Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor S Gillard.

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 Boam declared a pecuniary interest in items A4, application number 20/00440/FUL and A6, application number 20/00689/FUL as the covering ward member, and item A5, application number 20/00894/FUL, as a family member owned the land. He stated that he would leave the meeting during consideration of the items and take no part in the voting thereon.

Councillor D Harrison declared a non-pecuniary interest in item A2, application number 20/00707/FUL, as the Leicestershire County Council division member.

Councillor J Bridges declared a non-pecuniary interest in item A5, application number 20/00894/FUL, as he was approached by the applicant for advice on how to move forward with the application. Councillor J Bridges stated that he had steered the applicant towards the officers and had come to the meeting with an open mind.

Members declared that they had been lobbied without influence in respect of the following applications but had come to the meeting with an open mind.

Item A1, application number 20/00726/REMM

Councillors D Bigby, J Legrys and M B Wyatt.

Item A2, application number 20/00707/FUL

Councillors D Bigby, R Boam A Bridgen, R Canny, D Harrison, J Hoult and J Legrys.

Item A5, application number 20/00894/FUL

Councillor J Legrys.

Item A6, application number 20/00689/FUL

Councillors J Hoult and J Legrys.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 3 September 2020.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 3 September 2020.

It was moved by Councillor D Harrison and seconded by Councillor J Legrys  and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 September 2020 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Before the consideration of the first item, the Planning Policy Team Manager provided the Committee with an update following the recent Local Plan Examination.

Report of the Head of Planning and Infrastructure.

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

Land South Of Grange Road Hugglescote Leicestershire LE67 2BT

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

The Democratic Services Officer read out a statement on behalf of the applicant, highlighting that they were working hard to secure a sustainable development and the scheme before them had been developed in line with the wider South East Coalville masterplan. They noted that the timeline for the delivery was included with the agenda along with the legal mechanisms by which the delivery of the wider infrastructure would be regulated. They advised that 33 of the homes would include features which would make them suitable for a wide range of occupants, and all homes would be energy efficient.

Councillor R Johnson, ward member, addressed the committee highlighting concerns over the residential travel plan in relation to the distance to the nearest bus stops, a new bus service, rail connection and walking distance to local amenities in the village and Coalville.

In determining the application, some members expressed concerns over the travel plan, in particular the distances from the development to the nearest bus stops, and when the new bus service would be introduced. Members felt that the concerns that had been raised at the last meeting in relation to air quality and climate change had not been addressed. They were reminded that the air quality impact and climate change had been considered at the outline matters stage.

A motion to permit the application in accordance with the officer recommendation was moved by Councillor J Bridges and seconded by Councillor J Hoult.

The Chairman put the motion to the vote. A recorded vote being required, the voting was as detailed below.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted in accordance with the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Infrastructure.

Land East Side Of Austrey Lane Appleby Parva Derby DE12 7AR

The Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Mr P Lees, objector, addressed the committee highlighting that the application did not meet policies S3 and T3 of the Local Plan and  the NPPF. He expressed concerns that the building would be too large for the site, which lay outside the Limits to Development, that there was no water supply to the site and that the development would not address highway safety concerns. He reminded the committee that they had refused an application on the same site back in 2016 and the application before them was no different.

Councillor R Blunt, ward member, addressed the committee highlighting the number of objections that had been received, that the site was outside the Limits to Development, the impact the building would have on the countryside and highway safety concerns.

In determining the application, members expressed concerns over highway safety, the site access and that the site was outside the Limits to Development. Members also felt that the proposed building was too big for the area, which would have a detrimental impact on the countryside and there was no proof that the agricultural business was viable.

A motion to refuse the application on the ground that the development was unnecessary in the countryside and would have a detrimental effect on the visual and rural amenity was moved by Councillor J Bridges and seconded by Councillor J Legrys.

The Chairman put the motion to the vote. A recorded vote being required, the voting was as detailed below.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be refused on the ground that the development would be unnecessary in the countryside and would have a detrimental effect on the visual and rural amenity.

Land To The Rear Of 31 Church Street Belton Loughborough Leicestershire

LE12 9UG

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Mr A Large, agent, addressed the committee highlighting how the concerns raised by the parish council and objector had been addressed within the report. These included access to the site, which had been agreed with County Highways, the principle of development, the need for an ecological assessment and the land to the rear of the site.

In determining the application, members noted the site was outside the Limits to Development, which went against the Local Plan. Members felt that the proposed design was more in keeping with the area than the existing farm buildings and the village was sustainable. They had regard to the fall back position in terms of class q and the proposal before them being a reduced footprint compared to the existing buildings on the site to be demolished.

A motion to permit the application in accordance with the officer recommendation was moved by Councillor J Bridges and seconded by Councillor J Hoult.

The Chairman put the motion to the vote. A recorded vote being required, the voting was as detailed below.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted in accordance with the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Infrastructure.

Having declared pecuniary interests in items A4, A5 and A6, Councillor R Boam left the meeting and took no further part in the consideration of the items and voting thereon. Councillor G Hoult joined the meeting as substitute for Councillor R Boam.

Bushwell Farm 11 Melbourne Road Newbold Leicestershire LE67 8JH

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Mr A Large, agent, addressed the committee highlighting that the Parish Council had objected to the development as it lay outside the Limits to Development, which was their standard approach. He advised that the dwelling was required to allow the applicant to extend their farming business and that the dwelling would be built in close proximity to the rest of the buildings on site and mimics a barn conversion.

Councillor R Boam, covering ward member, addressed the committee highlighting that the site was outside the Limits to Development and that the Parish Council had valid reasons for objecting to the application.

In determining the application, some members acknowledged that the applicant was attempting to sustain and grow the business but, recognised that the site lay outside the Limits to Development. They noted that the building would legally remain as a rural workers dwelling.

A motion to move the application in accordance with the officer recommendation was moved by Councillor D Harrison and seconded by Councillor J Bridges.

The Chairman put the motion to the vote. A recorded vote being required, the voting was as detailed below.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted in accordance with the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Infrastructure.

142 Melbourne Road Ibstock Coalville Leicestershire LE67 6NN

The Planning and Development Team Manager presented the report to Members.

Councillor J Clarke, ward member, addressed the committee highlighting concerns around the safety of the children attending the school in the vicinity. He stated that anyone leaving the application site in a vehicle would not have a good line of sight when pulling out into the road, and the public footpath was its narrowest along that stretch of road. He noted that the applicant had agreed to no construction traffic entering and exiting the site during school hours and felt that a condition should be extended to the dwelling after the construction.

In determining the application, some members had concerns over highway safety in terms of visibility when exiting the site. They noted that the highway authority would not agree to a mirror on the highway and that the application was to approve the location of the garage.

A motion to permit the application in accordance with the officer recommendation was moved by Councillor J Hoult and seconded by Councillor J Bridges.

The Chairman put the motion to the vote. A recorded vote being required, the voting was as detailed below.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted in accordance with the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Infrastructure.

Willow House Rempstone Road Griffydam Coalville LE67 8AP

The Chairman advised the committee that since the publication of the agenda the applicant had contacted officers wishing to defer the application so that further discussions around the highway objections could take place.

A motion to defer the application was moved by Councillor J Bridges and seconded by Councillor J Legrys.

The Chairman put the motion to the vote. A recorded vote being required, the voting was as detailed below.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be deferred to allow discussions between the officers and the applicant.