Apologies were received from Councillor Jessica Fleming.

Councillors Roy Barker and Jane Storey declared a non-pecuniary interest in application 4909/16 as they both knew the land owner and Councillor Storey was also the County Councillor for the area.

It was noted that Members had been lobbied on application 4909/16 when it had been before the Committee on 12 July 2017.

It was noted that Councillors Keith Welham and Derek Osborne had undertaken personal site visits on application 4555/16.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 12 July 2017 were confirmed as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 19 July 2017 were confirmed as a correct record subject to an amendment to page 3 paragraph 6 to replace “Community Investment Levy” with “Community Infrastructure Levy.”

None received.

Note: The Chairman may change the listed order of items to accommodate visiting Ward Members and members of the public

Schedule of Planning Applications

Item 1

Application          4555/16

Proposal             Erection of 143 dwellings and 15 Class B1 units

Site Location      STOWMARKET – Phases 3A &3C Cedars Park, Land South of Gun Cotton Way, Stowmarket

Applicant            Mr Haydon

The Case Officer notified Members that the independent noise assessment submitted in the tabled papers took into account the application on the adjacent site and that the Environmental Health Officer had no further concerns.  She also confirmed that the car parking provision was in excess of the adopted parking standards requirement and that the applicant was Lansbury Developments Ltd and not as stated in the report.  It was noted that the recommended conditions were amended to remove ‘Submission of Reserved Matters’ as it was a Full planning application.

In response to Members’ questions she advised:

·       Site 3(a) density 34 per hectare / Site 3 (b) density 22 per hectare

·       Proposed affordable housing provision – 19.5%

·       Acoustic fencing had no breaks

·       Odour assessment diagram showed 3 years data.

Martin Ingham, the applicant advised that as there was potentially a noise source from the adjoining Tomo Industrial Estate an acoustic fence would be erected along the entire boundary with no breaks.  The second odour pattern diagram started the dark contour at odour rating 10, which was ‘bad odour’ and this was where the commercial units would be sited.  He clarified that the two sites had been included in one application as it was a variation from previous approved employment use as although efforts had been made to over a number of years it had proved difficult to attract tenants.  A combination of commercial and residential was now seen as the best and most sustainable use for the sites. 

Councillor Barry Humphreys MBE, Ward Member, said he appreciated that market trends changed and he would support the change of use to residential if the site was elsewhere but he had grave concerns regarding the odour nuisance suffered in that location.  The predominant wind was south westerly and the odour model over three years gave no indication of weather patterns and he felt it was necessary to see this in order to get a real model of the odour pattern.  There had been many complaints from local residents to Anglian Water about the sewage treatment plant but little had been done to rectify the problem.

Councillor Dave Muller, Ward Member, said that he lived on the estate and was aware that the smell was worse than ever before and complaints were being received from further away than before.  He would have been able to support the change of use to residential if not for this but he felt that occupiers would not be able to open windows or sit in the garden  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.