To note that, at the extraordinary meeting of Council on 12th June, 2009, Councillor TW Hunt was re-elected as Chairman and Councillor RV Stockton was re-appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Committee.

The Committee noted that at the extraordinary meeting of Council on 12th June, 2009, Councillor TW Hunt was re-elected as Chairman and Councillor RV Stockton was re-appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Committee.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors KS Guthrie and AP Taylor.

To receive details any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

Councillor KG Grumbley was appointed named substitute for Councillor KS Guthrie and Councillor PA Andrews for AP Taylor.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

The following declarations of interest were made:

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 15th May 2009.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 15th May, 2009 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman

To receive any announcements from the Chairman.

The Chairman outlined the procedural arrangements for the meeting.

To receive the attached report of the Northern Area Planning Sub-Committee meeting held on 3rd June, 2009.

RESOLVED: That the report of the meeting held on 3rd June, 2009 be received and noted.

To receive the attached report of the Central Area Planning Sub-Committee meeting held on 27th May and 24th June, 2009.

RESOLVED: That the report of the meetings held on 7th May and 24th June, 2009 be received and noted.

To receive the attached report of the Southern Area Planning Sub-Committee meeting held on 13th May and 10th June, 2009.

RESOLVED: That the report of the meetings held on 13th May and 10th June, 2009 be received and noted.

For:      Adult Community Directorate per Herefordshire Council, Property Services, Franklin House, 4 Commercial Road, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR1 2BB

Wards: Three Elms / Burghill, Holmer & Lyde / Credenhill

The Principal Planning Officer presented a report about an application for the proposed relocation of the livestock market from its present location in Hereford City Centre to a site of Roman Road Credenhill as precursor to the Edgar Street Grid (ESG) redevelopment.  The proposal was for office accommodation, cafe, auction space, vehicle wash down area, parking for HGV's and cars together with a covered livestock building. The site would be accessed off Roman Road with a driveway approximately 150 metres long.  The access would entail the removal of an oak tree which was located on the roadside and there would be a boundary hedge together with additional landscaping in and around the remainder of the fields in which the site was located. External materials of the livestock building were proposed as Yorkshire boarding with a green-sheeted profiled steel roof.  The two sales areas would have vertical timber cladding and the offices, cafe, toilets and ancillary plant rooms would have sandstone coloured block work walls with a flat roof.

He advised that the following additional representations had been received since the report had been completed:

·         the applicants had amended the access to provide for a traffic light junction with various warning signs at the approaches this enables traffic to exit the site in both directions.

·         Mr B Clay, an objector to the application, had estimated that the new market was approximately five times greater in footprint than Hereford Cathedral. The Council had the opportunity to create an iconic building but this would be a monolithic shed.

The view of the Officers was that no new issues were raised in the representations.  The Principal Planning Officer felt that the modification to the access with the provision of a traffic light system he found the application to be acceptable.  .  The Environment Agency was satisfied with the arrangements for disposing of surface water and that there were no links to water courses that caused flooding elsewhere in the city.  He also said that if the Committee was mindful of granting permission, the application would need to be submitted to the Government Office for the West Midlands because it constituted a departure from the Council’s planning policies.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, the following spoke about the application:

Parish Councils – Mrs Morawiecka Breinton PC; Mr McHarg Stretton Sugwas PC; & Mrs Reynolds Burghill PC;

Objectors – Mr Clay and Mr Hilder;

Supporters – Mr Hyde (Hereford Market Auctioneers) and Mr Wittle (Hereford NFU)

The Committee noted the comments that had been made by the speakers about the application and in particular the impact it was likely to have on nearby residents, schools highways and flooding and the viability of the market which would necessitate considerable investment.  This had to be balanced against the benefits for the ESG development and the need to provide more modern facilities for users in a more easily accessible location. 

Ward Members and adjoining Ward Members were also invited to give their views on the proposals.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

For:      S T Walker & Duckham per Herefordshire Council 14 The Tything Worcester  WR1 1HD

Ward: Leominster South

The Northern Team Leader presented a report about an application for alterations to Grange Court Leominster which is a Grade II* listed building; for a scheme to provide office and community use.  The building was used by Herefordshire Council as office accommodation but this had diminished over recent years as the Council rationalised the disparate nature of its services.  Grange Court was originally erected in 1633 in  Broad Street and was used as a market hall.  During the 19^th century it was considered to be a traffic hazard and was dismantled and later reconstructed in its current location in 1853 for use as a residence.  It underwent significant alterations with the ground floor being enclosed to create two rooms and the addition of a central stone staircase.  The previously open space at first floor level was sub-divided to create smaller rooms and significant one and two-storey brick extensions were added to the side and rear.

The Northern Team Leader presented the following representations which had been received since the report was prepared:-

·         a petition containing 309 signatures against the proposal and 2 in favour.

·         a plan of an alternative proposal has also been submitted by Mr Ian Gaskin together with a number of critical points which are similar to those already set out in the report.

·         a letter dated 29^th June has been received from MADE –Design review for W.Mids. It considers the uses to be a suitable and that the location of the extension is appropriate. It agrees that it is appropriate to remove the later partitions and Victorian staircase to recreate the impressive first floor room for community use. It was critical of the handling of the new entrance and foyer space and calls for a distinction between the old building and the new additions. It found the position of the foyer awkward – half in and half out of the existing building, the external appearance of the junction between old and new appears clumsy. It considered that a single wing running east  with office space either side of a central corridor would have been more efficient in terms of construction and running costs. There is ambiguity between the circulation space/garden should it be garden or cloister?  It found the cross sections through the office wings and selection of external finishes to be unnecessarily elaborate and questioned the use of so many different roof materials. Subject to the above caveats the Panel warmly supports the project.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, the following spoke about the application:-

Leominster Town Council – Councillors Westwood and Thomas

Objectors – Mr Gaunt & Mrs Butler

Supporters – Mr Jackson; Mr Duckham & Mr Baines

Councillor RC Hunt, one of the Local Ward Members welcomed the proposals to preserve and bring the building back into use but was of the view that the retention of the Victorian stone staircase was essential and that the potential loss of an Austrian black pine was regrettable.  Councillor J French, another Ward Member,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

For:      S & A Produce (UK) Limited per Antony Aspbury Associates 20 Park Lane Business Centre Park Lane Basford Nottingham NG6 0DW

Ward: Leominster South

The Chairman said that since the preparation of the report there had been a considerable amount of information sent in by the objectors which raised a number of issues which needed to be addressed by the officers.  It was not felt to be practical to deal with this by way of a large update and Counsel had considered the matter and advised that deferral was the best option to enable the new issues that had been raised to be addressed.  Councillor PGH Cutter felt that there was ample information available in the report for a decision to be made.  Mr D Park who was at the meeting to advise the Committee as Counsel, outlined the contents of a letter which had been received from Arrow Valley Residents Association about the application and said  that the points raised needed to be dealt with.  The Committee agreed with this proposal in respect of this application and the following two applications.

Those who had registered in accordance with the criteria for public speaking, reserved their right to speak when the applications were determined.

RESOLVED:

That consideration of planning applications DCNCW2009/0168; DCNCW2009/0167 and DCNCW2009/0166 be deferred to enable the Officers to address the additional representations which had been received.

For:      S & A Produce (UK) Limited per Antony Aspbury Associates 20 Park Lane Business Centre Park Lane Basford Nottingham NG6 0DW

Ward: Leominster South

See Minute 12 above

For:      S & A Produce (UK) Limited per Antony Aspbury Associates 20 Park Lane Business Centre Park Lane Basford Nottingham NG6 0DW

Ward: Leominster South

See Minute 12 above

For:      Miss L.A. Jenkins & Mr W.Pinkney per Mr A Jenkins, 12 Broad Street, Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire,  HR3 5DB

Ward: Castle

The Senior Planning Officer presented a report about an application for an agricultural storage building and kennels at Brilley Wood.  The application had been referred to the Committee because the Northern Area Planning Sub-Committee was mindful to refuse it, being concerned about noise, odor and the impact on the character of the area.  Consideration of the application was deferred at the last meeting of the Planning Committee for a site inspection at the application site and also to an operational kennels at Tedstone Wafre. 

The Senior Planning Officer presented the following representations which had been received since the report was prepared:-

A further letter has been received from Marc D. Willis from Willis & Co. Chartered Town Planners. The letter states that the officer’s report to the committee still does not address many of the issues referred to in earlier letters. The issues highlighted are as follows;

·   no justification for the agricultural use,

·   no reliance on dried food for the hounds and the potential for the use of fallen stock for feed,

·   the impact on the footpaths

·   the noise report being flawed and unreliable,

·   no protected species assessment,

·   no detailed assessment of the search for an alternative site,

·   no consideration to employment policies,

·   the use of the highway for exercising the hounds is a material consideration

·   conditions do not take into account the agricultural and breeding activity.

The Senior Planning Officer was of the view that the matters raised were covered in the report. She said that a satisfactory wildlife protection and enhancement scheme would need to be submitted for her approval by the applicants prior to permission being granted.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, the following spoke on the application.

Brilley Parish Council – Cllr White

Objector – Mr Watts

Supporters – Mrs Lloyd

Councillor JW Hope, the Local Ward Member, said that he had received some 60 – 70 letters and a petition with 161 signature.  He said that he was not opposed to the site being developed but felt that the application before the Committee was for an inappropriate use.  He proposed refusal of planning permission for the application based on the following reasons:

• the detrimental affect on residential amenity,
• the unacceptable odour from such a development and
• the character of the surrounding area would be detrimentally affected.

Councillor GW Greenow drew attention to the considerable opposition to the application by the Sub-Committee.  He said that he could not support the application as the kennels were not in the interests of the local community and that there would be problems of noise and nuisance arising from hounds. Councillor H Davies was also concerned about the noise issue. Councillors Walling and Cutter also shared these views.  Councillor KG Grumbley said that the roads surrounding the proposed development were narrow and felt that this would create danger for road users, hunt personnel and the hounds. He felt that sometimes the behaviour of hounds could be unpredictable on the roads and lead to further potential hazards.

Councillor Mrs  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

To seek the views of the Committee on the issues raised by the consultation and forward them on to Cabinet for consideration.

Wards: County-wide

The Planning Policy Manager presented a report to seek the views of the Committee about consultation by the West Midlands Regional Assembly on the Phase Three revision of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS).  The eight-week “Options”’ consultation which was runnings from 29th June to 14th August, focused on the following issues:

1.      rural services;

2.      Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople;

3.      culture sport and tourism;

4.      quality of the environment; and

5.      Minerals

This was the third and final phase of the revision of the RSS which was first approved by the Secretary of State in 2004.  Since then Phase 1 relating solely to the Black Country had been approved in 2007 and Phase 2 which set out revised targets for housing, retailing and employment, had been the subject of Examination in Public in April, May and June this year. The report about Phase 2 was not expected until the autumn and final approval during next year. The Government intended to complete the Phase 3 revisions during 2011 and by then the RSS would be completely revised. Any Development Plan Documents produced by local planning authorities in the West Midlands had to be compliant with the RSS as a whole.

A “Stakeholders’ Event” had been arranged for 7th July at The Courtyard for a representative of the Regional Planning Body to explain the details of the consultation and to invite comments. In view of the importance of the consultation on “Critical Rural Services” parish council representatives had been invited together with other interest groups. Members had also been advised of the event. The Cabinet would determine the response to the consultation on behalf of the Council and a report would be presented to the meeting of Cabinet on 30th July.

The Committee discussed the document and commented on various issues including travellers, public transport in the rural areas and renewable energy.  There were concerns that there was more of an urban-based approach which concentrated development and resources on the market towns and Hereford City, which may be to the detriment of the rural areas.  The Cabinet Member (Environment and Strategic Housing) said that another concern was the possible over-allocation of Traveller sites in the County.  The Council had been successful in providing facilities to date but appeared to have been allocated more based on its success, despite the fact that the existing facilities were under-used.  Any other views that Members had could be submitted to the Cabinet Member or Planning policy Manager before the Cabinet meeting on 30th July, 2009

RESOLVED THAT

The views of the Committee on the consultation be reported to Cabinet on 30th July 2009 and be taken into account in the Council’s response.

7th August; 18th September; 23rd October; 4th December, 2009