Agenda and minutes

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

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Wiggins, with no substitute.

To confirm and sign as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Committee, held on Thursday 13^th April 2023

It was moved by Councillor White, seconded by Councillor Alexander and:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee, held on Thursday, 13^th April 2023 were approved as a correct record.

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 Scott, present in the public gallery, declared for the public record in relation to report A.1 PLANNING APPLICATION 22/01010/FUL – LAND AT BADLEY HALL FARM, ROBINSON CLOSE, GREAT BROMLEY, CO7 7HU that he was the Ward Councillor.

Later on in the meeting, as reported under Minute 7 below, Councillor Everett declared an interest in relation to report A.3 – PLANNING APPLICATION 22/00107/FUL – FORMER PUBLIC CONVENIENCES, MILL LANE, WALTON-ON-THE-NAZE, CO14 8PF insofar as he was also a member of Frinton and Walton Town Council. He confirmed that he was not pre-disposed/pre-determined.

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 no such Questions on Notice submitted by Councillors on this occasion.

Proposed erection of 9 no. dwellings, comprising 6 no. affordable and 3 no. market houses.

This application is before Members at the request of Councillor Scott due to concerns with parking provision, surface water flooding, loss of privacy to existing residents and highway safety issues.

This application was before the Members at the request of Councillor Scott due to the concerns with parking provision, surface water flooding, loss of privacy to existing residents and highway safety issues.

The planning application had been submitted on behalf of Orwell Housing for the proposed development of 9 no. dwellings (comprising of 6 no. affordable housing and 3 no. market houses) on land at Badley Hall Farm, Great Bromley.

The proposal would be served by the existing access, through the existing Robinson Close development approved as an affordable rural exception sit under application references 16/00782/OUT & 18/00974/DETAIL, comprising of 24 units, including 16 affordable dwellings.

The site is outside, but directly adjacent to the Great Bromley Settlement Boundary, and the majority of the site benefits from a Permission in Principle (PiP) under planning reference 21/00150/PIP, for the erection of 9 dwellings. A full application is made as the red lined site area has increased by 0.1ha to that originally approved under the PiP application. The scheme is submitted as a ‘rural exception housing’ scheme.

The application had essentially sought permission to extend the existing Robinson Close housing development. Although the red lined site area had increased slightly, the principle of development for 9 dwellings on the majority of the application site had been established through the PiP approval. In the main body of the report below, the reasons were given, it was considered that the slight increase of the site area would not amount to any significant visual or landscape harm beyond the extent of development already assessed through the approved PiP.

The Parish Council had raised their concerns with the development due to the lack of local need for affordable homes. However, the Council’s Housing Register showed that there were currently 251 households who would have liked to be offered a property in a village of Great Bromley. It was given that the rural exception nature of the development proposal the recommendation was subject to a legal agreement which included a clause for a sequential approach to finding occupants for the affordable housing units who met the definition of a “Local Person” (set out below).

This application was supported by the necessary technical reports to demonstrate that the development was acceptable in terms of ecology, trees and drainage. The Highway Authority raised no objection.

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 (AL) in respect of the application.

There has been no updates circulated to the Committee prior to the meeting.

Greg Dodds, the applicant’s representative, spoke in support of the application.

Claire Hughes, on behalf of Chris Jay, a member of the public, spoke against the application.

Parish Councillor Fred Nicholls, on behalf of Great Bromley Parish Council, spoke against the application.

Councillor Gary Scott, the “Caller-in” and a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Proposed replacement gate and fence.

The application is before the Planning Committee as Tendring District Council are the landowners of the application site.

This application was before the Planning Committee as Tendring District Council are the landowners of the application site.

This proposal resulted in the replacement of the fencing and gates along the perimeter of the lake, with the existing fencing and gates in a poor state of repair.

The work resulted in a minor enhancement to the character and appearance of the area and had also resulted in a neutral impact to existing neighbouring amenities.

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 (MP) in respect of the application.

Following discussion by the Committee, it was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Harris and unanimously RESOLVED that the Planning Manager be authorised to grant permission for the development, subject to:-

(a)   The conditions stated at paragraph 8.2 of the Officer report, or varied as is necessary to ensure the wording is enforceable, precise and reasonable in all other respects, including appropriate updates, so long as the principle of the conditions as referenced is retained, including the addition of a condition to restrict the hours of construction.

(b)   The informative notes as may be deemed necessary.

CONDITION: No vehicle connected with the works to arrive on site before 07:30 or leave after 19:00 (except in case of emergency). Working hours to be restricted between 08:00 and 17:00 Mondays to Saturdays with no working of any kind permitted on Sundays or any Public/Bank Holiday whilst construction works and alterations are being carried out.

REASON: In order to minimise potential nuisance caused by demolition/construction works to neighbouring occupants.

Proposed change of use of public convenience to a workshop for upholstery, furniture repair and bespoke headboards.

The planning application has been referred to Planning Committee as Tendring District Council are the landowners of the application site.

Councillor Everett made it known at this time of the meeting that he had an interest in this application insofar as he was also a member of Frinton and Walton Town Council, but he confirmed that he was not pre-disposed/pre-determined.

It was reported that the planning application has been referred to the Planning Committee as Tendring District Council (TDC) was the landowner of the application site.

The Committee was informed that the application sought permission to change the use of the building, formerly a public convenience, to a workshop for upholstery, furniture repair and bespoke headboards.

Members were told that the proposal would involve internal alterations only to create a space within which to work.

Officers reported to the Committee that the proposal was not considered to be harmful to the character and appearance of the conservation area, it would not result in any significant impact to neighbouring amenities, and it was acceptable in terms of the high impacts and flood risk.

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 (AP) in respect of the application.

Following discussion by the Committee, it was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Harris and unanimously RESOLVED that the Planning Manager be authorised to grant planning permission for the development, subject to:-

(a)   The planning conditions as stated at paragraph 8.2 of the Officer report, or varied as is necessary to ensure the wording is enforceable, precise, and reasonable in all other respects, including appropriate updates, so long as the principle of the conditions as referenced is retained; and,

(b)   The informative notes as may be deemed necessary.

The meeting was declared closed at 7.54pm.

Chairman