Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

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:

Councillors N Smith and M B Wyatt declared that they had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM and item A3 application number 13/00818/OUTM.

Councillors R Adams, T Neilson, J Legrys, D Everitt and T Gillard declared that they had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM, item A2 application number 12/00922/OUTM and item A3 application number 13/00818/OUTM.

Councillors G A Allman, J Coxon and J Hoult declared a non pecuniary interest in item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM as members of Ashby Town Council and that they had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM, item A2 application number 12/00922/OUTM and item A3 application number 13/00818/OUTM.

Councillor M Specht declared a non pecuniary interest in item A3 application number 13/00818/OUTM as he was addressing the Committee in objection as a Ward Member, he would therefore leave the meeting for the discussion and voting thereon.  He also declared that he had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM and item A4 application number 13/00266/FUL.

Councillor R Johnson declared a non pecuniary interest in item A2 application number 12/00922/OUTM as a Member of Hugglescote Parish Council and that he had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM, item A3 application number 13/00818/OUTM and item A4 application number 13/00266/FUL.

Councillors D Howe and R Woodward declared that they had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM.

Councillor J Bridges declared a non pecuniary interest in item A5 application number 13/00803/REM due to a business matter and that he had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM and item A2 application number 12/00922/OUTM.

Councillor G Jones declared a non pecuniary interest in item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM as a member of Ashby Town Council and that he had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM.

Councillor D J Stevenson declared that he had been lobbied without influence in respect of item A1 application number 13/00335/OUTM, item A2 application number 12/00922/OUTM, item A3 application number 13/00818/OUTM and item A4 application 13/00803/REM.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2013.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2013 and the following amendments were proposed:

-    Councillor J Geary be added as in attendance.

-    Under item A2, the last sentence of Mrs E Marjoram’s objections to read as follows:

‘As there was currently no five year housing supply, Mrs Marjoram urged Members to refuse the application as this would create a precedent for back garden development.’

-    Under item A2, the response from the Senior Planning Officer regarding the condition of the ground to read as follows:

‘The Senior Planning Officer reported that photographic evidence had been supplied showing the hole in the ground to a particular depth which indicated that no granite was found but it was not guaranteed that the site was completely granite free.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

Subject to the above amendments, the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2013 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Report of the Head of Regeneration and Planning.

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

A1

13/00335/OUTM

Development of 605 residential dwellings including a 60 unit extra care centre (C2), a new primary school (D1), a new health centre (D1), a new nursery school (D1), a new community hall (D1), new neighbourhood retail use (A1), new public open space and vehicular access from the A511 and Woodcock Way (outline - all matters other than part access reserved)

Money Hill Site North Of Wood Street,  Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Councillor R D Bayliss, Ward Member, addressed the Committee.  He explained that his main concerns were the highway implications of the proposal, especially the unresolved matters which needed to be resolved before the application could be approved.  He expressed concerns regarding the access onto the A511 roundabout and the impact the increase in traffic would have on Tamworth Road.  He concluded that if Members were considering approval they needed to take more time to get the development right and if they could not get it right then Members should not approve the application.

Mr M Ball, objector, addressed the Committee.  He explained that he had lived in Ashby for 24 years so could understand why developers wanted to build in the area but the proposed 30 percent increase in the size of the town would be detrimental to the highways.  He felt that the highway proposals were unsafe and would only worsen the current issues that residents face when using the access to Woodcock Way.  When considering the transport plan, Mr Ball claimed that there was nothing included that addressed the inadequacies within it and that the A511 and A42 would not be able to cope with the influx of traffic.  He concluded that the Highways Agency had directed that Planning should not be granted and he urged the Committee to follow this advice and refuse the application.

Mr R Sutcliffe-Smith, agent, addressed the Committee.  He reported that the highway proposals had been thoroughly assessed and that there had been no objections from Leicestershire County Highways or the Highways Agency.  He explained that changes had been made to take pressure off Nottingham Road, as well as multiple access points proposed to allow the scheme to be future proof to allow for a larger scheme in time.  He added that the development would provide employment opportunities for local people.  Mr Sutcliffe-Smith concluded that refusing the application would put pressure on other Wards in the District and as this site was the preferred option for development for the Council, he urged Members to approve the application.

Councillor J G Coxon stated that in his opinion the proposal was both poor and inadequate, and it was disappointing that the Committee had asked for changes and nothing had been forthcoming.  Therefore he moved that the application be refused on the grounds of poor design and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.