PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
Held on 7 December 2017 at Great Bentley Village Hall.
DRAFT MINUTES
Public Questions:
District Cllr McWilliams – Planning application 17/01881/OUT – The application has been taken to TDC Committee as together with other applications this would increase the housing in Great Bentley by 85%
Present: Cllr Plummer (Chairman), Cllr Taylor, Cllr Herbert, Cllr Drew, Cllr Adams, District Cllr McWilliams, Clerk and 14 members of the public.
12.17.074 Apologies for absence: Cllr Balbirnie, Cllr Edwards & Cllr Hills (arrived 7.10 pm)
12.17.075 Declarations of interest: None
12.17.076 Actions arising from last meeting: None
12.17.077 Minutes of last meeting: The minutes of the meeting held on 2nd November 2017 were proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Drew and agreed as an accurate record of proceedings.
12.17.078 Planning Applications:
17/01881/OUTMr Roger Lord - G & M Lord and Son / Outline planning permission for up to 136 dwellings, informal recreation space, a local area of play and associated development. / Land to The South of
Weeley Road
Great Bentley
Essex / Proposed Cllr Adams, Seconded Cllr Drew, Resolved to strongly object to the application See Appendix
17/01894/FUL
Mr Smith / Proposed single storey extension and new pitched roof. / Oakland Lodge,Colchester Road
Great Bentley, Colchester, Essex
CO7 8RY / Proposed Cllr Drew, Seconded Cllr Taylor, Resolved: The plan is not appropriate for the site and the remaining land cannot accommodate adequate recreational usage.
17/01970/TCA
Mrs M Maskell / T1 - conifer - reduce by 50%. T2, T3 - Sycamore - reduce by 30%. T4 - Yew - reduce by 1 metre / Caldew Cottage,The Green
Great Bentley Colchester, Essex CO78LX / Proposed Cllr Adams, Seconded Cllr Drew, Resolved to offer no objection
17/01981/TPO
Mr B Spake / 1 No. Maple - Raise canopy by < 6 foot and reduce crown by 25%. Remove dead wood / 20 Birch Avenue
Great Bentley
Colchester
Essex
CO7 8LL / Proposed Cllr Adams, Seconded Cllr Drew, Resolved to offer no objection
17/01963/FUL
M Maskell / Rear garden room and front porch. / Caldew Cottage
The Green
Great Bentley
Colchester
Essex
CO7 8LX / Proposed Cllr Hills, seconded Cllr Adams, Resolved to offer no objection
12.17.079 Appeals for planning applications 17/0197/OUT Land to the West of Plough Road, 16/02125/OUT Land to the North of Thorrington Road and 17/01098/OUT Land to the South of Thorrington Road at Great Bentley to be held for 4 days commencing Tuesday 12th December 2017. Cllr Plummer will attend the first day and as often as he can. He will get direction on the first day concerning the agenda.
12.17.080 Great Bentley Railway Station – Waiting room on Platform 1 no further updates
12.17.081 Moor Lodge Proposed Cllr Drew, Seconded Cllr Adams, Resolved: The Parish Council cannot comment until an application has been submitted.
12.17.082 Planning matters to report: Both APP/P1560/W/17/3173508 Land to North of Thorrington Road, Great Bentley and APP/P1560/W/17/3173381 Land to West of Plough Road great Bentley appeals have been withdrawn and the TDC’s decision still stands.
Meeting closed 7.32 pm
Public Questions:
A member of the public asked for information about the procedure at the appeal hearings on 12th December. Need to attend the beginning and register to speak.
A member of the public noted that the proposed development off Weeley Road would require a road width of 3.5 metres which would encompass the ditches and greenery.
It was also noted by a resident that there have been a lot of ‘near misses’ in the exact area where the adjoining road to Weeley Road is proposed to be located.
Appendix
Great Bentley Parish Council strongly object to planning application 17/01881/OUT for the following reasons:
Local Plan
It is outside the development boundary for both the previous and draft Local Plans.
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment
The current SHLAA states“…There are some concerns about the suitability of this land for housing as it would be poorly connected with the existing built up area and safe access and egress might be difficult to achieve off Weeley Road. Furthermore, the scale of development would be contrary to the proposed spatial strategy for Rural Service Centres in the new version of the Local Plan. There is also a major concern about the primary school not being capable of expansion to accommodate additional development.” This contradicts the developers planning statement
Urbanisation
It brings unacceptable urbanisation to this particularly rural entrance to the village and will therefore directly impact the conservation area it adjoins. This application is beyond the natural boundaries of the village.
Foul Sewage Network
Anglian Water state “development will lead to an unacceptable risk of flooding downstream. A drainage strategy will need to be prepared in consultation with Anglian Water to determine mitigation measures”. Sewage from the substation has frequently flooded into Weeley Road.
Flooding
The site is well known for its flood issues which are recognised by the SUDS report. Further development will only move the issues elsewhere creating further unnecessaryissues and costs
Education
Planning Statement 4.6 says, “The village has the capacity and facilities to expand and serve a larger population.” Section 5.11 states that “The village is currently under occupied for the services it provides.” The consultee response for ECC clearly disputes this.
Medical Facilities
Planning Statement 4.6 says, “The village has the capacity and facilities to expand and serve a larger population.” Section 5.11 states that “The village is currently under occupied for the services it provides.” The consultee response for NHS England clearly disputes this.
Proposed Vehicle Access Point
The proposed access point is between two blind bends on a country road in a position where there have been RTCs in the past.
The last known reported incident in November 2013 is a vehicle which crashed into the back of a stationary vehicle parked outside The Conifers. This in turn was pushed into and demolished the garden wall of the property which is located opposite the proposed access point.
Residents report that there have been many ‘near misses’ in this location which because there was no injury or damage, have not been reported to the Police.
The point of access onto Weeley Road would increase the road width by 3.5 metres meaning the ditches would be enveloped by the widening of the road.
Pedestrian and Cycle Way
Planning Statement section 4.3 states, “the landowner has agreed the principle of securing a pedestrian and cycle way through the gap between properties on the east of Birch Avenue”.The Masterplan shows this as a potential new footpath link within the site, but there is no evidence or indication in the submission of any agreement being in place with the indicated property owners.The rest of the documentation and data supporting the application is predicated on this agreement being in place. Without this, the data supplied is irrelevant and meaningless.
Examples of Other Incorrect Information or Exaggerations Listed in the Plan
Planning Statement:
· 2.5 providing an “informal recreation space”. Great Bentley provides 43 acres of open space
· 2.7 “inadequate supply of children’s play areas” Again 43 acres to play on plus a play park which is in the process of being enlarged with additional play and adult exercise equipment added.
· 3.38/5.14 As “the applicant is keen to build a range of housing that is suitable to meet the needs for the local community, this includes bungalows, retirement complexes, extra care housing, independent living”
how can they expect the new residents to be able to walk 900 metres to the nearest bus stop??
If the residents were able to reach the bus stop, the public transport statement is incorrect. The number 79 bus service actually only runs twice a week with one return trip to Clacton and there is no service to Brightlingsea.
· 4.3 Contrary to this, a pedestrian access/cycle way has not been secured by the land owner. It is understood that a lady has been knocking on the doors of residents in Birch Avenue without success to gain this access.
·
· 5.11 The village is not under occupied for the services it provides.
The Context Plan
· The drawing 17018_02 rev b completed 09/17 showing facilities is overstated and incorrect.
Developments for 275 houses have recently been approved for the village and a further190 are in the appeal queue - enough is enough. Given that TDC can now robustly defend their housing numbers it is time for control to be regained from the developers and landowners and put back with the planners