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 7 September 2023.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 7 September 2023 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive communications from the Chair.

The Chair advised that Councillor Danielle Stone had recently stepped down from the Committee and would be replaced by Councillor Harry Barrett. On behalf of the Committee, the Chair thanked Councillor Stone for her service on the Committee and wished her well.

The Chair made the following additional announcements:

1.    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.  Only those people who had registered, in line with the Committee’s speaking procedure, were able to address the meeting.

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

4.  The meeting was being webcast on the Council’s corporate YouTube channel, therefore all those speaking were asked to please utilise their microphones when doing so.

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

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

Report of the Development Management Manager.

This will be included in the Committee Updates published in advance of the meeting.

The Development Management Manager provided a verbal update which recommended the Committee agree to hold Pre-Committees site visit in respect of the following applications:

Application No.       2023/5711/PIP

Proposal:                  Permission in principle for the development of 8-9 custom/self-build units

Location:                  Land at Poundfield Road, Potterspury

Reason:                    To enable the relationship of the development to the village and surrounding area to be assessed

Application No:     2023/6117/MAO

Proposal:                  Outline planning application for 11 serviced plots for self-builders and public open space

Location:                  Land to the East of Forest Road, Piddington

Reason:                    To enable the relationship of the development to the village and surrounding area to be assessed. 

The Development Management Manager further explained that both recommended site visits related to self-build proposals, and that site visits would be beneficial in enabling the Committee to gain an understanding of the relationship between the proposed developments and the surrounding localities.

Resolved

(1)  That the proposed Pre-Committee site visits be approved.

That the draft order be made, full details to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application 2023/5166/FPATH for the diversion of public right of way footpath SB29 as part of application S/2007/0374/OUTWNS and Land at Towcester Vale, Towcester for Persimmon Homes Ltd.

There were no public speakers on this item.

It was proposed by Councillor Maggie Clubley and seconded by Councillor Anthony Bagot-Webb that the Case Officer’s recommendation be approved. The motion was put to the vote with nine votes cast in favour of the proposal, none cast against, with one abstention, therefore the motion was carried.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered the Case Officer’s report and presentation, and the Committee Updates.

Resolved

(1)  That a draft order be made pursuant to Section 257 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to divert part of Public Right of Way Footpath SB29, as detailed on the submitted Section 257 application.

(2)  That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development to resolve any outstanding objections, and to confirm the unopposed order.

(3)  That, in the event that objections remain and the draft order is still opposed, authority be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development to refer the matter to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for determination.

Approved, subject to various requirements to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application WNN/2023/0245 for the change of use of existing offices (Class E) to House in Multiple Occupancy for 15 no. persons (Sui Generis) at first, second and third floor levels. Class E use retained at ground floor level. To include external and internal alterations as shown on submitted drawings at Beethoven House, 32 Market Square, Northampton for Mr A Putjatins.

Alex Putjatins, the applicant, addressed the Committee in support of the application and set out the potential benefits the proposed development could bring to the area in the event permission was granted. In response to questions from the Committee regarding unique features of the building that would be protected and enhanced by future development, the applicant advised that the grand staircase was the only internal fixture that would be retained in the proposals as the building had been largely gutted having stood vacant for more than ten years.

It was proposed by Councillor Ken Pritchard and seconded by Councillor Karen Cooper that application WNN/2023/0245 be approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation. The motion was put to the vote with nine votes cast in favour of the proposal, one vote cast against, and no abstentions, therefore the motion was carried.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered the Case Officer’s report and presentation, the address of the public speaker, and the Committee Updates.

Resolved

(1)  That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development to grant permission to application WNN/2023/0245 subject to the conditions set out in the Case Officer’s report (and any amendments to those conditions deemed necessary).

Approved, subject to various requirements to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application WNN/2023/0246 for listed building consent relating to the application for the change of use of existing offices (Class E) to House in Multiple Occupancy for 15 no. persons (Sui Generis) at first, second and third floor levels. Class E use retained at ground floor level. To include external and internal alterations as shown on submitted drawings at Beethoven House, 32 Market Square, Northampton for Mr A Putjatins.

It was proposed by Councillor Ken Pritchard and seconded by Councillor Karen Cooper that application WNN/2023/0246 be approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation. The motion was put to the vote with nine votes cast in favour of the proposal, one vote cast against, and no abstentions, therefore the motion was carried.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered the Case Officer’s report and presentation, the address of the public speaker, and the Committee Updates.

Resolved

(1)  That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development to grant permission to application WNN/2023/0246 subject to the conditions set out in the Case Officer’s report (and any amendments to those conditions deemed necessary).

Approved, subject to various requirements to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application WNN/2023/0480 for reserved matters (landscaping) pursuant to outline planning permission N/2018/0351 (outline planning application for the demolition of part of the existing Plough Hotel and erection of a 35 no. serviced apartment building (use class C1) with landscaping reserved for future consideration) at The Plough Hotel, Bridge Street, Northampton for New Life Hotels Ltd.

There were no public speakers on this item.

It was proposed by Councillor William Barter and seconded by Councillor Enam Haque that application WNN/2023/0480 be approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation. The motion was put to the vote with ten votes cast in favour of the proposal, no votes cast against and no abstentions, therefore the motion was carried.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered the Case Officer’s report and presentation, and the Committee Updates.

Resolved

(1)  That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development to grant permission to application WNN/2023/0480 subject to the conditions set out in the Case Officer’s report (and any amendments to those conditions deemed necessary).

Agenda item withdrawn, reasons to be set out in the minutes.

The Principal Planning Officer provided a verbal update and advised that application WNN/2023/0393 had been withdrawn from the agenda due to the receipt of amended plans from the applicant, which would require further consideration by Officers prior to being presented to the Committee for determination. 

Refused, reasons to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application WNN/2022/0963 for the change of use from care home (use class C2) into 16 no. specialist supported living apartments (use class C3b) at St Andrews Healthcare, 32a Berkeley Close, Northampton for SSL CO1 Ltd.

In response to questions from the Committee as to how an application that was acceptable in principle had come to be recommended for refusal, the Principal Planning Officer advised that the Council had been unable to contact the applicant and therefore the applicant had failed to provide a written undertaking and commitment to enter into a Section 106 agreement or provide any reasonable reason as to why this could not be achieved.

It was proposed by Councillor Ken Pritchard and seconded by Councillor Dermot Bambridge that application WNN/2022/0963 be refused in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation. The motion was put to the vote with ten votes cast in favour of the proposal, no votes cast against and no abstentions, therefore the motion was carried.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered the Case Officer’s report and presentation, and the Committee Updates.

Resolved

(1)  That, in the event that the applicant has not by Tuesday 5 November 2023 given a written undertaking and commitment to enter into a Section 106 agreement and to meet the Council’s reasonable costs in the preparation of the Section 106 agreement, then authority be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development to refuse the application for the following reason:

1.    The reasonable and necessary planning obligations towards the improvement of primary healthcare facilities within the local area cannot be agreed. The proposal, therefore, fails to accord with Policy IFS2 of the Northampton Local Plan.

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

Resolved

(1)  That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)  That the decision to grant permission to application 2023/5580/TPO under delegated authority be noted.

The Planning Policy & Specialist Services Team Leader submitted an urgent report which set out a recent decision to grant planning permission under delegated authority to application 2023/5580/TPO for proposed works to a tree protected by a Tree Preservation Order at Bosworth House, Oxendon Road, Aringworth which was currently the residence of a Member of the Council. 

In introducing the report, the Planning Policy & Specialist Services Team Leader advised that the Council’s constitution required that, where a Member of the Council or someone closely connected to a Member of the Council submits a planning application, such an application must always be considered by a Planning Committee. In the event the Member in question already sits on a Planning Committee, it shall be dealt with by the Committee other than which the Member sits.

The Planning Policy & Specialist Services Team Leader explained that, as such, permission was incorrectly granted under delegated powers for the proposed works to take place however as the matter had now been determined, the decision was now in force and therefore must be reported to the South Planning Committee for noting.

Resolved

(1)  That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)  That the decision to grant permission under delegated authority to application 2023/5580/TPO be noted.