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 the public participants invited to speak (previously circulated);

 

C.   A copy of the presentations by the local councillor for Agenda items 5 and 6 (previously circulated); and

 

D.   The Minutes of the meeting held on 22 October 2019 (previously circulated).

Additional documents:

1033.

Named Substitutes (Agenda item 1)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.

1034.

Apologies/ Declarations of Interest (Agenda item 2)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Mr G R Brookes, Prof J W Raine and Mr P A Tuthill.

1035.

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.

1036.

Confirmation of Minutes (Agenda item 4)

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 October 2019. (previously circulated electronically)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 October 2019 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

1037.

Part-retrospective application for a proposed processing, stocking and bagging area at Wildmoor Quarry, Sandy Lane, Wildmoor, near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire (Agenda item 5) pdf icon PDF 295 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a part-retrospective application for a proposed processing, stocking and bagging area at Wildmoor Quarry, Sandy Lane, Wildmoor, near Bromsgrove, 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 Economy’s comments in relation to Green Belt, Landscape character and visual impacts, Residential amenity (air quality, noise, dust, vibration and lighting), Traffic, highway safety and impact on Public Rights of Way, Water environment, Ecology and biodiversity, and Other matters – Economic impact, Heritage impacts, Infrastructure assets, and Monitoring and enforcement.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy concluded that this application was part-retrospective as the hardstanding had been constructed, the new replacement site office, car parking, and relocated weighbridge had been installed and the existing stocking and bagging area and plant had been relocated. The mineral processing plant had not been erected at the site.

 

The proposed development would be located wholly within the West Midlands Green Belt. It was considered that the development as a whole would constitute inappropriate development within the Green Belt. Inappropriate development was, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the mineral processing plant would be ancillary plant and equipment to the existing and long established Wildmoor Quarry helping to maximise and improve the processing of sand, and enabling more of the sand from the quarry to be used for the production of mortar, either on site, should planning permission be granted for a mortar batching plant or off site, thereby improving the efficiency of the processing operations. The applicant had confirmed that the processing plant needed to be approximately 16 metres high, as that was the functional height of the plant in order for it to clean / process the sand. Furthermore, the bagging of minerals on site was an existing and lawful operation, relocated from elsewhere within the quarry, and was considered to represent an ancillary and 'added value' activity to the wider extraction operations at Wildmoor Quarry to the benefit of the local economy. The relocated weighbridge, replacement offices and new hardstanding were considered to be essential site infrastructure associated with the extraction of minerals on site, providing improved facilities and working environment for site personnel, and the fallback position was that the site office would be permitted development (falling under Part 17, Class A, of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended)), and the weighbridge was existing lawful plant and equipment relocated from elsewhere in the quarry.

 

Consequently, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that, on balance, the other considerations in this case outweighed the harm to the Green Belt. Considering the case as a whole, it was considered that very special circumstances existed which justified the development. The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1037.

1038.

Part-retrospective application for the operation of a Mortar Batching Plant, erection of associated Silo Storage Units and Aggregate Bins and Vehicle Repairs Workshop at Wildmoor Quarry, Sandy Lane, Wildmoor, near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire (Agenda item 6) pdf icon PDF 305 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a part-retrospective County Matter planning application for the operation of a mortar batching plant, erection of associated silo storage units and aggregate bins and vehicle repairs workshop at Wildmoor Quarry, Sandy Lane, Wildmoor, Near Bromsgrove, 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 Economy’s comments in relation to Green Belt, Landscape character and visual impacts, Residential amenity (air quality, noise, vibration, and dust), Traffic, highway safety and impact upon Public Rights of Way, Water environment, Ecology and biodiversity and Other Matters – Economic Impact, Heritage Impacts, Infrastructure Assets, Consultation and Monitoring and Enforcement.

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The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy concluded that the proposed development would be located wholly within the West Midlands Green Belt. It was considered that the development as a whole would constitute inappropriate development within the Green Belt. Inappropriate development was, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.

 

It was understood that a key market and use for the type of sand (solid sands deposits) at Wildmoor Quarry was for the production of mortar, and sand was the largest constituent material used in the production of mortar. The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the mortar batching plant would be an ancillary operation to the existing and long-established Wildmoor Quarry, involving the processing of at least 55% of the sand arising on site, being co-located and providing 'added value' to the wider mineral extraction operations at the site. Furthermore, it was considered that the proposal would provide a small number of direct employment opportunities (approximately 23 employees), as well as substantially contributing to the wider growth aspirations for the county through the supply of local mortar to the construction market.

 

Consequently, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that, on balance, the other considerations in this case outweighed the harm to the Green Belt. Considering the case as a whole, it was considered that very special circumstances existed which justified the development. The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that should planning permission be granted, conditions should be imposed requiring the removal of the building and associated plant and machinery within 12 months of cessation of extraction at Wildmoor Quarry; a limit to the amount of imported sand for the production of mortar to a maximum of 33,750 tonnes per annum (45% of 75,000 tonnes); and given the Green Belt location, restrict the permitted development rights for the installation of fixed plant and equipment above 10 metres in height on site.

 

With regard to visual impacts and landscape character, the Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that given the location of the development within the quarry void and being well screened by mature trees and hedgerows along the northern and eastern boundary, and intervening structures and plant associated with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1038.

1039.

Proposed three classroom extension, demolition of temporary double mobile classrooms, new car park and change of use from agriculture to educational use for two adjacent fields at Fairfield First School, Stourbridge Road, Fairfield, Worcestershire (Agenda item 7) pdf icon PDF 246 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered an application under Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning Regulations 1992 for a proposed three classroom extension, demolition of temporary double mobile classrooms, new car park and Change of Use from Agriculture to Educational use for two adjacent fields at Fairfield First School, Stourbridge Road, Fairfield, 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 Economy’s comments in relation to Green Belt, Landscape Character, Visual Impact and Residential Amenity, Traffic and Highway Safety, Other Matters – Crime, Historic Environment, Ecology and Biodiversity, Water Environment, and Waste.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy concluded that the proposed development was located within the West Midlands Green Belt. It was considered that the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt, which was, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.

 

The proposed height and scale of the proposal would limit the impact on the openness and visual amenity of the Green Belt. The proposal was for a site where there was existing built development and it was considered that the proposal would not result in urban sprawl or unacceptable encroachment into the countryside. The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that the range of factors including the need to expand the school as a result of the anticipated growth in pupil numbers, the removal of split age classes and the existing poor condition of the modular buildings, meant that it was considered that very special circumstances had been demonstrated in this instance that would outweigh the harm to the Green Belt. Consequently, the Head of Economy and Infrastructure considered that the other considerations in this case clearly outweighed the harm to the Green Belt.

 

The Head of Strategic Infrastructure and Economy considered that subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions, the scale, massing and design of the proposed development, there would not be an adverse or detrimental visual impact. Furthermore, it was considered that due to the distances involved the proposed development, would not cause any unacceptable overbearing, overshadowing or overlooking implications that detracted from residential amenity due to its design, size and location.

 

The County Highways Officer had stated that a robust assessment of the planning application had been undertaken, and based on this analysis, it had been concluded that there would not be an unacceptable impact and, therefore, there were no justifiable grounds on which an objection could be maintained. 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.

 

West Mercia Police had been consulted and had 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 crime  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1039.