Issue - meetings

Report by Senior Planning Officer (North) (attached).

Councillor Crabb declared a Pecuniary and Personal Interest and left the meeting during the consideration thereof.

The Committee considered a report by the Senior Planning Officer (North) (circulated previously).

The Lead Planning Officer (North) addressed the Committee and advised:

·         The applicant was Councillor Crabb, a North Devon Council Councillor who was a member of the Planning Committee.

·         The site was in the town centre and was within the conservation area. It was within the development boundary.

·         He showed the Committee a photo of the site and advised that the site had looked similar to that over a number of years.

·         The application included five parking spaces.

·         The site was within Flood Zone one and a Critical Drainage Area.

·         The recommendation was for approval subject to a Section 106 agreement and conditions.

Mr Nigel Gale (architect) addressed the Committee.

In response to questions from the Committee, the Lead Planning Officer (North) advised:

·         Although planning permissions had previously been granted at the site they had not been built-out. He thought that the site ownership had changed since they were granted.

·         The windows from the neighbouring property were partially obscured.

·         There was room to turn vehicles before exiting the site onto Avenue Road. This would not be compromised if all the spaces were in use.

·         There were no issues regarding the garden of the adjacent property (to the east of the site) being overlooked as there was some distance between the properties.

·         It was not usual for a noise assessment to be carried out for domestic developments.

·         The operators of the dance studio, which was adjacent to the site, had not raised any issue regarding noise, only that of the potential loss of light. The dance studio was used to teach children tap, ballet and modern dance. It was not a dance club/venue.

RESOLVED (unanimous) that the application be APPROVED as recommended by the Senior Planning Officer.

Councillor Crabb re-joined the meeting.