Martin Parish Council

COMBE MARTIN PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a meeting of the Highways, Property and Planning Committee held in the

Clerk’s Office at Seacott, Cross Street, on Monday, 30 June, 2014 at 7.47pm.

Present: Cllrs Nigel Brettle (In the Chair) Julia Clark, Graeme Coombs, Yvette Gubb,

Trevor Kibble, Paul White, Celia Withers.

1Planning Applications

1.1Applications to North Devon Council

57540 -Outline application for residential development at land adjacent

24 Spurway Gardens.

Applicant – Mr Ron Ley

RESOLVED to advise the Planning Authority that this Council has no

objections in principle to an application for housing on this site, but

recommends REFUSAL of the present proposals for the following

reason. The emerging Local Plan contains a policy CMA02, for

development on land at Lavercombe Farm, a condition of which is that

vehicular access will be solely from Spurway Gardens. Whilst this

proposal makes allowance for access to land to the south east, there is no provision for access to the land to the north east. Even were these two plots developed at the same time, access from one to the other would require two points to cross Skirhead Lane rather than one, which may be problematic.

If the planning authority is minded to approve the application, this Council requests that it be a condition of any approval that:

consideration be given to the problems of vehicles parking in the approach road at Spurway Gardens
the road into Spurway Gardens at the higher end is paviours and care should be taken to ensure that this road surface is not damaged during construction.
SUDS should be used in view of the history of flooding in the area
the properties should all be bungalows in view of the high profile of the land which is highly visible.
sensitivity should be shown to the surrounding strip fields
an archaeological survey should be undertaken in view of the historical uses of this site.

1.2Applications to Devon County Council as Planning Authority

Cllr Graeme Coombs declared interests in the following items.

Proposed GRP Cabinet to House Control Equipment sited at the Coach Park, High Street, Combe Martin – South West Water

Proposed GRP Cabinet to House Control Equipment sited at Glen Lyn, Borough

Road, Combe Martin – South West Water

The Planning Authority is advised that this Council is responding to the Coach Park

application, not as a statutory consultee, but as the landowner.

RESOLVED to recommend that both applications be APPROVED.

2Local Plan Consultation

It was NOTED that the Local Plan is now available for consultation until early August.

3Highways

RESOLVED to invite Rhys Davies, DCC and County Cllr Andrea Davis to attend a

meeting with this Council to view the appalling condition of the C460 and A399 through

Combe Martin, both of which are a hazard to pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Concerns were expressed that numerous C roads are being top dressed whilst A and B roads are left with gaping potholes.

4Lighting

4.1The light at Mill Weir Lane/Blackmore Ham Lane is now working.

4.2The remedial works to the fairy lights at the Scar will be carried out by the end of this

week.

4.3WPD is to be asked what other contractors are authorised to repair street lights.

5Exclusion of Public and Press and Restriction of Documents

RESOLVED:

a That under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and the press be excluded from the meeting for the following items as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, ie information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings or, information relating to a particular employee, former employee or applicant to become an employee of, or a particular office holder, former office holder or applicant to become an office holder under the authority.

b That all reports and documents relating to the items be confirmed as ‘Not for publication’.

6Consideration of matters relating to Properties

Eberleigh House

One quote for the remedial work on Eberleigh House has been received and further

quotes are awaited. Budgetary considerations were discussed.

A response to the outstanding matter will be chased this week.

7RESOLVED to re-admit the Press and the Public.

8Future of Combe Martin Library

The response from DCC to this Council’s Library consultation response was NOTED.

Cllrs Julia Clark, Nigel Brettle and Jill Sidebottom had attended a meeting at the Library and a meeting is being held on Tuesday, 8 July, 2014 at the Community Centre with potential volunteers and/or ‘Friends of the Library.’

9 Tap fund

2014-15 will be the last financial year in which the DCC/NDC TAP fund is available.

Council has not yet claimed its 2013-14 grant, so the two years combined gives

approximately £4,500 available to spend towards a shared project with another parish. This fund finishes at the end of this financial year and any monies not claimed will be lost.

RESOLVED to write to NDC, advising Ms Lorna Jones that this Council is interested in

the following possible TAP projects, and to check the list of other parish projects for a

matching parish:

Litter binsSkateboard area

GardeningSeats

The request from the Village Hall Management Group for a TAP project and the

advice from NDC that their proposal was invalid, were NOTED.

10Correspondence

10.1Des Young – quotation to install PIR light at Parade Walkways

RESOLVED to accept Mr Young’s quotation to install a PIR light at the Parade.

10.2Devon County Council – Notice of Road Closure at Buzzacott

The advice of the road closure at Buzzacott Lane was NOTED.

11Exclusion of Public and Press and Restriction of Documents

RESOLVED:

b That all reports and documents relating to the items be confirmed as ‘Not for publication’.

12Parade buildings progress report

12.1Cllr Nigel Brettle updated the meeting on the Parade building. A meeting will be held on 9 July, 2014. The possibility of using the former lavatory block was considered.