Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Flux, Renner-Thompson and Watson.

The minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee held on Tuesday 5 November 2024, as circulated, to be agreed as a true record and be signed by the Chair.

The Minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee held on  5 November 2024, as circulated, were agreed as a true record and were signed by the Chair.

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 Foster declared an interest in item 6, application 24/02182/FUL as one of the original objectors to the application was a colleague on the Parish Council and a personal friend.  She would also be speaking as the Ward Councillor on the application and would leave the Chamber once she had spoken.

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 not circulated with the agenda but are available on the Council’s website at  http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning.aspx

The report outlined the procedure to be followed and 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 development of up to 199 static caravan pitches, parking, reconfiguration of existing pitches and infrastructure to facilitate access with associated infrastructure (including LPG gas enclosure, EV charging, cycle parking) ancillary convenience shop, engineering works and landscaping. (amended description and updated plans 12.07.2024)

Dunham Caravans Ltd, South Meadows Caravan Park, South Road,

Belford, Northumberland NE70 7DP

The development of up to 199 static caravan pitches, parking, reconfiguration of existing pitches and infrastructure to facilitate access with associated infrastructure (including LPG gas enclosure, EV charging, cycle parking) ancillary convenience shop, engineering works

and landscaping. (amended description and updated plans 12.07.2024)

Dunham Caravans Ltd, South Meadows Caravan Park, South Road,

Belford, Northumberland NE70 7DP

J Hudson, Senior Planning Officer provided an introduction to the report with the aid of a power point presentation.  Updates were provided as follows:

·       A further letter had been received from Belford Parish Council (BPC) which had originally been sent in December 2024 in connection with concerns regarding the capacity of the Belford Sewage Treatment Plan and this was read to Committee. Further to receipt of this letter in December a further response had been requested from Northumbrian Water (NW) who had replied on Monday 6 January.  A copy of the response had been published online and had stated that NW had no objection to the application provided it was approved and carried out within strict accordance with the submitted document / drawing entitled “Foul and Surface Water Drainage Strategy Addendum Report”.  They also requested an additional condition to be added to any approval to ensure this as follows:

“Development shall be implemented in line with the drainage scheme contained within the submitted document entitled “Foul and Surface Water Drainage  Strategy Addendum Report” dated “September 2023”. The drainage scheme shall ensure that foul flows will connect to manhole 2500 and ensure that surface water discharges to the existing watercourse.

Reason: To prevent the increased risk of flooding from any sources in accordance with the NPPF.”

NW also noted that the development would be served by the Belford Sewage Treatment works which had capacity to treat this scheme.

·       Further to the above the Environment Agency (EA) had also been contacted in connection with the letter from BPC and had confirmed that they regulated NW discharges into the watercourse through their dedicated compliance teams via Environmental Permitting Regulations which was a separate regime from the planning system, and it was not within the EA remit to assess the compliance with water company’s assets during the planning consultation process.  The EA’s last compliance assessment was carried out on 8 November 2024 and during this exercise one non-compliance was identified with the site’s Environmental Permit.  This was a failure to empty the site’s storm sewage holding storage tanks in a timely manner.  This was assessed as a CCS3 breach and was determinate to pose a reasonably foreseeable risk of minor harm to the environment.  No other non-compliances with the permit were identified during this visit.

·       Public Protection had also provided a late response which stated that they had no objection to the application subject to the inclusion of additional condition related to gas as follows:

“If during development, contamination (including ground gases) not previously considered is identified, then a written remediation strategy regarding this contamination (prepared by a competent person) shall be submitted to and approved in writing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

Construction of new two-storey primary school building with associated outdoor play facilities, landscaping and access and demolition of existing Ringway Primary School buildings (amended plans).

Ringway Primary School, Ringway, Stakeford, Choppington, Northumberland,

NE62 5YP

J Atkinson, Senior Planning Officer introduced the application to the Committee with the aid of a power point presentation.  An update to the Committee report had been circulated to Members in advance of the meeting and had been uploaded to the website. The update provided details of the response from Sports England and the Committee were asked to agree to an additional condition in relation to the remediation and maintenance of the playing fields should Members be minded to approve the application.  The update was also read out at Committee by the Officer.

Councillor Stewart left the meeting at this point.

Councillor Foster addressed the Committee speaking as the Local Ward Member on the application.  Her comments included the following:-

·       The application to provide better school facilities for local children was welcomed.

·       Condition 9 was highlighted and the fact that the site was situated on the furthest edge of Wansbeck Estate and accessed through internal housing roads and therefore the construction would impact many residents.  She outlined problems being experienced elsewhere in her ward following approval of another application.  The Construction Management Plan (CMP) for that application had been submitted and approved by the LPA however Planning Enforcement claimed that the wording was too vague to prove a number of alleged breaches such as multiple large wagons queuing along the access road affecting residents’ ability to access or leave their homes in vehicles; the engines of said wagons continuing to run for long periods of time; and mud and debris on the road network. 

·       The sentences within the CMP which caused difficulty for enforcement were :

1.    “All deliveries will be staggered to avoid unnecessary delays and congestions”

2.    “To prevent mud or other materials being deposited onto the public highway, the wheels of all vehicles leaving the site will be cleaned as necessary.

3.    The public highway will be monitored for excessive mud and cleaned with a road sweep vehicle or similar at appropriate times”

·       There were no contingency plans should a number of vehicles arrive within a short space of time as it was one vehicle out one vehicle in for the site, but not for the residential access road.

·       There was no sign of any wheel washing taking place on site, hence the mud and debris on the road and no adequate sweeping of the road was being undertaken except when the contractor was aware of a site visit with the Parish Council was being undertaken.

·       She asked that should the Committee be minded to approve this application then the motion should also include that the Demolition and Construction Method Statement must be more robust and should only be approved with the agreement of the Committee Chair and Ward Councillor in order to protect residential amenity and allow enforcement action to be taken  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

During consideration of the next item and as the time approached 7.00 pm, it was proposed, seconded and unanimously agreed to suspend Standing Orders and allow the meeting to proceed over the 3 hour time limit.                                                                                                                                                        

Installation of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure associated with Low Horton Solar Farm (planning approval ref. 22/01153/RENE)

Land south of Laverock Hall Roundabout, A192 Laverock Hall, Cramlington, Northumberland

Installation of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure associated with Low Horton Solar Farm (planning approval ref. 22/01153/RENE)

Land south of Laverock Hall Roundabout, A192 Laverock Hall, Cramlington, Northumberland

An introduction to the report was provided by G Halliday, Consultant Planner with the aid of a power point presentation.

J Selwyn, Managing Director of Bluefield Renewable Developments addressed the Committee speaking in support of the application.  His comments included the following:-

·       The Bluefield Group was a UK based business which developed, built and operated solar and battery projects on behalf of funders and had previous approvals for projects within Northumberland.

·       As Bluefield and its funders owned and operated the projects they developed, they sought to establish long term relationships with local communities and local authorities.

·       The application was for permission to build a battery energy storage system to complement the approved Low Horton solar farm.

·       The proposed site was on a small parcel of Green Belt land adjacent to the already consented DNO electricity sub station which would serve the solar farm and which itself would connect to the adjacent existing overhead power lines.

·       As part of this application and the original solar farm existing hedgerows would be strengthened and new sections of hedgerows planted to enhance screening.

·       The battery project would achieve a biodiversity net gain of 11.84% in habitat units and 75.08% in hedgerow units.  The site was a former shallow coal mine and careful consultation had been undertaken with the Coal Authority on its location.

·     Decommissioning and full restoration of the site at the end of life would be secured via a planning condition and there would be no change to the land classification. 

·     There were no public or statutory consultee objections.

·     Battery storage projects were complementary to renewable energy technologies helping to balance generation against demand and stabilise the grid.  They must comply with stringent health and safety regulations which encompass the installation, operation and maintenance of the systems, and the planning application included a bespoke Fire Safety Management Plan, Emergency Response Plan and Fire  Safety Management procedures.  All battery containers had built in monitoring and control systems which shut down remotely in the event of a fault and also had fire suppression equipment which would be triggered automatically in an emergency.

·     Bluefield was committed to engaging with local communities and to keep residents updated on activities and provide a point of contact for any queries. Contributions were also made to local community projects, and it was intended to enhance the package already offered to Blyth Town Council for the solar farm.  As part of the wider investments in the area they would also like to develop a local skills training and apprenticeship programme and would welcome dialogue with the Council on this.

·     Low Horton Battery Energy Storage System would complement the already approved solar farm and help to address local and national climate policies with contributing to energy security in providing a significant source of clean renewable energy for a temporary period of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

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 month.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.