AGENDA
Planning Committee
Wednesday 24 July 2024 11am
Stakeford and Bomarsund Welfare Centre
Agenda – Part 1
- To accept apologies for absence and to remind members that any member not attending a meeting of the Council for six consecutive months will be deemed to be no longer a member of the Parish Council.
- Members will identify any declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other registerable interest(s). Members are requested to read the note overleaf.
- To appoint a Chairman to serve for 2024/25
- To appoint a Vice Chairman to serve for 2024/25
- Public Questions (please read note)
- To note that the minutes of the previous meeting have been presented to the Parish Council meeting
- To review the Terms of Reference for the planning committee
- To consider and make comment on significant planning applications. Members will be asked to give direction to the Parish Clerk on the response to Northumberland County Council on current planning applications
Part 2
Members will be asked to consider if there are matters that in consideration of Standing Order 3 and because of their special and confidential nature, require the exclusion of press and public.
- Consideration of any requests for grants
- Consideration of any matters referred from part 1 of the agenda.
Notes to be read in connection with Agenda Items 2 and 3
Note for the Public – Any resident of the Parish may raise topics for discussion during the public question session. The length of the public session, normally fifteen minutes, is at the discretion of the Chairman. Any resident may speak once on a subject, and they are requested to avoid duplication as far as possible. Councillors are not allowed to participate, other than by asking direct questions for clarification. Public attendance is limited to the space available in the Lounge. For members of the public unable to attend, questions can be emailed or telephoned to the Parish Clerk on info@choppingtonparishcouncil.org or 01670 858664 by 5pm Tuesday 23 July 2024 and read out during the public session.
Note re Declarations of interest – Members are required to disclose personal and prejudicial interests relating to any matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest. An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting if it only becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.
If a member who has declared a personal interest then considers the interest to be prejudicial he/she shall declare that, and, after making any representations, answering questions or giving evidence relating to the business, the member shall withdraw from the room for the remainder of the item to which the interest relates.
Angela Brindley
Parish Clerk
13 July 2024
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING WEDNESDAY 24 JULY 2024
THOSE ATTENDING:
Cllr H Allsopp
Cllr G Huntley
Cllr J Rowell
Cllr Vaughan
Cllr L Watson
IN ATTENDANCE:
Mrs A Brindley, Parish Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer
AGENDA PART 1
PLC01/24 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllr J Foster – Family Commitment, K Burn – Prior commitment and Cllr A Iley – Leave
PLC02/24 2. DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND OTHER REGISTERABLE INTEREST(s)
Declarations were received for item 8 from Cllrs Allsopp and Rowell.
PLC03/24 3. APPOINTMENT OF A CHAIRMAN FOR 2024/25
Cllr Hilary Allsop was elected as Chairman
PLC04/24 4. APPOINTEMENT OF A VICE CHAIRMAN FOR 2024/25
Cllr Lynne Watson was elected as Vice Chairman
PLC05/24 5. PUBLIC QUESTIONS
The Clerk confirmed she had not received any questions from the public for this meeting.
PLC06/24 6. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
It was noted that the minutes of the previous meeting had been presented to the Parish Council in the same year.
PLC07/24 7. REVIEW OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE
Members approved the terms of reference
Councillor Hilary Allsopp and Councillor Jackie Rowell left the meeting
PLC08/24 8. TO CONSIDER AND MAKE COMMENT ON SIGNIFICANT PLANNING APPLICATIONS.
Parish Councils do not have the power grant or refuse planning permission but may submit comments to the planning authority (Northumberland County Council)
In consideration of planning application 24/02182/FUL Ringway School site, members made the following comments:
- Parking: Parish Council would seek assurance that there is sufficient parking for every employee, to ensure no employee needs to park on the street. The school is situated some distance from the main public transport route along Ashington Drive, further necessitating adequate car spaces for all staff.
- Trees: The plans indicate the group of existing trees to the west of the proposed school building will remain. These trees will provide screening from the two-storey building for residents along Ringway. We also appreciate the inclusion of new trees in the development plans; however, it is crucial to ensure that they are not planted too close to existing properties. The roots of these trees need to be considered carefully, as they have the potential to damage foundations and other structures.
- Flooding: The Council is aware that in the past there have been issues with flooding into private gardens along the perimeter of the grassed areas of the school. Flooding has caused considerable inconvenience and damage, and residents are concerned about potential exacerbation of these problems, the Council would look to NCC for assurance that drainage plans address and resolve this problem.
- Acoustic Barriers: These are planned to run along the east perimeter of the site shielding properties in Westwood Gardens and Beverley Drive. The Council seeks clarification on whether the proposed acoustic barriers are permanent or a temporary measure during construction. If permanent, residents on the perimeter may require reassurance that this will not affect their view and light. Regardless of their permanence, the school perimeter hawthorn hedge lying between the acoustic barriers and the boundary of the private gardens of neighbouring properties will require attention at some time to ensure they don’t encroach on private gardens.
During Construction:
- Safe Walking Routes: It is important to establish safe walking routes for pupils attending school during the construction period.
- Construction vehicles: The Parish Council will seek the imposition of weight restrictions on construction vehicles using estate roads, and the regular cleaning of these roads to minimize disruption and maintain safety.
- Access Routes: Beverley Drive is particularly difficult to negotiate due to on street parked vehicles which does necessitate driving on only one side of the road. Therefore, siting the Phase 1 planned entrance at the corner of Beverley Drive and Ringway, accessed from Ashington Drive along Ringway, would be a sensible route. This access should also be considered for Phase 2, as current plans show the entrance moved further along Beverley Drive, where only one side of the road is available for moving traffic.
- Working Hours: To allow residents some quiet times, we request that working hours be restricted to the standard working week, avoiding weekends.
RESOLVED: That the Parish Council submit comments in respect of planning application 24/02182/FUL
There being no further matters requiring consideration the meeting concluded at 10:00
Chairman………………………………………………………..Dated……………………