Agenda and draft minutes

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

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

Apologies had been received from Councillors Dodd, Foster and Hill.

The Minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee held on Tuesday, 6 June 2023, 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 6 June 2023, as circulated, were agreed as a true record and were signed by the Chair.

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.

Proposed cultural hub comprising cinema, creative play and event space (sui generis), Cafe (Class E). Work to include public realm works to Market Place/Church Gardens and refurbishment of public toilets.

Market, Market Street, Blyth, Northumberland NE24 1BQ

Proposed cultural hub compromising cinema, creative play and event space (sui generis), Café (Class E). Work to include public realm works to Market Place/Church Gardens and refurbishment of public toilets.

Market, Market Street, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 1BQ

R Laughton, Senior Planning Officer introduced the report using a PowerPoint presentation and gave the following updates:

• Additional information had been received regarding land contamination and public protection which meant that condition 5 and condition 6 could be removed,
• Condition 8 in the report was a duplicate and it was to be removed.
• There had been an error in the report which showed the planning history of the application site four times.

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

• As the application was to include a cinema and studio facility, windows would not be appropriate on the studio wall.
• A condition or informative could be added to the application to prevent birds perching or nesting on the projecting brick.
• Northumbria Police were consulted and there was no objection regarding potential anti-social behaviour.
• The projecting bricks were a feature of the application.
• The planning authority was unaware of any covenant on the market square, however this was not a material planning consideration.
• The application site was on an existing market square with a car park within a reasonable walking distance.
• The application site would be mainly accessed by cyclists and walkers.
• There had been a consultation with the community from the Regeneration Team before the planning application had been submitted.
• The Planning Authority had fulfilled its statutory role in writing to 200 neighbours as well as advertising the application in the News Post Leader and placing six site notices around the application site.
• The Planning Authority had not received any objections to the planning application.
• The site would be open to members of the public.       
• The flats on the North side of the Market Square would receive sunlight throughout the day.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Councillor Stewart proposed to accept the officers recommendation for approval subject to the conditions outlined in the report, with the removal of conditions 5, 6, and 8. This was seconded by Councillor Flux. 

A vote was taken on the proposal to accept the recommendation to approve the application as outlined above as follows: FOR 10; AGAINST 3; ABSTAIN 0.

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED subject to the conditions in the report, with the removal of conditions 5, 6, and 8. 

Demolition of the existing In Vessel Composting Facility and erection of an anaerobic digestion facility and associated infrastructure.

Ellington Composting and Wood Shredding Site, Ellington Road, Ashington, Northumberland NE63 9XS

Demolition of the existing In Vessel Composting Facility and erection of an anaerobic digestion facility and associated infrastructure.

Ellington Composting and Wood Shredding Site, Ellington Road, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 9XS

D. Love – Senior Planning Officer introduced the application with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, members confirmed that they had received and read the addendum report which had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The addendum report had also been made available on the Council’s website.

Corrina Scott-Roy spoke in support of the application and gave committee members the following information:

• Suez had a change of CEO, and the direction of travel now meant that the Company operated with a social conscience.
• Waste material was now viewed as a resource.

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

• Notices were placed on the site as well as in the press.
• If the company would like to receive deliveries of material on a Sunday in the future a variation of conditions would be required.
• There would be no increase in HGV movements.
• The site would include built in safety mechanisms.
• The Health and Safety Executive and The Environment Agency would need to issue permits for the activity of the site.
• A condition for a specific route would not be appropriate.
• The facility would serve all of Northumberland as well as existing contracts in Newcastle.
• Water and a small amount of Carbon Dioxide would be released when the Methane Gas was burned.
• The process was considered a carbon neutral process.
• The output would generate the equivalent of 5500 homes worth of electricity.
• Artificial intelligence would be used to sort the waste.

Councillor Hutchinson proposed to accept the officers recommendation, subject to the conditions as set out in the addendum report, this was seconded by Councillor Darwin.

A vote was taken on the proposal to accept the recommendation to approve the application as outlined above as follows: FOR 12; AGAINST 0; ABSTAIN 1.

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

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.