Agenda item

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the first of the applications to be heard, application number 138971, outline planning application for up to 9no. dwellings with all matters reserved, on land east of Laughton Road adjacent to Irwin Road, Blyton. He invited the Senior Development Management Officer to provide any update to the application and it was explained that since the report was drafted, Severn Trent had confirmed it would want a connection to be at manhole 7301 because the former manhole was receiving the rising main from the Irwin Road pumping station. By making the connection into the above sewer it meant the flows would be going out into Laughton Road and not further into Irwin Road and towards where the issues may be occurring. Additional letters of objection had been received citing the risk of exacerbated flooding and stating unanimous opposition within Irwin Road and Blyton as a whole. The updates did not change the recommendation.

 

The Chairman notified the Committee that there were three public speakers and he invited the first, Parish Councillor Mark Harrison, to address the room.

 

Mr Harrison thanked Committee for the chance to speak and highlighted his three main concerns about the application. He stated that traffic entering the village near the junction to Irwin Road and the proposed development was often travelling in excess of 60mph and there would need to be traffic calming measures in place to mitigate the risk of that junction. With regards to top water, Mr Harrison explained that the dykes were not managed and since the previous construction work had been undertaken, when the flood plain had been infilled with rubble and then built on, the dykes were now breached in several places on a regular basis when there was heavy rain. His final point was regarding the sewerage infrastructure and that it was not sufficient for the existing homes, without the risk of adding more properties into the system. He stated that all such problems should be resolved prior to any further building works going ahead.

 

The second speaker, Mr Marcus Walker speaking as an objector to the application, was invited to address the Committee. He supported the comments made by Mr Harrison in terms of the inadequate drainage systems and explained to Members that he had been in frequent contact with Severn Trent with regards to the drainage and sewerage systems. He stated that they had accepted the system was substandard but had not undertaken any investigations to see what could be done to remedy the situation. He called for the Committee to refuse the planning application on this basis.

 

The third speaker, Ward Member Councillor Lesley Rollings, reiterated the points made by the previous two speakers and commended their dedication to researching and collating the information they had in relation to the drainage systems. She confirmed that there were already problems with flooding in the area that was at risk of worsening with any new development.

 

Note:              The Chairman requested that additional paperwork submitted by Mr Walker be passed to the Executive Director of Operations as it had not been submitted for consideration prior to the publicised deadline.

 

Councillor Rollings continued with her allocated speaking time to repeat the concerns about the drainage systems and also the risk to local businesses by flooding. She also asked the Committee to consider ecological impacts not just with watercourse problems but also the risk to the local environment such as loss of insects, wild flowers and open space.

 

With nothing further to be added from the Senior Development Management Officer, the Chairman opened discussions to the Committee.

 

A Member of Committee noted that Ward Member Councillor Mewis had submitted a Member request for call-in, stating that alongside widespread local opposition, it was also considered that the application was contrary to LP2 (would not be appropriate location or retain core shape and form, would change shape of the village creating further linear ribbon development away from core services), contrary to LP2 and LP4 (outside developed footprint which specifically excludes agricultural land on the edge of the settlement, hedge forms boundary to countryside), contrary to LP14b (Irwin Road flooding and drainage problems would be exacerbated), contrary to LP14e (it would not reduce flood risk overall and would not provide solutions for the wider area) and contrary to LP14 (SUDS not provided). On the basis of those planning policies, the Member of Committee moved a proposal to refuse planning permission which was then seconded with support for the reasons given.

 

Note:              Councillor M. Devine declared that he had also received email contact regarding the application but had not responded to it.

 

There was further discussion regarding the risk of flooding. The Senior Development Management Officer clarified that the results of any drainage surveys may show that remedial cleansing work was required and the proposal was for the flow to be directed into an area away from Irwin Road. The Legal Advisor confirmed that the applicant was required to demonstrate that their development could be mitigated and that in mitigating their development it would not contribute to other areas. Although there were issues in the locality, the statutory authorities had confirmed that they considered the application to be acceptable.

 

Following final comments with regards to drainage and the risk of flooding, the Chairman repeated the proposal to refuse permission for the reasons that it was contrary to LP2, LP4, LP14b and LP14e. With nine votes in favour of the proposal and one abstention it was passed that planning permission be REFUSED for the reasons given above.

 

Note:              The meeting was adjourned at 7.07pm to allow members of the public to leave the Chamber. The meeting reconvened at 7.10pm.

 

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