Agendas, Meetings and Minutes - Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: County Hall, Worcester

Contact: Simon Lewis  Committee Officer

Media

Items
No. Item

Available papers

The Members had before them:

 

A.    The Agenda papers (previously circulated);

 

B.    A copy of the summary presentations from public participants invited to speak (previously circulated); and

 

C.   The Minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2018 (previously circulated).

Additional documents:

992.

Named Substitutes (Agenda item 1)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Ms C M Stalker for Ms P Agar.

993.

Apologies/ Declarations of Interest (Agenda item 2)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Ms P Agar, Mr C Rogers and Mr P Tuthill.   

994.

Public Participation (Agenda item 3)

The Council has put in place arrangements which usually allow one speaker each on behalf of objectors, the applicant and supporters of applications to address the Committee.  Speakers are chosen from those who have made written representations and expressed a desire to speak at the time an application is advertised.  Where there are speakers, presentations are made as part of the consideration of each application.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Those presentations made are recorded at the Minute to which they relate.

995.

Confirmation of Minutes (Agenda item 4)

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2018. (previously circulated – pink pages)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2018 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

996.

Application to vary conditions 2 (Approved drawings), 14 (Control of noise), 18 (Control of odour), 29 (Control of external operations) and 32 (Closing of doors) of planning permission reference number 14/000050/CM, dated 26 March 2015 to facilitate amendments to the Envirosort Facility and its operation (part-retrospective) at Envirosort, off Woodbury Lane, Norton, Worcestershire (Agenda item 5) pdf icon PDF 255 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a County Matter planning application under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to vary conditions 2 (approved drawings), 14 (control of noise), 18 (control of odour), 29 (control of external operations) and 32 (closing of doors) of planning permission reference number 14/000050/CM, dated 26 March 2015 to facilitate amendments to the EnviroSort facility and its operation (Part-Retrospective) at EnviroSort, off Woodbury Lane, Norton, Worcestershire.

 

The report set out the background of the proposal, the proposal itself, the relevant planning policy and details of the site, consultations and representations.

 

The report set out the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Planning's comments in relation to External Storage, Residential Amenity (Pests, Noise, Dust, Odour and Health Impacts), Landscape Character and Visual Impacts, Traffic and Highway Safety, and Other Matters – Water Environment, Ecology and Biodiversity, Integrity of the rail line, consultation, enforcement and the Human Rights Act 1998.  

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Planning concluded that based on the advice of the Environment Agency, Public Health England and Worcestershire Regulatory Services, the proposal would have no adverse pests, noise, dust, odour or health and safety impacts on residential amenity or that of human health, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

 

The proposed development would not have an adverse or detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the local area, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

 

The proposed amendments would not result in any additional operational HGV deliveries or collections to / from the site. The County Highways Officer had been consulted and had raised no objections to the proposal. In view of this, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy was satisfied that the proposal would not have an unacceptable impact upon traffic or highway safety, subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions, as imposed on the extant planning permission.

 

Taking into account the provisions of the Development Plan and in particular Policies WCS 1, WCS 2, WCS 3, WCS 6, WCS 8, WCS 9, WCS 10, WCS 11, WCS 12, WCS 14 and WCS 15 of the Adopted Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy and Policies SWDP 1, SWDP 2, SWDP 4, SWDP 8, SWDP 12, SWDP 21, SWDP 22, SWDP 25, SWDP 28, SWDP 29, SWDP 30 and SWDP 31 of the Adopted South Worcestershire Development Plan, it was considered the proposal would not cause demonstrable harm to the interests intended to be protected by these policies or highway safety.

 

The representative of the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Planning introduced the report and commented that members had visited the site and observed the proximity of the Worcestershire Parkway site. Members observed the workings of the plant from the viewing platform and walked around the outside of the building and over to rear of the nursing home on Woodbury Park. Members were also shown an example of baled materials. A further objection had been received, which had been emailed to all councillors, from the J7 Waste action group objecting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 996.

997.

Proposed Retrospective change of use from a workshop to a waste transfer station for metals at Unit 5, Moorlands Farm, Manor Lane, Waresley, Hartlebury, Worcestershire (Agenda item 6) pdf icon PDF 189 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a County Matter planning application for a proposed retrospective Change of Use from a Workshop to a Waste Transfer Station for Metals at Unit 5, Moorlands Farm, Manor Lane, Waresley, Hartlebury, Worcestershire.

 

The report set out the background of the proposal, the proposal itself, the relevant planning policy and details of the site, consultations and representations.

 

The report set out the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Planning's comments in relation to Waste Hierarchy, Location of the Development, Green Belt, Residential Amenity, Ecology and Biodiversity, and Other Matters – Economic impact.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Planning concluded that the application was seeking to regularise the material change of use at the site which occurred over 1 year ago. The applicant had been operating since May 2017 under an Environment Agency T9 Waste Exemption for recovering scrap metal.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy had examined the Waste Hierarchy, Location of the development, Green Belt, Residential Amenity, Ecology and Biodiversity, and Other Matters (Economic Impact).

 

In terms of the waste hierarchy, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the proposal would enable the recycling of metals, would contribute to Objective WO3 of the Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy, and accord with the National Planning Policy for Waste's requirement for waste planning authorities to drive waste management up the waste hierarchy.

 

In terms of location, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the proposal would be located at the highest level of the geographic hierarchy for waste in Level 1 and that it would, therefore, accord with Policy WCS3 of the Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy. In addition, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the proposal would accord with Policy WCS6 because the existing redundant agricultural building housing the waste transfer station would be a compatible land use for an enclosed waste transfer facility according to Table 7 of the Policy.

 

In terms of Green Belt, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the proposal would not constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt for the purposes of Paragraph 143 of the NPPF. An exercise, therefore, had to be undertaken to determine whether any other harm to the Green Belt would occur as a result of the proposal because Planning Authorities were required to give substantial weight to harm to the Green Belt in accordance with Paragraph 144 of the NPPF. In this regard, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that that the proposal would not cause any harm to the Green Belt due to the proposal for waste transfer activities to take place wholly within the existing metal shed unit at the site, apart from vehicle parking during business hours, the loading and unloading of waste, and the collection of skips. Because of this, it was considered that there would be no harm to openness, or to the purposes of including land within the Green Belt. The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy, therefore,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 997.

998.

Proposed renewal of planning consent for a mobile classroom at Sedgeberrow CE First School, Main Street, Sedgeberrow, Evesham (Agenda item 7) pdf icon PDF 159 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a Regulation 3 planning application for a Proposed Renewal of Planning Consent to retain a Mobile Classroom at Sedgeberrow CE First School, Main Street, Sedgeberrow, Evesham.

 

The report set out the background of the proposal, the proposal itself, the relevant planning policy and details of the site, consultations and representations.

 

The report set out the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Planning's comments in relation to Need to retain school places, and Design.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Planning concluded that the retention of the existing double mobile classroom would, overall, accord with the development plan in a planning balance exercise for the following reasons.

 

Firstly, whilst the concerns expressed regarding the physical condition of the mobile in terms of its suitability for giving pupils the best possible learning environment (and the absence of high quality design which complements the character of the local area) were important, the weight carried by these concerns was not considered sufficient to outweigh the great weight that should be applied to the need to retain an existing community facility required by Policy SWDP37 and Paragraph 94(a) of the NPPF. The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that it would be wholly unreasonable to refuse planning permission and remove approximately one third of Sedgeberrow CE First School's classroom spaces with no alternative provision in place without considering the use of a planning condition that would allow the applicant sufficient time to develop a plan for permanent accommodation.

 

Secondly, the concerns expressed regarding the suitability of the double mobile classroom for those with disabilities, whilst sensitive and material considerations, were considered to be manageable in the way the school uses its buildings. The Development Plan policies did not require the addition of ramps to the double mobile classroom. In addition, the County Planning Authority's Principal Planning Solicitor had confirmed that the applicant's approach to undertake reasonable adjustments at the appropriate time would accord with the County Council's Equalities duties.

 

Overall, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the planning balance lies in favour of retaining the existing double mobile classroom on site, subject to a condition requiring its removal within five years in order to allow the applicant time to develop a plan for permanent accommodation at the site.

 

Notwithstanding the above conclusion, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy agreed that permanent accommodation solutions for temporary mobile classrooms across Worcestershire should be sought as a priority in the interests of providing good quality learning environments for children in Worcestershire.

 

Taking in to account the provisions of the Development Plan and in particular Policies SWDP 1, SWDP 2, SWDP 4, SWDP 21, SWDP 22, SWDP 25, SWDP 27, SWDP 28, SWDP 29, SWDP 30, SWDP 31 and SWDP 38 of the South Worcestershire Development Plan, it was considered the proposal would not cause demonstrable harm to the interests intended to be protected by these policies or highway safety.

 

Mr Edwards, Chairman of Sedgeberrow First School and an objector  ...  view the full minutes text for item 998.