Agenda item

The Committee considered the report of the Business Manager – Planning Development, which sought material change of use of land for stationing of caravans for residential occupation with associated development (new access, hard standing, utility block).  The application was part retrospective.

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 the following: the Agent; Nottinghamshire County Council Highways Authority; and Planning Case Officer.

The Senior Planning Officer informed the Committee of the suggested additional amendments to the recommendation, should Members be minded to approve the application which included an amendment to Condition 6, as contained with the schedule of communications and as follows:

1.        With regard to recommendation b), given the limited timescale set out in the recommendation, it is considered that a period of 6 months to complete the S106 is too long and this should be reduced to 3 months and a requirement for all the works to be completed within 3 months of the date of the permission has been added.  To provide additional flexibility, the agreement with the Chair, Vice-Chair and Business Manager has also been added to recommendation b), so that it now reads as follows:-

“the completion of a section 106 legal agreement within 3 months of the date of this

Planning Committee (failure to do so would result in a refusal on the grounds that the scheme fails to secure a safe vehicular and pedestrian access to/from the site unless otherwise agreed with the Chair, Vice Chair and Business Manager - Planning Development) to secure two footways either side of Hollowdyke Lane, to secure details of the width, position, radii and construction of the access and to secure a bound material for the access for a distance of 5m into the site and for all agreed works to be completed within 3 months of the date of the permission, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Chair, Vice-Chair and Business Manager - Planning Development.”

2.        Following the completion of the S106 requiring highway details to be secured, an additional condition be imposed to limit the existing informal access in the south-west corner of the site for pedestrian use only, the precise wording of which shall be agreed between the Chair, Vice-Chair and Business Manager – Planning Development.

3.        To accord with the above timescales, amend condition 11 on the agenda to read “Within three months of the date of this permission”.

The imposition of an additional condition as follows:

“Notwithstanding the hedgerow details submitted and within one month of the date of this permission, a revised soft landscaping scheme shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority and these works shall be carried out as approved in accordance with Condition 6. These details shall include: full details of every tree and hedge to be planted (including its proposed species, size and approximate date of planting) and details of tree planting pits including associated irrigation measures, tree staking and guards, and structural cells. The scheme shall be designed so as to enhance the nature conservation value of the site, including the use of locally native plant species.

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity and biodiversity.”

Councillor Mrs L Hurst on behalf of Balderton Parish Council spoke against the application, in accordance with the views of Balderton Parish Council, as contained within the report. 

Councillor J Lee, Local Ward Member (Balderton North & Coddington) spoke against the application on the grounds of health and wellbeing for the four children which live on site as the land and noise levels were inappropriate for a young family.  He suggested that given the current pandemic a one year temporary permission should be granted to allow them time to relocate.

Members considered the application and it was commented that the application should be approved given that there was not enough Gypsy Travellers sites in the Newark and Sherwood District. Other Members commented that the site was not suitable on health grounds for this family to settle upon.  It was further stated that this site had been approved on appeal for flats, the independent planning inspectorate had considered this site acceptable for habitation.  The family were already living on the site with the noise issue.

AGREED      (with 8 votes For, 3 votes Against and 1 Abstention) that planning permission is approved for a temporary period of 3 years subject to

(a)              the conditions and reasons contained within the report and                         additional amendment as contained within the above minute               and schedule of communication;

(b)             the completion of a section 106 legal agreement within 3                             months of the date of this Planning Committee (failure to do so                      would result in a refusal on the grounds that the scheme fails to         secure a safe vehicular and pedestrian access to/from the site                         unless otherwise agreed with the Planning Committee                                    Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Business Manager - Planning                   Development) to secure two footways either side of                               Hollowdyke Lane, to secure details of the width, position, radii                     and construction of the access and to secure a bound                               material for the access for a distance of 5m into the site and for             all agreed works to be completed within 3 months of the date                       of the permission, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the                         Planning Committee Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Business               Manager - Planning Development;

(c)                         an additional condition to those agreed under (a) to limit the                   existing informal access in the south-west corner of the site for                   pedestrian use only, the precise wording of which shall be                                                                  agreed between the Planning Committee Chairman, Vice-Chair and Business Manager – Planning Development; and

(d)                        to accord with the above timescales, amend condition 11 on                     the agenda to read “Within three months of the date of this                                                                permission”.