Minutes of the Planning Meeting held on February 15th 2017

Present: Cllrs Scott, Riddle, Tuplin, Custance, Elliott, Laxton, Brown, Alexander, 16 members of the public and the Clerk.

Prior to the meeting there was an open forum to discuss the items on the agenda. Gavin Taylor and Andy Cundy – Planning Officers from Huntingdonshire District Council were present.

Points/questions raised:

  • Are the government’s requirements relating to a 5 year supply of housing currently being met? HDC – The annual monitoring review in December concluded that the current level is 5.24 years. The larger sites that are coming up will be delivering better than that.
  • Would this make an acceptable challenge to the developers who are quoting that the supply is currently below 5 years? HDC – yes.
  • Sawtry has not got the capacity for an additional 1,000 homes – flooding, doctors’, schools, roads
  • HDC – there is a presumption of sustainable developments. HDC consult with flood agencies regarding surface water and how it is managed, with the highways to see if the proposals are adequate and suitable, with healthcare professionals – consult with NHS on current capacity and whether improvement is needed to accommodate the development
  • Glebe Farm appeal – will the conditions imposed on the outline plan remain in place? HDC – yes. The appeal is on the reserved matters only. Verbal comments made at the Development Panel meeting have not been recorded.
  • Are conditions enforced? HDC – consult with experts eg local drainage board for due diligence on technical proposals. There are no resources to check every plan, rely on public/parish to report any breaches which will then be investigated.
  • Why are HDC targeting Sawtry, and turning it into a town? HDC – receive the plans from the developer so it is the developer/land owner that is targeting Sawtry.
  • This site falls outside the allocated sites on the HDC plan. HDC – must assess all applications received. It depends on how sustainable a development can be.
  • You need to consider the importance of keeping individual settlements separate.
  • HDC – the National Planning Framework supports sustainable developments. Things that are looked at to demonstrate sustainability are – what can it deliver, what can it not deliver. The positives and negatives are weighed up.
  • We need to bear in mind that we need some development to sustain the facilities we currently have – egthe Academy, two pubs and ex-servicemen’s club
  • Would the extra children be accommodated in current schools or a new school? HDC – would consult with the county education authority. They could draw Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and S106 contributions and it could trigger a need for expansion.
  • HDC – there are no details on the outline plan as to what could or could not be provided. The developers rely on HDC to go back to them with what is needed to make the development sustainable
  • S106 money was released from The Mulberries to Sawtry Academy.
  • How is the money released to schools? Need the money upfront to be able to build facilities ready for the houses being built. HDC – the S106 planning obligations triggers when the money should be released following advice, eg from County education.
  • Individual developments are taken in their own right and the cumulative impact is not looked at. HDC – it is always considered.
  • The infant school has no further room to expand once the current plans are complete. The site is not big enough to extend for the children from future developments. A new site would be needed
  • HDC – cannot refuse a planning application because there are too many houses. The only reason is if it is not sustainable and would harm the environment.

Present: Cllrs Scott, Riddle, Tuplin, Custance, Elliott, Laxton, Brown, Alexander, 16 members of the public and the Clerk.

1 / APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE / None
2 / MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING / February 8th 2017 – approved at Full Council
3 / MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES (for information only) – none
4 / MEMBERS ‘DECLARATION OF INTEREST for Agenda items:
Cllr Scott – lives adjacent to site of 5.2
Cllr Tuplin – as District Councillor involved in planning decisions will not take part in discussion or vote on items 5.1 and 5.2
5 / PLANNING APPLICATIONS (can be viewed online at
5.1 Referred from Planning Committee meeting on February 8th:
17/00077/OUT Land South West of Mill Cottage, Gidding Road – Outline planning application for the erection of up to 295 residential dwellings, access and associated works, all other matters reserved.
5.2 Referred from Planning Committee meeting on February 8th:
16/01109/REM – Land East of Glebe Farm – notice of appeal by Linden Homes
Comments:
  • Who wants it other than the land owners
  • Sawtry is a village
  • The proposal would make the village too large, the facilities are not there
  • If both developments planned for Gidding Road go ahead there would need to be road improvements
  • If both sites are approved could result in nearly 400 homes, approx. 1000 more people, 800 + cars
  • Bus service not adequate to use for getting to and from work on time. Has been reduced since the Mulberries was built.
  • There are no jobs in Sawtry – everyone has to travel to Huntingdon, Peterborough, Cambridge, London etc
  • It is a dormitory village
  • Further development not sustainable – jobs and public transport don’t exist
  • Do not see why should have more development when already oversubscribed
  • Foul water drainage – Anglian Water insist that have sufficient capacity for disposal but this is not true as demonstrated in Gloucester Road/Green End Road following heavy or continuous rainfall.
  • Are expert consultees reliable re due diligence? HDC – any concerns raise with expert opinions raise with HDC
  • Only 1 entrance/exit onto whole estate – could be landlocked in an emergency and there would be no access for emergency vehicles
  • There should be a condition imposed by HDC on all developments that a wheel wash facility is provided on site
  • Re: Glebe Farm appeal. HDC – suggest focus comments on Linden Homes appeal statement
Items 5.1 and 5.2 deferred to a planning meeting to be held on February 22nd to agree detailed responses to both applications. The Clerk to contact Development Control to request an extension for providing comments.
5.3 17/00220/TREE – 12A Green End Road – Walnut: remove 3 metre branch and 2 – 3 metres lateral canopy, and Ash: reduce canopy by 20 – 25% - recommend refusal – the Parish Council had concerns before the bungalow was built that the trees would be affected so no reason to remove.
8 / It was resolved that the press and public be excluded from the next item due to the sensitive nature of the content.
9 / 9.1 Following discussion regarding the appeal re land east of Glebe Farm, it was agreed that ‘it would not be in our interests to meet with the developers at this time’.
9.2 Following discussion it was agreed that ‘declaration of interests are a matter for the individual Councillor. If anyone disagrees then their only recourse is to report them to the Monitoring Officer.’
10 / NEXT MEETING / February 22ndat 7.00pm