Notes & Decisions of the Planning and Development Committee Meeting
Held on Tues 12th December 2017 at the John Lampon Hall at 7.45pm
| Planning Committee Members: | Cllr Bob Tyrrell (Chair), Cllr Murray Harlow, Cllr Chris Stevenson, Cllr Andrew Savage and Laura Walkingshaw (Parish Clerk) | Next meeting:
Wed 17th Jan 2018, J L Hall at 7.30pm |
| Apologies: | Cllr Brian Butcher | |
| Members of the public present: | 8 | |
| Declarations of Interest: | Cllr Tyrrell declared an interest in Item 2, Planning Application 173073 |
It is the aim of the Parish Council to seek a high standard of design for all new developments and extensions in the Village.
Item 1: To receive any pre-application representations regarding proposed planning applications
No pre-applications representations were received.
Item 2: Current planning applications:
| Location | Proposal | Application No. and link to CBC planning website | Object / Support / Observations | Decision or Recommendation | Comments by Planning Committee |
| Land adjacent to Hill House Farm, Colchester Road CO6 3JX | Outline planning application for the erection of up to 97 dwellings with public open space, landscaping and sustainable drainage system (SuDS) and
vehicular access point from Colchester Road. |
173127 | Object | Decision | The proposed development is viewed as unwanted by the residents of West Bergholt and the Parish Council, the reasons for which are laid out below: |
Neighbourhood PlanThe planning application fails to take into account the emerging West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan. West Bergholt Parish Council and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group have spent four years working on the emerging plan, consulting residents and formulating the best plan possible for the Parish. This plan has already determined the most appropriate and sustainable location for the additional 120 houses which the village is required to accommodate over the next 15 years. Local PlanColchester currently has an existing Local Plan until 2021 and a five-year supply of local housing. The current Plan has already allocated all of the housing required within the designated Village Envelope, this application is outside the existing village envelope and therefore against current Local Plan policies. The Draft successor Local Plan, approval of which is anticipated in 2018, has already determined the numbers & position of a carefully chosen site nestled within a gap in the current Village Envelope, North of Colchester Road. The application is also contrary to the planning policies contained within Colchester’s Draft Plan. It is outside the proposed settlement boundary and exacerbates rather than prevents the coalescence of settlement patterns between Colchester and West Bergholt. There are no exceptional circumstances which would justify any departure from such policies. InfrastructureThe proposal for an additional 97 family houses will cause a multitude of problems for local infrastructure. The site is twice as far from the village centre compared to the preferred development areas in the Neighbourhood Plan. This will worsen the situation in Colchester Road, and not present as sustainable a pattern of day to day travel as the Neighbourhood Plan location. The local school and surgery are already oversubscribed; this proposal for larger family houses will put even more pressure on these facilities, whilst the Steering Group’s proposed mix of housing is likely to reduce that pressure as it would be phased in over time and have a less intensive effect as a result. West Bergholt’s Neighbourhood Plan involves integrated planning over the course of the next 15 years, whilst this application would be immediate, possibly completed within 18 months of approval. The contribution proposed by the developers towards infrastructure and facilities would be minimal, whilst the Neighbourhood Plan will be seeking a significant contribution (not necessarily financial) to reduce existing traffic issues on Colchester Road whereas theirs will just make the situation worse. It would result in another junction not far from the current Maltings Park one and is far enough from the centre of the village to lead to an increase in car use to the Co-op and school. Many people including Colchester MP, Will Quince, have already called for a stop to additional development in the Colchester area until adequate infrastructure including highway infrastructure is provided. It is the wrong development, in the wrong place and at the wrong time. |
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| 12 Albany Road West Bergholt
CO6 3LB |
Proposed rear single storey extension. | 173094 | Support | Decision | The Parish Council has no comment. |
| Church Cottage Hall Road
CO6 3DU |
Extension to existing Annex, new bedroom and solid roof to existing conservatory. | 173073 | Support | Decision | Cllr Tyrrell re-declared an interest in Planning Application 173073 and took no further part in the discussion. Cllrs Stevenson, Savage & Harlow also declared an interest, as the application involves the property of a Parish Councillor.
The Parish Council has no comment. |
| 1-2 Dunedin Cottage,
Bures Road CO6 3DW |
Proposed two storey extension to rear of dwelling, small side extension at ground floor to rear elevation & internal alterations. | 173062 | Object | Decision | The Parish Council has no objection to an extension at this site in principle, however it requires clarification of what parts of the properties are to remain and what are to be removed. The council is also concerned that the proposed two storey extension will be right up against the property’s boundary. To reiterate, the position of the houses 1-3 Dunedin need to be regularised before any extension is allowed. |
| Patterns Yard
Nayland Road CO6 3DQ |
Proposed New Storage Building. | 172970 | Support | Decision | The Parish Council has no comment. |
| 6 Lodge Court
West Bergholt CO6 3JL |
Re-submission of application/approval reference 172167, with amended car parking. Garage conversion and porch extension and car parking. | 172947 | Support | Decision | The Parish Council has no comment. |
Item 3: Other matters:
a) Review Planning Decisions:
| CBC Decision Date | CBC Decision | WBPC Decision Date | Object / Support / Observ. | Application No. | Location |
| O/S | 15/11/2017 | Support | 172655 | Lortay Cottage, 2 Arm Frm Ctgs, Armoury Rd | |
| O/S | 15/11/2017 | Support | 172653 | 21 Armoury Road | |
| O/S | 20/09/2017 | Support | 172310 | Little Priors, Hall Road | |
| O/S | 16/08/2017 | Support | 172038 | 8 Colchester Road | |
| 04/12/2017 | Refuse | 15/11/2017 | Support | 172928 | 4 Heathside |