Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests and for Members to declare if they have pre-determined any item on the agenda.

Councillor J Hammond, who was in attendance at the meeting, declared a personal interest in respect of application numbers 11/4228N and 11/3867N on the grounds that he was a member ofHaslington Parish Council, which had been consulted on the proposed developments.  With respect to application number 11/3867N, Councillor Hammond also declared that he was Chairman of the Gutterscroft Management Committee.  In accordance with the code of conduct, he remained in the meeting during consideration of these items.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2011.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2011 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the addition of Councillor M Sherratt’s apologies for absence.

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Councillor J Hammond (Ward Councillor), Mr S Grunner (objector) and Mr P Carr(on behalf of the applicant) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application, a written update, an oral update by the Principal Planning Officer and an oral report of the site inspection.

RESOLVED – That, contrary to the planning officer’s recommendation for approval, the application be REFUSED for the following reason:

The proposal constitutes new residential development in the Open Countryside contrary to Policy NE.2 of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011. Due to the size of the site and the number of dwellings proposed it is not considered to constitute the infilling of a small gap with one or two dwellings in an otherwise built up frontage. Notwithstanding the fact that there is an existing dwelling on the site, it is not considered that there is any justification for the proposal under Policy RES.10 of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 as all of the proposed dwellings would be materially larger than the one which they replace and the existing dwelling is not in poor structural condition, and has not been altered in such a way that it is not worthy of retention.

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Councillor R Hovey(on behalf of Haslington Parish Council), Councillor J Hammond (Ward Councillor)and Mr R Holmes (on behalf of the applicant) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

Note: The Chairman had agreed to a request to vary the order of speaking, to enable the Ward Councillor to speak after the representative of Haslington Parish Council.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application and an oral report of the site inspection by the Southern Area Manager - Development Management.

RESOLVED – That the application be DEFERRED for further information, including plans showing details of Gutterscroft access and a contextual plan showing the relationship of the development to surrounding properties, and to enable officers to re-consult on any plans received.

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Councillor A Wood(on behalf of Sandbach Town Council) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application.

RESOLVED – That, contrary to the planning officer’s recommendation for approval, the application be REFUSED for the following reason:

The proposed two storey side and rear extension to the existing semi-detached dwelling is unsympathetic by reason of its scale and bulk, and will have an adverse impact upon the character of the host dwelling and the surrounding area. As such, the extension will have a detrimental impact on the character of the area and the host dwelling contrary to Policy GR.2 (Design) of the Congleton Borough Local Plan First Review 2005.

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Councillor I Barton (on behalf of Dodcott cum Wilkesley Parish Council) and Mr P Kubis (objector) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application and a written update.

RESOLVED – That the application be DEFERRED for a Committee site inspection to enable Members to assess the impact of the proposed development on neighbouring residential amenity, and to enable officers to consider late representations with respect to the access.