Agenda Item No s5

Minutes of the Meeting of the PLANNING AND ESTATES COMMITTEE held at 5.30 pm on MONDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2016 in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Evesham.

Those present:

Chairman: Cllr R S W Jones (Deputy Mayor)

Vice Chairman: Cllr A P Booth

Councillors: Cllr Mrs S Amor, Cllr M D Elliman, Cllr Miss E Haynes,

Cllr Mrs J Johnson, Cllr F Kaler, Cllr Mrs M Sale, Cllr C Tether,

Cllr Mrs R Whiting

Officer: Mr S D Carter (Town Clerk)

Also present was Cllr Mrs F S Smith.

37. Apologies

There were no apologies for absence.

38. Declarations of pecuniary or other interest including requests for dispensation (if any)

There were no decelerations of interest.

39. Minutes of the meeting held on 22 August

The Clerk had circulated with the agenda the minutes of the meeting held on 22 August 2016. It was moved, seconded and RESOLVED that the minutes be adopted as a true and accurate record.

40. Planning Applications

(a) W/16/01899/RM-Approval of reserved matters – Bellway Homes South Midlands and

Bloor Homes Western – Land at, Pershore Road, Evesham

Erection of 154 dwellings - application seeking approval of reserved matters following granting of outline planning permission reference number W/12/02490/PN

http://bit.ly/2dabNMj

It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved but with the following comments submitted:

Whilst the Town Council supports this application, there is concern over access, specifically relating to the roundabout and the location of the 2 new bus stops on Pershore Road. Their alignment parallel to each other will stop all traffic if buses stop together. They will also hinder the sight of drivers when turning right out of the new road junction.

(b) W/16/01991/CU-Change of use – Elaaoudi Property Care Limited – Kingfisher, 59 Bridge Street

Proposed alteration to existing ground floor offices. Alteration to existing first and second floor accommodation to provide 8 rooms HMO type accommodation with facilities and create separate entrance to them.

http://bit.ly/2cth7HV

It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved though it was commented that behind the current shop sign there is a mirrored fascia sign for the original shop, Fosters, which is very attractive and the committee would like to see this sign retained and restored as part of the application.

Relocation of parking spaces and garden screens

http://bit.ly/2cQCUbx

It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved subject to the usual conditions.

(d) W/16/01931/PN-Non-householder planning application – Swan Lane First School,

Swan Lane First School, Rynal Street

Erection of a Single Storey PKL Kitchen Pod. Incorporating necessary services and drainage.

http://bit.ly/2cPFnEE

It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved subject to the usual conditions.

(e) W/16/02150/CU-Change of use –A.P.U. Retail Ltd – Vauxhall Inn, Abbey Road

Change of use of ground floor of existing building from A5 to A3. Alterations to frontage.

http://bit.ly/2co58wS

It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved subject to the usual conditions.

(f) W/16/02009/PN-Non-householder planning application – Mr R Wheeler – Leelands, Broadway Road

Demolition of existing farm shop and erection of new farm shop

http://bit.ly/2cGHw4F

It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved.

(g) W/16/02006/OU-Outline – St Modwen Developments Ltd / Christ Church (Evesham) Ltd / The JM Trustees of Jo – Land West of Vale Business Park, A46 Evesham By Pass Business Park, comprising Business (Use Class B1 to include B1a Offices of no more than 2,650 sqm)

General Industrial (Use Class B2) and Storage and Distribution (Use Class B8) employment units, Automotive Sales and Repair, Hotel (up to 90 bedrooms), Public House (Use Class A4), Restaurant (Use Class A3) and Hot Food Takeaway (Use Class A5), access, parking, landscaping and associated development infrastructure including surface water attenuation (outline, all matters reserved except the means of access to the site).

http://bit.ly/2cti6rz

It was RESOLVED to recommend that this application be approved and that the following comments be submitted: The Council supports this application and recognises the employment opportunities that this development will create. The Council have expressed some concerns over a few aspects:

1. There is a concern that this development will lead to flash flooding as water run off will have fewer places to soak away. The plans detailed in the application do not include the areas that have already been developed (they are still shown as fields).

2. There is no provision of a lorry park and this should be rectified. At present, many lorries delivering to Vale Park will park in residential areas around Davies Road. This has a negative impact for residents, in terms of noise, pollution, appearance, and the general waste that some of these lorries leave behind.

3. A condition should be placed preventing any class A1 development on the site. It is noted that there is none planned at present but it should be made a condition that no A1 is permitted in order to protect the town centre of Evesham and prevent this becoming another out of town shopping centre.

4. There are concerns over the road infrastructure, currently the roads including the roundabout cannot cope with the traffic, and this development will put further strain on this. This should be further investigated.

41. Extension to Hampton Cemetery

The Clerk gave a verbal update regarding the progress of plans to extend Hampton Cemetery into the neighbouring playing field. Members were informed that the appointed planning consultants RPS had finally finished their report on the suitability of the land for burials. It took into account location, ground water readings conducted for 18 months and various other issues. A basic summary of the land concluded that the land was suitable though it would have to be located in the area furthest away from the river. Dip testing had been conducted and it was likely that some plots located near the river would have to be single depth. The Council’s consultant was taking the next steps before submitting to the Environment Agency and to WDC planning.

Some comments picked up by the report and highlighted by the Council’s consultant were:

Ecology – although the site is a play area there were concerns regarding an ecological report, however the river banks do not form part of the proposal and will not be affected and this was not thought to be too much of an issue.

Landscape –RPS report suggested trees should be retained as these soak up the nutrients. There would therefore need to be discussion regarding planting on the boundary of the burial area, subject to the root system of trees not encroaching.

Highways – the Council’s consultant believed that any parking area would be objected to because of the location of the junction on Pershore Road which did not have the required site line length for vehicles turning onto the road.

A formal report would come before the committee once the EA had been spoken to and final recommendations made.

NOTED

42. Future Town Council Offices

The Clerk had circulated with the agenda a report which looked to seek members’ views to the direction they would like to see the Council move when considering the Council’s future offices.

As members were already aware, WDC, and the Job Centre were not renewing their lease at the Contact Centre when it expired in February 2018. They were working with WDC to relocate to the Library. The Town Clerk had asked that the Town Council also be considered in this arrangement. However, members were formally asked to consider what they though should be looked into as the Council may want to consider alternatives.

The Clerk had put down a number of different suggestions, such as purchasing a town centre unit, redeveloping the Waterside Chapel as an office, renting office space from Wallace House. Members were of the opinion that the Council needed to be located in the town, ruling out Waterside. In their opinion the 2 most feasible options that should be further investigated was moving to the Library and moving to Wallace House.

It was highlighted that the library option would not only be a good office; it would also help secure the future of the library by making it more viable.

It was RESOLVED that the Clerk be tasked with investigating the options of moving to Wallace House and the Library with a report to come back to the committee in due course.

43. Gate at rear of Broadway Road Cemetery

A report was circulated with the agenda detailing some recent issues with the gate at the rear of Broadway Road Cemetery, located off St Peter’s Close. The Clerk reported that there had been a number of issues with anti social behaviour reported by the residents whose homes border the entrance to the cemetery; this included a broken car window.

The Clerk had been to visit the residents on a number of occasions, and had one occasion arranged for the Police School Liaison Officer to be present. The Clerk had also had the gates repaired; they previously did not close properly. The Clerk did not want to lock the gates as he was of the opinion that this would create further complaints; however there seemed to be little change in the numbers of people using the walkthrough.

The repair of the gates had also had an unexpected consequence, somebody had taken it upon themselves to lock the gates with their own lock, at random times, which had led to complaints from people who stated that they had been unable to tend graves. With this in mind and with no way of pleasing everybody, the Clerk had asked members to consider a compromise, this being to ask the neighbouring properties whether they would assist in having the gates open from 9 am in the morning to 3M in the afternoon.

In response to a question it was explained that using staff to lock and unlock the gate was not practical, firstly they do not work weekends, and secondly, it would take a person and a vehicle away from another job twice a day.

It was therefore RESOLVED to recommend, that if local people agree to assist, the gates will be locked 3pm in the afternoon until 9am, in the morning. Notices would be put up in the cemetery to advice of this action. The closure would also be reviewed in the near future.

44. Stolen Memorial Plaques from Waterside Cemetery

A report was detailed regarding the stolen plaques, all but 3 of which had now been recovered, seeking members’ views on whether to enhance the memorial garden area with some sort of wall, or pergola, or monument, to which the plaques could be fixed. It was stressed that at present this was merely an idea, and that officers were seeking the initial views of the committee.

The plaques were previously fixed to a brick kerbing, much of which had been damaged when the plaques were stolen. It seemed pertinent to investigate the landscaping and erection of some sort of object on which these plaques and new plaques could be installed. This in turn could generate revenue for the Council, as space would have to be purchased.

Members agreed that the area was not the most inviting and that investigating how it could be improved was a positive step. The Clerk explained that it was common in cemeteries and crematoria to have memorial walls, or pergolas etc., which people paid to attach plaques to. The plaques would be made of granite and therefore would have no value, therefore minimising the risk of them being stolen.

It was commented that it was unlikely that those who had their plaques stolen would be charged for a new plaque.

Members agreed that costs as well as in idea of potential revenue should be investigated and reported back to the committee for further discussion. It was also agreed that some sort of consultation maybe necessary in the future when deciding what option to choose.

NOTED

45. Matters of urgency raised, for information only, at the discretion of the Chairman

No matters were raised under this agenda item.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 6.30pm

COUNCILLOR R S W JONES CHAIRMAN