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 December 2023.

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

To receive communications from the Chair.

The Chair made the following 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.

There were no proposed pre-committee site visits.

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

The Committee considered application WNN/2023/0681 for the conversion and change of use of dance/art and photographic studio into 14 no. flats with alterations to basement windows at 2 Clare Street, Northampton for Stamford Cannon Investments LLP.

Lee Randall, the Agent for the Applicant, was in attendance to answer any questions from the Committee regarding the application.

In response to questions from the Committee regarding the ventilation arrangements for the proposed bin store, the Case Officer drew Members attention to the Committee Updates and explained that an additional condition had been proposed, which set out the requirement that a Waste Management Strategy including the provision of ventilation for the bin store be provided by the applicant, with the strategy to also be agreed in writing by the Council.

It was proposed by Councillor Kevin Parker and seconded by Councillor Anthony Bagot-Webb that Application WNN/2023/0681 be approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation, subject to the addition of the condition detailing the waste management strategy as set out in the Committee Updates. The motion was put to the vote with nine votes cast in favour of the proposal and none cast against, 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/2023/0681 subject to:

1.    The completion of a Planning Obligation under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as substituted by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, to secure a contribution of £1,600.00 towards local libraries.

2.    The addition of the following condition:

Prior to the first use or occupation of the approved development, a waste management strategy including details of ventilation shall be provided in accordance with details to be first submitted and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The bins so provided shall thereafter be permanently retained.

Reason: In the interests of residential amenity to comply with Policy H1 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy.

3.    The remaining conditions set out in the Case Officer’s report (and any amendments to those conditions as deemed necessary).

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

The Committee considered application WNN/2023/0013 for the conversion of a three bedroom dwellinghouse (Use Class C) to form a mix of office (Use Class E) with one residential flat (Use Class C3) to include a single storey rear extension, roof alterations and the demolition of an existing shed to the rear at 17 Towcester Road, Northampton for Renaissance Elite Suites.

There were no public speakers on this item.

It was proposed by Councillor Kevin Parker and seconded by Councillor Ken Pritchard that application WNN/2023/0013 be approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendations, subject to an amendment to Condition 7 (Hours of Use) to amend the opening hours from 9am until 5pm, to 8am until 6pm, to allow greater flexibility for the end users of the proposed development. The motion was put to the vote with seven votes cast in favour of the proposal and two votes cast against, therefore the motion was carried.

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

At the conclusion of the vote, Councillor Ken Pritchard raised a point of order and requested that it be recorded in the minutes that the Call-In originator had not attended the meeting to speak on the application, nor submitted any written address explaining why they had called the application in. In response to this point of order, the Democratic Services Officer explained that, under the provisions of Paragraph 14.6 of the Council’s constitution, Members were expected to attend and speak at a Planning Committee meeting that considers a planning application they have called-in. If a member cannot attend, they should endeavour to ask another member to attend on their behalf or, failing that, submit a written statement to Democratic Services no later than 24 hours before the start of the meeting. In any event, an application that had been called in would still be considered by a Planning Committee if the member did not attend or did not submit a written statement in lieu of attending.

Resolved

(1)  That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development to grant permission to application WNN/2023/0013 subject to:

1.    An amendment to Condition 7 (Hours of Use) to amend the opening hours from 9am until 5pm, to 8am until 6pm.

2.    The remaining conditions set out in the Case Officer’s report (and any amendments to those conditions as deemed necessary).

Refused, reasons to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application WNS/2023/0351/MAO for an outline application (some matters reserved except for access) for the erection of up to 34 affordable homes and the formation of a new vehicular and pedestrian access from Stoneway at Land South East of Stoneway, Hartwell for Grand Union Housing Group.

Judie Kendrick-Symondson, a local resident, addressed the Committee in objection to the application on the grounds that the proposed development could lead to the flooding of adjacent land, and that there was insufficient detail within the proposals as to how surface water runoff would be managed.

Andy Moger, the Agent for the Applicant, addressed the Committee in support of the application, on the grounds that the proposed development would address an acute under delivery of affordable housing in the legacy South Northamptonshire Council area, with 29 individuals on the local housing waiting list having specified a preference for a property in Hartwell. The Agent also specified that technical matters such as drainage and surface water runoff could be resolved by way of conditions should the application be approved.

It was proposed by Councillor Ken Pritchard and seconded by Councillor Kevin Parker that application WNS/2023/0351/MAO be refused in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation, on the grounds that the proposed development, by reason of its siting outside of the settlement confines of Hartwell, fell within the open countryside and did not meet any of the exception criteria in the Development Plan whereby development beyond the settlement confines would be supported. The motion was put to the vote with nine votes cast in favour of the proposal and none cast against, therefore the motion was carried.

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

Resolved

(1)  That application WNS/2023/0351/MAO be refused for the following reason: 

1.      The location of the proposed development, by reason of its siting outside of the settlement confines of Hartwell, falls within the open countryside and does not meet any of the exceptions in the Development Plan where development would be supported outside of the settlement confines. The need for such housing has also not been robustly demonstrated as part of this application and the proposal therefore fails to meet the requirements of a rural exception site set out in Policy H3b, which requires the scale of such development to be clearly justified by evidence of need through a local housing needs survey. The proposed development also fails to meet the criteria for an entry-level exception site due to the development extending a Secondary Village (B), contrary to Policy LH3(1) The proposed development has therefore not been adequately justified and represents an unsustainable form of development. This conflict is not outweighed by any material consideration. The proposal is therefore unacceptable in principle and is contrary to Policies SA, S1, R1 and H3 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy Local Plan (Part 1), Policies SS1, LH1 and LH3 of the South Northamptonshire Local Plan (Part  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81.

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.