Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Chesters, Fowler, Ley and Prowse.

(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)

The following declaration of interest was made:

Councillor Yabsley, personal interest in all items as he was a County Councillor.

Hybrid planning application to provide an Agricultural-Hub comprising: Area 1: Full Planning Permission for the erection of workshop & storage & distribution uses with ancillary offices, shop & showroom, (sui generis), creation of access and associated works (Phase 1); Area 2: Outline Application for the erection of buildings 1, 2 & 3 for agri-business uses falling under Use Classes Class E (a) retail, Class E (e) medical services, Class E (g) Business, B2 workshop & B8 storage & distribution with appearance & scale to be reserved matters (Phases 2 & 3).

Also present:

Andy Pryce, Applicant.

Cllr Sarah Child, Rackenford Parish Council.

Cllr Ian Lucas, Rackenford 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 Committee of North Devon District Council. Such observations are made after viewing the site and on the basis of the limited information available on site. Any such observations are, 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 is determined by the Planning Committee.”

The Committee heard from the Senior Planning Officer:

·         This was a hybrid planning application to provide an Agricultural-Hub.  The first phase would be full and the following phases were outline planning.

·         The development would consist of four buildings over three or four phases.

·         Access to the site for staff and service vehicles would be at the South Gate.

·         The A361 ran alongside the perimeter to the North.

·         The surrounding fields were mostly run as farmsteads.

·         The Committee were provided with a copy of the site plan, landscaping plan and example elevations.

The Committee congregated at the South gate to the site which would be the access used for staff and service vehicles.  The Committee then walked up the middle of the site where an access opening would be created for traffic onto and off the site.  The Committee looked out across the field to the commercial Utilities training business across the road opposite.  It was pointed out that the gate at the Northern edge of the site would be blocked up.  The site boundaries were generally proposed to remain as existing.  It was also pointed out the design of the proposed building and the design of the buildings in the immediate setting.

In response to questions from the Committee, the Senior Planning Officer advised that the following would be presented at the Committee meeting on 19^th October 2022:

·         Reasons why the business owner was moving out of their current site.

·         The uses of the other buildings that would be built on the site.

·         What the current agricultural grade of the land was.

·         A Highways officer to attend committee to explain and provide evidence of his recommendations.

·         To set out the biodiversity at the site.

·         An update on what the sustainable elements of the development are.

·         An update on whether the Developer would consider looking at a wider entrance or slip road into the site.

Residential development of 155 dwellings and associated infrastructure (amended plans dated 18/07/2022) and Phase 2 (Amended plans).

Also present:

Vicki Cole, Practice Manager, Witheridge Medical Centre.

Martin Bagshaw, Agent for applicant.

Tom Tippetts and Ian MacMartin, Representatives for the applicant.

Scott Rossiter, representative of the Cox Family.

Cllr Chris Searle, Witheridge 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 Committee of North Devon District Council. Such observations are made after viewing the site and on the basis of the limited information available on site. Any such observations are, 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 is determined by the Planning Committee.”

The Lead Planning Officer (South) provided the Committee with the following:

·         The site was accessed from the main B3137 road into ‘phase 1’, which consisted of 65 dwellings and was recently completed.

·         Access to the second phase would be through one road within the development.

The Committee walked to the gated area denoting where the access road to the second phase would be.  From this vantage point, they could see the hedge boundaries, which would remain, running around the first field of the second phase.

The Committee traversed to the edge of phase one to a farm access lane running along the perimeter and proceeded along this lane to the start of the second phase site.  From here, the Committee moved into a second field.  From this vantage point, the existing residential properties could be seen bordering the site along with the Witheridge Medical Centre.  The attenuation tank location was pointed out to the Committee at the far end of the site, which lay just behind the Medical Centre building.

At the suggestion of the Planning Manager, the Committee then exited the phase 2 site, walked along Wiriga Road onto Brooke Road, and made its way to the Medical Centre to view where the pedestrian access to the Medical Centre might be made.

The Lead Planning Officer (South) confirmed that the following information would be presented at the Planning committee meeting on 19 October 2022:

·         Clarification on the hardening of the lane surface, being mirrored on the offsite length of the lane.

·         If the lane were to be adopted as part of the national cycle network, or indeed if cycles would be allowed to use the lane and whether the lane would cease to be a farm access lane.

·         An update on whether the developer would be willing to relocate the attenuation tank and provide more parking spaces at the rear of the Medical Centre.