04-17-12 PLAN MINS
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
HELD IN THE OLD COURT ROOM, THE SESSIONS HOUSE, LOUTH
ON TUESDAY 17TH APRIL 2012
Present Councillor J.O. Pocklington (in the Chair)
Councillors: Mrs E. Ballard, B. Burnett, Mrs. G. Burton, F.G. Coonghe, R. Featherstone, C. Green, D. Hall, G.E. Horton JP, A. Leonard JP, Mrs. S.E. Locking, Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders, Mrs. M. Ottaway MBE, F. Robertson, Ms L.M. Stephenson, F.W.P. Treanor, Mrs. P.F. Watson, N. Ward, D.E. Wing and J.F. Wood
The Town Clerk, Mrs. L.J. Blankley, Ms S. Phillips (Louth Town Co-ordinator), Councillor J. Hough (LCC), 8 members of the public, and 2 members of the press were also present.
675. Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Councillor T.F. Marris.
676. Chairman’s Remarks
The Chairman informed the committee that the recent plans for Legbourne Road Car Sales had been amended to remove the residential accommodation element and would proceed without further referral.
677. Declarations of Interest
The following declarations of interest were declared:
a. Councillor Mrs Makinson-Sanders – Personal interest – Agenda Items 6 - Planning Applications, Item 7 – Planning Correspondence, 8 – Proposed work to trees as a member of ELDC Planning Committee.
b. Councillor Ms Stephenson – Personal Interest - Agenda Items 6 - Planning Applications, Item 7 – Planning Correspondence, 8 – Proposed work to trees and 9b – Planning Correspondence – Triton Knoll as a member of ELDC Planning Committee.
c. Councillor Mrs Watson – Personal Interest any matters affecting ELDC and LCC as a member of those authorities.
d. Councillor Horton – Personal Interest any matters affecting ELDC as a member of that authority.
e. Councillor Burnett – Personal Interest any matters affecting ELDC as a member of that authority.
678. Minutes
Following a proposal by Councillor Leonard, seconded by Councillor Mrs Ottaway and RESOLVED by vote of the Committee the notes of the last meeting held on 27th March 2012 were approved as the Minutes.
679. Town Clerk’s Report on Matters Outstanding
The Town Clerk reminded Councillors of the Markets Meeting to be held on the 18th April 2012, following which Councillors Mrs Burton, Mrs Makinson-Sanders and Councillor Horton asked that ELDC be notified that they also wished to attend.
680. Applications received by the Local Planning Authority
Councillor Mrs Makinson-Sanders left the meeting before discussions on this item commenced.
The Committee received the recommendations from the Planning Sub Group and considered the applications listed in the schedule (PA/Schedule 04-17-12), and RESOLVED the following:
a. N/105/00271/10 – Metaris Properties, the Committee supported objections from members of the public and RESOLVED that the following reasons should be put forward:
i. All previous reasons to be cited again and in addition
ii. Grave concerns regarding the increased use of the adjoining un-adopted road
iii. Insufficient parking space for 3 retail units with only 1 disabled space resulting from an over-intensification of the site.
iv. Impact on safety of pedestrians and road users with the combination of the loading bay and relocation of the bus stop and increased traffic from an un-adopted road exit and entrance.
v. The threat to the viability of a number of local shops and public houses is again emphasised with there being no identified need for an additional retail store.
vi. Proximity to the medical centre exit and culmination of all traffic generated on this stretch of Newmarket.
b. N / 105/00190/12 and N/105/00280/12 were not discussed as they have been decided by ELDC.
c. All other applications were SUPPORTED.
Councillor Mrs Makinson-Sanders re-joined the meeting
681. Planning Correspondence
The Committee noted the following had been received:
a. Planning Decisions (Variances) –
i. N/105/00124/12 St Michaels Vicarage – ELDC have refused Planning Permission for Two storey extension which LTC supported.
ii. N/105/01533/11 Land at Riverhead, ELDC have granted Full Planning Permission which LTC objected to citing repeated reasons.
iii. N/105/00097/12 10 Alexandra Road, ELDC have refused Planning Permission for replacement window and door which LTC supported.
b. Planning Applications Withdrawn –
i. N/105/02318/11 Land adjacent 84 Westgate withdrawn 4th April 2012
c. Planning Appeal to the Secretary of State
i. N/105/01944/11 – 99 Church Street – PVC Door refused by ELDC, supported by LTC. The appeal by the householder has been dismissed.
Councillor Ward left the meeting at 20.42hrs.
682. Proposed Work to Trees
The Committee supported the proposed works to trees:
a. 36 Priory Close – Tree 2 Ash, reduce branches by up to 50%; Tree 4 Ash, Remove Tree; Tree 5 Sycamore, Remove Tree. Reasons – to provide clearance over the path and road. Tree 4 leans and tree 5 is a poor specimen.
683. Correspondence
Committee noted the following had been received:
a. From: LCC Re: Civil Parking Enforcement - LCC have now submitted an application for Lincolnshire to the Department of Transport. The powers for CPE mean that the county council will take over responsibility for on-street parking from the police. The district councils will retain responsibility for their off-street parking. Residents’ parking schemes can be set up and administered by any district council choosing to do so, with the county council managing enforcement. The DfT require that a 12-step process must be completed before Parliament grants an authority CPE powers, something which takes a minimum of 20 weeks to complete. As part of the application, the county is required to have a parking policy in place. Following extensive consultation with district council colleagues and opportunities for residents to have a say, this was agreed in January. The aims of the policy are: to ensure a consistent approach to parking issues is taken countywide, to ease congestion by improving compliance with parking restrictions and to enhance and support local economies.
Councillors comments included –
i. Residents in Upgate and areas to the west of this are interested in residents parking schemes, and they should be encouraged to contact the Town Council.
ii. Councillor Hough (LCC) clarified that ELDC and other District Councils must be prepared to administer such parking schemes and that all residents on a road would have to be consulted with a majority vote outcome. There is also a fee involved and a limit to the number of parking passes per household (usually 1 and a visitors pass).
iii. Enforcement is key to ensure that such areas are not abused.
iv. Louth Town Councillors requested that the subject of CPE and residents parking schemes be on the next ELDC Liaison Agenda for discussion with the Leader and CEO.
b. From: RWE npower renewables Re: Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm order details and Newsletter #2 March 2012. Available in the Town Clerks Office.
c. From: Lincolnshire Community Health Services Re: Update on consultation on becoming a Community NHS Foundation Trust.
684. Publications Received
Councillors noted that the following publications have been received and are in the Members Room.
a. Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership Newsletter Spring 2012
b. Wold News April 2012 – Oct 2012 (News and events)
c. Rural Links (Community Lincs) Spring 2012
685. Charitable Street Collection
The Committee had no objections to an application by Louth Lions in aid of Lincolnshire Air Ambulance for a charitable street collection on Thursday (Evening) 14th June 2012. Councillors learned that the collection is part of a larger event taking place in the Town Centre that evening organised by Louth Lions.
686. Riverhead Towpath
The Town Clerk informed the Committee that she had contacted the Housing Developers after she had learned of a Management Meeting taking place to discuss the reaction from the Town Council in objecting to the proposed 6 month closure of the footpath. The developers had confirmed that following the meeting it had been established that a closure was not required for the first phase of the work and the remaining section had not yet been programmed in for commencement. The Town Clerk had asked to be kept informed in advance of any future requests, however she was not sufficiently confident that this might take place and had asked LCC officers to inform Louth Town Council at the earliest opportunity of any future requests. She also informed the Committee that the ELDC Healthy Walks Co-ordinator had contacted her to add her support to LTC objections.
687. Lionheart Project (Louth)
Councillors were apprised of the Lionheart Project, a 40ft glass Three Lions exhibition which will be sited in the Market Place as part of the SO2012 festival by Councillor Leonard. He further informed the Committee that the exhibition would be in place when the Louth Run For Life was to be held and that organisers had applied for road closures in July 2011 and therefore other authorities should have been aware of the event. Following a proposal by Councillor Robertson, seconded by Councillor Mrs Ottaway and RESOLVED by vote of the Committee the Town Clerk was asked to write to ELDC to register the discontent of Louth Town Council that the exhibition would disrupt the largest charity event in the town and further that the organisers of the Run For Life to be held on Sunday 24th June and market traders due to stand on Saturday 23rd June have not been informed or consulted.
The meeting closed at 21.10hrs
Signed_______________________ (Chairman) Dated_________________________
2 of 3