Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair outlined the procedure which would be followed at the virtual meeting and of the changes to the public speaking protocol.  He also advised Members that if their connection was lost during consideration of an application and it was not possible for a short recap to be provided then the Member would not be allowed to vote on the application

The Minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee held on Tuesday, 1 December 2020, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee held on Tuesday 1 December 2020, as circulated, be agreed as true record and signed by the Chair.

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required to disclose any personal interest (which includes any disclosable pecuniary interest) they may have in any of the items included on the agenda for the virtual meeting in accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council on 4 July 2012, and are reminded that if they have any personal interests of a prejudicial nature (as defined under paragraph 17 of the Code Conduct) they must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the virtual meeting.

N.B.    Any member needing clarification must contact the Legal Services Manager, on Tel: 01670 623324.  Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this Agenda letter.

Councillors Reid, Renner-Thompson, Robinson and Swithenbank all declared a personal and prejudicial interest in applications 20/03621/FUL and 20/3353/FUL as they were on the Board of Advance who were the sponsors of these applications and would withdraw from the meeting during their consideration.

The Chair advised that in order to ensure the smooth running of the meeting and to allow those Members to leave, the agenda would be reordered and application 20/02482/FUL would be heard first.

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 the information be noted.

Construction of 29no. residential units associated with phase 3 of the site.

Land North Of Fairfields, Longframlington, Northumberland. 

Construction of 29no. residential units associated with phase 3 of the site.

Land North of Fairfields, Longframlington, Northumberland.

There were no questions regarding the site visit videos.

H Marron, Principal Planning Officer introduced the application to the Committee with the aid of a Power Point presentation.  An update was provided as follows:

•         Formal comments from the Building Conservation Officer had been received which confirmed that the development would give no harm to heritage assets which was in line with the Officer’s report. 

A written statement from the Parish Council in relation to the application was read out by L Little, Senior Democratic Services Officer and would be filed with the signed minutes of the meeting.  A copy would also be uploaded to the Council’s website.

A written statement from the applicant in support of the application was read out by L Little, Senior Democratic Services Officer and would be filed with the signed minutes of the meeting. A copy would also be uploaded to the Council’s website.

In response to questions from Members of the Committee the following information was provided:-

•         If the Local Plan had been adopted then the application would have been recommended for refusal as this would impose the settlement boundary and the Plan would carry full weight and would sustain a refusal.  However the Local Plan was not adopted at the current time and would not sustain a refusal. It was clarified that it had previously been the position that the further along the process the formation of the Local Plan was then the more weight it would carry, however now until the Local Plan had been adopted no weight can be placed as there were unresolved issues within the Plan in respect of settlement boundaries.

•         The application would normally have been considered by the North Northumberland Local Area Council however due to the applicant pushing for a decision and the possibility of them invoking non-determination, then it had been decided it should be reported to the first available Planning Committee, which happened to be Strategic Planning.

•         The affordable housing on the site would be 3 bedroomed terraced properties with 3 shared ownership and 2 affordable rent.  The affordable housing team had looked at the proposals and had no objections to the type and tenure of the properties. 

•         It was clarified that some towns and villages had settlement boundaries in existing local plans but Longframlington did not.  The new Local Plan when adopted would impose settlement boundaries on all small towns that did not currently have them.

•         A settlement boundary was not intended to prevent all development beyond the boundary as exception sites could be considered.  The developer was keen for this application to be decided before the boundaries were imposed through the adoption of the Local Plan. 

•         It had been checked and verified that a letter drop to 72 neighbouring properties had been undertaken along with a site notice and press notice which had generated 8  ...  view the full minutes text for item 134.

Enabling works, comprising of the laying out of a development platform at Plot 6 Ashwood Business Park, including earthworks, tree removal, tree and landscaping management on A189 frontage, new access from internal roundabout and electrical substation.

Ashwood Business Park, Ashwood Drive, Ashwood Business Park, Ashington, Northumberland. NE63 0XF 

Enabling works, comprising of the laying out of a development platform at Plot 6 Ashwood Business Park, including earthworks, tree removal, tree and landscaping management on A189 frontage, new access from internal roundabout and electrical substation.

Ashwood Business Park, Ashwood Drive, Ashwood Business Park, Ashington, Northumberland. NE63 0XF

There were no questions regarding the site visit videos.

G Horsman, Principal Planning Officer introduced the application to the Committee with the aid of a Power Point presentation.  The Director of Planning advised that it was usual for the layout of industrial estates to initially include landscaping to increase the attractiveness to businesses, then as they developed, for some changes to be made.  As there was now a lot of interest in the business park some additional signage etc would be required and this was a natural process in the development of any business park or industrial estate to provide good quality marketable sites to attract inward investment and create jobs.

Councillor Lang, whilst welcoming the employment opportunities within his Ward questioned if any improvements were to be made to the North Seaton roundabout as this development would put more pressure on an already dangerous roundabout.  Members were advised that S106 funding would be made available for further enhancements to the roundabout as and when needed but this would be on a phased basis when required. 

Councillor Stewart moved acceptance of the Officer’s recommendation to approve the application as outlined in the report which was seconded by Councillor Flux.  Members welcomed the prospect of additional employment in the area and following a vote it was unanimously

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED for the reasons and with the conditions as outlined in the report.

Erection of unit for general industrial uses (Class B2) (5,262 square metres (Gross External Area), with parking, landscaping and two site accesses onto Birchwood Way, as well as associated infrastructure and earth works

Land North of Birchwood Way Round About, Birchwood Way, Ashwood Business Park, Ashington, Northumberland

Erection of unit or general industrial uses (Class B2) (5,626 square metres (Gross External Area), with parking, landscaping and two site accesses onto Birchwood Way, as well as associated infrastructure and earth works

Land North of Birchwood Way Roundabout, Birchwood Way, Ashwood Business Park, Ashington, Northumberland

There were no questions regarding the site visit videos.

R Soulsby, Planning Officer introduce the application to the Committee with the aid of a Power Point presentation.  Updates were provided as follows:-

•         Condition 17 within the officer report. Additional information had been submitted to Highways allowing removal of the pre commencement element of the condition. The condition should now read:-

“No works to the site accesses from Birchwood Way or the pedestrian/cyclist access to Ashwood Drive shall commence until details of the proposed highways works to facilitate the main access junction and servicing yard access junction from Birchwood Way and the pedestrian/cyclist connection to Ashwood Drive along with all associated works have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall not be brought into use until the highways works have been constructed in accordance with the approved plans “

•         If the application were to be approved by members, the Local Planning Authority (LPA) would also request that an alteration to condition 4 be dealt with under delegated powers following the committee. The applicant has submitted additional information to Public Protection to overcome this condition. The LPA were awaiting a formal response from Public Protection regarding this.'

In response to questions from Members of the Committee the following information was provided:-

•         The cladding to be provided on the building would be part of the building regulation process and would be addressed then.  It did not form part of the planning application.

•         The overall height of the proposed building would be 9.8m and due to the land slope would for the most part be screened from the housing with a slight view of the ridge possible.

Councillor Flux proposed acceptance of the recommendation to approve the application as outlined in the report and condition 17 as amended above and delegated authority be provided to the Director of Planning in respect of the wording of Condition 4, which was seconded by Councillor Hepple.  A vote was taken and it was unanimously

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED for the reasons and with the conditions as outlined in the report and amended above.

An appeals update is attached for information.

Information was provided on the progress of planning appeal and related to appeals throughout all five Local Area Council Planning Committee areas and the Strategic Planning Committee.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.