Agenda and draft minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and went through some general housekeeping arrangements for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors D Bown, M F L Durham CC, S J N Morgan, J C Stilts and S White.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the District Planning Committee held on 26 February 2025 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the District Planning Committee held on 26 February 2025 be approved and confirmed.

To disclose the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registrable interests and Non-Registrable Interests relating to items of business on the agenda having regard to paragraph 9 and Appendix B of the Code of Conduct for Members.

(Members are reminded that they are also required to disclose any such interests as soon as they become aware should the need arise throughout the meeting).

There were none.

To consider the report of the Assistant Director: Planning and Implementation, (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

Following the Officers’ presentation the Applicant, Mr Hollington addressed the Committee.

Councillor A S Fluker proposed that the application be approved, as per officer’s recommendations. This proposal was duly seconded.

During the debate that ensued and in response to questions raised, the Senior Planning Officer provided further details regarding the proposed mitigation of noise by way of a condition and confirmed the proposed drainage strategy.

Following the discussion, the Chairperson put the proposal in the name of Councillor Fluker and upon a vote being taken this was approved. It was noted that Councillor J R Burrell-Cook abstained from the vote.

RESOLVED that this application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1.         The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

2.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plans as set out by the Decision Notice.

3.         No works above ground level shall take place until written details of the proposed materials to be used in the development hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall be carried out using the materials and details as approved.

4.         No development shall take place, including any ground works or demolition, until a Construction Management Plan has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority. The approved plan shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Plan shall provide for; a. the parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors, b. loading and unloading of plant and materials, c. storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development, d. wheel and underbody washing facilities.

5.         Prior to first occupation of the development and as shown in principle on planning drawing no. 2106121-ACE-XX-00-DR-C-0501 Rev 1.2, the access at its centre line shall be provided with a clear to ground visibility splay with dimensions of 2.4 metres by 164 metres to the east, and 2.4 metres by 117 metres to the west, as measured from and along the nearside edge of the carriageway. Such vehicular visibility splays shall be provided before the access is first used by vehicular traffic and retained free of any obstruction at all times.

6.         All ecological mitigation measures and/or works shall be carried out in accordance with the details contained in the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (Plumb Associates, October 2024), as already submitted with the planning application, and agreed in principle with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

To consider the report of the Assistant Director: Planning and Implementation, (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

The Chairperson drew Members’ attention to the Members’ Update circulated prior to the meeting which set out further information provided by the applicant, an additional consultation response received from Langford and Ulting Parish Council and an amendment to the headings for proposed conditions 20, 24 and 25.

Following the Officers’ presentation an objector, Mr Sismey and the Applicant, Mr Moseley addressed the Committee.

Councillor R H Siddal proposed that the application be approved, as per officer’s recommendations. This proposal was duly seconded.

During the lengthy debate that ensued and in response to a number of comments raised by members, the Head of Service: Development Management and Building Control provided further clarification and advised that should Members be mindful to refuse the application then the constitutional break would be instituted.

Following the discussion, the Chairperson put the proposal in the name of Councillor Siddal and upon a vote being taken this was approved.

RESOLVED that this application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions and the Section 106 legal agreement from planning permission reference 15/00419/OUT.

Timeframe of three years for full permission elements – Relief Road and gas and electricity substations

1                 The elements of the development for which full permission is hereby granted (a Relief Road between Broad Street Green Road and Langford Road and the construction of initial gas and electricity sub-stations) shall be constructed in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

To consider the report of the Assistant Director: Planning and Implementation, (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

The Chairperson drew Members’ attention to the Members’ Update circulated prior to the meeting, which includes corrections to the Officers report and an amendment to the drawing numbers in condition 2.

Following the Officers’ presentation, the Applicant, Ms Kemp addressed the Committee.

Councillor A S Fluker expressed concern regarding the proposed solar PV panels as he felt they would be visible, referred to a briefing note submitted by the applicant and felt a pitched roof would alleviate the issues with the solar panels. He advised he could not support the application and proposed that it be refused. This proposal was duly seconded.

During the debate that ensued a number of Members commented on the application. In response to the proposal from Councillor Fluker, the Head of Service: Development Management and Building Control provided the Committee with further detail regarding the flat roof and some guidance should it be mindful to refuse the application on the basis of design.

Following further debate and in response to a question, the Principal Planning Officer advised that a condition requesting that details of the solar panel be provided could be added.

At this point Councillor Fluker confirmed that he was withdrawing his earlier proposal and Councillor E L Stephens agreed to withdraw her seconding of it.

Councillor Stephens then proposed that the application be refused on design grounds, being that it would look overbearing, and it was not clear regarding the solar panels and how visible they would be. This was not seconded.

Councillor S J Burwood proposed that the Officers recommendation be agreed. This proposal was duly seconded. In respect of an additional condition regarding solar panels, Officers suggested that the applicant be asked to provide sections of the roof to see the relationship of the solar panels and the parapet in the context of the overall development. The Chairperson moved the proposal with the additional condition and upon a vote being taken this was agreed. Councillor E L Stephens requested that her vote against the proposal be recorded and Councillors J R Burrell-Cook, A S Fluker, M G Neall and M E Thompson abstained from the vote.

RESOLVED that this application be APPROVED subject to the applicant’s Unilateral Undertaking as a legal agreement pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to secure the planning obligations and subject to conditions as detailed below and the extra condition regarding the details of the solar panels:

1          The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.