The Committee is asked to note any apologies for absence and substitutions received from Members.

There were no apologies for absence or substitutions submitted on this occasion.

To confirm and sign as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Committee, held on Thursday 1^st September 2022.

It was moved by Councillor Baker, seconded by Councillor Alexander and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 1 September2022 be approved as a correct record, subject to an amendment to Minute 39 so that item 4 in that minute shall read as follows:

“4. Officers are instructed to enter into a Section 106 Agreement to secure financial contributions for RAMS, NHS and open space and if such deed is completed the ground of reason 4 will also not be defended.  The Section 106 Agreement to also include a viability review clause in respect of the affordable housing contribution.”

Councillors are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Personal Interest, and the nature of it, in relation to any item on the agenda.

Councillor White declared an interest in Planning Application A.1 21/02070/FUL due to his previous connection with the National Grid.

Subject to providing two working days’ notice, a Member of the Committee may ask the Chairman of the Committee a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties which affect the Tendring District and which falls within the terms of reference of the Committee.

There were none on this occasion.

Under Part 3 of the Council’s Scheme of Delegated Powers, Planning Committee clause (vii) the Assistant Director has taken the decision to refer this application to Members due to the wider public interest and the proposal is the first of its kind in Tendring.

The application relates to a parcel of land abutting the existing Lawford Grid Substation located to the south of Ardleigh Road / Little Bromley Road, Little Bromley. The application seeks full planning permission for the construction and operation of a 50MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and related infrastructure with associated access, landscaping and drainage.

Councillor White had earlier on in the meeting declared an interest in this applicationdue to his previous connection with the National Grid.

It was reported that, under Part 3 of the Council’s Scheme of Delegated Powers, Planning Committee clause (vii) the Assistant Director (Planning) had taken the decision to refer this application to Members due to the wider public interest and given that the proposal was the first of its kind in the Tendring District. 

Members were informed that Ardleigh Parish Council and a number of local residents had raised concerns. The majority of those objections related to the development being linked to the East Anglia Green Energy Enablement project (East Anglia GREEN), highway safety and harm to residential amenities from noise and disturbance, together with harm to biodiversity and landscape impact.

The Committee was made aware that the application related to a parcel of land abutting the existing Lawford Grid Substation located to the south of Ardleigh Road / Little Bromley Road, Little Bromley. The application sought full planning permission for the construction and operation of a 50MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and related infrastructure with associated access, landscaping and drainage.

Members were advised that a BESS was referred to by the National Grid as a ‘balancing service’ that will assist the operation of the grid in balancing electrical frequency at times of system stress. BESSs were able to provide flexible backup power to the grid at very short notice and respond rapidly to the short-term variations that were related to local and national energy demand and fluctuations in the output from renewable energy sources.

Concerns had been expressed with regard to the proposal’s relationship with the East Anglia GREEN project. This was a separate proposal by National Grid Electricity Transmission (National Grid) to reinforce the high voltage power network in East Anglia. That project would support the UK’s net zero target through the connection in East Anglia of new low carbon energy generation, and by reinforcing the local transmission network. The reinforcement would comprise mostly overhead lines (including pylons and conductors – the ‘line’ part) and underground cabling through the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and a new 400 kV connection substation in the Tendring District.

It was reported that confirmation had been received from National Grid that this development proposal was not associated with the East Anglian GREEN project and was an independent third party applying to build a battery storage facility. This application had been submitted some time ago before the EAG proposals that had been consulted upon had been finalised.

Chapter 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 (NPPF) directed the planning system to meet the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change. Adopted Tendring District Local Plan 2013-2033 and Beyond (TDLP) Section 2 Policy PPL10 dealt with Renewable Energy Generation and Energy Efficiency Measures. Battery Storage Systems were identified within paragraph 7.9.3 of the supporting text of Policy PPL10 as one of the supported technologies aimed at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

This application has been referred to Planning Committee at the request of Councillor Bush due to concerns relating to the significant increase to this existing industrial farming facility and the lack of economic benefits to the local economy.

The application is for an additional three buildings to raise broiler chickens. The site is fully operational (as approved under 20/00194/FUL) with an office building and two other buildings for a biomass boiler and straw storage along with a caravan for agricultural workers home (temporary permission given for a 3 year period). The highways access is completed and a significant amount of planting has been undertaken to screen the site from views in the surrounding countryside.

It was reported that this application had been referred to Planning Committee at the request of Councillor Bush due to his concerns relating to the significant increase to this existing industrial farming facility and the perceived lack of economic benefits to the local economy.

Members were made aware that this application was for an additional three buildings to raise broiler chickens. The site was fully operational (as approved under 20/00194/FUL) with an office building and two other buildings for a biomass boiler and straw storage along with a caravan for an agricultural workers’ home (temporary permission given for a 3 year period). The highways access had been completed and a significant amount of planting had been undertaken to screen the site from views in the surrounding countryside.

The proposed buildings would be of an identical design to the two currently in situ and would have a typical agricultural building appearance, being of a steel portal construction covered by olive green coloured polyester coated profiled sheeting except for the plinth to the walls, of pre-formed concrete.

The Committee was informed that the site was in a rural locality, between the settlements of Wix and Great Oakley, and within the Parish of Wix. Although set within open countryside, the site was at a position which was not prominent in the landscape and the proposals included landscaping mitigation works as well as biodiversity enhancements. The proposal was in planning terms considered by Officers to be an agricultural use within an agricultural area.

The Committee had before it the published Officer report containing the key planning issues, relevant planning policies, planning history, any response from consultees, written representations received and a recommendation of approval.

At the meeting, an oral presentation was made by the Council’s Planning Officer (Amy Lang) in respect of the application.

An update sheet had been circulated to the Committee prior to the meeting with details of one additional objection letter received via email from Mr Bob.

Ian Pick, the agent acting on behalf of the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Councillor Mike Bush, the local Ward Member, spoke against the application.

The site is in a rural locality and within the sustainable settlement of Great Bentley and proposes 26 Dwellings similar in design and layout to adjacent development.

It was reported that this site was in a rural locality and within the sustainable settlement of Great Bentley and proposed 26 Dwellings similar in design and layout to adjacent development.

The Committee had before it the published Officer report containing the key planning issues, relevant planning policies, planning history, any response from consultees, written representations received and a recommendation of approval.

At the meeting, an oral presentation was made by the Council’s Planning Manager (John Pateman-Gee) in respect of the application.

Emma Walker, the agent acting on behalf of the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Karen Squires, a local resident, spoke against the application.

Parish Councillor Peter Harry, representing Great Bentley Parish Council, spoke against the application.

Councillor Lynda McWilliams, a local Ward Member, spoke against the application.

The Committee is asked to consider passing the following resolution:

“That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Agenda Item 9 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A, as amended, of the Act.”

It was RESOLVED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of Agenda Item 9 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A, as amended, of the Act.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the exempt minute of the meeting of the Committee held on Thursday 1 September 2022. 

It was moved by Councillor Baker, seconded by Councillor Alexander and RESOLVED that the exempt minute of the meeting of the Committee held on 1 September2022 be approved as a correct record subject to an amendment to Minute 39 so that item 4 in that minute shall read as follows:

“4. Officers are instructed to enter into a Section 106 Agreement to secure financial contributions for RAMS, NHS and open space and if such deed is completed the ground of reason 4 will also not be defended.  The s106 Agreement to also include a viability review clause in respect of the affordable housing contribution.”