Agenda, decisions and minutes

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 12 May 2022.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 12 May 2022 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive communications from the Chair.

The Chair made the following announcements:

1.  That under the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014, members of the public were permitted to film, broadcast and report on the meeting, subject to the efficient running of the meeting not being affected.

2.  Members of the public were requested not to call out during the Committee’s discussions on any item.

3.  There were no planned fire drills so in the event of an alarm sounding, evacuation instructions would be given by officers.

4.  That it be requested that any devices be switched off or onto silent mode.

Refused, reasons to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application WNS/2021/0450/MAF for the construction of 52 new dwellings with associated open spaces, roads and drainage infrastructure at Land South of The Wharf, Bugbrooke, NN7 3QB.

Alasdair Thorne, the Agent for the Applicant, addressed the Committee in support of the application.

It was proposed by Councillor Ken Pritchard and Seconded by Councillor Dermot Bambridge that the application be refused in accordance with the officer’s recommendations. The motion was put to the vote with eight votes cast in favour of the proposal and none cast against, therefore the motion was carried.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered the officer’s report and presentation, the address of the public speaker, and the written update.

Resolved

(1)  That application WNS/2021/0450/MAF be refused for the following reasons:

1.    The application site lies outside the settlement confines of Bugbrooke as designated in the adopted South Northamptonshire Local Plan (Part 2) and is therefore in open countryside. The adopted Development Plan seeks to focus new development within the defined boundaries of settlements unless it complies with certain exceptions, none of which apply to this development. Having considered all relevant material considerations, including the relative sustainability of the settlement, and the site’s specific location within the settlement, the provision of affordable housing and outcome of recent appeal decisions, it is concluded that the harm caused though this application’s conflict with the development plan exceeds any considerations that weigh in the application’s favour. The development proposed would therefore conflict with an up to date and adopted Development Plan, in particular policies S1, R1(f) and R1(g) of the adopted West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy 2014 and Policies SS1 and LH1 of the adopted South Northamptonshire Local Plan (Part 2). To permit the development would conflict with Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.    Policies INF1 and INF2 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy 2014 are concerned with infrastructure and developer contributions, and state that ‘developers will be expected, in negotiation with the Local Planning Authority to make provision for related infrastructure and community facilities the need for which arises from the development’. This is consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework. In the absence of a signed legal undertaking the Council cannot be satisfied that the development proposal would make sufficient provision to mitigate the impacts of the development on existing community services and infrastructure serving the development including early years and primary education infrastructure; affordable housing; public open space and facilities (including maintenance); public transport and off site highway improvements; refuse/recycling infrastructure; libraries and primary healthcare infrastructure. The application is therefore contrary to Policies H2, INF1 and INF2 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy 2014, Policies LH8 UBF1 and GS1 of the South Northamptonshire Local Plan (Part 2) and the adopted Supplementary Planning Document ‘Developer Contributions’ (December 2010).

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

There were no items of urgent business.