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.

Councillor Warters declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 4a as he knows the applicant through his membership on the Foss Internal Drainage Board.

Councillor Richardson declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 4a as he also knows the applicant through his membership on the Foss Internal Drainage Board.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 4^th June 2015.

Resolved:           That the minutes of the last meeting held on 4^th June 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 24^th June 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 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.

A full application for a potato store. [Osbaldwick and Derwent Ward] [Site Visit].

Consideration was given to a full application by Providence Holdings Ltd for the erection of a potato store.

Officers gave a brief update to confirm the following:

·        Further details regarding drainage at the site had now been submitted and a condition was required to ensure a solution.

·        It had been noted during a site visit the footprint of the building had been pegged out incorrectly and was too near to the trees at the boundary and a condition was recommended to protect those trees.

·        February 1998 was the date of the first planning permission for this site.

Jenny Hubbard spoke as the agent on behalf of the applicant. She gave a brief history of the planning permission at the site and advised that in the 1990s,  the Council Members at the time had visited the site and consequently approved an application for the facility  as they considered it a suitable use in the Green Belt.

Members queried a number of points, in particular whether the applicant would be willing to consider the planting of evergreen trees in the shelter belt beside the proposed building. The applicant who was present at the meeting, confirmed he would be willing to do this.

Resolved:           That the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the committee report and the additional conditions relating to drainage and the position of the building as reported by the officer in her update.

Reason:             

It is considered that the other considerations put forward by the applicant, particularly in relation to the operational need and efficiency for the store at this particular location and the sustainability benefits of siting  the building  within the existing complex,   together with the mitigation of other harm through the design and layout of the proposal and planning conditions,  clearly outweigh the 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,  even when substantial weight is given to any harm to the Green Belt.

A major full application for the erection of a silage clamp and relocation of existing silos. [Rural West York Ward] [Site Visit].

Consideration was given to a major full application for the erection of a silage clamp and relocation of existing silos at Askham Bryan College.

Kathryn Duke spoke as the agent on behalf of the applicant. She advised that the application was part of the overall master plan for the college as it develops its land based further education facilities. The new facilities are required to accommodate the growth in student numbers experienced by the college in recent years. The silage clamp would be for the storage of grass cuttings and would replace an existing silage clamp that is no longer fit for purpose.

Resolved:           That the application be approved subject to referral to the secretary of state.

Reason:             

                             The proposed development is required for the college to expand and compete, and improve existing courses, this is supported by local and national planning policy. The proposed development is agricultural in function  and appearance and would be required in proximity to the current campus and cannot reasonable be sited elsewhere. The proposed silage clamp is in the same position and of similar scale to that approved in planning permission 13/02946/FULM . The principle of a slightly larger silage clamp in this location has been agreed in planning permission 13/02946/FULM.  As such, even when substantial weight is given to the harm to the Green Belt, it is considered that very special circumstances exist that clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm. 

A major full application for extensions to a dairy unit and heifer shed to create a calf and sheep shed and general purpose farm building. [Rural West York Ward] [Site Visit].

Consideration was given to a major full application for extensions to a dairy unit and heifer shed to create a calf and sheep shed and general purpose farm building.

Kathryn Duke spoke as the agent on behalf of the applicant to advise that the application was part of the expansion and modernisation of the existing dairy buildings. The aim was to facilitate access to the dairy for visitors and make the existing building more efficient.

Members queried whether there would be any disabled parking at the dairy to enable disabled visitors to access the site. The agent confirmed that a car park with disabled spaces was at the centre of the college site and that a mini-bus was available to transport disabled visitors to other areas of the college, including the dairy, as required.

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

Reason:             

The proposed development is required for the college to expand and compete, and improve existing courses; this is supported by local and national planning policy. The proposed development would be required in proximity to the current campus and cannot reasonable be sited elsewhere. The proposal is unlikely to set a precedent for other development within the Green Belt.  As such, even when substantial weight is given to the harm to the Green Belt, it is considered that very special circumstances exist that clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm.