Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J Hoult, R Johnson, G Jones and D J Stevenson.

Under the Code of Conduct members are reminded that in declaring disclosable interests you should make clear the nature of that interest and whether it is pecuniary or non-pecuniary.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct, Members declared the following interests:

Councillor R Adams declared that he had been lobbied without influence in respect of items A1 and A2, application numbers 16/01187/VCIM and 17/00459/FUL.

Councillor J Clarke declared that he had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1, application number 16/01187/VCIM.

Councillor J Cotterill declared that he had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A2, application number 17/00459/FUL.

Councillor J Legrys declared that he had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1, application number 16/01187/VCIM and that he had written to the Chief Executive about the application, but had come to the meeting with an open mind.

Councillor M B Wyatt declared a non-pecuniary interest in item A1, application number 16/01187/VCIM as his name appeared in the update sheet.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2017.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2017.

It was moved by Councillor J Legrys, seconded by Councillor J G Coxon and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2017 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration.

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration, as amended by the update sheet circulated at the meeting.

Land At Lower Bardon Grange Road Hugglescote Coalville LE67 2BT

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Councillor R Johnson, Ward Member, addressed the Committee. He advised the Members that as both Ward Member and Chair of the Parish Council he had been lobbied by the many not the few on the application. He asked if the Committee was content with the removal of all the 24 conditions that would make the development sustainable. He highlighted that when the previous application had been presented in 2012 the report covered 59 pages and included 20% affordable housing, a punch through road to the A511, proposed islands on Grange Road and a cycleway on the old disused mineral line for connectivity to Coalville. He informed Members that the application before them, albeit, a variation of conditions, was 800 homes with a lot less affordable homes, 7.5%, no punch through road, which was a travesty, no bus service, no cycleway, and no highway safety with proposed priority junctions on a very fast and dangerous road where in the past few decades there had been fatalities. He drew Members’ attention to the report before them that was only 13 pages had many consultees not included, S106 contributions had been reduced and informative items such as Cultural Heritage, Ecology, Neighbours and Future Occupiers Amenities, Air Quality, Hydrology Drainage and Flood Risk were not included. He reminded Members that the Council was trying to encourage less use of the motor vehicle for more healthy walking and cycling and that it would not happen with the application before them. Councillor Johnson stated that the nearest shops would be the Shell garage on the A511, which was a mile away from the nearest access road or the shops in the centre of Hugglescote which were the same distance. He asked Members to look at the bigger picture as 3,500 new homes were to be built on both sides of Grange Road so the priority islands were needed to slow traffic for access and egress, and for the safety of all road users. He urged Members to say no to the development as it was not sustainable in the present form and asked that the Committee’s judgment not to be clouded by the developer’s pleas that the development was sustainable.

Parish Councillor W Jennings, on behalf of Hugglescote and Donington le Heath Parish Council, addressed the Committee. He highlighted to Members the concerns over the highways implications and safety along Grange Road as many drivers used it as a race track. He reminded Members that both sides of the road were to be developed and plans were approved but now being varied and removing many safety features to possibly save money and putting more vehicles on an already dangerous road. He advised Members that the Parish Council was frustrated as the application was permitted on the conditions of the original scheme and once permission was granted, seeking to move the goal posts without having the original conditions revoked, adding that the punch through road was vital to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

Land Adjacent To 25 Buckingham Road Coalville Leicestershire LE67 4PB

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Mr I Barnes, objector, addressed the Committee. He drew Members attention to the report that stated only 4 neighbours were notified yet 16 objections had been received showing the tremendous feeling over the application. He informed Members that the original planning consent included the requirement of green spaces for the enjoyment of all residents and that it went against the Council’s green space strategic wish. He advised that the land was currently woodland planting and it had taken many years for the habitat to develop and for wildlife to make its home. He expressed concerns that the S106 agreement would not benefit the residents of the estate who were losing the woodland and that with the Council promoting the development of the land at Cropston Drive, which once approved how would the residents of the new estate trust the Council to protect their green spaces in the future. He highlighted to the Committee that if the application in front of them be approved the owners of no 27 Buckingham Road would be disadvantaged as they would not have the same opportunity to extend their garden and it was inappropriate that a relatively new resident benefit to the detriment of the rest of the community. 

Mr J Iliffe, applicant, addressed the Committee. He expressed to Members that he felt that the neighbours had misinterpreted the intentions of the application and having read all of the objections acknowledged that the biggest concerns were over the loss of green space and harm to the wildlife. He stated that he was sympathetic to the concerns and that throughout the application process had made it clear that no building would take place on the land and it would remain a garden adding that the only signs of wildlife were insects, brambles and stinging nettles which the family had to constantly cut back, and no signs of animal tracks, bird’s nests, badger’s setts or fox holes. He advised that his family were animal lovers with three pets. He made it clear that it would be green space and as part of the contract of buying the land it was agreed that there would be no building on there. He informed Members that the National Forest Company had raised no issues, only a concern over the loss of green space, and that he was willing to compensate the loss of trees on the strip of land by providing double the amount of trees for an off-site area elsewhere in the district.

The officer’s recommendation to permit the application was moved by Councillor R Boam and seconded by Councillor J Cotterill.

Councillor J Legrys asked for the local elected ward Member’s views about the application.

Councillor J Cotterill said that he considered that the site made a valuable contribution to the street scene.

Councillor J Bridges sought clarification from Councillor J Cotterill, whether he was in support of the proposal or against it, as he seconded the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

The Farm Manor Road Donington Le Heath Coalville Leicestershire LE67 2FW

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Councillor R Johnson, Ward Member, addressed the Committee. He advised Members that he had been lobbied by both concerned residents and fleetingly by the developer, and that the application before them was no different to the previous one that had been considered a few months earlier. He stated that the developer could not be praised enough for the development as it was excellent with a great finish and most of the homes were occupied with large gardens and everyone had a garage. He informed the Committee that the proposed dwelling would be in a cramped area without a garage, it would not conform with the streetscape and would cause significant harm to conserving and enhancing the historic environment in a conservation area as set out in the NPPF paragraphs 131, 132, 134 and 137. He highlighted to Members that the future amenities of plot 14 adjoining the proposal would have a gable end at the bottom of the garden at a height of 8.25 meters blocking any sunlight that they could enjoy and that the developer had deliberately altered the garden fence line of plots 13 and 14 from the original planning permission to squeeze the dwelling in. He expressed concerns that there would be no affordable housing along with the loss of open space. He urged the Committee to be consistent and refuse the application and insist that the developer reverts back to the original planning permission.

Councillor S Palmer, on behalf of Hugglescote and Donington le Heath Parish Council, addressed the Committee. He reminded Members that they had refused a similar application only a few months previously for sound and sensible reasons and as such remained relevant for the application in front of them as none of the issues raised had been addressed. He advised Members that the application would harm the setting of an unlisted heritage asset in the conservation area even more. He urged Members to maintain a consistent approach and refuse the rehashed application.

Councillor J Legrys moved that the application be refused as the application was shoe horning an additional dwelling that did not conform with the original development of the site and the proposed dwelling would have no proper off street parking provision provided, therefore cars would be parked on the roads of the development or on the busy highway network. He stated that his main reason for refusing the application was that the original application was for a number of dwellings that meant that S106 contributions were avoided and now the development had been completed the developer was asking for one extra property that had it been considered with the original application would have required S106 contributions towards schools, play areas and so on. He stated that the grounds for refusal were retrospective planning application, it was shoe horning into a development that could not be sustained and it would have a detrimental effect on Donington Manor House. It was seconded by Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

Councillor M B Wyatt left the meeting at 5.51pm

Councillor P Purver left the meeting at 6.18pm