Agenda and minutes

Chair to report.

The Chair outlined the virtual meeting procedure and etiquette to the Committee and attendees.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Chesters.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th February 2021 (circulated previously) be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

There were no items to be brought forward.

(Please complete the form provided at the meeting or telephone the Corporate and Community Services Team to prepare a form for your signature before the meeting.  Items must be re-declared when the item is called, and Councillors must leave the room if necessary)

Report by Lead Planning Officer (North) (attached)

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

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

·         The application was for the reserved matters for the erection of 347 dwellings. This was phase A of the development for which outline planning permission had been granted in 2017.  That had included a Section 106 agreement. The development was for part of the southern extension- which in whole ran from the west of Old Barnstaple Road to Worth Meadow in the north.

·         In 2019 the Council had entered into a funding agreement with Homes England for £6.5m. Homes England had approved an extension for the first milestone for the scheme to be approved by 31^st March 2021.  The Lead Planning Officer (North) read an email received from the Regeneration Manager following attendance at a recent meeting with  Homes England regarding their timescales for the funding agreement:

“I have spoken with HE (Homes England). The key milestone for the HIF (Housing Infrastructure Fund) is delivery of the infrastructure by March 2023. If a deferment of a couple of months meant that the timetable could be squeezed to achieve delivery then that might be ok. A refusal would render this unachievable. HIF would fall away – I am not sure what we do about the 650k already spent”.

·         The application set out how it complied with the Building for a Healthy Life Assessment.

·         The consultation response to the issue of site access had not yet been provided by Devon County Council Highways following the receipt of amended plans.

·         Electric vehicle charging points were situated around the site for public access.

·         The drainage system strategy had been submitted but a response was still required from the Devon County Council as Lead Local Flood Authority.

·         Devon County Council (DCC) had confirmed that the site for the primary school would need to be safeguarded for future delivery.

·         The applicant had instructed a commercial agent in relation to the Mixed Use Hub land.  Details of the siting and design would be subject to reserved matters approval.

·         The location of the affordable housing shown on amended plans had been agreed and accepted by the applicant and Housing Enabling, including the provision of two 2 wheelchair accessible/user dwellings.

·         A response was awaited from the Arboriculturalist in respect of landscaping and biodiversity proposals.

·         The amended plans received had updated the design of the changing facilities in the community building. This building would be dual use. The latest drawings had not yet been viewed by the Parks and Leisure Officer.

·         The Football and Rugby clubs were looking to jointly run the facilities.

The Corporate and Community Services Officer read statements from Nicole Stacey (agent), Graham Parkhouse (objector) and Richard Spear (objector) to the Committee.

Councillor Pearson addressed the Committee as the Ward Member for the neighbouring ward.

Councillor Crabb addressed the Committee in his capacity as Ward Member.

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

·         The total  ...  view the full minutes text for item 158.

RESOLVED that it being 11.58 a.m. the meeting be adjourned for a comfort break and reconvene at 12.05 p.m.

Report by Lead Planning Officer (North) (attached)

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

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

·         The Open Space Officer had raised a number of issues with the application. The plans had now been amended to address the concerns raised.

·         The plans had been amended to include new drainage proposals which the developer had initially thought were not required.  The drainage plan had been included but the Devon County Council Local Flood Authority had not yet responded to the plans.

·         Three storage containers had now been added to the scheme. These would be partially hidden by screening/native planting on three sides.

·         The changing facilities had been amended. These were outlined to the Committee as part of planning application 71537.

·         The discharge of planning condition 9 relating to management and maintenance was not part of this application and would have to be complied with separately, providing opportunity for further discussion on management issues before development takes place.

·         The MUGA (Multi-use Games Area) on the plateau was an off-the-shelf provision which included the fencing.

·         A response was awaited from the Arboriculturalist.

·         A lighting scheme had not been proposed originally but any future proposal would be controlled by condition.

·         Natural England had no objections to the scheme.

Councillor Crabb declared a personal interest as President of the Ilfracombe Rotary Club.

The Corporate and Community Services Officer read statements from Richard Spear (objector), Mike Nixon and Carol Corp (objectors) and Mike Edmunds (objector) to the Committee.

Councillor Pearson addressed the Committee as the Ward Member for the neighbouring ward.

Richard Hopson (Ilfracombe Youth Football Club Secretary) and Clem Bennellick (Manager of Ilfracombe Football Club first team) addressed the Committee.

Councillor Campbell addressed the Committee as the Ward Member.

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

·         The site had planning permission and was included as an allocation in the Local Plan.

·         There were two multipurpose pitches, within a five hectare area of land with the opportunity to provide additional pitches in future. It would not be an ‘all weather’ surface. The pitches would be turfed.

·         The MUGA would have a tarmac surface.

·         The applicant was in discussion with the Football and Rugby Clubs as to their requirements for changing facilities etc. There was a condition to be discharged to set up the organisation of the future running of the new facilities and that it would need to be maintained by both clubs.

Councillor Crabb addressed the Committee as Ward Member. In response to further questions from the Committee, the Lead Planning Officer (North) confirmed that:

·         There were no plans to create an ‘all weather’ surface pitch. There would be a cost implication in doing so.  The clubs involved had not felt the pitch was needed to be all-weather and had appeared happy with turf.  The two turf pitches were located on the western edge of the site and the MUGA and community facilities would be located between the pitches.  Sport  ...  view the full minutes text for item 160.

To consider the appeals report (attached)

The Committee noted a report by the Senior Planning Support Officer   (circulated previously) regarding planning and enforcement appeal decisions received since those reported at the last meeting of the Committee.