Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 17th April 2023 and 17th May 2023 (TO FOLLOW).

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17th April and 17th May 2023 were approved as correct records and signed by the Chair.

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary, other registerable and non-registerable interests in relation to any Agenda item. See Notes below.

Councillor I D Gardener declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 8 (a) by virtue of the fact that the application related to the Ward he represented as a Member of Cambridgeshire County Council.

Councillor D L Mickelburgh declared a Non-Registrable Interest in Minute No 8 (c) by virtue of the fact that the application related to the Ward she represented.

Councillor S Mokbul declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 8 (b) by virtue of the fact that she was a Member of St Ives Town Council.

Erect a detached single storey building for E(d) use - Highfield Farm, West Perry, Perry.

Having noted that the applicant had withdrawn the application, it was

RESOLVED

that the application be not determined.

To consider reports by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management).

The Planning Service Manager (Development Management) submitted reports (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book) on applications for development to be determined by the Committee. Members were advised of further representations, which had been received since the reports had been prepared. Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

Redevelopment and Change of Use of Site from Boarding Kennels (sui generis) to Residential (C3) Comprising the Erection of 5 x Dwellinghouses, Provision of Modified Vehicular Access, Landscaping and Ancillary Development - Tilbrook Mill Kennels, High Street, Tilbrook, PE28 0JR.

(A Aston, agent, addressed the Committee on the application).

See Minute No 6 for Members’ interests.

that the application be refused for the following reasons:

1.  The proposed development is in an unsustainable location and is considered to be in conflict with Policies LP2 and LP16 of the Huntingdonshire's Local Plan to 2036 which seeks development proposals to be located in a sustainable location. The proposal is also contrary to the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021, particularly paragraphs 79 and 80 which seek to concentrate additional housing within settlements and avoid new isolated dwellings in the countryside, and paragraphs 92, 104 and 105, which aim to promote safe, accessible and healthy communities.

2.  The proposed development would be located in the open countryside and does not accord with any of the specific opportunities for development provided for by policies of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036. The proposed development would be out of context with the surrounding area and would fail to recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside through residential intensification within an open agricultural landscape. The proposal therefore conflicts with the Strategy for Development in Huntingdonshire detailing the distribution of growth within small settlements and the countryside through the current Local Plan period to 2036 and is contrary to the Development Plan. In this instance, there are no objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 or other material considerations which indicate planning permission should be granted. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies LP2, LP9, LP10, LP11 and LP12 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036 and paragraphs 130 and 174 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021.

3.  The proposed development by virtue of its size, design, scale and layout would introduce an overly domesticated appearance to the site together with domestic paraphernalia, car parking, cycle sheds, bin storage, fences and hardstanding areas, which would adversely impact on the existing agricultural and rural landscape character of the location. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies LP10, LP11, LP12 and LP33 of the Huntingdonshire's Local Plan to 2036 and the aims of paragraph 174(b)of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021.

4.  The application has failed to incorporate adequate provision for refuse (wheeled bins) by virtue of the omission of a Unilateral Undertaking Agreement for the provision of wheeled bins, contrary to the requirements of the Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (2011) and Policy LP4 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036.

Demolition of 2 outbuildings and erection of 8 Flats with integral parking - 26-28 The Broadway, St Ives.

(L Pravin, agent, addressed the Committee on the application).

See Minute No 6 for Members’ interests.

that the application be refused for the following reasons:

1)  The proposed development of 8 flats would fail the sequential test for flooding contrary to Policy LP5 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036, Section 4 of the Cambridgeshire Flood and Water SPD 2017 and the objectives of the NPPF 2021 set out at paragraphs 159 and 162. The proposed development is therefore unacceptable in principle as it would place people and property at an unwarranted risk of flooding.

2)  The scale and massing of the proposed building would cause harm to the setting and significance of the Grade II Listed Building 26-28 The Broadway and cause harm to the character and appearance of St Ives Conservation Area. The level harm caused to these designated heritage assets would be less than substantial but would be unjustified because the level of harm would not be outweighed by public benefits. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies LP11, LP12 and LP34 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036, the guidance contained within the St Ives Conservation Area Character Statement 2007 and the objectives of the NPPF 2021 set out at paragraphs 130 parts a-d, 200 and 202.

3)  The proposed development would have a significant adverse impact on the amenity standards of Coach Mews Cottage due to overshadowing and overbearing impacts, and the predicted noise disturbance, obtrusive light, loss of privacy and odour associated with the proposed pedestrian and vehicular movements, and the proximity to the vehicle barrier and bin store enclosure. In addition, the proposed development would require the use of obscure glazing to protect the privacy standards of neighbours, but this would create unacceptable levels of natural light and outlook to habitable rooms for future occupiers of Flats 2, 5, 6 & 7. The proposal would therefore fail to provide a high standard of amenity for all users and occupiers of the proposed development and would fail to maintain an acceptable standard of amenity for users and occupiers of neighbouring buildings contrary to Policy LP14 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036, page 147 of the Huntingdonshire Design Guide and the objectives of the NPPF set out at paragraph 130 part f.

4)  The proposed development would fail to successfully integrate the functional needs of future occupiers due to the unsuitable and unsecure cycle storage proposed and the visual prominence and amenity impact to Coach Mews Cottage associated with the proposed bin storage. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies LP12 part m and LP17 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036 and the guidance for cycle storage for apartments set out on page 96 of the Huntingdonshire Design Guide SPD 2017.

5)  The application is not accompanied by a Unilateral Undertaking (UU) for the provision of wheeled bins meaning the needs of future residents would not be met with regard to household waste management contrary to part H of the Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8b

Change of use from hardstanding storage area to container storage area - Agricultural Buildings, Depden Lodge Farm, Ermine Street, Godmanchester.

(Councillor K Pauley, Godmanchester Town Council, and J Kirkpatrick, agent, addressed the Committee on the application).

See Minute No 6 for Members’ interests.

that the application be refused for the following reasons:

1)  The proposed development site lies in the open countryside which would represent an encroachment of built development into the countryside, outside of the built-up area of any settlement. The proposal does not accord with any of the limited or specific opportunities for development in the countryside as set out within the policies of Huntingdonshire's Local Plan, which restrict development in the countryside to protect the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside. Furthermore, the proposed development would result in the loss of Grade 2 Agricultural Land for which exceptional circumstances have not been demonstrated. The proposal would therefore be contrary to the requirements of Policies LP2 and LP10 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan. The proposed development is contrary also to the Godmanchester Neighbourhood Plan, Policy GMC1: The importance of the countryside due to its location and outside of the detailed settlement boundary. The proposal does not seek to preserve and protect the most versatile agricultural land.

2)  The proposed development by virtue of its design, scale and massing would appear as a prominent and alien feature in the countryside, failing to integrate with the surrounding landscape and failing to respect the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside. The proposal would therefore be contrary to Policies LP10, LP11, LP12 and LP19 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan.

3)  The application contains insufficient submitted information to demonstrate that the proposal would not result in harm to the residential amenity of neighbouring buildings. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy LP14 of the Huntingdonshire's Local Plan.

4)  The application contains insufficient submitted information to enable the impact of the proposed development on the local highway network to be assessed. The proposal therefore fails to comply with the requirements of Policy LP17 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan and Section 9 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021.

5)  The application contains insufficient submitted information to demonstrate that the proposal would not result in harm to trees, hedgerows and hedges and would not result in harm to protected species or wildlife. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy LP30 and LP 31 of the Huntingdonshire's Local Plan, The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), the Habitats and Protected Species Regulations (2017) and the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).

At 9.10 pm the meeting was adjourned.

At 9.18 pm the meeting resumed.

Construction of a dual- use cycle/pedestrian path from Sutton Village across the meadows to the Nene Valley Railway Station at Stibbington. This would approx 900m in length. The constructed path would form part of a longer cycle route, mainly on public roads from Ailsworth to the NVR station - Nene Valley Railway, Wansford Station, Great North Road, Stibbington.

(A Nash, applicant, addressed the Committee on the application).

RESOLVED

that the application be approved subject to conditions to be determined by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management) to include those listed in paragraph 8 of the report now submitted.

To consider a report by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management).

The Committee received and noted a report by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management), which contained details of two recent decisions by the Planning Inspectorate. A copy of the report is appended in the Minute Book.

RESOLVED

that the contents of the report be noted.