Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence and Declarations of Interest

To receive any apologies for absence and declarations of interest.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Caton, Loughlin and Pavitt.

 

Councillor Bagnall declared a non-pecuniary interest in Agenda Items 5 and 6 as a member of Takeley Parish Council.

 

Councillor Fairhurst declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of Saffron Walden Town Council.

 

Councillor Freeman declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of Saffron Walden Town Council.

 

 

2.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 219 KB

To consider the minutes of the previous meetings held on 19 August 2020 and 17 January 2020, re-convening on 24 January 2020 (Stansted Airport application- minutes to follow).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 19 August 2020 were agreed and would be signed by the Chair as an accurate record at the next opportunity.

 

The minutes of the previous meetings held on 17 January 2020, re-convened on 24 January 2020 (Stansted Airport application) were considered.

 

The following amendments were made to the minutes with no dissent:

 

PC103- Paragraph 6- “Regulations 201” to read “Regulations 2010”.

 

PC106- Councillor Sell to be shown as a ward member for “Stansted North” rather than “Stansted South”.

 

PC108- Paragraph 2- insertion of the word “written” before “report”.

 

PC108- Number of flights- First bullet point to read “A member said that the November 2018 Planning Committee…..”

 

PC108- Number of flights – Second bullet point to show ATM’s capped at “274K” rather than “278K”.

 

Councillor Merifield proposed approval of the minutes and this was seconded by Councillor LeCount. This proposal was approved with 9 Members in favour and 2 abstentions, one of whom had not been in attendance at the meetings in question. The minutes were agreed and would be signed by the Chair as an accurate record at the next opportunity.

 

3.

UTT/19/2354/OP - Land to the West of Buttley's Lane, Great Dunmow pdf icon PDF 467 KB

To consider application UTT/19/2354/OP.

Minutes:

The Principal Planning Officer stated that the proposal related to outline planning permission for up to 60 dwellings with all matters reserved except for access, which was proposed to be from Stortford Road. He said that the indicative plan included a locally equipped area for play, a large area of public open space and also indicated new planting to the rear of properties along St Edmunds Lane to protect the amenity of neighbouring dwellings. He said that High Wood was located opposite the site and was a SSSI and an Ancient Woodland. Also located to the north of Stortford Road was land with consent for up to 790 dwellings.

 

The Principal Planning Officer said there were no clear reasons for refusing the application and that there were no adverse impacts that would significantly outweigh the substantial benefits that the application sought to deliver.

 

The application was recommended for approval with conditions and S106 legal obligation.

 

A representative of the Town Council and Councillor Lavelle, Ward Councillor both spoke against the application as being in an unsustainable location, having an unacceptable impact on the High Wood SSSI, and being unacceptable urban sprawl and neither desirable nor deliverable. Councillor Lavelle further said that this proposal would close a visual gap between Great Dunmow and Little Canfield.

 

The Principal Planning Officer acknowledged that the Council could not demonstrate a 5 year supply of deliverable housing sites in accordance with the NPPF and that as the Great Dunmow Neighbourhood Plan was more than two years old it could not be considered as having substantial weight in relation to land supply.

 

Members expressed views about potential urban sprawl, the visual gap between settlements, sustainability, proximity to High Wood, heritage concerns, accessibility, and 40% affordable housing. Some Members considered that this application should be considered on a tilted balance approach.

 

Councillor Fairhurst proposed refusal of the application on the grounds of urban sprawl and that the proposed development failed to deliver appropriate infrastructure in order to mitigate any impacts, and support the delivery of the proposed development.

 

Councillor Freeman seconded the motion.

 

RESOLVED to refuse the application for the following reasons:

 

1 The proposed development would result in urban sprawl at the western edge of Great Dunmow, within the open countryside as defined within the Adopted Uttlesford Local Plan 1995. The nature of this urban development within the countryside would adversely impact upon the setting of the Market Town of Great Dunmow. The existing function of the application site as agricultural land provides a positive function, enhancing this part of the countryside. The proposal is therefore considered contrary to the implementation of Policy 7 - The Countryside - of the Adopted Uttlesford Local Plan 2005, and the National Planning Policy Framework 2019.

 

2 The proposed development fails to deliver appropriate infrastructure in order to mitigate any impacts, and support the delivery of the proposed development. The proposal is therefore considered contrary to the implementation of Policies GEN6 - Infrastructure Provision to Support Development, and  Policy H9  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

UTT/20/1032/HHF - 5 Station Road, Great Dunmow pdf icon PDF 408 KB

To consider application UTT/20/1032/HHF.

Minutes:

The Planning Officer said that the application was for planning permission for proposed single front extension, remodelling of existing two-storey side extension, erection of two storey and single storey rear extension and replacement and remodelling of existing single storey rear extension. It also proposed alterations to roof including provision of roof lights to front elevation and dormer window to rear elevation and associated landscape works. This item had been deferred at the previous meeting, pending a site visit.

 

The Planning Officer said that there would be a 17.5% increase on the footprint and that there was an issue in respect of boundary wall encroachment.

 

The application was recommended for approval with conditions.

 

Members raised concerns about the boundary wall encroachment and the parking details.

 

The Development Manager said that the wall could come down and would not have to be replaced. He said that details of parking had to be given pre-implementation.

 

Councillor Fairhurst proposed approval of the application subject to conditions.

 

The Chair seconded the motion.

 

RESOLVED to approve the application subject to conditions

 

 

The Committee adjourned at 3.40 pm and reconvened at 3.50 pm.

 

Councillor Bagnall left the meeting at 3.50 pm.

 

5.

UTT/20/0765/OP - The Chase, Jacks Lane, Takeley pdf icon PDF 483 KB

To consider application UTT/20/0765/OP.

Minutes:

The Planning Officer said that the application was for outline planning permission, with all matters reserved except for access, for two dwellings.

 

The application was recommended for approval with Conditions.

 

Councillor Bagnall rejoined the meeting at 3.55 pm.

 

Members expressed views on access, given that it was a private road, and the surrounding woodland made it a potentially awkward location.

 

Councillor Freeman proposed approval of the application with conditions.

 

Councillor Sell seconded the motion.

 

RESOLVED to approve the application with conditions.

 

 

M Jackson spoke on the application.

 

Councillor Gregory left the room at 4.04 pm.

 

 

6.

UTT/19/0904/OP - Land West of the White House, Dunmow Road, Takeley pdf icon PDF 562 KB

To consider application UTT/19/0904/OP.

Minutes:

The Senior Planning Officer said that the outline application proposal related to the erection of three detached dwellings with all matters reserved except for access. It was stated in the application that the dwellings would be constructed as self-build/custom build.

 

The application was recommended for approval with conditions.

 

Members raised concerns about the status of the Countryside Protection Zone and the fact that this application provided coalescence between Takeley and Little Canfield. Some members said that they were taking a tilted balance approach and would support the application.

 

Councillor Lemon proposed approval of the application with conditions.

 

Councillor Fairhurst seconded the motion.

 

RESOLVED to approve the application with conditions. 

 

Councillor R Jones spoke on the application.

 

7.

UTT/20/1082/FUL - Former Parking Court Adj. 3 Gold Close, Elsenham pdf icon PDF 530 KB

To consider application UTT/20/1082/FUL.

Minutes:

The Planning Officer said that the application related to the construction of a new three bedroom, four person bungalow together with parking and turning within the plot. He said that external materials would consist of red faced bricks to the walls, brown concrete pantiles to the roof, white uPVC windows and black uPVC gutters. He summarised the representations received.

 

The application was recommended for approval with conditions.

 

Two public speakers supported the application which had been identified for Council housing. The Council had identified that the property would be suitable for one specific family in need who would be near their family support network.

 

Members raised questions about the existing car parking arrangements by the residents of New Road/ Bedwell Road as well as Gold Close.

 

Councillor Gregory rejoined the meeting at 4.35 pm.

Councillor Bagnall left the meeting at 4.37 pm.

 

Councillor LeCount, as Ward Councillor, proposed approval of the application with conditions.

 

Councillor Freeman seconded the motion.

 

RESOLVED to approve the application with conditions.

 

Councillor P Lees and D Malins spoke on the application.

 

Councillor Bagnall rejoined the meeting at 4.40 pm.

 

 

8.

UTT/20/1270/HHF - Victoria Cottage, Deynes Road, Debden pdf icon PDF 271 KB

To consider application UTT/20/1270/HHF.

Minutes:

The Development Management Team Leader said that the application related to the demolition of an outbuilding and the construction of a two storey side extension to the side elevation and a lean to extension to the side elevation to create a storage space. She said that the initial proposal had raised concerns from Highways regarding parking provision and land ownership but following the revised proposals, Highways had withdrawn their objection.

 

The application was recommended for approval with conditions.

 

Councillor Lemon referred to the Conservation Officer’s comments and said that he could not support the application. Other members expressed concerns that they were unable to make a judgement based on the evidence presented. There was a lack of streetscene and pictures of the listed building.

 

The Chair proposed to defer the item, pending a site visit.

 

Councillor Storah seconded the motion.

 

RESOLVED to defer the application, pending a site visit. 

 

 

Councillor S Luck spoke on the application.

 

 

Meeting Closed 4:59 pm