Planning & Development Committee – 20th November 2019

Notes & Decisions of the Planning and Development Committee Meeting

Held on Wed 20th November 2019 at the John Lampon Hall at 7.30pm

Planning Committee Members: Bob Tyrrell (Chairman), Brian Butcher (Vice Chairman) Murray Harlow, Andrew Savage, Norma Smith, Chris Stevenson (ex officio member – no voting privileges) and Laura Walkingshaw (Parish Clerk) Next meeting:

Wed 18th Dec 2019, John Lampon Hall, Lexden Rd at 7.30pm

Apologies:  None  
Members of the public present: 14 members of the public  
Declarations of Interest: None  

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 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
99 Colchester Road West Bergholt
CO6 3JX
Single storey side return extension and first floor rear extension. 192708 Support Decision The Parish Council will support Colchester Borough Council’s position regarding the rear window proposed on this application where there is none currently.
89 Chapel Road
West Bergholt
CO6 3HB
New Dwelling with associated parking and Amenity following demolition of existing dwelling and outbuildings. REVISED DRAWINGS & STATEMENT 191984 ——- ——- Colchester Borough Council have already produced the planning officer’s report for the CBC Planning Committee meeting next Thursday 28th November, therefore no additional comments can be supplied. The Parish Council have previously objected to this application because of the scale in comparison to the neighbouring bungalow.

Borough Cllr Lewis Barber will be speaking at the Town Hall meeting as he “called it in”, along with one of the Spring Lane residents for the allocated three minutes.

ACTION – Clerk to send link of planning officer’s report to the resident and Cllr Barber, noting that although the Neighbourhood Plan has been stated as relevant, there is nothing quoted from it and overall it hasn’t done it justice. The Borough Council have adopted the WB Neigh Plan and should therefore adhere to it.

The Treble Tile, Colchester Road
West Bergholt
CO6 3JQ
Erection of 2 no. 4-Bed dwellings adjacent to the Treble Tile Public House, refurbishment of the PH as existing and re-configuration of the gardens and parking, including demolition of sheds and garages. 192732 Object Decision As background information, Punch Taverns have now sold the entire site. The new owners wish to retain the pub and try to make it viable. There is no intended tenant yet but they do wish to keep it as a going concern. There is no intention to turn the pub into flats. The new owners and the architect attended the WB Planning meeting in order to have an open discussion with the Committee and their presence was much appreciated.

The Parish Council object to this application on the parking implications of the Public House not on the two dwellings proposed next to it. Essex County Council Parking Standards recommends 30 parking spaces for a pub of that size, this application has plans for only 9. The lack of parking will lead to issues on Colchester Road and School Lane, which is effectively a single-track road.

It is over-intensification of the site, building too much on the existing car park with a resulting adverse impact on the viability of the existing commercial premises. This is considered contrary to the aims of Planning Policy PP1 of the CBC adopted West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan. If there was just one dwelling proposed, then that would enable more parking resulting in a more viable Public House. However, at the meeting, the Council was informed that this would not be financially viable for the developer. Although, where will the pub staff park? The Council support the retention of a commercial property in the village but parking will be a huge issue not only at school run times, but also during peak pub times, e.g. at weekends when the junior football takes place on the Poor’s Land or on parent’s evenings or when other night time events happen at the school.

The site is inside the new settlement boundary so would be classed as infill, but the Neigh Plan does look for housing of a smaller scale, i.e. 1-, 2- or 3-bedroom houses, rather than 4-bedroom.

To reiterate, the Parish Council would encourage the retention of the Public House as a commercial property in the village but cannot support the current plans due to the parking issues.

Item 3:            Review Planning Decisions:

CBC/Appeal Decision Date CBC Decision WBPC Decision Date Object / Support / Observ. Application No. Location Additional Inform.
O/S   22/10/2019 Support 192421 Land off Nayland Rd, Alcrofts Lodge  
O/S   18/09/2019 Object 191984 89 Chapel Road revised from 21/08/19
O/S   18/09/2019 Support 192271 Land adj. WB Cricket Club Duplicate of 191997 below
O/S   21/08/2019 Support 191997 Land adj. WB Cricket Club  
O/S   27/06/2019 Object 191522 Land adj. 67 Braiswick  
O/S   19/06/2019 Object 181458 32 Colchester Road previously 18/07/2018
13/11/2019 Approved 22/10/2019 Observation 192366 Tresillian, Bourne Road  
11/11/2019 Approved 22/10/2019 Object 192387 1 Upton Close  
11/11/2019 Approved 22/10/2019 Support 192427 29 Albany Road  
05/11/2019 Approved 18/09/2019 Support 192302 Alcrofts Farm, Bures Road  
05/11/2019 Approved 18/09/2019 Support 192350 Alcrofts Farm, Bures Road Listed Building
25/10/2019 Approved 18/09/2019 Support 192221 East of England CoOp  

 

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