Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair outlined the procedure to be followed at the meeting.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

Apologies were received from Councillors Hutchinson,  Reid and Robinson. 

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.

Hybrid planning application: seeking detailed permission for residential development (Use Class C3, 68no dwellings), access, associated highways infrastructure, landscaping, public open space and sustainable urban drainage features and outline permission for residential development (Use Class C3, up to 126no dwellings, 4.77ha) with all matters reserved (as amended)

Land to West of Park Road, Park Road, Haltwhistle, Northumberland

Hybrid planning application: seeking detailed permission for residential development (Use Class C3, 68no dwellings), access, associated highways infrastructure, landscaping, public open space and sustainable urban drainage features and outline permission for residential development (Use Class C3, up to 126 no dwellings, 4.77ha) with all matters reserved (as amended)

Land to West of Park Road, Park Road, Haltwhistle, Northumberland

There were no questions on the site visit videos which had been shared with Members of the Committee.

N Armstrong, Principal Planning Officer provided an introduction to the report with the aid of a power point presentation.  The following updates were provided to the Committee:

·       Section 4.0 consultation responses - Fire & Rescue Service had submitted comments following original consultation on the proposals which raised no objection in principle.

·       Section 6.1 National Planning Policy - reference to the NPPF should read July 2021 - this was the version referred to within the appraisal section of the report. 

·       Condition 2 - 1160-BEA 20.02 - Proposed Floor Plans – 2B-630 should read 1160-BEA 20.08 - Proposed Floor Plans – 2B-630 

·       Comments received from the local ward member Cllr Hutchinson who was unable to attend had been circulated to Members in advance of the meeting and included the following:-

o   Drew attention to the very well written objection from the Town Council and encouraged members to read this.  

o   The land was allocated for housing which he accepted and a housing development like this would go a long way to assist to rejuvenate the town.

o   He would fully support this application "if" the sole access was not along Park Road but South over the railway line towards the A69 and in his opinion financial viability was not a planning matter. 

o   The photographs of the site's surrounding area (i.e. Park Road) did not give justice to the congestion at present and the potential of higher congestion problems at the East end of the road if this application was approved. Further pictures of the congested part of Park Road should be provided so the committee could appreciate the existing congestion problems.

o   He questioned if a recent traffic survey had been carried out on the road. He had commissioned one 5/7/2019 to 12/7/2019 the result being, over an 18 hour period, 6:00am until midnight 418 vehicular passes and therefore two years later there would be a great deal more and if the application was approved.

o   There was a school at the end of Park Avenue, which was a Northerly off-shot from Park Road, at the most congested spot. A large number of children attend the school via this route and there have been numerous "near misses" between vehicles and children in the vicinity and he did not wish to see a collision causing injury or death.

o   If this application were to be approved, a condition could be attached with a S106 agreement stating the developer must install or provide finance for the installation of a pelican crossing on Park Road in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

Construction of a new single platform railway station including pedestrian lift, new highway access; modifications to existing highways including pedestrian footways; provision of parking for cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, cycles, and taxis and other associated works including new crossings for pedestrians and cyclists. Construction of facilities ancillary to the station including, lighting, soft and hard landscaping, surface and subsurface drainage, utilities and other services, boundary treatment and other associated works.

Station Yard Car Park North, Wansbeck Square, Station Road, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 9XH

Construction of a new single platform railway station including pedestrian lift, new highway access; modifications to existing highways including pedestrian footways; provision of parking for cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, cycles and taxis and other associated works including new crossings for pedestrians and cyclists. Construction of facilities ancillary to the station including lighting, soft and hard landscaping, surface and subsurface drainage, utilities and other services, boundary treatment and other associated works.

Station Yard Car Park North, Wansbeck Square, Station Road, Ashington, Northumberland. NE643 9XH

G Halliday, Consultant Planner provided an introduction to the application with the aid of a power point presentation.  Updates were provided as follows:-

·       An additional letter of objection had been received from Mr Billinghurst on behalf of residents in Seaton Delaval which had been circulated to Members in advance of the meeting and uploaded to the planning portal, setting out their opposition to the proposed car parking arrangements.

·       The report stated that no response had been received from Ashington Town Council.  The Town Clerk telephoned Mr Halliday to state verbally that Ashington Town  Council had no objection and fully supported the opening of the Northumberland Line and the development of the station.  This had not been received in writing, although it had been requested.

·       Paragraph 7.38 – the first sentence should be deleted.

·       Condition 6 – the last sentence should be amended to read  ….. no later than the first planting season and completed not later than the third planting season after the development is brought into use.

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

·       The Grampian condition related to the land acquisition had been included in the recommended conditions as the car parking as assessed formed an integral part of the development and currently the land was not owned by the applicant.  It was appropriate to have this condition as the development of the car park could not commence until the land was acquired. 

·       It was thought that the proposed car park would be well used, regardless of the Cabinet decision to review the no-charging policy after 12 months of use and was of an appropriate size for the intended number of passengers wishing to park in addition to visitors to the town centre.

·       The appearance and design of the stations had been through a variety of development and consultation stages and the proposals were as submitted. The design of the stations and their facilities were similar to those used at some Metro stations.

·       The proposed car park would service both the new station and the town centre. No decision had been made on the management of the new car parks on the line and it was possible it would not be the same at each location.  The current car park at this location was managed by NCC.   Any changes to the charging strategy would need to be agreed by the Local Planning Authority.

·       Various conditions were recommended by the Highways Authority for the safe ingress and egress from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

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 the information be 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 the information be noted.