Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, 13 Church Street, Clitheroe, BB7 2RA

Contact: Olwen Heap 

Items
No. Item

377.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence for the meeting were received from Councillor M Robinson.

378.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 519 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2021 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

379.

Declarations of pecuniary, other registrable and non registrable interests

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest in respect of matters contained in the agenda.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Horkin declared he owned businesses in Clitheroe.

380.

Public participation

Minutes:

There was no public participation.

381.

Planning Applications under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning – copy enclosed

382.

Planning Application 3/2021/0699 - Castle Museum, Clitheroe pdf icon PDF 488 KB

Minutes:

The Head of Planning Services reported that LCC Archaeology had no need for intervention, the Gardens Trust did not wish to comment and Clitheroe Town Council had no objections.

 

RESOLVED: That the application be approved subject to the following conditions:

 

1.         The development must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission.

 

            REASON: Required to be imposed pursuant to Section 18 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

 

2.         The permission shall relate to the development as shown on Plan Reference:

 

            Elevation and castellation detail plan

            Location Plan

 

            REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and to ensure that the development is carried out in accordance with the submitted plans.

 

3.         Precise specifications of the proposed dismantling, labelling, and safe storage of historic fabric shall have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority before its use in the proposed works.

 

            REASON:  In order to safeguard the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building.

 

4.         Precise specifications and samples of proposed pointing (including mortar mixes) shall have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority before their use in the proposed works.

 

            REASON: In order to safeguard the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building.

 

5.         Precise specifications of proposed lead tray repairs shall have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority before their use in the proposed works.

 

            REASON: In order to safeguard the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building.

 

 

383.

Planning Application 3/2021/0809 - Wellsprings Hotel, Sabden pdf icon PDF 237 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That the application be approved subject to the following condition:

 

Time limit, plans and details

 

1.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in complete accordance with the proposals as detailed on drawings:

 

6218 – Location Plan

6218 – E01D Existing Site Plan

6218 – E03 Existing Plans and Elevations

6218 – P04B Proposed Plans and Elevations

6218 – P06 Proposed Site Plan

 

REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and to clarify which plans are relevant to the

consent.

 

2.         No external lighting shall be fixed to the canopy hereby approved unless details of such lighting, including the intensity of illumination, have been first submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority prior to first occupation/use of the site.

 

The external lighting shall be installed precisely in accordance with the approved details and thereby retained as such.

 

REASON: In order to ensure a satisfactory appearance in the interests of visual amenity

 

(Mrs Marhraoui spoke in favour of the above application)

384.

Planning Application 3/2021/0725 - Buck Inn, Grindleton pdf icon PDF 573 KB

Minutes:

The Head of Planning Services reported upon an additional letter of support and correspondence with the applicants agent regarding a reduction in opening hours.

 

RESOLVED: That the application be minded to approve and deferred and delegated to the Director of Economic Development and Planning for appropriate conditions on the basis of achieving a minimum of a 2m setback on the extension. If unable to secure the proposal goes back to a future Committee.

 

(Mr R Maudsley spoke in favour of the above application)

385.

Planning Application 3/2021/0810 - Wellsprings Hotel, Sabden pdf icon PDF 329 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That the application be minded to approve and deferred and delegated to Director of Economic Development and Planning for appropriate conditions.

 

(Mrs Marhraoui spoke in favour of the above application)

386.

Planning Application 3/2021/0205 - Land at Neddy Lane, Billington pdf icon PDF 619 KB

Minutes:

Taken off the agenda by officers. Waiting for response from Environment Agency.

387.

Review of Fees and Charges pdf icon PDF 294 KB

Report of Director of Resources enclosed.

Minutes:

The Director of Resources submitted a report seeking member approval on proposals to increase this committee’s fees and charges with effect from 1 April 2022.

 

These proposals were the first stage in the review of this committee’s budget for the forthcoming 2022/23 financial year.

 

The council’s latest budget forecast allows for a 3% inflationary increase in the level of income raised from fees and charges and the review aims to increase budgeted income for 2022/23 by this amount as a minimum.

 

As planning application fees were set by Central Government these fell outside the remit of the review, however, pre-planning advice fees were included.

 

As part of the review, the building control section were requesting a 3% increase to charges in the current financial year effective from 1 November 2021, and a further 3% increase for the 2022/23 financial year from 1 April 2022.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Approve the proposed fees and charges as set out in the annexes to the report.

 

 

388.

Public Speaking at Planning & Development committee pdf icon PDF 181 KB

Report of Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed.

Minutes:

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report asking members to determine whether the present system for public speaking at planning committee on individual planning applications should be retained or amended.

 

Some members had queried whether the current rules were sufficient to enable the public to fully participate with the planning process, whereas others considered that it met the needs of residents and communities.

 

The report outlined a comparison with other Lancashire authorities, explained the process changing the public speaking process and suggested options to be considered should members wish to change the process.

 

Members discussed the current system and it was acknowledged that no system would be perfect but that the balanced approach of the current system worked well, giving both the applicant and objector(s) a chance to inform members of salient points in relation to a particular application.

 

It was highlighted by members on the committee that they also receive information in writing from both applicants or their agents and objectors. Officers were also available to give help and advice to both these parties via systems already in place.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Agree to retain the present system for public participation at Planning & Development committees.

 

 

389.

Ash die-back action plan pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Report of Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed.

Minutes:

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report asking committee to consider the action plan and procedures the Council should put in place to manage Ash Dieback (Hymenoscypus fraxineus) disease which was having a significant impact on the Borough’s tree stock.

 

The report outlined the issues surrounding the disease and the impact on treescape and loss of habitat, as well as the fine balance between retaining trees for monitoring and resilience reproduction and safe removal.

 

The Council are subsequently re-surveying their tree stock, but this would take a number of years, so a more reactive approach was to be implemented. A flowchart had therefore been developed that clarifies the process to be followed once ADB has been confirmed. The management plan would enable the Borough to retain as many trees as possible but legislate for the removal and replacement where this was not possible.This might include the use of Tree Preservation Orders to enable the Council to condition/enforce replacement planting to ensure the Borough’s treescape.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Approve the measures outlined in the report to mitigate and control the impact of Ash Die Back will have on the Borough.

390.

Local Plan Update pdf icon PDF 436 KB

Report of Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed.

Minutes:

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report providing members with an update on progress with the Local Plan and asking them to agree proposed amendments and adoption of the Statement of Community Involvement.

 

As part of the plan review the SCI had been updated and published for consultation. Comments had been received in connection to the arrangements for public speaking at Planning committee with concerns expressed about the 3-minute time limit. As this was a matter only to be amended as part of the Council’s constitution, it was proposed that the wording in the relevant section of the SCI be amended to reflect this and refer to the Standing Orders.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Note the updates regarding the Local Plan progress and agree the Statement of Community Involvement be amended at Section 20 regarding the rules for public speaking at committees and that the SCI is adopted and published.

391.

Capital Monitoring 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Minutes:

The Director of Resources submitted a report for information on the progress on this committee’s 2021/22 capital programme for the period to August 2021.

 

At the end of August 2021, there had been no spend on the Introduction of Planning Portal Link to the Planning Application System and Planning System Update scheme. The planning system update element of this scheme was on-hold and would not be undertaken in 2021/22.

392.

Revenue Monitoring 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 98 KB

Minutes:

The Director of Resources submitted a report for information on the position for the period April 2021 to August 2021 of this year’s original revenue budget as far as this committee was concerned.

 

The comparison between actual and budgeted expenditure showed an underspend of £64,481 to August 2021 of the financial year 2021/22. After allowing for transfers to/from earmarked reserves that was an underspend of £54,790.

393.

Appeals (if any) pdf icon PDF 26 KB

Appeals update

 

3/2020/0668 – proposed construction of 2no. houses and 3no. apartments at Land off Whalley Road, Mellor Brook, BB2 7HY – appeal dismissed.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

3/2020/0668 – proposed construction of 2no. houses and 3no. apartments at Land off Whalley Road, Mellor Brook, BB2 7HY – appeal dismissed.

394.

Reports from representatives on outside bodies

None.

Minutes:

There were no reports from representatives on outside bodies.

395.

Exclusion of Press and Public

None.

Minutes:

There were items under this heading.