1 Minutes for Meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council 23/6/11

1 Minutes for meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council 23/6/11

ROCKBEARE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes for a meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council held at 7.45pm on Thursday 23rd June 2011 at Rockbeare Village Hall

Present: Cllrs David Miller (Chairman), David Mason (Vice Chairman), Naomi Allen, Colin Please, Shaun Forsyth, Dr Bryan Pepper, Jonathan Allen, Cllr Derek Button (District Councillor), PC Dave Smith and two members of the public.

Apologies: Cllr Peter Bowden (County and District Councillor),

All councillors were politely reminded of their obligation to declare interests under the Code of Conduct

1.1APOLOGIES: To receive apologies for absence.

1.2MINUTES: Minutes of the last meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council held on Thursday 12th May 2011 were signed as a correct record of that meeting. (AGREED)

1.3DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & RISK ASSESSMENT: To receive declarations of interest and to note any additional risks. (NONE apart from Cllr Buttons standing declaration of interest in as much as he sits on EDDCs Development management committee and so cannot comment on planning applications). Cllr Please declared an interest in application 11/1108/FUL as the applicant is his neighbour.

1.4Acceptance of Office, Code of Conduct were accepted from Councillor Please on 14th May 2011. Noted.

2PLANNING

for details

2.1 Decisions (for information)

2.1.111/0908/FUL 7 The Square - Approval granted with conditions for balcony to rear of property.

2.1.211/0855/COU Rockbeare Hill Quarry – Approval granted with conditions for temporary office accommodation.

2.2Applications (for comment, support or objection)

2.2.111/1102/FUL Land South of former A30 at Broadclyst – engineering operation comprising digging of trench, laying of hot water pipes and backfilling trench to connect the proposed Cranbrook new community East Devon Energy Centre as part of district heating network.

COMMENTS: No comments

2.2.211/1035/FUL Broomfield View London Road – demolition of existing property and annex and construction of 4no new dwellings. Comments returned as follows:

1. The application needs to be considered together with approval number 09/0222 as both form part of a long narrow piece of land fronting London Road.
2. Approval 09/0222 is for 3 houses whilst the current application of for 4 more houses sited to the rear of 09/0222. We note that the agent is the same for both applications. We also note that no start has been made to develop in accordance with 09/0222.
3. We understood that the Secretary of State has made changes to ensure that “garden grabbing” is no longer as easy to achieve as it has been. That being so, this appears to be a form of “garden grabbing”.
4. Good planning would demand that the combined site of both applications is regarded as one whole and not two separate parts. (It may also be that, if approved, one cohesive development would yield greater returns for the land owners or developer as well as being a better planned development.)
5. We are therefore concerned that documents posted with the application suggest that, following pre-application discussions during which the proposals have been modified, the applicant appears to believe that an approval will be forthcoming.
6. In the comments made on application 09/0222, the Parish Council expressed concern at the over development of that site and potential parking problems. Those concerns remain undiminished. This application just adds to our concerns about the intensity of development on the combined sites. Additionally, the comments then expressed regarding the adequacy of drainage for the site remain and are significantly enhanced by this application.
7. From a highway viewpoint, one single well designed access with good visibility is preferable for this development rather than the two substandard accesses that will result from any approval for this application. We note that the access for 09/0222 alone does not fully meet the Highway Authority’s requirements. One single access to the combined site should be able to achieve the standards required by Devon C.C. Developments should not prejudice highway safety. We anticipate substantial increases in traffic levels in London Road when Cranbrook is developed and account must be taken of this.
8. We therefore consider that this application should be refused and the agent invited to submit an application for one single scheme covering the sites of both this application and approval 09/0222.
9. Should nevertheless the Local Planning Authority be minded to approve the application it must be subject to a S106 agreement requiring funds to be deposited for open space provision in Rockbeare on a comparable basis to the agreement which forms part of approval 09/0222. Ratified.

2.2.311/1108/FUL Bycott Marsh Green – Construction of sunroom, brick facing to bungalow and

detached garage, store and workshop. COMMENTS: No objections

2.2.411/1062/FUL 22 Rookswood Lane – Removal of existing kitchen structure for replacement two storey and roof extension to rear of house and the formation of a home office over the garage. COMMENTS: No objections

2.2.511/0926/MFUL Cranbrook new primary school -

COMMENTS returned as follows:

2.2.605/1791/MOUT Land Opposite Oriental Promise – housing development comments agreed as follows

• The application is premature and should be refused. We submit that such a refusal is consistent with PPS3, especially paragraph 70, in the light of planning consents already granted in this part of East Devon.
• We acknowledge that in the longer term the site may be developed for residential use given that it is bordered on 3 sides by the Cranbrook outline consent. However the PC is concerned that the status of the “Green Wedge” designed to separate Cranbrook from the settlements to the south of London Road is not in any way compromised by any decision on this application.
• The layouts shown are merely “illustrative” and the final form may well vary substantially. In particular there is no guarantee that the development will link in to the rest of Cranbrook. There is no provision in the Cranbrook S106 agreement requiring access to be provided to this site from the Cranbrook site. Cranbrook’s main local route does not go through or border the application site although the illustrative layout appears to suggest this.
• The access onto London Road does not conform to the overall proposals for access to the Cranbrook development. The applicant cannot rely on getting access to Cranbrook phase 3 in lieu of the London Road access for this development and the LPA will find it difficult to ensure this in the face of opposition from Cranbrook’s developers.
• This proposal is an attempt to “piggy back” on the extensive obligations imposed on the Cranbrook scheme through the S106 agreement and the Cranbrook consortium may well seek to frustrate matters if the contributions made by this developer are felt to be insufficient by the consortium. Whilst we note clause 27 of the Cranbrook S106 agreement, we submit that the clause is not sufficiently watertight and has plenty of conditionality for parties to evade the responsibilities originally intended.
• If this site is developed in the immediate future (i.e. next 2 years), it will compete with phase 1 of Cranbrook for house sales and may thus jeopardise the success of Cranbrook in the early stages.
• The site is some 1.2 Km to the east of Cranbrook phase 1. It cannot be considered to be connected to it or to the facilities that will be provided as part of phase 1. It is a remote isolated development and will be so for several years.
• The house completion targets quoted by the applicant are irrelevant due to the passage of time and the financial problems the country faces. Furthermore, the Secretary of State intends to legislate to abolish house building targets and has already done so in effect. House completions rely on the availability of mortgage finance and/or public sector funding both of which are in short supply. The only relevant figure is recent completion rates for East Devon of 326 per annum over the last 4 years for the whole of East Devon. Given the consents recently given in Pinhoe together with phase 1 of Cranbrook there is already over 5 years supply for East Devon in this area alone and that ignores the rest of the district. Rockbeare and neighbouring parishes are not the sole areas of development in East Devon nor should they be.
• Currently the London Road frontage is a hedgerow interspersed with trees. There are no breaks save for a farm gate. This emphasises the rural nature of the area. This frontage will be destroyed by the development. This is not necessary because if the site were to be developed at a time when access from Cranbrook would be available there would be no need to destroy this hedgerow and the rural aspect from London Road could be retained.
• We question the arrangements for foul and surface water sewerage as we assume that they will need to link in to the arrangements for the rest of the Cranbrook development when it reaches this site. As the detailed layout for this part of Cranbrook has yet to be determined, any laying of sewers off site (and on the Cranbrook site) will clearly prejudice the final design and housing layout of phase 3 of Cranbrook and may be unacceptable to the Cranbrook consortium. We do not view any temporary arrangements as a satisfactory solution to this problem.
• On an important matter of detail, parking levels at an average of 1.5 spaces per dwelling are inadequate. In 2011 it is insulting to suggest that occupiers of “affordable” housing cannot afford to run 2 or more cars. Average provision must exceed 2 spaces per dwelling with additional visitor parking. For ratification.

2.2.711/1218/FUL Land At Brickyard Road Little Allercombe - Construction of sand schooling/menage area, in association with use of land and stables for equestrian purposes, permitted under planning reference 10/1388/FUL. COMMENTS: No objections

2.3 Cranbrook Joint Parishes Meetings – 6pm on Thursday 23rd June 2011 there was a meeting held

to hear a presentation from Wainhomes on their current application for 55 houses. (separate minutes to be circulated.

2.4 DALC Consultation - P13-11 PLANNING FOR TRAVELLER SITES[1]

The Department concedes that local consultation in this new process will be imperative with communities, at the same time as ensuring fairness in the planning system. The main aims of a new light-touch planning policy are to;

• Enable local planning authorities to make their own assessments of the purposes of planning in their areas;
• Enable local planning authorities to make their own assessments of need in the provision of plots/pitches for the travelling community;
• Give local planning authorities a reasonable timescale over which to make decisions about the provisions of plots and pitches for the travelling community; and
• Protect Green Belt land from inappropriate development.

In order to gauge the views of relevant stakeholders and those communities and organisations (such as local councils) connected with decisions to provide plots and pitches for the travelling community, Communities and Local Government have issued a formal consultation called Planning For Traveller Sites – the formal consultation documents are available from .The consultation formally opened on 13 April, 2011 and closes on 6 July, 2011. County associations and member local councils are strongly encouraged to respond to this consultation. In order to help shape our own submission we would welcome your responses by Wednesday 22 June to Chairman to draft response.

3 HIGHWAYS & ENVIRONMENT

3.1 Highways & Footpaths -to accept items to report -

3.2 EDDC - Following the Service Delivery and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 9

March 2011, a copy of a report on Farmers, fields & Land Drainage, an extract of the minutes of that meeting and Drainage Guidance Notes for Riparian Owners has been set to the council for our information.

3.3TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF THROUGH TRAFFIC - PARSONS LANE, ROCKBEARE, CLYST HONITON from MONDAY 22 AUGUST 2011

Anticipated Finish FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER 2011 No person shall cause or permit any vehicle to proceed on the sections of Affected Roadsexcept for access to land or premises on or adjacent to those length of roads. Roads affected - PARSONS LANE, ROCKBEARE, CLYST HONITON The alternative, signed, route for vehicles will be via - LONDON ROAD - ROAD PAST ROCKBEARE COURT FARM AND VICE VERSA This temporary restriction is considered necessary to enable - CONSTRUCTION OF ROUNDABOUT

3.4Bus Service 380 – update from Cllr Mason – last autumn the first service of the day east bound was routed away from the village to London road and the afternoon service reverse route also followed this path. They have resurveyed the number of students from Whimple and realised there aren’t that many and as a result the service will resume in September.

4REPORTS

4.1Community Policing – PC Smith – to receive report – one crime - arson where garden fence panels were burnt.

4.2Health and Safety – To accept items for action - none

4.3Parish Field – to receive report & discuss cutting and use of field – Cllr Please has cut the field

4.4Playing field – Rockbeare Village Hall – to receive report, Play inspection reports received for action. The hall is looking great, there are blinds being made to help the acoustics, the private hires have increased. The hall has benefited from bookings from the new crematorium. The hall is still looikng to raise funds for further improvements and chairs/tables. There is a new slide in the playground for younger children which is getting lots of use. Mrs Spiller asked if the S106 has been checked and if some of it could be accessed. Two days after the new fence was put up there was vandalism which was reported, but it seems not logged in the police report? This to be checked. There were children trying to demolish the wooden play area recently, it was suggested that they should contact the PC to discuss how youth can get more involved. It was agreed that the youth need to be consulted and the parish council need to address this. For further discussion at a separate meeting, village youth, DCC youth worker, Police and James Grier to be invited.

4.5District Councillor Derek Button –

June has been a busy month for the new Council with the highlights being the first meeting of the full Council and the first Development Management Committee.

Whilst there was talk of a more co-operative approach to managing the affairs of East Devon, there was little evidence of that at the full Council meeting particularly in terms of representation on Outside Bodies but also, in my opinion, in the seating plan imposed upon the opposition groups which attempts to divide and rule by the simple expedient of separating the Leaders of the Lib-Dem and Independent groups from their fellow members by placing them on the front bench. I hope that this plan will be reviewed and the leaders of these opposition groups allowed to sit with their own members to facilitate more effective opposition. Considerable concern was also expressed because there are NO opposition members in the new Cabinet and neither the Chairman nor the Vice Chairman of Scrutiny is an opposition member.

Development management proved contentious in respect of three applications. One of these was the application relating to the inter-modal freight terminal. Both Cllr Bowden and I expressed our real concerns that, were the new application to be approved, there is a certain danger that the inter-modal terminal might simply become an over-large road freight terminal and lead to massive problems on local roads, particularly in the construction phase. In the end, the application was deferred subject to satisfactory negotiations about a number of issues including the access and a clear understanding as to how the application can deliver the original strategic concept of an Inter-modal terminal. Cllr Bowden and I are to be part of the negotiating team that is to seek a satisfactory outcome. In Poltimore, I share the Parish Council’s concerns about decisions made in relation to Threepenny Lodge and the Wessex access signage. I am hopeful that these can be resolved and will continue to work towards a satisfactory outcome.Meanwhile, work on the Clyst Honiton Link Road is progressing as is work on the access to the Science Park.

There was also an application at Whimple for an extra 13 dwellings on a caravan park at Straightgate, the officers at EDDC felt this was a Greenfield site and poorly related to existing services and infrastructure. Chairman raised two issues – the riverbank at the Grange and the building materials are still onsite. The parish council have served a court order in pursuit of the costs from the applicant, it has come to light that Andrew Seddon EDDC has not yet filed for an order, whereas RPC are only pursuing £2500, EDDC were awarded £18000. It was agreed that the Chairman will write to the leader of the Council and Chief Executive pointing this out. A parishioner complained about a hearse which is parked opposite the pub with a particularly offensive slogan on the back – this issue to be reported to Peter Bowden for action

4.6County Councillor Peter Bowden– no report this time

4.7Rockbeare School – no report this time

4.8Exeter International Airport Consultative Group– Chairman continues to attend meetings, next one being July, it was asked if the closure of Plymouth might affect them, and it was apparently suggested that Plymouth only equalled about 4% of their business.

5FINANCE

5.1Funding applications–

5.2Insurance – to review cover and formally accept renewal quote from Community First Insurance (together with decision to self-insure any assets not covered by the main policy) (email copy attached) AGREED

5.3Receipts; VAT reclaim (20010/11)£1316.96

5.4Payments:Community First Insurance£232.24