Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bulled, Denton, Lane, C Leaver, Walker and Whitehead.

Please telephone the Corporate and Community Services team to prepare a form for your signature before the meeting. Interests must be re-declared when the item is called. A declaration of interest under the Code of Conduct will be a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, an Other Registrable Interest or a Non-Registrable Interest.  If the item directly relates to your interest you must declare the interest and leave the room for the item, save in the case of Other Registrable Interests or Non-Registrable Interests where you may first speak on the item as a member of the public if provision has been made for the public to speak.  If the matter does not directly relate to your interest but still affects it then you must consider whether you are affected to a greater extent than most people and whether a reasonable person would consider your judgement to be clouded, if you are then you must leave the room for the item (although you may speak as a member of the public if provision has been made for the public to speak) or, if you are not, then you can declare the interest but still take part).

There were no declarations of interest declared.

Outline application for residential development of 105 dwellings with some matters reserved (Appearance, Scale and Landscaping) (Further information received) (Development Affecting a Public Right of Way).  Report by the Lead Planning Officer (attached).

Also present:

Graham Townsend (Agent)

Councillor Malcolm Wilkinson (Ward Member for Mortehoe)

Daniel Bleasdale, Clerk of Mortehoe Parish Council

The Committee received the following statement from the Corporate and Community Services Officer:

Any observations which are made during the course of this site visit by Members of the Planning Committee are limited to those issues identified by the Planning Officer in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee and the Ward Members of the area where the application site is located, as set out in Part 3 Annexe 2 of the North Devon Council Constitution.

Such observations are made after viewing the site and on the basis of the limited information available. Any such observations are not, nor should they be taken as an indication that the application is acceptable or unacceptable. A full presentation and consideration of all the planning issues will be made when the matter was determined by the Planning Committee.

The Lead Planning Officer (Major Applications) addressed the committee and provided them with a paper copy of the location plan. She then advised of the following:

·         The application was for 105 dwellings and the associated infrastructure

·         The proposed access was via the southern boundary (from the B3343) with a right turn onto the site. Access would be via the location of the existing gate.

·         The site covered the field in which the committee members were stood. 

·         The boundary of the site was shown and was for this one field only.

·         There was an existing public right of way across the site.

·         The full application would contain the full reports in respect of landscaping and bio diversity.

·         It was proposed that 52 of the 105 dwellings would be affordable housing.

·         Pedestrian access would be via the top of the site.

·         The site was classed countryside and Fortescue was classed as a rural settlement but was not within the formal development boundary.

·         DCC Highways had mentioned the lack of footway to Woolacombe from the access.

·         Some hedgerow would be removed to open the visibility at the site entrance to the highway.  Further details would be provided at the formal committee meeting.

In response to questions from the Committee, the Lead Planning Officer (Major Applications) advised of the following:

·         The site was designated as Countryside/SP07 (within the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan (NDTLP)).

·         It was an area of ‘pre-existing green space’ within the Area of Natural Beauty (AONB) and designated ‘Heritage Coast’.

·         Full reports in relation to ecology, and hedgerow detail, would be presented within the full application when it is presented to Committee.

·         The neighbouring site (alongside the boundary to the west) was also within the AONB.

Councillor Wilkinson (Mortehoe Ward Member) advised that the neighbouring development was not within the development plan.

In response to a question from the public, the Lead Planning Officer (Major Applications) advised that details of pavements would be included in the full application when presented to Committee.

In response to a question from the Committee, the Chair noted that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.