       The bungalows would meet all current building standards including domestic EV chargers.

Councillor Pattison joined the meeting midway through questions to the planning officer from members. It was noted that although she was in attendance, she would not take part in any debate or vote in the application.

Councillor Thorne proposed to refuse the application on the basis of loss of parking amenity with the exact wording to be delegated to officers. This was seconded by Councillor Mather.

Councillor Thorne expressed that whilst he supported the principle of converting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122.

Proposed change of use to dental clinic (E) and 2no residential apartments (C3). External changes including additional windows and roof lights. 90 - 92 Marygate, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, TD15 1BA

Proposed change of use to dental clinic (E) and 2no residential apartments (C3). External changes including additional windows and rood lights.

90-92 Marygate, Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland, TD15 1BA

T Lowe – Principal Planning Officer introduced the application with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, there were no updates.

Dr S C Chohan spoke in support of the application and provided members with the following information:

·       The planning application had been previously approved in 2015.

·       The property was in a Conservation Area and had a prominent position, however it had not been in use since 2015.

·       The applicant had accepted the additional window condition and would ensure the wooden windows were in place before commencing business.

·       Tweedmouth Dental Clinic was a 2-surgery NHS dental practice that was the sole remaining NHS dental practice in Berwick.

·       There was no space available in the existing practice building to allow the practice manager to be seated at work.

·       Tweedmouth Dental Clinic moving to Marygate would bring 4500 patients to the high street, which would help to stimulate footfall and bring business back onto Marygate and help to support other businesses on the street.

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

·       The application site was not a listed building.

Councillor Seymour proposed to accept the officer’s recommendation to grant permission subject to the conditions set out in the report and a Unilateral Undertaking securing a financial contribution of £1,230 towards the Council’s Coastal Mitigation Service. This was seconded by Councillor Thorne.

A vote was taken, and it was unanimously

RESOLVED that the application was GRANTED subject to the conditions set out in the report and a Unilateral Undertaking securing a financial contribution of £1,230 towards the Council’s Coastal Mitigation Service.

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.

For Members’ information to report the agreement monitoring and collection of s106 contributions in the planning process.  This is a monthly report and relates to agreements throughout Northumberland during the previous monthly period.

RESOLVED that this was noted.

The next meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council is scheduled for Thursday, 23 March 2023 at Meeting Room 1, Berwick Leisure Centre, Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 2AS

The next meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council was scheduled for Thursday, 23 March 2023 at Meeting Room 1, Berwick Leisure Centre, Tweedmouth, Berwick Upon Tweed, TD15 2AS 

RESOLVED that this was noted.