Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
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Agenda and minutes

Venue: King Edmund Chamber, Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich. View directions

Contact: Committee Services 

Items
No. Item

45.

SUBSTITUTES AND APOLOGIES

Any Member attending as an approved substitute to report giving his/her name and the name of the Member being substituted.

 

To receive apologies for absence.

 

Minutes:

Apologies of absence were received from Councillors Alison Owen and David Busby.

 

Councillor Bryn Hurren substituted for Councillor David Busby.

46.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Members to declare any interests as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Melanie Barrett declared a local non-pecuniary interest as an employee of Schools Choice.

 

Councillor Adrian Osborne declared a local non-pecuniary interest in application DC/19/02488 as he had provided information to residents on Belle Vue Road.

 

Councillor Bryn Hurren declared an interest in application DC/19/01873 and that he could not approach the application with an open mind, as such he would not take part in the debate or vote upon the application.

47.

PL/19/12 TO CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2019

To Follow.

Minutes:

The Governance Officer advised Members that the Minutes from the meeting on the 11 September 2019 were not ready for confirmation as they had not been signed off by the Legal representative at the meeting.

 

Further to this the Governance Officer advised that they would be reported to the next Planning Committee meeting.

 

 

48.

TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF PETITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNCIL'S PETITION SCHEME

Minutes:

The Governance Officer advised Members that a petition had been received regarding planning application DC/19/01873.

 

The petition had been signed by 144 valid signatories supporting the following statement:

 

“We the undersigned, petition the planning committee at Babergh District Council to reject Catesby Estates’ application (ref: DC/19/01873) to build 80 new homes on land to the East of Sand Hill, Boxford, in a locally important rolling valley farmland area with poor access to Boxford Village”.

49.

SITE INSPECTIONS

In addition to any site inspections which the Committee may consider to be necessary, the Acting Chief Planning Officer will report on any other applications which require site inspections.

 

The provisional date for any site inspections is Wednesday 2 October 2019.

 

Minutes:

None requested.

50.

PL/19/13 PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR DETERMINATION BY THE COMMITTEE pdf icon PDF 58 KB

An Addendum to Paper PL/19/13 will be circulated to Members prior to the commencement of the meeting summarising additional correspondence received since the publication of the agenda but before 12 noon on the working day before the meeting, together with any errata.

 

Minutes:

In accordance with the Council’s arrangements for Public Speaking at Planning Committee, representations were made as detailed below relating to the items in Paper PL/19/13 and the speakers responded to questions put to them as provided for under those arrangements.

 

Application Number

Representations From

DC/19/01873

Phil Wallis (Boxford Parish Council)

Chris Philbedge (Objector)

Ed Barrett (Agent)

Cllr Bryn Hurren (Ward Member)

DC/19/02489

Michael Robeson (Whatfield Parish Council)

Roy Searl (Objector)

Philip Branton (Applicant)

DC/19/02288

David Dray (Whatfield Parish Council)

John Bowtell (Objector)

DC/19/02488

None

 

 

 

It was RESOLVED

 

That subject to the imposition of conditions or reasons for refusal (whether additional or otherwise) in accordance with delegated powers under Council Minute No. 48(a) (dated 19 October 2004) decisions on the items referred to in Paper PL/19/13 be made as follows:-

 

51.

DC/19/01873 LAND TO THE EAST OF SAND HILL, BOXFORD, SUFFOLK pdf icon PDF 768 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

51.1 Item A

 

Application          DC/19/01873                      

Proposal             Outline Planning Application (some matters reserved) – Erection of up to 80 no. residential dwellings including vehicular access.

Site Location       BOXFORD – Land to the East of Sand Hill, Boxford, Suffolk

Applicant              Catesby Development Land Limited

 

51.2 The Case Officer presented the application to the Committee outlining the proposal before Members, the layout of the site, the contents of the tabled papers, and the officer recommendation of approval with conditions.

 

51.3 Members considered the representation from Phil Wallis of Boxford Parish Council, who spoke against the application.

 

51.4 The Parish Council representative responded to Members’ questions on issues including: the footpaths in the area, the increase in the number of homes in the village, the spaces at the local school, and the current stage that the Neighbourhood Plan was in.

 

51.5 Members considered the representation from Chris Philbedge who spoke as an Objector.

 

51.6 The Objector responded to Members’ questions on issues including: the traffic movements on Cox Hill and the routes that prospective residents would take through the village.

 

51.7 Members considered the representation from Ed Barrett who spoke as the Agent.

 

51.8 The Agent responded to Members’ questions on issues including: consultation with the Parish Council, the provision of Affordable Housing on the site, and the details that would be submitted in a Reserved Matters application.

 

51.9 Members considered the representation from the Ward Member, Councillor Bryn Hurren, who spoke against the application.

 

51.10 The Ward Member responded to Members’ questions on issues including: the distances to the key services in Boxford and the core of the village, the public transport in the area and that local services had been reduced, and traffic movements within the village.

 

51.11 Members debated the application on the issues including: the contents of the tabled papers and the quashing of an appeal decision, the traffic that would be generated by the proposal, the connectivity of the site, the capacity at the local school, and the Affordable Housing provision being provided.

 

51.12 Members continued to debate the application on issues including: the application of CS11 to the site, the economic benefit that the proposal would bring through the development of the site, the footpath provision being provided and the improvement to the bus stop.

 

51.13 Councillor Melanie Barrett proposed that the application be approved as detailed in the officer recommendation. Councillor Adrian Osborne seconded the motion.

 

51.14 The motion was lost.

 

51.15 Councillor Lee Parker proposed that the application be refused for the reasons as detailed below:

 

That the application was contrary to policies:

 

·       CS2

·       CS11 (i), (iv), (v)

·       CS15 (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (viii)

 

51.16 Councillor John Hinton seconded the motion.

 

51.17 RESOLVED

 

That the application is refused for being contrary to policies:

 

·       CS2

·       CS11 (i), (iv), (v)

·       CS15 (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (viii)

 

 

 

 

52.

DC/19/02489 LAND TO THE SOUTH EAST OF WHEATFIELDS, WHATFIELD, SUFFOLK pdf icon PDF 583 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

52.1 A short comfort break was taken between 11:30-11:41 after the completion of DC/19/01873 but before the commencement of DC/19/02489.

 

52.2 Councillor Bryn Hurren re-joined the Committee after the completion of DC/19/01873.

 

52.3 Item B

 

Application          DC/19/02489                      

Proposal             Outline Planning Application (some matters reserved) – erection of 25 dwellings (8 affordable dwellings) site layout, and access.

Site Location       WHATFIELD- Land to the south east of Wheatfields, Whatfield, Suffolk

Applicant              Mrs and Mr R Riddleston

 

 

52.4 The Case Officer presented the application to the Committee outlining the proposal before Members, the contents of the tabled papers, and the officer recommendation of refusal.

 

52.5 Members considered the representation from Michael Robeson of Whatfield Parish Council who spoke against the application.

 

52.6 Members considered the representation from Roy Searl who spoke as an Objector.

 

52.7 The Objector responded to Members questions on issues including: the broadband connection in the area and the schooling provision.

 

52.8 Members considered the representation from Philip Branton who spoke as the Applicant.

 

52.9 The Applicant responded to Members’ questions on issues including: the engagement with the Parish Council and the provision of Affordable Housing.

 

52.10 Members debated the application on the issues including: the sustainability of the proposal, the local infrastructure, and the number of students in the local school.

 

52.11 Councillor Peter Beer proposed that the application be refused as detailed in the officer recommendation. Councillor Stephen Plumb seconded the motion.

 

52.12 RESOLVED

 

That the Corporate Manager - Planning for Growth be authorised to refuse Outline Planning Permission for the erection of 25 dwellings (8 affordable dwellings) and associated site layout and access for the following reason:

 

1. The proposed development, remote from local services and sustainable transport modes, will result in a high level of car dependency for future occupants. The scale and location of the development would result in landscape harm, undermining the open character and rural setting of the village. For these reasons the proposal would cause demonstrable environmental harm and therefore does not constitute sustainable development, contrary to saved Policy CN01 of the Babergh Local Plan (2006), Policies CS1, CS11 and CS15 of the Babergh Core Strategy (2014) and paragraph 17 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

 

53.

DC/19/02288 LAND SOUTH OF NAUGHTON ROAD, WHATFIELD, SUFFOLK pdf icon PDF 702 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

53.1 Item C

 

Application          DC/19/02288                      

Proposal             Outline Planning Application ( some matters reserved) – erection of 15 dwellings (including 6 affordable dwellings), creation of new vehicular access

Site Location       WHATFIELD – Land South of Naughton Road, Whatfield, Suffolk

Applicant              Mr Ingleton

 

 

53.2 The Case Officer presented the application to the Committee outlining the proposal before Members, the layout of the site, and the officer recommendation of refusal.

 

53.3 Members considered the representation from David Dray of Whatfield Parish Council who spoke against the application.

 

53.4 The Parish Council representative responded to Members’ questions on issues including: that they were developing a Neighbourhood Plan, and the number of applications approved within the village in recent history.

 

53.5 Members considered the representation from John Bowtell who spoke as an Objector.

 

53.6 Members debated the application on the issues including: the traffic and highways issues, and the sustainability of the proposal.

 

53.7 Councillor Stephen Plumb proposed that the application be refused as detailed in the officer recommendation. Councillor Zach Norman seconded the proposal.

 

53.8 RESOLVED

 

The application was refused for the following reason:

 

1. The proposed development, lacking pedestrian connectivity and accessible sustainable transport modes, will result in a high level of car dependency for future occupants. The scale and location of the development would result in landscape harm, undermining the open character and rural setting of the village. For these reasons the proposal would cause demonstrable environmental harm and therefore does not constitute sustainable development, contrary to saved Policy CN01 of the Babergh Local Plan (2006), Policies CS1, CS11 and CS15 of the Babergh Core Strategy (2014) and paragraph 17 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

54.

DC/19/02488 CROWN BUILDING, NEWTON ROAD, SUDBURY, SUFFOLK, CO10 2RL pdf icon PDF 367 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

54.1 A short comfort break was taken between 12:45-12:49 after the completion of application DC/19/02288 but before the commencement of DC/19/02488.

 

54.2 Item D

 

Application          DC/19/02488                                 

Proposal             Submission of details under Outline Planning Permission (B/17/01023) varied by Section 73 (DC/18/02513) – landscaping for erection of up to 19 apartments along with associated parking, garaging, communal areas and construction of new vehicular access.

Site Location       SUDBURY- Crown Building, Newton Road, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2RL

Applicant              CEMD Ltd

 

 

54.3 The Case Officer presented the application to the Committee outlining the proposal before Members, the layout of the site and the officer recommendation of approval.

 

54.4 Members debated the application on the issues including the layout of the site and the proposed landscaping.

 

54.5 Councillor Adrian Osborne proposed that the application be approved as detailed in the officer recommendation. Councillor Lee Parker seconded the motion.

 

54.6 Members continued to debate the application on the issues including: the planting on the site and the permeability of the car parking spaces.

 

54.7 RESOLVED

 

That authority be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer to grant planning permission subject to the conditions as summarised below and those as may be deemed necessary by the Chief Planning Officer:

 

· Approved Plans