Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Meeting Space - Block 1, Floor 2 - County Hall. View directions

Contact: Lesley Little 

Note: Guidance for Public Attendance at meetings: *The meeting venue requires access to the normal workplace, so the public are asked to wear face coverings and ensure good hand hygiene. *Arrangements are in place to reserve the required number of seats for meeting participants. Members of the public must contact democraticservices@northumberland.gov.uk if they wish to attend a meeting in person and should specify which meeting. *Members of the public are only allowed entry on a first come basis where capacity allows. *Any member of the press or public may view the proceedings of this meeting live on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/NorthumberlandTV *Signage will be posted once the room capacity has been reached. *Standard Covid secure controls are in place to book in, ensure hand hygiene, ventilate the meeting space and ensure people comply with agreed meeting protocols. *Public Speakers on planning applications must register as usual. 

Items
No. Item

34.

PROCEDURE AT PLANNING COMMITTEES pdf icon PDF 184 KB

Minutes:

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

 

 

35.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Foster and Thorne.  

36.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS pdf icon PDF 310 KB

The minutes of the Strategic Planning Committees held on Tuesday 3 August 2021 and Tuesday 7 September 2021, as circulated, be agreed as true records and be signed by the Chair.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings of the Strategic Planning Committee held on Tuesday 3 August 2021 and Tuesday 7 September 2021, as circulated, were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

 

37.

DETERMINATION OF PLANNING APPLICATIONS pdf icon PDF 181 KB

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

 

Minutes:

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.

 

The Chair advised that the running order of the meeting would be changed to accommodate public speaking and that application 21/02638/VARYCO would be heard first.

 

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

 

38.

21/02638/VARYCO pdf icon PDF 457 KB

Variation of condition 15 of planning permission 20/03342/VARYCO to amend construction delivery hours in respect of development for 285 dwellings with associated infrastructure and landscaping.

Land North East Of New Hartley, St Michaels Avenue, New Hartley, Northumberland

 

Minutes:

Variation of condition 15 of planning permission 20/03342/VARYCO to amend construction delivery hours in respect of development for 285 dwellings with associated infrastructure and landscaping.

Land North East of New Hartley, St Michaels Avenue, New Hartley, Northumberland

 

There were no questions on the site visit videos circulated in advance of the meeting.

G Horsman provided an introduction to the application with the aid of a power point presentation.  He advised that should Members be minded to approve the application that the wording of condition 15 be amended as follows:

 

“The Construction Method Statement and other construction work mitigation details approved on the 23 March 2021 under planning application 19/00674/DISCON shall be adhered to throughout the construction period with the exception of construction deliveries which are  permitted between the hours of 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) and for the avoidance of doubt no construction deliveries in respect of the proposed development shall take place outside of these times and no vehicles delivering construction materials/plant to the application site or removing materials/plant related to construction activities from the application site shall access and/or egress the application site through New Hartley village via Double Row, Bristol Street and St.Michael’s Avenue to the west of the site.

 

Reason: In the interests of highway safety and amenity in accordance with Policies DC11 and DC21 of the Blyth Valley Development Control Policies DPD.”

 

Mr J Barrell addressed the Committee speaking in objection to the application.  His comment included the following:-

 

·       The planning system was broken with builders doing what they liked without any penalties.

·       The issue of construction traffic was first raised in 2015 and Network Rail (NR) had been assured that the Construction Management Plan (CMP) would be agreed before construction started detailing the number and type of vehicles and the hours of operation it was not.

·       As part of the CMP the delivery hours were agreed by the Planning Inspectorate in 2017 to mitigate against concerns by NR and also the effect that the development of 285 houses would have on such a small village and on the one road through the village and the increased levels of traffic on the only road.

·       An analysis of delivery times had indicated that there would only be one wagon per hour between the hours of 9.30 am and 4.30 pm and residents now stated that in excess of four enter/leave before 9.00 am. 

·       The report stated that there were no schools nearby the site, however New Hartley First School was less than 500m from the site and children attending Seaton Sluice Middle School and the High and Middle schools in Seaton Delaval walked, cycled and were driven along the single narrow road along with other commuters. 

·       There was no one size fits all for delivery hours to sites.  The designated route was not wide enough in places for vehicles to pass without mounting the footpath which was the only route between New Hartley and Seaton Sluice and was unlit.  Three coaches  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

39.

19/03681/VARCCM pdf icon PDF 348 KB

Variation of condition 5 (restoration) of approved planning application 13/01492/VARCCM in order to allow for the restoration of the site to be completed as amended on 26 February 2021 and 16 June 2021

Halton Lea Farm, Brampton, Northumberland, CA8 7LS

 

 

Minutes:

Variation of Condition 5 (restoration) of approved planning application 13/01492/VARCCM in order to allow for the restoration of the site to be completed as amended on 26 February 2021 and 16 June 2021

Halton Lea Farm, Brampton, Northumberland, CA8 7LS

 

Members confirmed that they had viewed the drone footage and had no questions.

 

K Robbie, Planning Officer provided an introduction to the application with the aid of a power point presentation.   Members were advised that the date on the report should be 5 October 2021 and not 7 September 2021 and that the S106 Community contribution had now been agreed as £30,474 and would be paid within 14 days of the agreement.

 

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

 

·       The worst case scenario in mineral planning had happened in that the operator of the open cast site had gone into administration after all the coal had been removed.  The Council had followed good practice and had requested funds be deposited in the Council’s bank account for remedial works at the outset however, the American funder behind the open casting site had offered a restoration bond instead of depositing the funds.  It had been estimated that restoration of the site would be between £400,000 to £800,000 however when the operator went into liquidation it had debts of more than £9m and the Council was not a secured debtor.   If enforcement action had been taken to force them to pay the full restoration costs they could have just walked away from the site as there would be no inducement for them to do anything.  Officers looked at providing a restoration scheme that would tackle the issues on the site and would provide good practice biodiversity on the site rather than restore it for agricultural use and they had also negotiated a 30 year maintenance period for the land.  There had also been a Community Bond as part of the S106 that could not now be enforced, however working jointly with the American funder on the restoration scheme it had been agreed that any funds left from the restoration bond, once all bills had been paid, would be provided for the Community, with an initial figure being offered of £20,000, which had since increased.

·       The piece of land which it was proposed to transfer to the Parish Council, if they wished to accept, had not formed part of the open casting operations and did not need to be restored.  If the Parish Council wished to do anything on the land then a separate planning permission would be required. 

 

Councillor Hutchinson in proposing acceptance of the officer’s recommendation as outlined in the report and amended to take account of the agreement of the Community contribution thanked Rob Murfin and Katherine Robbie for all the work undertaken on this advising that this had gone on for 10 years and had been terrible for both local people and officers.  The proposal was seconded by Councillor Flux.

 

A vote was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

40.

16/04305/OUT pdf icon PDF 318 KB

Application for outline planning permission with some matters reserved for construction of residential development of up to 500 dwellings (including affordable homes), public open space, access to an existing highway and associated works

Land south and south-east of James Calvert Spence College, Acklington Road, Amble

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Application for outline planning permission with some matters reserved for construction of residential development of up to 500 dwellings (including affordable homes), public open space, access to an existing highway and associated works

Land wouth and south-east of James Calvert Spence College, Acklington Road, Amble

 

N Armstrong, Principal Planning Officer introduced the application with the aid of a power point presentation.   Members were advised that a late representation from Amble Town Council had been received and provided details as follows:

  

  • The Town Council referred to their previous comments, which continued to be held, but due to the number of dwellings proposed it was strongly recommended that the infrastructure areas stated in the August 2017 committee report were applied.
  • The Town Council referred to paragraph 7.70 of the 2017 committee report where reference was made to contributions for affordable housing and ecological mitigation as well as contributions in respect of off-site sport/recreation provision, education infrastructure, primary health care, and highway works.
  • The Town Council also referred to paragraph 7.73 of that report, which referred to consultation with the Town Council to advise on specific areas/projects where contributions in relation to sport/recreation/leisure were required. The Town Council would urge these consultations are commenced again with urgency  
  • Amble Town Council believed that if 500 more homes were to be built then additional recreational facilities, healthcare cover which should also cover dentists were needed in Amble.

 

Mr C Martin, Pegasus Group addressed the Committee speaking on behalf of the applicant in support of the application.  His comments included the following:-

 

·       There had been two previous resolutions to grant outline planning permission subject to a S106 Agreement.

·       The reasons why a fresh resolution was required was set out in the report and it concluded that the application still met the relevant Development Plan requirements and material considerations.

·       This position was endorsed and the principle of development had been established and accepted.

·       The applicant had worked closely with officers in Planning and Highways to ensure that the scheme could still be delivered.

·       If the application was granted today then the S106 agreement could be finalised so outline planning permission could be granted and the reserved matters application would follow shortly.

·       The details of the S106 contribution were outlined as including contributions to affordable housing, sports provision, education and health care provision along with the provision of pedestrian routes.

·       The site was within the settlement boundary of Amble in the emerging Northumberland Local Plan as a minded to approve site.  The site was a key component to ensure the supply of housing land over the Plan period and was in accordance with policies SPP1 and HOU2 in the emerging Northumberland Local Plan which set the minimum housing requirements for the County. 

·       The application would continue to provide a sustainable addition to Amble achieving sustainable growth and benefit the local economy with increased expenditure.

·       Permission should be granted to allow the site’s delivery.

 

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

 

·       Affordable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

41.

APPEALS UPDATE pdf icon PDF 328 KB

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

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

42.

S106 AGREEMENTS UPDATE REPORT pdf icon PDF 333 KB

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.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the information be noted.