Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes from the previous meeting of 16 December 2020

The minutes of the meeting of the 16 December 2020 were confirmed as an accurate record.

To determine the application.

David Rowen presented the report to members.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public participation procedure, from Mr Matthew Hall, the Agent.

Mr Hall stated that the application site is surrounded on three sides by well established, 2-storey residential properties. He made the point that the Environment Agency Flood Map indicates that the whole of Turves is in Flood Zone 3 and at a previous Planning Committee a development had been approved in Wisbech, which is covered by Flood Zones 2 and 3 and next to a major river, however, applications in the villages of Turves and Benwick, which are also in Flood Zone 3 have been recommended for refusal. He stated that on review of the Environment Agency Flood Map, Turves although in Flood Zone 3, also benefits from flood defences at the Nene Washes Barrier Bank.

Mr Hall stated that when the application was submitted, the Planning Officer had initial concerns with regards to the size of the dwelling and the location of it, but the officer has been proactive and worked with him and as a result the design and position have now been revised, which can be seen in the officer’s report. He stated that an independent Flood Risk Assessment has been submitted as part of the application, which has been approved by the Environment Agency.

Mr Hall stated that the site did have previous planning approval in 2005 for a residential dwelling and expressed the view that whilst the officer’s report states that Whittlesey Town Council have concerns over the application, they were consulted on the first design which was for a larger dwelling, however, he does not think they have been reconsulted since the proposal has been scaled back. He drew members attention to the map on the presentation screen, and highlighted the red hatched area, which indicates the location for the proposed 2-storey detached dwelling, and then he drew members attention to the extreme right of the map, hatched in dark blue, which was the site that David Rowen had referred to in the officer’s report, which was approved for a pair of semi-detached dwellings in 2020, but this site is not on the market and no works have commenced. He stated that the site also had a Flood Risk Assessment, a sequential and exemption test, and that was approved.

Mr Hall referred to the green hatched area on the map, which is less than 100 metres from the proposed dwelling, where in 2019 planning permission was approved for a pair of semi-detached dwellings, which has now been built out and one of the properties has been sold and the other is for sale.  He stated that a Flood Risk Assessment was carried out for that site and approved by the Environment Agency and added that those properties are in close proximity to the application being determined.

Mr Hall expressed the view that when driving through the Turves, there does not appear to be any plots available for sale. He concluded  ...  view the full minutes text for item P58/20

To determine the application.

Gavin Taylor presented the report to members.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public participation procedure, from Mr Gareth Edwards, the Agent.

Mr Edwards made the point that this application for 3 dwellings comes with the support of officers and follows 3 recently completed houses, which were all part of an original outline approval for six dwellings and the site is infilling development which is consistent with the village’s capability in LP3. He stated that he was disappointed with the late response from the Environmental Protection Team who only raised issues a couple of days before the deadline date. He explained that there were no issues raised at the outline stage and as the business adjacent to the site is currently building a new workshop, there was no mitigation required for that which was approved in 2020, and he questioned why is there now a need for the application site to have acoustic fencing installed.  

Mr Edwards highlighted that the new workshop backs on to the application site as the previous buildings did that it is replacing, with the proposed workshop having no openings towards the site and being hidden by the existing laurel hedging that runs the full length of the boundary and beyond. He explained that, in the report, it points out that 2 bungalows were approved by the Planning Committee the other side of the business and again no acoustic mitigation was required for these and it should be noted that the workshop entrance doors face these bungalows.

Mr Edwards added that the applicant is ready to start work on site on these 3 dwellings as he had expected to start towards the end of last year and is happy to accept the conditions, but would prefer to install a standard 2.1M high close boarded fence instead and retain the laurel hedging.

Members asked questions, made comments, and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Meekins stated that the objections that have been received, appear to be surrounding the potential noise from the business at the back of the site and that if anybody is looking to buy a property with an agricultural engineering works in the vicinity then there must be the acceptance that there will be some noise expected. He added that he will be supporting the officer’s recommendation on this application.

·         Councillor Lynn expressed the opinion that the officers have done an exceptional job with the mitigation issues on this application. He added that there is bound to be an element of noise resulting from the agricultural works and it is vital for the residents in the dwelling to have a quality of life, even though they are living next door to a business. Councillor Lynn stated that he will be supporting the officer’s recommendation for this application with the conditions in place.

·         Councillor Cornwell expressed the view that the officers have made the correct recommendation. He added that it appears works have already commenced to clear the site and it will look better  ...  view the full minutes text for item P59/20

To agree conditions in relation to a previous Committee decision.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

To determine the application.

Gavin Taylor presented the report to members.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public participation procedure, from Mrs Dale who presented to the committee on behalf of her husband, the applicant.

Mrs Dale explained that Mr Dale was born in Coates into a farming family and he applied for a Cambridgeshire County Council holding to get a start in farming, so that he was not reliant upon his family. Mrs Dale added that they married in 1991, she is a Registered Nurse and works as a Deputy Sister at Peterborough Hospital part time, does the bookwork for the farm, is Chair of Governors at Doddington Primary School and alongside him and his daughters, she takes an active role in the care of the animals on the farm.

Mrs Dale explained that they moved to the starter holding at Doddington in 1992, which gave the family a base and an income, enabling them to be able to expand by buying and renting further land.  She expressed the view they are now planning for the future, for when their tenancy finishes, and they have sufficient resources to help establish their daughter’s farming career, which will release this holding for another young person to start farming. She made the point that when they relinquish their tenancy, they will farm more land at Coates than at Doddington as there are no opportunities to buy further land at Doddington as the land is all farmed by large estates, however, they feel there is more potential to expand their business at Coates.

Mrs Dale explained that Mr Dale classes himself as a mixed farmer and added that although a large part of the farm is arable, he has been involved with cattle all his life, helping with his father and grandfathers’ cattle when he was younger and he also had a small herd of Charolais cattle, after getting established at Doddington.  She stated that they started a new herd of Dexter cattle in 2011, with their daughter now involved who has a special interest in animals and the Dexter breed was chosen as they are smaller and are safer to handle due to their size. The family have taken them to educational events, e.g. Open Farm Sunday, as children are generally not frightened of them due to their calm manner and their smaller size. 

Mrs Dale explained that although their herd is small at present with 8 breeding cows, it is not in its “infancy” and their herd was much larger, however, the decision was taken to reduce numbers, due to their daughter’s commitments at school with A levels and health issues following a personal accident. She stated that the intention is to increase their numbers, in preparation for when their daughter has completed her University Degree in Animal Science, Health and Welfare.

Mrs Dale stated that the Dexter cattle work well with the rest of the farm, some of which is in Higher Level Stewardship and this environmental scheme allows the farm to  ...  view the full minutes text for item P61/20

To determine the application.

David Rowen presented the report to members.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public participation procedure, from Mr Ted Brand, the Agent.

Mr Brand explained that the proposal is for a house, within the curtilage of a bespoke joinery business, for the applicant and his family, which is a much needed for the business and will ensure its future, employment, and prosperity. He referred to the reasons for refusal summarised in the agenda report as there is no ‘demonstration’ that the house would be ‘essential’ for the business and failure of flood risk sequential test, diminishment of the open and underdeveloped character of the area, and is too prominent when viewed from the A141 by-pass and, in his opinion, these reasons do not justify refusal as there have been requests from officers for additional information and no communication until last week when he was informed of the officer recommendation and of the committee date.

Mr Brand stated that in light of the agenda report, his client has provided some additional information, which was forwarded to the officer on Monday, and this information included the fact that the applicant is spending increasing time at the business, way over normal working hours, for meeting customers, manufacturing joinery, deliveries, loading/unloading work vehicle, checking security,  which is having an adverse effect on his wellbeing, family and the business. He added that there are no other available suitable workplace homes in the area and this family business has been established for 45 years, has always been profitable and has a full order book for the year ahead. 

Mr Brand stated that there is no chance of the business closing as the applicant’s wife is employed in the business and his oldest child is to join the business, as an apprentice, on leaving school within 18 months. He added that employment is being created with three of the occupants of the house employed on the site and a condition could restrict the occupation of the dwelling to people employed in the business and their families.

Mr Brand stated that with regards to flood risk, the expert consultant’s site Flood Risk Assessment concludes low risk and the Environment Agency has no objection to this application. He explained when consulted the Middle Level Commissioners had no objection to this scheme, but have yet to comment to the Council, however, the Middle Level Commissioners and his clients have no knowledge of any flooding on this site or nearby, with a drain on the site boundary taking water from the site to the internal drainage board system.

Mr Brand stated that, with regard to the character of the area, the assessment that the character of the area is “open and underdeveloped” and that the views from the A141 by-pass would be “too prominent” have no evidence to support them and are not justified. He presented photographs to the committee and explained Marina Drive forms a very significant group of dwellings and businesses, many of them visible from the  ...  view the full minutes text for item P62/20