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 Ball, Dodd, Flux and Renner-Thompson. 

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.

Councillor Stewart declared a personal interest in application 21/02926/VARYCO as he was the Ward Councillor.  He advised that he had no conflict on the application and would take part in the decision, however he had spoken to residents, the applicant and planning officers.

Councillor A Watson advised that whilst she was a member of Blyth Town Council she had taken no part in any debate on this matter or the comments made by the Town Council and she would take part in the decision.

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.

Full planning application for construction of new SEND school, with associated access, car-parking, landscaping, MUGA and outdoor playground space

Site Of Former Princess Louise Adult Learning Centre, Princess Louise Road, Blyth, Northumberland

Full planning application for construction of new SEND school, with associated access, car-parking, landscaping, MUGA and outdoor playground space

Site of Former Princess Louise Adult Learning Centre, Princess Louise Road, Blyth, Northumberland

D Love, Senior Planning Officer provided an introduction to the application with the aid of a power point presentation.  As a result of additional information provided by the application after the report had been published, an updated list of conditions had been circulated to Members of the Committee and uploaded to the Council’s website in advance of the meeting.  The additional conditions would also be filed with the signed minutes of the meeting.

J Patterson, Associate Director of DPP addressed the Committee on behalf of the applicant in support of the application.  Her comments included the following:-

·       The Development complied with planning policy at a national and local level and would deliver 80 school places for pupils aged 11-16 with Autism and/or Social Emotional and Mental Health needs.  The need for these school places for pupils with special educational needs had been established and the development was strongly supported by Northumberland County Council’s education team.

·       The site was split into two land parcels; the site containing the school was located on the southern side of Princess Louise Road which was previously occupied by Blyth Princess Louise First School prior to its demolition, and historic foundations, hard standing and services remained on the site. 

·       The site would have a Multi-use Games Area (MUGA) and an outdoor learning and play space alongside integrated soft landscaping.  The delivery of sports and recreation facilities in association with the school accords with adopted policies as the existing open space would be replaced by an area of better quality open space.  The MUGA would also be available for community use.

·       The new school building would be located back from the Princess Louise Road frontage enabling a dedicated drop-off/pick-up area to the front of the school to accommodate mini buses, taxis and cars for the operational safeguarding of a SEND school.  The development would also include secure cycle parking facilities for staff and pupils.

·       The car park was to be located on the north side of Princess Louise Road and would result in 40 spaces on the parcel of land next to existing car parking for Blyth Sport Centre and would be for the exclusive use by the school.

·       The principle of educational uses on the site had been established by the former educational use and was in accordance with adopted development plan policies.

·       The proposed school was policy compliant and would contribute significantly to the Council’s established need for SEND pupil places in the County.

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

·       The design process which informed the way in which the access and exit was to be provided was not known.  The proposals had been assessed by Highways Development who were satisfied in relation to road safety, and condition 17 to be attached to any permission  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Variation of condition 1 on approved application 20/00571/VARYCO in order to Move Plot Numbers 208 - 222 (15No. Market Sale units) from the Western location on the Masterplan to the Central location occupied by plot numbers 363- 393 and alter the house type mix and move Plot Numbers 363-393 (31No. Affordable units) from the Central location on the Masterplan to the Western location occupied by plot numbers 208-222.

Former Prudhoe Hospital, Prudhoe Hospital Drive, Prudhoe, Northumberland

NE42 5NT

Variation of condition 1 on approved application 20/00571/VARYCO in order to Move Plot Numbers 208 – 222 (15 no Market Sales units) from the Western location on the Masterplan to the Central location occupied by plot numbers 363-393 and alter the house type mix and move Plot Numbers 363-393 (31 no Affordable units) from the Central location on the Masterplan to the Western location occupied by plot numbers 207-222.

Former Prudhoe Hospital, Prudhoe Hospital Drive, Prudhoe, Northumberland NE42 5NT

D Love, Senior Planning Officer provided an introduction to the application with the aid of a power point presentation.  Updates were provided as follows:-

·       Paragraph 1.1 should read “This application is to be determined at Strategic Planning Committee given that is relates to a development that is of Strategic importance.

·       Paragraph 8.1 should read “The proposal represents an appropriate form of development that would not have an adverse impact on the street scene, ecology, or the amenity of nearby residents or users of the site. Those objections which were material had been addressed and the proposal is in accordance with local and national planning policies and is therefore recommended for approval.

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

·       There was no change proposed to the size of the affordable housing units or of their tenure.

·       The reason for the change was not definitively known, however it was a possible reaction to market conditions at the current time with the company looking to provide larger homes as more people were working from home and wishing to move to more rural areas.

·       An updated Ecological Impact Assessment had to be provided as part of this application as development was moving closer to the wildlife corridor. The County Ecologist was happy with the proposals subject to the conditions previously attached would be carried forward to this application, and that has been done.  The number of units at 31 was the same as consented, the number of bedrooms was also staying the same and tenure mix was remaining, therefore there would be no further impact on the wildlife corridor or the footpath previously affected.

·       The viability of the scheme had not been reassessed as there was no change in the number of units being built.

·       Whilst the modern national design code brief advocates affordable housing throughout a development in order to create communities,  however the original approval pre-dates this and the scheme has evolved as it has progressed.  It could be considered that the new location of the affordable housing was improved as it now backed onto woodland. The delivery of the affordable housing must be provided as part of the phasing plan and this was probably the extent of the changes to affordable housing that would be acceptable.

·       The plot sizes for the affordable houses remained the same as the existing, they had simply been moved to a different location.  The new site location for the affordable housing was to be made larger to accommodate the increase  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

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.