Agenda and minutes

Councillor Mrs L Dales declared a personal interest as she was the Council’s appointed representative on the Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board and Upper Witham Valley Drainage Board.

Councillor I Walker declared a personal interest as he was the Council’s appointed representative on the Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board.

Councillors R Blaney, Robert Crowe, Mrs M Dobson, L. Goff, Mrs P Rainbow, Mrs S Saddington, M Skinner, T Smith, I Walker, K Walker, declared personal interests in Agenda Item 6 - 51 Syerston Way, Newark - 20/02071/HOUSE, as the applicant was known to them.  Councillors Mrs P Rainbow, Mrs S Saddington, M Skinner, and T Smith would take no part in the debate or vote and would turn off their cameras and mute themselves in accordance with Council protocol, for the duration of that item.

The Chairman informed the Committee that the Council was undertaking an audio recording of the meeting, which would be webcast.

AGREED           that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2021 were                            approved as a correct record of the meeting, to be signed by the                                  Chairman.

The Committee considered the report of the Business Manager – Planning Development, which sought planning permission for the erection of a one bedroom, single storey dwelling.  This application was discussed at the 1 December 2020, Planning Committee, with Members resolving to defer the application to allow officers to negotiate an amended house type - a bungalow, whilst retaining the additional six car parking spaces. The committee report had been updated with bold text and obsolete text had been deleted, to detail the discussions and submitted documents received since the December meeting.

Members considered the presentation from the Senior Planning Officer, which included photographs and plans of the proposed development.

Members considered the proposal acceptable and welcomed the retention of the six car parking spaces.

AGREED             (unanimously) that planning permission be approved subject to the                conditions and reasons contained within the report.

The Committee considered the report of the Business Manager – Planning Development, which sought planning permission for the demolition of a rear conservatory and the erection of a single storey rear extension. The extension was proposed from block work and off-white render with a parapet roof and glazed lantern light. Development had already commenced on the site with the demolition of the conservatory and the rebuilding with the new structure. Development had ceased with the rendering, the only element to be completed.

Members considered the presentation from the Senior Planning Officer, which included photographs and plans of the proposed development.

A schedule of communication was tabled at the meeting which detailed correspondence received after the Agenda was published from two neighbours and the applicant.

Members considered the application and expressed their disappointment with the application being retrospective, although it was acknowledged that the applicant had understood that the extension was within permitted development.  The extension was approximately 20cm deeper than what was considered to be permitted development under the relevant legislation.  Some Members felt that the extension was overbearing, ugly and should have been kept in character with the house, using a red brick.  It was suggested that if the committee were minded to approve, an amendment to the materials condition should be made regarding the render colour and finish as well as the exposed blockwork above the parapet roof on the rear elevation of the existing dwelling to allow officer to negotiate a less stark finish.

(Having declared Personal Interests, Councillors Mrs P Rainbow, Mrs S Saddington, M Skinner, and T Smith took no part in the debate or vote and turned off their cameras and muted themselves in accordance with Council protocol, for the duration of this item).

AGREED             (with 5 votes For, 1 vote Against and 4 Abstentions) that:

(a)           planning permission be approved subject to condition 1 and      its reason contained within the report; and

(b)          subject to the amendment to condition 2, requiring the precise              colour of the render finish for the extension to be submitted to        and approved in writing by the Planning Authority.  This   condition shall relate to the colour finish of the extension as        well as colour finish and materials to the exposed blockwork above the parapet roof on the rear elevation of the     existing dwelling.

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Growth & Regeneration, which set before Committee an updated Draft Planning Application Validation Checklist.  This had been prepared to provide guidance to applicants on the information required to be submitted with a planning application in order to assist a timely decision. The previous checklist was adopted in 2013 and since that time there had been a significant number of changes to policy and legislation meaning it was appropriate to review this.  It also sought approval to undertake an eight-week period of consultation on the document with Members, Parish and Town Councils and statutory consultees.  Details would be provided on the Council’s website enabling developers and interested stakeholders to respond as well as applicants and their agents, residents through planning application receipt and notification letters.  

AGREED                (unanimously) that:

(a)                   the contents of the validation checklists as contained within the report be noted; and

(b)                   the draft updated Planning Application Validation Checklist (as set out at Appendix A of the report) be approved for an eight-week public consultation with statutory consultees, District Councillors and Town/Parish Councils, applicants/developers and neighbours.

AGREED that the report be noted.

AGREED that the report be noted.