Agenda and minutes

At the start of the meeting the Chairman advised members that item A3, application number 21/01615/FUL, had been withdrawn from the agenda to allow officers to address additional information that had been received in relation to the scheme. This would necessitate a deferral of the consideration of the scheme to allow officers time to review the information and update the officer report and return it to the 1st of November Planning Committee meeting for consideration.

He also advised that he intended to change the order of the agenda and take item A2, application number 22/00356/FUL first.

Apologies were received from Councillors J Hoult and M B Wyatt.

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

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

Councillor R Boam declared an other interest, in items A1, application number 22/00801/FUL and A2, application number 22/00356/FUL, as the ward member for both items. He stated that he would address the meeting on item A2 and then leave the meeting for the consideration and voting thereon of both items.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2022

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2022.

It was moved by Councillor D Harrison, seconded by Councillor J Simmons and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2022 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

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 A512 Between Loughborough Road And Moor Lane, Coleorton, LE67 8FQ 

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to members.

Mr Golby, applicant, addressed the committee highlighting that since the consideration of the last application, he had approached the Economic Development team, who had advised that there were no appropriate office spaces available in the District to meet the company’s needs and therefore they had reviewed the scheme to address concerns raised on the previous application. A junction improvement plan had been included, which had been approved by LCC highways and the tree officer. It was confirmed that the development would be small scale and that no vehicles, plants or materials would be stored on site and remaining in the district would ensure that connections were maintained with the local college and their client base. He highlighted the bio-diversity sites that would be maintained by the company and future plans to expand the sites within the county, and the proposed development would become a learning centre to help develop their work.

Councillor R Boam, ward member, addressed the committee highlighting that the proposed development would offer nothing to the area and was outside the Limits to Development. He felt that there were empty buildings that could house the business across the district and felt that more damage would be done by allowing the company to move out of a town centre to the countryside. He expressed concerns that the single lane junction was not suitable for the increase in traffic, and the proposed changes to it made no difference to highway safety concerns that had been raised previously. He urged the committee to refuse the application.

Councillor R Boam then left the meeting.

In determining the application some members expressed concerns, that although they supported companies in growing, they felt that the site in front of them was not suitable for the development, that there was still a lack of evidence to show that the application was an employment generating small scale development and that there were empty shops, that could be converted, or office units within the district that would be a suitable size for the company. It was also felt that the junction, even with the improvements, was still unsuitable for the increase in traffic.

Members had regard to policy S3(k) which allowed small scale development outside the Limits to Development, that LCC highways had no objections to the application and that junction improvements had been included to appease past objections. It was also noted that the applicant had consulted the economic development team on several occasions to confirm that there were no other available sites within the district and that there was an outstanding amount for additional office sites up to end of the life of the current Local Plan.

A discussion took place around deferring the application to allow officers to consider policy Ec2(2). It was noted by the Legal Advisor that a deferment to consider a policy change, would not benefit the decision making, as the concerns raised by members were around the location and highways  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

Rainbow Crescent, 7 The Moorlands, Coleorton, LE67 8GG

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to members.

Mr Henderson, agent, addressed the committee stating that the proposed building would be used for housing the cattle over the winter months and that there was clear justification for the development. He urged the committee to support the application.

A motion to permit the application in accordance with the officer’s recommendation 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 permitted in accordance with the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Infrastructure.