Decisions

The committee considered an application for retrospective change of use from Agricultural Barn to B8 (Storage distribution) and associated outside area to B8 (storage or distribution) (amended description) details of which were set out in the Senior Development Control Officer’s report.

The Senior Development Management Officer, Debbie Kirk, presented the report to committee, detailing the proposal, full description of the site, the planning history, relevant planning priorities, outcome of consultations and assessment of the proposal.

It was recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions contained in the report.

Requests to address the meeting had been received from Alan Perkins, an objector and Sean Bennett, acting as agent. The chair permitted each to speak for three minutes.

In summary Mr Perkins, expressed his concern over potential blocking of access to his property which was located via a track to the side of the barn at the rear, with the access way to Glebe Road being shared. and how this could potentially affect his property.

Mr Bennett was in favour of the application, and clarified that under the joint core strategy, the application supported rural diversification as it was re-use of a rural building. There was no change to the design of the barn and the hours of operation had been limited to ensure as little disruption as possible. There was a large area in the front of the barn for a vehicle to park and to turn around and to avoid blocking the adjacent access way. It was expected that vehicles would exit the site in a forward gear and would not reverse onto the highway.

The chair invited members to ask questions of clarity.

The committee asked what was being stored in the barn. Mr Bennett responded to say it was used to store catering business items.

A further question was asked about the shared driveway and Mr Bennett confirmed there was one wide access point with access to both the barn and a track to the side of the barn which led to the house and business at the rear. There was enough room for a vehicle with a trailer to access the parking area and to also turn around to enable it to leave the site safely without disruption to the adjacent property.

For the purpose of debate and in accordance with the council’s constitution, meeting procedure rules 19.2 and 19.21 the vice-chair moved the recommendation that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions listed in paragraph 11 of the report. This was seconded by Councillor L Lawman.

The chair invited the committee to debate the proposed application.

Councillor A Mercer proposed that a further condition be added as follows:

“Any vehicle leaving the site should do so in a forward direction”.

The Interim Planning Management and Enforcement Lead Manager, Jasbir Sandhu, advised the committee that this would be unreasonable and unenforceable and would not meet the planning condition tests.

Councillor Mercer made the point that B8 consent may not be restricted to the current use.

Senior Planning Lawyer, Sara Fayaz addressed the committee and advised that that in accordance with the Planning Practice Guidance, conditions should only be added when they meet all ‘six tests’ which related to being relevant to planning, relevant to the development, necessary, enforceable, precise and reasonable in all other respects and advised the committee that they had received professional advice.

The Interim Planning Management and Enforcement Lead Manager had provided professional advice that the condition would be both unenforceable and therefore unreasonable.

Members were advised that it was for them to determine whether to second the amendment and vote to include the condition.

The chair asked if there was a seconder for the proposed amendment. There was no seconder and the proposal fell.

The committee discussed the application and considered that the barn had been used for 10 years with no complaints being received. It was commented that it was extremely unlikely that a driver would consider backing out of the access way onto the road, as it was well used, and this would prove to be difficult. A compromise was suggested that an informative be added.

Vice-chair, Councillor P Irwin, proposed an additional informative, which was seconded by Councillor G Lawman, as follows:

“That clear signage be provided and maintained advising users of the site that the side track must not be impinged at any time and for egress from the site vehicles must be in a forward gear”.

On being put to the vote this was approved.

The substantive motion was put to the vote and subject to the addition of the informative, agreed unanimously.

Resolved that planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions in the report, and the additional informative that clear signage be provided and maintained advising users of the site that the side track must not be impinged at any time and for egress from the site vehicles must be in a forward gear.

Resolved to note that no requests to address the meeting had been received.

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2024 were received.

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2024 be approved, subject to Councillor Wilkes’ name being deleted from the list of attendees, as he had submitted apologies. The minutes were duly signed.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2024 were received.

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting of 21 March 2024 be approved as an accurate record of that meeting and duly signed.

Resolved to note that there being no further business the chair closed the meeting at 7.30pm.

Resolved that the Licensing and Appeals Committee recommends to council that:

(i)            authority to make any minor corrections to the Statement of Licensing Principles be delegated to the Assistant Director of Regulatory Services, prior to publication;

(ii)          the Statement of Licensing Principles 2025-2029 be adopted;

(iii)         A ‘No-Casino’ resolution not be made nor included in the Statement of Licensing Principles.

Resolved to note that there were no declarations of interest made.

Resolved to note that apologies were received from Councillors Bone, Hallam and Pandey.  Councillor Scott Brown was present as a substitute.

RESOLVED that:  the Employment Committee unanimously approves the application of the 2024-25 National Pay Agreements which will uplift the salaries for North Northamptonshire Council employees on local terms and conditions by the same value as the respective national pay award noted in 4.3 of the report.

Following debate it was:

RESOVLED            That planning permission was GRANTED subject to conditions listed in Paragraph 11 of the report.

Following debate it was:

RESOLVED            That

a)    planning permission be GRANTED subject to conditions listed in paragraph 11 of the report and subject to completion of an acceptable Section 106 agreement which secures appropriate planning obligations; and

b)    should an acceptable Section 106 agreement securing appropriate planning obligations not be completed by 25 January 2025, or any further extension of time agreed in writing between the applicant and the Local Planning Authority, that it be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Economy to REFUSE planning permission.

RESOLVED                that the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee (North) held on 2^nd October 2024 be approved as a correct record subject to a minor amendment in relation to speakers comments raised on item 4.2.

To update the Constitution at Part 8.2, Appendix B, Paragraphs 8 and 9 as follows with changes shown in red:

8.  Where a matter arises at a meeting which affects –

 a. your own financial interest or well-being;

 b. a financial interest or well-being of a friend, relative, close associate; or

c. a financial interest or well-being of a body included in those you need to disclose under Other Registerable Interests Disclosable Pecuniary Interests as set out in Table 2

9. Where a matter affects your financial interest or well-being:

a. to a greater extent than it affects the financial interests of the majority of inhabitants of the ward affected by the decision and;

b. a reasonable member of the public knowing all the facts would believe that it would affect your view of the wider public interest/

Resolved to note that no declarations were made.  

Resolved that there being no further business the meeting was closed at 8.55pm.

Resolved that Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee note the workplan. The chair would discuss with officers and at the Scrutiny Management Board, the option to include an item on a future agenda in relation to Street Naming.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 August 2024 were received.

It was proposed by Councillor Coleman and seconded by Councillor Wilkes that the minutes be approved.   On being put to the vote the motion was declared carried.

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 27 August 2024 be signed and approved as an accurate record thereof. 

Resolved to note that no notifications to address the meeting had been received.

Resolved to note that apologies for absence were received from Councillor Robin Carter, Zoe McGhee and Mark Pengelly. Councillor Valerie Anslow attended as a substitute.