Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

At this point in the meeting, Members were asked to declare any personal, prejudicial or pecuniary interests they may have in the business on the agenda. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Planning Committee held on 20 August 2015.

Resolved:           That the minutes of the last meeting held on 20^th August 2015 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

It is at this point in the meeting that members of the public who have registered their wish to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is by 5pm on Wednesday 16 September 2015. Members of the public can speak on specific planning applications or on other agenda items or matters within the remit of the committee.

To register please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of this agenda.

Filming or Recording Meetings

“Please note this meeting will be filmed and webcast and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission.  This broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/download/3130/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Members then considered the following reports of the Assistant Director (Development Services, Planning and Regeneration) relating to the following planning applications, which outlined the proposals and relevant planning considerations and set out the views of the consultees and officers.

Erection of workshop with office accommodation, garage with office accommodation and single living accommodation block with associated works in connection with the use of the site as an Army barracks [Strensall Ward] [Site Visit].

Consideration was given to a major full application by Mr David Burke for the erection of a workshop with office accommodation, a garage with office accommodation and a single living accommodation block with associated works in connection with the use of the site as an Army Barracks.

Officers provided a brief update to the committee report as follows:

·        Strensall Parish Council had raised concerns regarding the  safety of the access onto Strensall Road. It was accepted that the access was not ideal and highways officers had been asked to reconsider their response. It was suggested that should the application be approved, an additional condition should be added to ensure any highways matters are resolved by the applicant, if required.

·        In relation to concerns raised by Strensall Parish Council on foul water drainage, Officers had received confirmation that a redundant foul water plant had been replaced at the site recently by Yorkshire Water and were now satisfied that foul water would not be an issue.

Mr Chapman spoke as the Chairman of the Strensall and Towthorpe Parish Council Planning Committee. In relation to the drainage, he advised that it was his understanding that the foul water for the site goes across the common to a Severn Trent treatment plant and is not managed by Yorkshire Water and that this issue may need investigating again by Officers. In relation to the site access, the North Pillar is 3 metres from the kerb, which is nearly a metre closer than the other pillar and it is this which causes accidents. If alterations to the access are being offered by the applicant  then the Parish Council would have no objections.

In response to the points raised by the speaker on the drainage, Officers confirmed that they were satisfied that drainage is being managed sufficiently. In response to queries from Members, it was pointed out that there was a condition in the committee report requiring all drainage details to be submitted in writing.

Resolved:           That the application be approved subject to referral  to the Secretary of State and subject to additional condition requiring details of access onto Strensall Road, if required.

Reason:              It is considered that the other considerations put forward by the applicant outlined in the committee report, together with the mitigation of other harm (loss of trees, possible limited impact on ecology), through planning conditions clearly outweigh the potential harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm, and thereby amount to very special circumstances to allow the inappropriate development in the York Green Belt.

Variation of condition 9 of permitted application 10/02082/FUL to replace existing showman's caravan with twin unit mobile home [Wheldrake Ward] [Site Visit].

Consideration was given to a full application by Mr and Mrs J Peel for the variation of condition 9 of permitted application 10/02082/FUL to replace an existing showman’s caravan with a twin unit mobile home.

It was reported that there was no update to the committee report.

Mr Martin Moorhouse spoke in objection to the application as a local resident. He questioned whether the application was appropriate. He accepted that the family’s circumstances had changed but felt it was wrong to base a planning decision on a family issue and that the application was another example of creeping development. As a final point he queried whether the Council had done anything towards trying to find the family alternative accommodation.

Mrs Janet Montgomery spoke as the applicant’s agent. She advised that she had acted for Mr & Mrs Peel since they obtained the land and she was satisfied that they had carried out all work so far in line with the approved scheme. She reminded Members that in the absence of an adopted Local Plan the application falls under the framework for travelling families. The very special circumstances are the best interests of the children to allow development in the Green Belt and the importance of providing a 3 bed roomed mobile home for the family.

Mr Mulhern spoke in support of the application on behalf of the Showman’s Guild. He advised that the family had not caused the Guild any problems. The family had respected planning laws. He referred to the Guild’s strict code of conduct which gave assurances showmen will abide by laws.

Mrs Peel spoke as the applicant. She advised that her family had not caused any problems within the community or ever received any planning enforcement notices. The site is between 2 industrial estates. The proposed home would not exceed 60ft but would allow flexibility in that it is a mobile home and can be moved. In reference to a petition against the application, she felt that it did not represent the views of the whole village, just a small proportion of people.

Julia Garnham spoke in support of the application as a local resident and neighbour. She advised that the current home is too small for the family and there is no space for the children to do activities such as homework. The current unit is old and in disrepair and rainwater is causing damp which is affecting the health of the children. Complaints that the site isn’t kept tidy are untrue.

In response to questions from Members, Officers confirmed that it is the type of mobile home which has caused the applicant to need to re-apply.

Members were happy to approve the application in view of the special circumstances outlined in the report.

Resolved:           That the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the committee report.

Reason:              Because of the partially open character of the site the larger size of the mobile home relative to the existing would result in some limited harm to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34b