Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors D Brown, P Edwards, P Hoyland and S Wilkinson.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests and for Members to declare if they have a pre-determination in respect of any item on the agenda.

In the interests of openness in respect of applications 13/1052W and 13/1223N, Councillor J Hammond declared that he was a member of the Cheshire Wildlife Trust who had been a consultee on the applications, however he had not made any comments in respect of the applications.

To approve the minutes as a correct record.

RESOLVED

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to the last bullet point relating to the Section 106 Agreement in respect of Minute No. 54, application 13/0336N being amended as follows:-

‘Reiterate previous Section 106 agreements in particular concerning the public access from the NW corner and the SW corner of the site and public transport.  (Funding of £330,000 to be made available for footpath and cycle improvement and £300,000 for public transport).’

In addition in relation to Minute No. 54 it was requested by Councillor J Hammond that that a way should be found through the overall development of the Site to accommodate the concerns of Weston & Basford Parsih Council. The existing sparse planting needed to be made more robust to mitigate the impact of the tall warehouse buildings on residents of Larch Avenue and Weston Lane Basford from both a visual and noise impact point of view.  As such land along the south side of the A500 Shavington bypass was within the highway boundary therefore he felt mitigation was both feasible and achievable through the overall masterplan of the site.

Whilst this was not part of the application he requested that it should be stipulated as an informative for the overall development.  The Planning & Place Shaping Manager advised that this request could be accommodated.

A total period of 5 minutes is allocated for each of the planning applications for the Ward Councillors who are not members of the Strategic Planning Board.

A period of 3 minutes is allocated for each of the planning applications for the following individual/groups:

• Members who are not members of the Strategic Planning Board and are not the Ward Member
• The relevant Town/Parish Council
• Local Representative Groups/Civic Society
• Objectors
• Supporters
• Applicants

RESOLVED

That the public speaking procedure be noted.

Consideration was given to the above application.

(Mr Adams, the agent for the applicant attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the application).

RESOLVED

That for the reasons set out in the report the application be approved subject to the following conditions:-

1)              Standard conditions;

2)              Submission of detailed construction phasing plan;

3)              Seven days written notification of commencement of development;

4)              Tree protection details;

5)              Arboricultural method statement including details of all trees/hedgerows to be removed prior to commencement of each phase of development;

6)              Reinstatement of hedgerow and compensatory tree/hedgerow planting.

7)              No removal of trees or shrubs during bird breeding season;

8)              Submission of wildlife protection plan;

9)              Detail of the great crested newts mitigation measures prior to the commencement of development.  

10)           Method statement for barn owl protection during construction phase.

11)           Preconstruction surveys for badgers informing the need for mitigation

12)           Preconstruction surveys for otters and water voles informing the need for mitigation;

13)           Detailed mitigation strategy for any works affecting otters/water voles or their habitat; 

14)           Preconstruction surveys for reptiles informing the need for mitigation and provision of reptile method statement;

15)           Bat survey;

16)           Scheme for replacement planting of vegetation lost at river crossings and method statement for reinstating grassland habitat;

17)           Further otter/water vole survey should development not commence within 2 years;

18)           Ecological method statement for directional drilling over River Wheelock SBI;

19)           Method statement for managing Japanese Knotweed;

20)           Submission of detailed Construction Environmental Management Plan;

21)           Submission of detailed Decommission Environment Management Plan;

22)           Scheme of ecological mitigation submitted prior to development of each phase;

23)           Submission of highway method statement;

24)           Hours of operation;

25)           Programme of archaeological work and mitigation;

26)           Method statement for engineering works to prevent harm to heritage assets;

27)           Scheme for protection of Kinderton Mill from construction vehicle damage;

28)           Method statement for protecting watercourses;

29)           Provision of containment for storage of oils, fuels or chemicals;

30)           Full lighting details;

31)           Full noise and vibration details for each phase;

32)           Noise mitigation scheme for the pump house;

33)           Silencing of all plant equipment and vehicles;

34)           Provision of contaminated land investigations and remediation measures;

35)           Provision for detailing with unexpected contamination;

36)           Soil management measures;

37)            Full restoration and landscape enhancement details including planting details, specifications, plans, gapping up details of hedgerow planting;

38)           Landscaping maintenance and management condition;

39)           Decommissioning plan;

40)           A scheme to prevent contamination of surface waters by 'silty' run-off during construction.

41)           Method statement for crossing watercourses;

42)           Bund details for the buffer tanks;

43)           All tanks to remain sealed at all times;

44)           Prior approval of details of pipeline crossing under or over or located in the public highway.

45)           Prior approval of temporary vehicular accesses.

46)           Closure of temporary new accesses & reinstatement within a set time period;

47)           Directional Drilling or percussive equipment - Full development details required before any works commence on any one phase of development along with details of predicted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

This application was withdrawn prior to the meeting.

This application was withdrawn prior to the meeting.

Consideration was given to the above application and an oral correction was made to the conclusion of the report on page 131 where policies NE2 and Res5 should have been referred to in place of policies PS8 and H6.

(Mr Cullen, representing Protect Stapeley and Mr Harris, the agent for the applicant attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the application).

RESOLVED

That for the reasons set out in the report and in the oral update the Board be minded to refuse the application for the following reasons:-

1.     The proposed residential development is unsustainable because it is located within the Open Countryside, where according to Policies NE.2 and RES.5 of the adopted Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan there is a presumption against new residential development. Such development would be harmful to its open character and appearance, which in the absence of a need for the development should be protected for its own sake. The Local Planning Authority can demonstrate a 5 year supply of housing land supply in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework. As such the application is also premature to the emerging Development Strategy. Consequently, there are no material circumstances to indicate that permission should be granted contrary to the development plan.

2.     The proposal will result in a loss of Grade 3a agricultural land, which is considered to be amongst the best and most versatile agricultural land and given that the Authority can demonstrate a housing land supply in excess of 5 years, there is no need for the development, and the housing which it would provide could be accommodated elsewhere. The use of the best and most versatile agricultural land is unsustainable and contrary to Policy NE.12 of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework.

3.     In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority, visibility at the proposed access to the site from the A529 is substandard and would result in a severe and unacceptable impact in terms of road safety contrary to Policy BE.3 of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework.

(This was a change in the Officers original recommendation from one of refusal to one of ‘minded to refuse’ due to the fact that the applicant had decided to submit an appeal against non determination).

This item was withdrawn prior to the meeting.