44
Wragby Parish Council
MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 3rd OCTOBER 2016
IN THE ANNEX OF WRAGBY TOWN HALL AT 7.15pm
DRAFT MINUTES
There were 31 members of the public attending the meeting.
Present:
Councillors N Bailey, K Barker, T Buxton-Rockley, J Thacker and the Clerk – S Wallace
Public Forum
In view of the large attendance, Cllr Thacker suggested that public comments and questions would be permitted in the Housing & Planning Section of the Agenda.
Sandra Tindall of the Surgery introduced herself and explained the current pressures that they were facing not only with the likely impact of the proposed developments in and around the Village but also the inability to recruit doctors, the costs of locum GPs and the possibility of losing the dispensary.
ACTION – The Clerk to provide the relevant information to the Surgery to enable formal comments to be submitted to the East Lindsey District Council Planning Team relating to the Land off Horncastle Road Planning Application.
PCSO Nigel Wass introduced himself and Sergeant Kevin Williams and provided an update on incidents that had occurred in and around the Village and said that he (or colleagues) would try and get to as many Parish Council Meetings as they could.
1. Chairman’s Welcome and Opening Remarks
Cllr Thacker welcomed everyone to the Meeting. She reported that, with Cllr Norton and the Clerk, she had met with Chris Panton (East Lindsey District Council’s Head of Planning) to discuss the Planning Application of the Land North of Bridle Way. She commented that it had been a helpful meeting and the discussion will feature later in the Agenda.
Cllr Thacker also added that she was pleased to hear of East Lindsey District Council’s recent decision to follow the lead of the County Council and invest in the street and footway lighting in the Village.
2. Apologies for Absence
The Clerk reported that Cllrs Applewhite and Norton had apologised.
3. To receive Councillors’ Declarations of Interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011
There were no declarations of interest.
4. To consider the Co-Option of Parish Councillors
Councillors noted that there had been no applications received at the Closing Date. Cllr Thacker commented that it was very disappointing and requested that a further advert be placed to try and fill the vacancies.
ACTION - The Clerk to advertise for three Parish Councillors by Co-Option with a Closing Date of Friday 4th November 2016 so that Co-Option can take place at the November Meeting.
5. To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 5th September 2016
The Minutes were agreed, approved and signed by the Chairman.
Proposed – Cllr Barker, Seconded – Cllr Bailey, Resolved – Unanimous
6. To receive Clerk’s report on any matters outstanding from the last Meeting
Councillors noted that all of the actions arising from the last Meeting had been dealt with as follows:-
(a) To consider the Co-Option of Parish Councillors - ACTION - The Clerk to advertise for three Parish Councillors by Co-Option with a Closing Date of Friday 30th September 2016 so that Co-Option can take place at the October Meeting.
The Clerk reported that adverts had been placed in the two Notice Boards and an announcement made on the Council’s Website.
(b) To receive updates re: Parish Plan Priorities (a) Community Speed Watch - ACTION – The Clerk to organise a booking of the Annex for a private meeting to discuss the current year’s budget and preliminary plans for next year.
The Clerk reported that the meeting had been held on 12th September and that a further meeting would be held during October.
(c) To receive updates re: Parish Plan Priorities (b) Pedestrian/Road Safety in the Village - ACTION – The Clerk to confirm that the volunteers would be covered by the Council’s Insurance Policy.
The Clerk reported that confirmation had been received that the volunteers will be covered and the Litter Picking exercise, which has been risk assessed, is scheduled for 4th October. Bags have been provided by ELDC and these will also be collected by ELDC.
(d) To consider and comment on Planning Application re: Planning Application re: 6A & 6B Tiggers Orchard (Ref: S/216/01421/16) - ACTION – The Clerk to submit the Council’s observations to the District Council’s Planning Team.
The Clerk reported that this had been actioned.
(e) To receive an update on Planning Matters since the last Meeting - ACTION – The Clerk to organise a meeting with senior officers in East Lindsey District Council’s Planning Team.
As mentioned earlier in the Meeting, Cllrs Thacker and Norton, together with the Clerk, had met with Chris Panton (Head of ELDC’s Planning Team) on 9th September – this meeting will be referred to later in the Agenda.
(f) To consider and approve the Schedule of Payments for September 2016 - ACTION – The Clerk to liaise with East Lindsey District Council to dispose of the yellow/orange Litter Bin and to liaise with Mr Johnson to arrange for the black Litter Bin to be fitted.
The Clerk reported that both the yellow/orange Litter Bin and the Black Litter Bin had been removed.
7. To receive the Clerk’s update on correspondence received since the last Meeting
Councillors noted that the following correspondence (including emails) had been received since the last Meeting:-
ELDC
· Chris Panton re: Meeting arrangements
· Full Planning Permission re: 6A & 6B Tiggers Orchard (Ref: S/216/01421/16)
· Litter Bins & Litter Picking arrangements
· Proposed Tree Works re: Tree Preservation Order @ 11 Manor Drive
· Full Planning Permission & S106 Agreement re: Land North of Bridle Way (Ref; S/216/00355/14)
· Planning Application re: Land off Horncastle Road (Ref: S/216/01845/16)
· Interim Review of Polling Districts & Places
· Town & Parish e-Newsletter re: Footway Lighting
LCC
· Chasing formal reply re: Horncastle Road Crossing Petition
· Highways Team’s response to resident’s query re: road markings at Silver Street
· Legal explanation re: S106 Agreement re: Land North of Bridle Way
Other
· Castle Tree Care re: Tree Maintenance
· Dove Park Bowls Club – Grant Application
The Clerk reported that this Grant Application had been received after the publication of the Meeting’s Agenda. Without going into the details of the paperwork, Councillors considered whether or not to accept the Grant Application and it was agreed that the Application would be held over for consideration by the Council for the 2017/18 Grant Scheme.
Proposed – Cllr Buxton-Rockley, Seconded – Cllr Bailey, Resolved - Unanimous
ACTION – The Clerk to inform the Bowls Club of the above decision.
· Ecotricity re: Billing arrangements
· Grant Thornton re: External Auditors’ Report
· LALC re: retirement of Chief Executive
· PCSO Nigel Wass re: new arrangements
· Tudor Grounds Maintenance re: Old Cemetery & Dove Park
· Wilkin Chapman re: legal support re: Dove Park lease and licence
· Zurich Insurance re: Volunteer Insurance Cover
· Various emails from residents re: Planning Applications at Land North of Bridle Way and Land off Horncastle Road
Cllr Thacker proposed that the Housing & Planning Agenda Items should be brought forward and considered at this point in the Meeting and that the Meeting should be temporarily suspended to permit members of the public to make any comments or ask any questions relating to Planning Application re: Land off Horncastle Road.
Housing & Planning
15. To consider and comment on the Planning Application re: Land off Horncastle Road (Ref: S/216/01845/16)
Members of the public’s comments including the District Council’s Development Plan, the impact on landscape, the impact on transport, public transport and parking, lack of a secondary school in the Village, no local employment, the rurality of the Village, what is happening with the Millbrook, the volume of desktop surveys and the impact on wildlife as well as the real risk of flooding and drainage issues.
Councillors not only noted but also echoed these comments and objections to the proposed development. In addition, the following points were made:-
· In 2014, the Parish Council had expressed their support for the methodology employed in East Lindsey District Council’s Proposed Housing Target and Preferred Growth Option and concluded that the figure of 215 additional homes over the period 2015 -2030 was “about right”. At that time, the Council emphasised that the biggest issue facing the Village and its service providers both then and in the future was the very great pressure on existing services – the School, Drainage and Sewage Systems, Roads and Pavements, Vehicle and Pedestrian movement and safety, Emergency Services and the Surgery.
· There are four sites within the Village that are in the process of development or have planning permission to develop, namely:-
(a) The Old Thornes Site, Louth Road with 13 dwellings
(b) Land at Millbrook with 100 dwellings
(c) Land at Louth Road/Wire Hill Land with 30 dwellings
(d) Land North of Bridle Way with 42 dwellings
These four sites are scheduled to deliver 185 dwellings – Councillors are aware that it is quite possible that the 100 dwellings at the Land at Millbrook will need to increase to 150 dwellings to secure the interest of a developer – a total potential delivery of 235 dwellings. Twenty dwellings over the proposed housing target in a 15-year period only two years on – without considering this Planning Application !!
· The Parish Council is mindful that the East Lindsey District Council’s Planning Team has previously made the following comments about the proposed site:-
“No, not suitable, site is adjacent and to the rear to the opposite end of existing ribbon development. Poorly related to the existing pattern of development.”
“No the site is not suitable. The site is 45% in flood zones 2 and 3 in the southern portion. The site is agricultural land with hedges for its boundary treatment; development would impact on the wider landscape, the site slopes gently down towards the south and wider views of the landscape can be seen coming out of the village. Part of the site is on the edge of the built environment but it then protrudes into the open countryside and does not sit comfortably within the existing pattern of the village, it is not a natural extension. The site is reasonably close to services and facilities, there is a footpath but it is on the other side of the road and does not run the length of the site. A vehicle access can be formed onto Horncastle Road.”
· The site is Agricultural Land and lies outside the defined development limits of the Village – located within the open countryside. The development of the site for residential purposes is contrary to the policies of East Lindsey District Council’s Planning Team.
· The site is known to have flooded twice in the last ten years and the Parish Council anticipates that the Planning Team will be imposing, as a minimum, compliance with the requirements of SUDS.
· The “Planning Supporting Statement” states that Developer “contributions are only required where there is a local need” and continues “… it is considered appropriate to provide children’s play space on the application site. In this respect the client is happy to enter into discussions regarding the amount and type of space which should be provided by the proposed development.”
It also states that “it is noted that with regards to education, according to the Department for Education (source EduBase2), the local Wragby Primary School currently has 176 pupils. The school has the capacity for 210 pupils; therefore the proposed scheme can be accommodated.”
Parish Councillors expressed their very serious concerns at not only these inaccurate and dismissive comments regarding the local Primary School (the increase in PAN to 210 pupils is provisional pending Planning Permission for the additional classroom, until that point the PAN is 175 and they currently have 184 children on roll) but also to the complete lack of references to Health and the likely impact on the local Surgery (the general view being that 100 dwellings house approximately 250 additional patients).
The Parish Council has been in contact with both the Primary School and the Surgery and Parish Councillors have encouraged both to make their views known to the Planning Team.
· Parish Councillors also echoed local residents’ concerns regarding additional vehicles, the consequential increase in movement of vehicles and the two access points onto Horncastle Road – particularly the eastern access point.
It was agreed that the Council would object to the Planning Application.
Proposed – Cllr Thacker, Seconded – Cllr Buxton-Rockley, Resolved – Unanimous
ACTION – The Clerk to submit the Council’s observations to the District Council’s Planning Team
At this point, the formal Meeting recommenced.
16. To consider and comment on the Application for works to a tree protected by a Tree Preservation Order at 11 Manor Drive
Councillors considered the Application and agreed to support the proposed works.
Proposed – Cllr Bailey, Seconded – Cllr Buxton-Rockley, Resolved – Unanimous
17. To receive an update on Planning Matters since the last Meeting
Councillors noted that:-
(a) Full Planning Permission with some conditions has been granted re: Siting of 2 no. oil tanks at 6A & 6B Tiggers Orchard
(b) Full Planning Permission has been granted with a number of conditions re: erection of 42 dwellings and 19 garages, construction of a vehicular access and estate roads, erection of walls and fences and siting of a water pumping station at Land North of Bridle Way.
Conditions include requirements relating to a surface water drainage scheme, to the construction of the Northern Swale, to a foul water strategy, full engineering, drainage, street lighting and constructional details of the streets proposed for adoption and to the provision of not less than 40% of the dwellings as affordable housing (although this is likely to be challenged).
The signed S106 Agreement refers to contributions of £67,658 re: Education and £17,094 re: Health.
As agreed at the last Meeting, Cllr Thacker and Norton, together with the Clerk, had met with Chris Panton (ELDC’s Head of Planning) on 9th September prior to the deadline date of 15th September and a number of concerns were expressed about the length of time that has elapsed since the Planning Committee’s decision in June 2015 as well as whether or not the applicants did have good title to the different parcels of land relating to the proposed development. Subsequently, the County Council’s Legal Team (as ELDC share this resource) approved the signed S106 Agreement, which permitted Chris Panton to issue Full Planning Permission.