Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Forum, Moat Lane, Towcester

Contact: Diana Davies, Democratic Services 

Items
No. Item

72.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

Minutes:

None advised.

 

73.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 122 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 15 August 2022.

Minutes:

Further to an enquiry regarding the amended condition for the provision of Electric Vehicle charging points for 10% of the parking spaces for application WNN/2021/0987 - Tnt Ipec Uk Limited, South Portway Close, Northampton, Councillor Hibbert enquired whether this had been clarified on the decision notice. The Senior Manager, Development Management advised that the Manager of the team had been notified that the change needed to be made but he would check that this had been completed.

 

Resolved:

 

That the Minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee of the 15 August 2022, with the amendment to Minute Reference 69, be approved and signed as a correct record.

 

74.

Chair's Announcements

To receive communications from the Chair.

Minutes:

Members and all those present observed a minute’s silence in memory of her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

 

75.

WNS/2021/1858/EIA - Land at Milton Road, Gayton, Northamptonshire pdf icon PDF 891 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Deferred, reasons to be set out in the Minutes.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the late representations which advised the Committee that the application would be withdrawn: to enable the case officer to consider further information that has been submitted by the applicant and late responses by Northants Highways and the Lead Local Flood Authority.  Information that may be material to the consideration of the application and the reasons for refusal recommended in the report.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Committee would defer the application.

 

76.

WND/2022/0234 - Overstone Leys, Overstone Lane, Overstone pdf icon PDF 254 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Approved subject to conditions.

Minutes:

The Senior Manager, Development Management outlined the application for the reserved matters application, presenting the design code for 69 houses and confirmed the layout was in accordance with the outline planning consent approved in 2015 for 2000 houses. 

 

In response to Members’ enquiries, the Senior Manager, Development Managementadvised that an earlier application for a larger area and provision of 350 houses, which included the land of this site had been refused.  The mitigation of noise impact from a neighbouring industrial area had not been met to the satisfaction of West Northamptonshire Council’s Environmental Health Officer (WNC EHO).  For the application site, Zone 10, the EHO had suggested advice be sought from an independent noise consultant.  The advice received indicated that the impact of the industrial estate, and the mitigation measures that had been put in place now satisfied Condition 26.

 

The independent noise consultant’s advice received had been considered by the legal team and the advice deemed sound.  It was noted that WNC EHO had not confirmed that they concurred with the advice from the independent noise consultant or indicated they would discharge Condition 26.

 

Acoustic fencing would mitigate traffic noise from the A43. 

 

Should the application be approved the Committee could expect a further application for development of the rest of the site.

 

The affordable housing provision on the site had been considered by the West Northamptonshire Council’s Housing team and, where possible, be dispersed across the site. 

 

Members debated the question of the lack of assurance from the WNC EHO with regard to the noise impact from the site.  In response the Planning Solicitor suggested that the committee had several options in the absence of the WNC EHO’s comments:

 

1.     Defer the application to allow for a report and advice to be sought from WNC EHO.

2.     Make a recommendation to approve the application subject to the WNC EHO consent to proceed with the application.

3.     Refuse – a decision to refuse which the applicants could appeal

 

The Planning Solicitor recommended to approve the application subject to WNC EHO’s withdrawing their objection.

 

The Senior Manager, Development Management advised that the application complied with the condition set out in the outline consent. No complaints had been received from the east of the application site - housing was located much closer to the industrial site, than the properties in this application.

 

The Senior Manager, Development Management confirmed that the windows of the houses would on occasion have to be closed to prevent noise nuisance, and an alternative means of ventilation would be provided, in rooms susceptible to noise, by way of trickle vents. 

 

Councillor Stephen Hibbert proposed the application be deferred, and this was seconded by Councillor Rosie Herring.

 

In response to a Members query the Planning Solicitor advised that deferring an application and approving subject to an addition condition would achieve the same aim.  A deferral could have implications, depending on time scales, it could bring a risk of an appeal for non-determination of the application.

 

The original  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

77.

WND/2022/0348 - Apex Park Phase 3, Zone B, Parsons Road, Daventry, Northamptonshire pdf icon PDF 311 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Approved subject to conditions.

Minutes:

The Area Planning Officer (West) outlined the application for the reserved matters application for access, layout, scale, appearance and landscaping for two warehouse and distribution units including ancillary officers, landscaping, access, parking and associated infrastructure.  Outline planning permission for the site had been approved in 2019 with permission for 4 units.

 

This application would be for 2 units, situated within an established industrial estate consisting of large industrial B8 units.  Redevelopment of the site, associated parking and HGV and proposed new access.  The application included landscaping details, and the adjacent mature trees, assisted the mitigation of the visual impact on the landscape.

 

The units would be smaller than the original warehouses, under 18m in height, and were designed to maximise the use of natural light within the warehouse as the roof design included transparent panels thus reducing the reliance on electricity for lighting.

 

Provision of parking would include Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) spaces, accommodation of cycles, motors, and disabled spaces.

 

In response to Members’ enquiries, the Area Planning Officer (West) advised that the graduated cladding of the buildings would not be dissimilar to the neighbouring buildings and would be designed to break up the façade.  Members could include a condition that the building colours were matched.

 

As the application was for a previously developed site, there would be limited options for additional landscaping, other than that set out.  There would be a provision of Sustainable Drainage System and damp areas.  The site had an area of natural landscape within the site where there could be opportunity for improvement.

 

With regard to the absence of renewable technology, the Senior Manager, Development Management advised that a stipulation to include the provision of solar panels would require a change in planning policy.  Either nationally and/or at a local level, across all three adopted Local Plan 2’s.

 

Justin Gartland, the applicant addressed the Committee and advised that the application would generate economic development on a vacant brownfield site.  The application included a Travel Plan to deliver sustainable methods of travel.

 

Further to enquiries regarding the provision of solar panels the applicant advised that the occupants of the building may not want them.  There were additional loading costs associated with them as the roofs would need to be strengthened.  The transparent panels reduced energy costs associated with the building.

 

The cladding of the buildings would have a more graduated palette than the neighbouring building.  The colour palette on the drawing may have rendered 

darker in print than building specification.  The general principle for the tones, had been considered in relation to landscape with the aim reduce the visual impact.

 

In response to Members’ enquiries, the Area Planning Officer (West) advised that the comments from Members were taken on board with regard to the colour palette and undertook to ascertain what conditions for noise mitigation had been included in the outline planning application.

Councillor David James proposed that Officers’ advice to approve the application be accepted, the proposition was seconded by Councillor Ken Pritchard and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.

78.

Urgent Business

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any items of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

Decision:

Northampton Gateway Rail Freight Interchange Order 2019 (SI 2019 No. 1358) (the DCO) Consultation letter.

 

To delegate the response to the Assistant Director of Planning in consultation with the Chair, Vice Chair, the Portfolio Holder and Ward Councillors

 

Minutes:

The Chair informed the Committee of a consultation letter received by West Northants Council regarding: Northampton Gateway Rail Freight Interchange Order 2019 (SI 2019 No. 1358) (the DCO), a proposed non-material change to an existing order. 

 

Due to the limited time in which to provide a response to this consultation the Chair proposed that the Committee delegate the response to the Assistant Director of Planning, in consultation with the Chair, Vice Chair, the Portfolio Holder and Ward Councillors. The Committee unanimously agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the consultation response would be delegated to the Assistant Director of Planning, in consultation with the Chair, Vice Chair, the Portfolio Holder and Ward Councillors.