Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Waddell.  It was reported that Councillor Fairless Aitken gave her apologies for part one of the meeting and Councillor Oliver was delayed.

Minutes of the meeting of the Tynedale Local Area Council, held on 9 August 2022, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record, and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of Tynedale Local Area Council held on 9 August 2022, as circulated, be confirmed as a true record and 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;??

a)      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.?

b)      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.?

c)       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.?

d)      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.?

e)      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 Scott declared a personal interest and prejudicial interest in agenda item no 22/00579/FUL and would leave the meeting whilst the application was discussed.

The Chair advised members of the procedure which would be followed at the meeting.

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 committee was requested 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.

Construction of 1no. dwelling with associated access, parking and landscaping

Land North of Meadow Gate, Catton, Northumberland

There were no questions arising from the site visit videos which had been circulated prior to the meeting.

The Planning Officer introduced the application with the aid of a powerpoint presentation and requested the following amendments to condition No.s 3 and 7:

Condition 3 – inclusion of policies and reference to the retaining wall

“Notwithstanding the plans hereby approved, no development shall commence on site until plans, including cross sections showing the finished floor levels, garden levels and resulting ridge height of the dwelling hereby approved, from a fixed datum point, are submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

These plans should include details of any retaining walls that are required due to the proposed earthworks and change in land levels.

Thereafter, the development shall proceed only in accordance with those approved details.

Reason: To ensure these details are controlled by the Local Planning Authority in the interests of impact on the appearance of the area in accordance with Policies QOP1, QOP2, ENV1 and ENV6 of the Northumberland Local Plan the NPPF.”

Condition 7 - Updated to include reference to doors

“Notwithstanding the details submitted, all external doors including frames shall be of painted timber.  All windows shall be of painted timber and shall be hung sliding sash, recessed by at least 100mm and with no trickle vents.  The windows and external doors shall be retained/replaced like for like in perpetuity.

Reason: In the interest of the appearance of the area. In accordance with Policies QOP1 and ENV6 of the Northumberland Local Plan.”

John Haigh spoke in objection to the application and raised the following issues:

·        The application would have been dealt with under delegated powers had a formal complaint not been made by Mr and Mrs Pierce about the management of the application which was then reassessed.

·        The committee were requested to respect the opinions of the parish council, Catton residents and experts in the fields of conservation and the environment and reject the application.

·        The AONB had previously documented that the meadow was inappropriate for development and that it formed and important part of the character of Catton Village.

·        Permitting the development would contravene Section 85 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

·        The Council was not paying due regard to the AONB designation.  The Countryside Charity (CPRE) objection stated that the proposed plans fail an acceptability test.

·        The applicant’s consultant claimed the new dwelling would be similar to that previously approved which was untrue as it did not comply with previous conditions on the following 2 points:

1)    The ridge of the new building would be no higher than the ridge of Meadowgate.  The report stated that the new ridge would be 1.4 m higher but measurements from the Wider Street Elevation plan show it to be 2.1 m higher.

2)    The ground level was only to be lowered by 2.4 m and not the 3.5 m previously required.

·        They objected strongly that conditions applied by the former Senior Planning Officer,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

Councillor Scott left the meeting whilst the following application was discussed.  Councillor Cessford sat as Chair.

Conversion of existing barn to 1 dwelling

Land to East of Edgewell House Farm House, Edgewell House Road, Prudhoe, Northumberland, NE42 5PD

There were no questions arising from the site visit videos which had been circulated prior to the meeting.

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the application with the aid of a powerpoint presentation and confirmed that there were no updates.

Mr. C. Ross spoke on behalf of the owners of the Old Granary who would suffer the most if the development were allowed.  They objected to the application in the strongest terms on the grounds of highway safety and residential amenity and raised the following points:

·        Existing arrangements were historical and not open for consideration.

·        An application for a new development should be assessed against all policy requirements.  Policy TRA 2 required development to have effective and safe access and egress to the existing transport network.

·        The Highways Team had confirmed that the existing access and visibility splay were sub-standard but had not objected.  This would result in more cars, bikes and vehicles using the sub-standard access with sub-standard visibility creating more opportunities for near misses, similar to recent events with cars going into the hedge opposite.

·        This was a 60 mph road which required a visibility splay of 215 metres.  Based on current plans, only 12-13 metres of visibility was achievable and therefore over 200 metres short of what was required.  A visibility splay of 215 metres could not be achieved and therefore the development failed to provide an effective and safe access and egress required by Policy TRA 2 and should be refused on Highways grounds, a valid material planning reason.

·        Currently the Old Granary house and garden was not overlooked and was a private family space.  If the adjacent building was developed, they would be overlooked in the living room, bedroom and outside space with 6 new windows not there before.  This would destroy the privacy of the Old Granary contrary to the following policies:

-       Policy HOU8 which required a development to enhance its setting.

-       Policy QOP1 which required no unacceptable harm to amenity.

-       QOP2 which required appropriate levels of privacy.

·        The development should be refused on loss of privacy and overlooking, valid material planning reasons.

·        They requested that the application be refused and that the Old Granary should be visited so the site was understood from both sides.

Mrs Hannah Underwood, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.  She highlighted the following:-

·        They hoped to bring new life to a disused building whilst retaining its character.

·        The previous refusals and dismissed appeal on the site related to a single factor, the disputed previous use of the building.  Those applications/appeal had been made under a prior notification procedure and not a full planning application.

·        The technical aspects of highway safety, ecology, land contamination, coal mining and drainage had been carefully assessed with no objections raised by the professional consultees.

·        The principle of development, design of the conversion, residential amenity of neighbours, sustainability of the site and Green Belt matters had been assessed by the planning officer.  They had also been taken into account by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

Councillor Scott returned to the meeting and resumed her position as Chair.  Councilors Fairless-Aitken and Oliver also entered the meeting.

Listed Building Consent for Change of colour on front of building (retrospective)

Brew Bar, Market Square, Haltwhistle, NorthumberlandNE49 0BL

There were no questions arising from the site visit videos which had been circulated prior to the meeting.

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the application with the aid of a powerpoint presentation.  She reported that nine representations in support of the application had been received since the committee report had been finalised.  These had been circulated to Members electronically prior to the meeting and were also available to view on the Council’s Public Access website.  A summary of the comments was provided as follows:

·        Support for the grey colour of the building.

·        The grey colour complimented the historic environment in which the building sits.

·        The cost of changing the colour back could jeopardise the business which operated from the building.

·        The grey colour would be an easier colour to maintain as it would look fresher for longer than the previous colour.

·        The building was well-presented and the business a well-kept establishment.

·        There were other businesses within the market place and wider locality which were not well-maintained.

·        The Brew Bar had a positive impact on the town and contributed to the vibrancy of the market place.

·        The business offered something different and unique in Haltwhistle and was popular with both tourists and local residents.

·        There was currently a variety of facades and colours within the surrounding street scene.

Councillor Michael Ridley spoke on behalf of Haltwhistle Town Council.  He highlighted the following:

·        As elected members they were the voice of the people on the street.

·        The response from the people of Haltwhistle to the external changes of the Brew Bar building had been very positive as it had brightened up the Market Square.

·        People going to church have made comments about the calming colour and asked if the east side of the building was also to be painted.

·        The Town Council has no objection to the colour or the application.

·        Tourists and the people of Haltwhistle loved it.

·        Whilst it had been commented that the paint did not let the building breathe, the paint being waterproof would extend the life of the building as water had previously soaked in.

Mr Sam Jackson, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.  He made the following comments:-

·        They had decided to paint the exterior of the building during the first national lockdown when the business had been closed and the future was uncertain.

·        They had obtained the permission of the landlady but at that time had been unaware that listed building consent was also required.

·        The colour had been carefully chosen to compliment the traditional stonework of the building, and tied in well with neighbouring slate roofs, the cobbled road around the marketplace, wrought iron gates of the church and the church itself.

·        The grey colour also reflected the buildings industrial heritage as an old blacksmiths shop, more so than the previous colour.

·        Prior to his tenancy, the building had been previously repainted but not with lime wash paint.

·        The public response to the appearance of the Brew Bar on its reopening had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

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.

The report provided information on the progress of planning appeals.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

Councillor Horncastle left the meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 5.53 p.m. until 6.10 p.m.

To reply to any questions received from members of the public, which may be received in writing in advance of the meeting or asked at the meeting. Questions can be asked about issues for which the Council has a responsibility. If questions are received in advance of meetings it will increase the likelihood of an answer being provided at the meeting. (Public question times take place on a bimonthly basis at Local Area Council meetings: in January, March, May, July, September and November each year.)

As agreed by the County Council in February 2012, the management of local public question times is at the discretion of the Chair of the committee.

Please note however that a question may possibly be rejected if it requires the disclosure of any categories of confidential or exempt information, namely information:

1.      relating to any individual;

2.      which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual;

3.      relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person;

4.      relating to any labour relations matters/negotiations;

5.      restricted to legal proceedings;

6.      about enforcement/enacting legal orders;

7.      relating to the prevention, investigation of prosecution of crime.

And/or:

·        is defamatory, frivolous or offensive;

·        it is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of this or another County Council committee in the past six months;

·        the request repeats an identical or very similar question from the same person;

·        the cost of providing an answer is disproportionate;

·        it is being separately addressed through the Council's complaints process;

·        it is not about a matter for which the Council has a responsibility or which affects the county;

·        it relates to planning, licensing and/or other regulatory applications;

·        it is a question that town/parish councils would normally be expected to raise through other channels.

If the Chair is of the opinion that a question is one which, for whatever reason, cannot properly be asked in an area meeting, he/she will disallow it and inform the resident of his/her decision.

Copies of any written answers (without individuals' personal contact details) will be provided for members after the meeting and also be publicly available.

Democratic Services will confirm the status of the progress on any previously requested written answers and follow up any related actions requested by the Local Area Council.

Wendy Breach on behalf of the Active Travel Tynedale team submitted the following question in advance of the meeting:

“Northumberland County Council has a number of policies aimed at mitigating climate crisis, improving health, decreasing air pollution and encouraging active travel. One specific policy is laid out on the School Transport web page:

"Northumberland County Council is committed to promoting the environmental benefits of active, sustainable travel, which includes reducing pollution for cleaner air around our schools."

A further commitment on the same web page with regard to active travel to and from schools concerns the creation of School Streets:

"We will work with the Highways team at Northumberland County Council so we can investigate Traffic Regulation Orders. This is to prohibit cars from entering specific streets at certain times of the day. Closing the street outside of your school will ensure that the air will be less polluted, as well as making the area safer for children."

With more than 500 School Streets in London, an ever increasing number in Tyne and Wear, 4 already established in Northumberland, and legislation now rolled out across England for ANPR, why has it been an uphill battle to get a School Street considered for the new QEHS/HMS in Hexham? The attendance at these schools (plus St Jo’s RC Middle School on the other side of Allendale Road) is greater than 2100 students. Of this number ~1,000 students walk, ~ 800 come by school coach and ~300 parents drive their children to school.

In spite of an NCC assessment that stated driver behaviour would not change with the proposed highways signage and double and single-yellow lines on Whetstone Bridge Road, nor would school-in and -out times become safer, NCC Highways has completed a scheme which is patently ineffective, and teachers are still required on the road to ensure student safety at school in and out times.

Why will NCC Highways and School Transport NOT consider a School Street, and why has there yet been no Road Safety Audit? Why all these delays? Active Travel Tynedale has heard no end of excuses.”

The following response from the Infrastructure Manager was read out:

“The implemented parking restrictions on Whetstone Bridge Road and Tynedale Terrace are an integral element of the discharge of conditions associated with the approved planning application 19/03998/CCD | Redevelopment of Queen Elizabeth High School and required as conditions for the development of the schools. The parking restrictions proposed address a range of road safety matters associated with the ingress and egress from all entrances to the school and future operation of the school. The Council prepared and advertised the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) associated with the approved planning application and conditions discharge and reviewed individual objections to the parking restrictions within the TRO, in particular the double yellow lines around the entrance to Tynedale Terrace and extending along Whetstone Bridge Road towards Allendale Road and the inclusion of single yellow lines on the North end of Whetstone Bridge Road between the school  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

This item is to:

a)      Receive any new petitions: to receive any new petitions.  The lead petitioner is entitled to briefly introduce their petition by providing a statement in writing, and a response to any petitions received will then be organised for a future meeting;

b)      Consider reports on petitions previously received: (none).

c)      Receive any updates on petitions for which a report was previously considered: any updates will be verbally reported at the meeting.

This item was to:

a)      Receive any new petitions:

It was reported that the following new petition had been opened for signatures on the Council’s website:

Request to impose a speed limit on a section of the C234 between Warden Bridge and Fourstones.

b)     Consider reports on petitions previously received:

A report on the following petition had been requested for the meeting on 10 January 2023:

Wentworth Car Park & Hexham Alemouth Road Car Park, Hexham.

c)      To consider updates on petitions previously considered:

An update on the B6305 Allendale Road, Hexham Petition was to be provided at the next meeting on 15 November 2022.

To receive a verbal update from the Area Managers from Technical Services and Neighbourhood Services in attendance about any key recent, ongoing and/or future planned Local Services work for the attention of members of the Local Area Council, who will also then have the opportunity to raise issues with the Area Managers.

The Area Managers have principal responsibility for highway services and environmental services, such as refuse collection, street cleansing and grounds maintenance, within the geographic boundaries of the Local Area Council.

Members received the following updates from the Area Managers from Neighbourhood Services and Technical Services:

Technical Services:

·        98.7% of actionable defects had been repaired in line with the Council’s policy.  4,101 actionable defects had been recorded between July and August 2022.  Highway inspections were up to date and carried out in accordance with the Council’s statutory duty.

·        Footway slurry sealing works had been completed for the season with preparatory works commencing in new locations ahead of completion in 2023.

·        The gulley tanker continued its routine cleansing programme with a dedicated drainage gang and JCB renewing gully pots, cross drains and ditching in known problem areas.  Drainage investigation and repair was due to commence on the A695 at Riding Mill before moving to Acomb.

·        LTP surfacing works had been completed in a number of areas with work scheduled next at West Woodburn.

·        6 out of 13 sites in Tynedale had been completed to date as part of the LTP investment program in U & C roads.

·        Surface dressing work had been completed at all 12 sites within the Tynedale area.  Surface dressing work across the county was overseen by the Tynedale team with 43.96 miles of carriageways covered.

·        A summary of completed safety scheme were outlined with a number of projects programmed in the next few months.

·        The winter services season was due to due to commence on 31 October with 105 members of staff.  Staff and rotas were in place with arrangements for dealing with snowfall and prolonged periods of extreme wintry weather remaining unchanged.  A copy of the winter resilient document was due to be circulated to all members.  Salt supplies had been restocked and 1600 grit bins were in the process of being checked and replenished.  Further refills could be arranged by via provision of serial numbers to the contact centre.

The Highways Delivery Area Manager provided clarification or agreed to investigate issues for Councillors Cessford, Dale, Fairless-Aitken, Kennedy, Morphet and Scott.

Neighbourhood Services:

·        Appointments had recently been made to fill vacant Team Leader posts in the NEAT and Refuse teams.

·        Grass cutting had been suspended in some areas over the summer following long spells of warm and dry weather to enable the grass to recover.  Resource had been diverted to cutting back and weed spraying activities.  Grass cutting was expected to cease in the next few weeks with the minimum number of cuts being achieved.

·        The normal street sweeping schedules were ongoing with focus changing to leaf hot spots within the next month or so.  Members were encouraged to report issues, although officers had to balance competing demands.  They were aware of problems areas previously reported.  Priority areas included areas with significant pedestrian numbers including streets arounds schools, sheltered housing and steep slopes.

·        The winter annual maintenance schedules for the annual maintenance for the cutting back of shrubs, hedging and edging were in the process of being prepared.  Identification of any additional areas requiring attention should be notified by email.

·        Grounds staff working an annualised hours contract would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

Councillor Riddle left the meeting at 6.50 p.m.

Ivan Hewitt, Rural Business Growth Programme Manager, Economy & Regeneration Service, will be in attendance to give a presentation and answer questions about the North of Tyne Rural Business Growth Service.

Ivan Hewitt, Rural Business Growth Programme Manager, Economy & Regeneration Service, was in attendance to give a presentation about the Rural Business Growth Service (RBGS).  (A copy of the presentation is enclosed with the signed minutes).

The service was delivered by Advance Northumberland on behalf of Northumberland County Council and worked with micro, small and medium sized enterprises, located in the rural areas of Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside.  A £7.9 million programme of investment was available, part funded from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

The aim of the RGBS was to grow the rural economy in North of Tyne, with the key outcome being the creation of growth and jobs.  The service provided a single point of contact and access to one-to-one specialist advice to help businesses secure funding and financial support.  Grants to enable businesses to grow, expand production, and diversify were available from £10,000 upwards to a maximum intervention rate of 40%.

Businesses in the following sectors that were eligible for grant assistance and support with the application process included:

·        Food and drink production

·        Manufacturing

·        Knowledge intensive businesses

·        Culture, creative and tourism - excluding retail and accommodation

·        Energy products and services

·        Environmental products and services

Advice and support were available for organisations, including community centres and village halls, not currently eligible for grant funding under the above criteria.  The current fund was available until June 2023.

Copies of leaflets promoting the service were circulated.  The next business surgery and networking event was due to be held on 13 October 2022 in Berwick with further events to be arranged.

The Chair thanked the Rural Business Growth Programme Manager for sharing information about the service.  A copy of the presentation would be circulated electronically with the officers’ contact details.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.

The Members Local Improvement Schemes for Tynedale Local Area Council are provided for information only.

The Local Area Council received a progress update on Members’ Local Improvement Schemes as at 1 September 2022.  (A copy of the report is enclosed with the minutes.)

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To note the latest version of agreed items for future Local Area Council meetings (any suggestions for new agenda items will require confirmation by the Business Chair after the meeting).

A list of agreed items for future Local Area Council meetings was circulated.  (A copy is enclosed with the minutes.)

Members were invited to email any requests to the Chair and / or Democratic Services Officer between meetings.

Members enquired as follows:

·        If information on the delivery of local services in the Tynedale area could be shared to explain which services did what.  The Chair confirmed that the matter would be referred to the next meeting of the Local Area Chairs.

·        If an update was available on the Peth Head speed survey.

RESOLVED that the work programme be noted.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 15 November 2022.

The next meeting (planning only) would be held on Tuesday 15 November 2022 at 4.00 p.m.