Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2022.

RESOLVED:

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2022 be approved.

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

Councillor Quirk and Matthew Price declared a non pecuniary interest in minute number 52 (Ryde Pier Café and adjoining public toilets, Esplanade, Ryde) as they knew business owners in the area.

Councillor Brodie declared a non pecuniary interest in minute number 52 (Land at Lee Farm, Main Road, Wellow) as he was a member of Cycle Wight who he believed had commented on the application.

Councillor Spink declared and interest in minute number 52 (Land at Lee Farm, Main Road, Wellow) as he believed he was predetermined, he would speak as local Councillor and then leave the room

Councillors Churchman, Drew and Quirk advised that they had not attended the arranged site visit, and would not take part in the application for Lee Farm, Wellow, however they felt they knew the Ryde site well enough to take part in the debate and vote.

Councillor Brodie advised that he had not attended the arranged site visit, he had undertaken his own visit of the site at Lee Farm, Wellow and was satisfied he understood the application site, he was also satisfied that he knew the Ryde site well enough to take part in the debate and vote.

Councillor Lilley declared an interest in minute number 52 (Ryde Pier Café and adjoining public toilets, Esplanade, Ryde) as he knew the previous owner/lease holder of the café.

Councillor Paul Fuller declared an interest in minute number 52 (Land at Lee Farm, Main Road, Wellow) as he was the independent chair of the IW local access forum.

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 Thursday, 24 February 2022.

There were no public questions submitted.

Planning applications and related matters.

Consideration was given to items 1 -2 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 Members when considering the application. A note is made to that effect in the minutes.

Application:

21/00684/FUL

Details:

Demolition of barns and storage buildings; proposed construction of 16 dwellings and use of existing holiday bungalow as permanent dwelling; access road, garaging/car ports, parking and associated landscaping

Land at Lee Farm, Main Road, Wellow

Site Visit:

The site visit was carried out on Friday, 25 February 2022.

Public Participants:

Mr Steve Cowley (Applicant)

Additional Representations:

It was noted that the calculation relating to housing delivery within section 6.9 of the report was incorrect, the figures should read 501 and 364 respectively.

Since publication of the report officers had completed an appropriate assessment of the development proposals on Solent Marine sites and foul drainage systems, they concluded that there would be no adverse effect on Solent Marine Sites. Consultation with Natural England had been completed and they agreed with the conclusion.

Comment:

Councillor Peter Spink spoke as Local Councillor for the site, once he had completed his speech, he then left the Council Chamber.

Officers advised Councillors against giving weight to the emerging Island Planning Strategy policies in their decision-making, as it had not been sufficiently progressed through the adoption process.

Concerns were raised regarding the lack of affordable housing on the site and understood that was due to the land being offered by the applicant for the proposed West Wight greenway. Officers advised that the land for the greenway would be dedicated at no cost to the Council, and also advised that the Rights of Way manager had provided a cost summary for the works to bring the land up to the standard required for the Greenway which would be included in the legal agreement if the application was approved. They went on to advise that this part of the greenway would connect other parts already available, and those agreed to be used for the remainder of the route.

A proposal was made to approve the application subject to a condition being added to ensure the construction of the greenway and for any excess money to be spent in the parishes of Yarmouth and Shalfleet on affordable homes.

A short adjournment was taken to allow officers to consider the proposal and suggest additional conditions.

Following the adjournment officers advised that any excess money would be spent within the local vicinity and believed it would be unreasonable to ask the greenway to be completed prior to any occupation and believed a trigger point of between 50 – 75 % would allow for negotiation.

The proposer also requested that the Greenway route should be dedicated as a bridleway upon the commencement of the approved development.

The proposer and seconder agreed with the suggested changes and a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

Councillor Jarman introduced the report, advising that following a meeting in November 2021 it had been agreed to set up a working group and the report was to formally ratify that decision.

Concern was raised by Councillors regarding the proposed membership of the working group, as substitute members of the Planning Committee were included and had voting rights, if was felt the control was being removed from planning officers. 

The Committee were supportive to the Planning Officers and believed that they should be involved in the working group meetings along with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Community Engagement.

The vote was taken the result of which was

RESOLVED:

ii. THAT the decision taken at the informal meeting of the Planning Committee on 22^nd November 2021 to establish a cross-party working group of Councillors to provide recommendations for revision of the Code of Practice for Members and Officers dealing with Planning Matters for review by the Planning Committee. The working group will fall under the oversight of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Community Engagement be Ratified and endorsed.

iii. THAT the corporate intention to undertake a peer review later this year to help the council identify future needs of the planning service and the resources required to meet those needs. To agree the committee should have a role, alongside the Cabinet Member for Planning and Community Engagement in agreeing the scope of and contributing to the peer review of needs be Recognised.

iv. THAT Once agreed an amended Code of Practice for Members and Officers Dealing with Planning Matters will be recommended for adoption by Full Council at the earliest opportunity.

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, 25 February 2022. 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.

Councillor Drew asked a question relating to the recent sale of land in Sandown and asked where the Local Authority stood in maintaining public ownership, the Strategic Manager for Planning and Infrastructure delivery advised that he had been asked the same question by the local ward councillor and he would send the advice he gave to Councillor Drew.

That, in respect of planning application 20/01061/FUL concerning ‘West Acre Park’, the Strategic Manager for Planning and Infrastructure shall refrain from exercising his delegated authority to issue the formal planning decision in pursuance of the Planning Committee’s resolution at its July 2021 meeting and that the Strategic Manager for Planning and Infrastructure shall prepare and present a further report to the Planning Committee to update members on up-to-date matters to be identified by the Planning Protocols Working Group (including on the section 106 obligations) and for the Planning Committee to reconsider that planning application at a meeting (the format of which shall be determined by the Strategic Manager for Planning and Infrastructure and the Planning Protocols Working Group) as soon as is practicable.

Councillor Brodie raised a point of order requesting the chairman to explain why he had decided to Chair the meeting for the item, he understood that legal advice was that he should not remain in the Council Chamber for the item of business, he believed that by doing so it would jeopardise the decision made at the meeting. The Chairman advised that following advice he had decided to remain in the Chair for the item however he would not take part in the vote, if the vote was tied then he would adjourn.

Councillor Brodie then raised another point of order questioning if the motion should have been included on the agenda for the meeting, the Chairman advised that he wanted Councillor Jarman to move his motion before he took questions on the matter.

An adjournment was called.

On returning Councillor Brodie continued with his questions regarding the procedure taken to add the motion to the agenda and who the Planning Protocols Working Group were as there was no mention of this group in the Council’s Constitution.

The Chairman proposed a motion for the member not to be heard which was duly seconded.

A proposal to end the meeting was then proposed and seconded a vote was taken.

RESOLVED:

THAT the meeting ended.