STOWMARKET TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting of the PLANNING, CONSULTATION & STRATEGY COMMITTEE held in the John Milton Room, Milton House, Milton Road South, Stowmarket on Wednesday, 2nd December, 2015 at 8.40pm.
Present: Councillor Mrs L M Mayes (Chair)
Councillors: Mrs L Baxter
G M Brewster
J W C Curle
N G K Gowrley
G Green (Vice-chair)
D J Muller
Mx M G S N Row
B J Salmon
Mrs H Salmon
In attendance: Ms M L Marshall (Deputy Town Clerk)
Present: Mr D G Blackburn (Town Clerk)
Mr G Johns (Gary Johns Architects)
Mr C Netton (Havebury Housing Partnership)
Mr S Robinson (Havebury Housing Partnership)
Mr N J Rozier (Stowmarket resident)
249. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND NOTIFICATION OF SUBSTITUTIONS
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors G Betts-Davies and B Humphreys MBE.
Councillor Mrs L Baxter attended the meeting in the absence of Councillor G Betts-Davies.
Councillor N G K Gowrley attended the meeting in the absence of Councillor B Humphreys MBE.
250. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY OR NON-PECUNIARY INTERESTS
Councillor G M Brewster declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 255, items for planning permission, as a Member of Mid Suffolk District Council’s Development Control Committee A.
Councillor G Green declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 254, the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service Redesign as a Member of Suffolk County Council.
Councillor Mrs L M Mayes declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 255, items for planning permission, as a Member of Mid Suffolk District Council’s Development Control Committee A.
Councillor D J Muller declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 255, items for planning permission, as a Member of Mid Suffolk District Council’s Development Control Committee B.
251. DISPENSATIONS IN RESPECT OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS
There were none.
252. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 18TH NOVEMBER, 2015
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Planning, Consultation & Strategy Committee held on Wednesday, 18th November, 2015 be approved and signed as a correct record.
253. HAVEBURY HOUSING PARTNERSHIP
Mr Chris Netton and Mr Sam Robinson of Havebury Housing Partnership and Mr Gary Johns of Gary Johns Architects presented proposals to Members regarding two affordable housing developments in the town.
RESOLVED: That the Town Council reserved its position with regard to the two proposals for social housing provision until such a time that Havebury Housing Partnership submit planning applications to the Planning Authority.
254. SUFFOLK FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE REDESIGN
Suffolk County Council wrote to the Town Council seeking its views regarding proposals to change the way the fire and rescue service was set up across the county.
The proposed changes which were outlined in the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service Integrated Risk Management Plan 2015-18 met the reduction in funding for the fire service and reflected a reduction in 999 call demand over the last five years in Suffolk.
Three key proposals contained in the plan were:
· A reduction in the number of fire engines in Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and Lowestoft
· Replacement of the second fire engine at Sudbury with a rapid response fire fighting vehicle
· The closure of Wrentham Fire Station
RESOLVED: That the Committee considered the document at length and put forward a range of comments in order for the Deputy Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chair of the Planning, Consultation & Strategy Committee, to respond to the consultation.
255. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
i) New Applications
Councillors G M Brewster, Mrs L M Mayes and D J Muller requested that it be noted that:
i) their views were expressed on the limited information before them;
ii) they will reserve judgement and the independence to make up their own mind on each separate proposal based on their overriding duty to the whole community and not just to the people in that area, ward or parish as and when it goes before the Mid Suffolk District Council’s Planning Committee and they hear all of the relevant information; and
iii) they will not, in any way, commit themselves as to how they or others may vote when the proposal goes before the Mid Suffolk District Council’s Planning Committee.
Ref. No. / Details / Site & Applicant / Comments3038/15 / Erection of part single/part two storey rear extension. / 44 Finborough Road for Miss H Janson. / RESOLVED: That no objection be raised to the grant of planning consent.
3984/15 / Retrospective insertion of “flush velux style” windows within roof slope following loft conversion. / 18 Lockington Road for Mr R Garrard. / RESOLVED: That no objection be raised to the grant of planning consent.
4023/15 / Works to entrance (including removal of step to meet requirements for mobility-impaired access). / 14 Market Place for Nationwide Building Society. / RESOLVED: That no objection be raised to the grant of planning consent.
4024/15 / Works to entrance (including removal of step to meet requirements for mobility-impaired access). / 14 Market Place for Nationwide Building Society. / RESOLVED: That no objection be raised to the grant of planning consent.
4046/15 / Removal of south boundary fence. Erect 600mm x 15 metre brick wall to match existing brick wall (London Bond) along the south boundary. Install new close boarded fence above new brick wall, overall height of 1.8 metres. / 1 Kensington Road for Mr D Betts. / RESOLVED: No objection be raised to the grant of planning consent subject to the total height being no more than 1.8 metres.
ii) Decisions on applications previously considered
There were none.
iii) New Tree Preservation Orders
There were none.
iv) Other applications in hand but not listed
There were none.
256. ITEMS OF REPORT AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE
There were none.
The meeting closed at 9.34pm.
CHAIRMAN
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