Agenda and minutes

Planning Committee - Tuesday, 23rd January, 2024 4.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, County Hall, Newport, Isle of WIght

Contact: Marie Bartlett  Email: democratic.services@iow.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

20.

Apologies and Changes in Membership (if any)

To note any changes in membership of the Committee made in accordance with Part 4B paragraph 5 of the Constitution.

Minutes:

Cllrs J Bacon, V Churchman and M Price gave their apologies, Cllr I Ward substituted for Cllr M Price.

21.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 105 KB

To confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2023.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2023 be approved.

 

22.

Declarations of Interest

To invite Members to declare any interest they might have in the matters on the agenda.

Minutes:

Councillor J Jones-Evans declared an interest in minute number 24 (c) (Whippingham Technology Park, Whippingham Road, East Cowes) as her portfolio included the application site, she would withdraw from the room for the application.

 

There were no other declarations received at this stage.

 

23.

Public Question Time - 15 Minutes Maximum

Questions are restricted to matters not on the agenda. Questions may be asked without notice but to guarantee a full reply at the meeting, a question must be put including the name and address of the questioner by delivery in writing or by electronic mail to Democratic Services at democratic.services@iow.gov.uk no later than two clear working days before the start of the meeting. Normally, Planning Committee is held on a Tuesday, therefore the deadline for written questions will be Thursday18 January 2024.

 

Minutes:

There were no public questions submitted.

 

24.

Report of the Strategic Manager for Planning and Infrastructure pdf icon PDF 58 KB

Planning applications and related matters.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to items 1 - 3 of the report of the Strategic Manager for Planning and Infrastructure Delivery.

 

A schedule of additional representations received after the printing of the report were submitted at the beginning of the meeting and were drawn to the attention of the Councillors when considering the application. A note is made to that effect in the minutes.

 

Application:

21/01884/FUL

 

Details:

Proposed Development of 56 Dwellings, means of access off Hillway Road and Steyne Road associated landscaping and infrastructure (Revised plans; additional information relating to landscaping, trees and drainage) (re-advertised application)

 

Land off Hillway Road and Steyne Road, Bembridge.

 

Site Visits:

The site visit was carried out on Friday, 13 October 2023.

 

Public Participants:

Sarah Smith (Objector)

Ben Wood (Objector)

Martin Groom (Objector)

Liz White (on behalf of Bembridge Parish Council)

David Long (Agent)

 

Additional Representations:

Natural England supplied further comments confirming that they concur with the conclusions within the Council’s Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) and have no objection to the development. Two third party comments had been received by the Local Planning Authority objecting to the application, with the matters raised within them summarised within the Update Paper.

 

Comment:

Councillor J Robertson spoke as Local Councillor on this item.

 

Concern was raised regarding the high average property price in Bembridge and it was felt that the standard policy compliant 20% discount for affordable housing would not make the properties affordable to those on the housing list. Officers advised that national planning policy guidance stated affordable housing should be marketed at, at least 20% lower than market value and that therefore this application would be policy compliant.

 

A proposal to defer the item was suggested to allow time for the Local Planning Authority to further negotiate with the applicant, offices advised that no extension of time had been granted for the application and therefore the applicant could appeal the decision on non-determination the following day.

 

Questions were asked regarding nitrate neutrality, officers advised that because wastewater for the development would be directed to the Southern Water Wastewater Treatment Works at Sandown, the requirement for nutrient neutrality was not engaged and that Natural England were satisfied with the assessment carried out by the Local Planning Authority.

 

A short adjournment was taken to allow time for officers to speak with the Agent/Applicant.

 

On returning the Committee were advised that the applicant was willing to provide a discount of 25% on the affordable houses available.

 

The Committee were advised that the pedestrian route to be provided through the Bembridge, Brading and St Helens Local Cycling  and Walking Infrastructure Plan would be diverted through the development, so that pedestrians would only need to walk along a 100m section of Hillway Road, rather than 400m. The issue would be conditioned to be in place prior to occupation of the dwellings.

 

Following the information received from officers after the adjournment the proposal to defer the application was withdrawn.

 

A proposal to approve the application subject to the inclusion of 25% reduction  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

25.

Members' Question Time

To guarantee a reply to a question, a question  must be submitted in writing or by electronic mail to democratic.services@iow.gov.uk no later than 4.00 pm on Friday, 19 January 2024. A question may be asked at the meeting without prior notice but in these circumstances there is no guarantee that a full reply will be given at the meeting.

Minutes:

Councillor P Spink asked if information could be provided on developments approved by the Planning Committee to keep them up to date on how they were progressing, Officers advised this was something that could be looked into; Cllr Brodie advised that local councillors could get involved in the development process.