Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors L Gilbert, Mrs B Howell, J Jones and S McGrory.

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 A Kolker declared a personal and prejudicial interest in respect of application number P09/0546c, 194 Main Road, Goostrey, on the grounds that his father was the applicant.  In accordance with the Code of Conduct, he withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this item.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 2009.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 2009 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Councillor P Mason (the Ward Councillor), Ms L Broadhurst (an objector) and Mr D Tatton (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.

RESOLVED – That the application be DEFERRED for a Committee site inspection so that Members can assess the impact of the proposed development on the street scene, neighbouring amenities and the open countryside.

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Mr P Butler (the applicant) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application.

RESOLVED – That the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1. Standard time

2. Approved plans

3. Materials to match existing dwelling

4. Two off-street parking spaces to be provided and retained

5. Details of cycle storage to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and retained thereafter

To consider the above planning application.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application.

RESOLVED – That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning and Policy to determine the application, following receipt of confirmation from Natural England that all ecological matters have been appropriately addressed.

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Mr W J Eardley (an objector) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application.

RESOLVED – That the application be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1. Insufficient information has been submitted with the application in order to justify the loss of an existing employment site. The applicant has not made reasonable attempts to market the property for employment uses and has failed to demonstrate that there would be substantial planning benefits that would outweigh the loss of the site for employment purposes. The proposal is thereby contrary to Policies GR1 and E10 of the adopted Congleton Borough Local Plan First Review.

2. The proposed development fails to achieve an adequate quality of design to justify approval of planning permission. In reaching this conclusion regard was had to the siting, design and layout of the proposed dwellings. It is therefore concluded that the proposal would detract from the character and appearance of the area, within which the site is located and would be contrary to PPS1, RSS Policy DP7 and Local Plan Policies GR1 and GR2 of the adopted Congleton Borough Local Plan First Review which seek to promote high quality and inclusive design.

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Councillor A Barratt (the Ward Councillor) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application.

RESOLVED – That, in accordance with agreed procedures, the application be REFERRED TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING BOARD for determination, on the grounds that the Committee was minded to approve the application and that approval would be a significant departure from policy.

Members were minded to approve the application for the following reasons:

1. The existing business had been established for many years

2. It was very unlikely that the land would ever revert to agricultural or horticultural uses

3. The degree of harm on the visual amenity of the area was very limited.

To consider the above planning application.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application.

RESOLVED – That the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1. Commencement of development (3 years)

2. Notwithstanding the details submitted with the application, no development shall commence until samples of the roofing materials have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details

To consider the contribution to the Connect 2 cycleway, to be secured under a Section 106 Agreement in relation to the planning application for the student hub at Reaseheath College.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application, which had been considered by the Development Control Committee of the former Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council on 4 December 2008.  The application had been approved subject to the applicant signing a Section 106 agreement and subject to conditions.  Members had asked that, in the event that no agreement on the amount of the contribution had been reached by 28 February 2009, the matter be referred back to the Development Control Committee for further consideration.

At a meeting of the Development Control Committee on 5 March 2009, it was verbally reported that the sum of £30,000 had been secured, but that this had not been confirmed in writing.  Written confirmation of this agreement had been received in writing on 4 March 2009, but this was not recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

RESOLVED

(a) That the commuted payment of £30,000 as a contribution towards the provision of the Connect2 cycleway (or other similar improvements between Crewe and Nantwich), as required by the Section 106 agreement referred to in the decision made by the former Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council Development Control Committee on 4 December 2008, be approved.

(b) That there be no necessity for the Committee to consider any further issues in relation to the Section 106 Agreement for Reaseheath College, Nantwich for Planning Application P08/1126.

To consider alterations to the definitions in the Section 106 Agreement for the Sheltered Apartments currently under construction in Red Lion Lane Nantwich, which was the subject of planning application P05/1618. 

Note: Mr C Butt (the applicant) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered a report regarding the Section 106 Agreement for the Sheltered Apartments currently under construction in Red Lion Lane Nantwich.

At a meeting on 27 July 2006, the Development Control Committee of the former Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council had approved planning application P05/1618 for Sheltered Apartments for the Elderly and House Manager’s Accommodation with landscaping and car parking, subject to the applicant signing a Section 106 Agreement

A request had subsequently been received for an alteration to the Agreement, as the developer no longer wished to provide the House Manager’s Accommodation in the development.

RESOLVED – That the Section 106 Agreement relating to planning application P05/1618 for Sheltered Apartments for the Elderly and House Manager’s Accommodation with landscaping and car parking on land off Red Lion Lane, Nantwich, be amended as follows:

·        the definition of “Communal Facilities” be changed to exclude reference to the “House Manager’s Accommodation”

·        the definition of “House Manager’s Accommodation” be deleted from the definitions at the start of the Agreement.

Councillor B Dykes (Chairman)