Agenda and minutes

The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming all those present and any who may be watching the live webcast. He explained the procedure for the meeting and informed all present of the relevant housekeeping details.

Up to 15 minutes are allowed for public participation.  Participants are restricted to 3 minutes each.

There was no public participation at this point of the meeting.

i)       Meeting of the Planning Committee held on 30 May 2018, previously circulated.

Meeting of the Planning Committee held on 30 May 2018.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 30 May 2018 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Members may make any declarations of interest at this point but may also make them at any time during the course of the meeting.

Councillors D. Cotton, J. Milne, M. Devine and J. Rainsforth declared they were members of the Crematorium Working Group, in relation to application 136962 (agenda item 6b).

Councillor J. Milne also declared that she was Ward Member for Lea (application number 136962, agenda item 6b) however she would be acting in her role as a member of the Planning Committee, not as Ward Member.

Councillor D. Cotton declared a pecuniary interest in relation to application number 136962, agenda item 6b, as both a member of the clergy and because the proposed crematorium would fall within his ecclesiastical parish. He explained he had been recommended to leave the room for the duration of the item.

Note:              Prior to Committee the Monitoring Officer granted the dispensation allowing Members to hear and vote on agenda item 6b (application number 136962).

Note – the status of Neighbourhood Plans in the District may be found via this link

https://www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/my-services/planning-and-building/neighbourhood-planning/

The Planning and Development Manager advised Committee there were no local or national updates to be shared.

RESOLVED that the applications detailed in agenda item 6 be dealt with as follows:-

The Chairman introduced the first of the applications to be considered by Committee, application number 137443 for change of use from agricultural steel portal shed to ACU accredited flat track training school with associated parking, landscaping and portakabin/office (resubmission of 136025). The Chairman stated there was one speaker registered. He explained the process for hearing the application and invited the Senior Development Management Officer to present the item to Committee.

The Senior Development Management Officer advised Committee there were no further updates or additional information to the report and so the Chairman invited the registered speaker, Councillor Jeff Summers, to address Committee.

Councillor Summers explained that he was there to speak in favour of the application in his role as Ward Member for Waddingham and Spital. He noted that the application had previously been refused because of concerns about noise levels and he highlighted that the applicant had made the necessary changes to reduce noise levels. He also explained that the applicant had undertaken to make further changes should the application be agreed, such as moving the entrance door to open into open field space. Councillor Summers stated that this was the only facility for flat track training and that people came from all over the country to use it. He explained to Committee that he had visited the site with a device to measure noise levels and gave a run through of different sounds that had registered on the device. As examples he gave the noise of a nearby lawnmower, farm animals on the site, agricultural work that was going on and detailed the distances from the training track at which he had taken his readings. Full details of his findings were included in his representation for the Officer’s report. To conclude, Councillor Summers highlighted that any noise generated by the training track was negligible in relation to other sounds in the area and he strongly recommended that the application be approved.

The Senior Development Management Officer clarified for Committee that although Councillor Summers had included his sound readings in his representation of support, Officers were duty bound to base their recommendations on the figures provided by the official noise assessment and the related comments of the Council’s Environmental Protection Team as the appropriate consultee regarding noise matters.

With no further comment from Officers, the Chairman invited comments from Committee. One Member of Committee enquired as to the impact of having to keep windows and doors closed whilst the track was in use and whether this would pose problems in terms of a concentration of exhaust fumes within the building. The Senior Development Management Officer confirmed this had not been considered to pose a risk and there had been no concerns raised about it. Another Committee Member noted that those raising objections were not only concerned about noise levels and that there were several incidents of track users driving up private driveways. She also enquired as to the specifics of the sound proofing to be used and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

Note:              Councillor D. Cotton retired from the room at 18:48.

The Chairman introduced application 136962 for a single cremator and chapel crematorium building with memorial facility, to include car parking facilities and related hard-landscaped areas as well as formal and informal landscaped gardens. The Development Management Team Leader advised Committee there were no other updates to the report and so the Chairman invited the first speaker, Karen Whitfield – Communities and Commercial Programme Manager, to address Committee.

The Communities and Commercial Programme Manager explained she was speaking in support of the application and highlighted that there was not currently a crematorium facility in West Lindsey. She explained to Committee that residents of West Lindsey had to travel significant distances, at what was already a very difficult time, and often had to wait several weeks for a cremation slot. She highlighted that space for burial grounds was decreasing both within the District and nationally; the amount of housing growth planned for the District and the ageing population with the District; and that currently 75% of funerals resulted in cremation. She explained that the Council had been mindful to ensure the development of the project and the planning aspects had been kept separate and independent, to this end, independent planning consultants had been employed to ensure a robust process was followed. She stated that the site for the proposed development had undergone a comprehensive site selection process to incorporate the requirements presented in the Crematoria Act 1902. Out of all sites considered, this location was deemed to be the optimum site identified. The Communities and Commercial Programme Manager gave further details as to the details of the development, such as the design to be in keeping with the area and for landscaping and additional planting to provide tranquillity and areas for quiet reflection.

The Communities and Commercial Programme Manager explained that there had been significant feedback to support the proposed development, not least from local funeral directors, celebrants and clergy who had welcomed the proposals and highlighted the need for such a site locally. It was explained that there was the additional provision to accommodate bariatric coffins which would negate the current requirement to travel to Peterborough. It was acknowledged that there were concerns amongst local residents, mainly in relation to traffic issues and risk of pollution. It was explained that a full traffic impact assessment had been carried out and considered by the local Highways Authority and the result of the assessment was that the development was not anticipated to cause a significant impact on the local highway or its operation. Additionally, it was highlighted that the entrance to the crematorium from the highway had been designed in such a way to allow vehicles to facilitate quick and safe turning. In view of local concerns about pollution, it was explained to Committee that as a new facility the proposed crematorium development would be fitted with mercury abatement and would comply with all current regulations, furthermore, the Environment Agency had raised no  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

·         136184 – Land off Brook Street, Hemswell

·         136245 – Land adjacent to 25b Church Road, Stow

·         136083 – Land adjacent to St Helens View, High Street, Willingham by Stow

·         136466 – Mantex, Thonock Road, Wharton

Note:              Councillor D. Cotton returned at 19:18.

The Chairman highlighted there were four appeal decisions on this occasion. There were no comments or questions from the Committee.

RESOLVED that the determination of appeals be noted.