UNAPPROVED MINUTES
Minutes of a Planning Committee Meeting held on Monday, 18th January 2010 at the Parish Office, 28 Station Road at 7.15pm.
Present: Cllrs. M. Sherwen (Chairman), V. Barrett, F. Benfield, A. Brett, R. Gatward,
J. Hales, M. Linnette, C. Purbrook and R. Wakerley.
In Attendance: The Clerk
516/09 Apologies for Absence: Cllrs. Hardingham and Mowatt.
517/09 Declaration of Interests: Cllr. Sherwen declared a personal interest in Item 525/09 (d)
518/09 Minutes of the meeting held on 4th January 2010:
It was proposed by Cllr. Gatward and seconded by Cllr. Hales that the minutes of 4th January 2010 should be signed as a true record.
519/09 Matters Arising:
Item 505/09 (Urgent Matters) Cllr. Barrett reported that D. Cllr. Guest had tried to contact the Enforcement Officer with regard to the state of the outside of the Co-operative Store but had not been successful. Nothing else had been heard with regard to enforcement issues. The Clerk was asked to make this matter an agenda item in future until this matter had been resolved.
Cllr. Linnette reported that comments made in the press with regard to the proposed Ambulance Station on Back Lane did not tie up with Council comments on the matter. It was stated that the Parish Council had changed its mind with regard to the application. Cllr. Sherwen reported that his comments had been incorrectly reported in the paper. Cllr. Linnette said that both the newspaper and two Councillors who attended the meeting, thought that comments made by Cllr. Sherwen suggested that the Council was against the application.
It was recognised by the meeting of the Planning Committee at SCDC
that Back Lane could be a future problem due to traffic use. And it was suggested that a committee be formed consisting of CCC, East of England Ambulance Service, Melbourn Parish Council and others as seen appropriate, to look into this matter.
It was pointed out by Cllr. Wakerley that as Back Lane was classed as a By-Way this could cause problems when trying to change the status of the road.
520/09 Parish Facilities:
There was nothing to report on this matter.
521/09 Village Car Park:
Cllr. Sherwen asked the Clerk to explain about the expected increase in Business Rates for the Car Park. The Clerk reported that she had been in contact with the Rating Officer at SCDC who had told her that from 1973 to 1990 business rates had stayed the same. These had then been assessed by the Government and new rating values worked out. So as not to overload business with the extra costs there had been a transition period where rates had been reduced by 50%. This period had covered the years from 2005 to 2010. This transition period comes to an end on 1st April 2010 and businesses will then pay the true rateable value.
522/09 Police site in centre of village:
Cllr. Barrett reported that the Police Site had now been cleared.
Cllr. Brett had done work on the history of the site and had found out that in 1952 the original owner, Colonel Hazelrigg, had sold the site to CCC. Cllr. Brett is to order a copy of the conveyance of the site to CCC.
523/09 White House Farm:
Cllr. Barrett had spoken to the Enforcement Officer who has arranged to visit the site with a Planning Officer to look into matters.
524/09 Notifications and Planning Consultation Documents:
(a) SCDC – Grange Farm, Newmarket Road – Extension including Basement Area. S/1499/09/F. Permission Granted.
(b) White House Farm, Cambridge Road – Garage and Store. S/1555/09/F Permission Refused.
(c) SCDC – White House Farm, Cambridge Road – Formation of New Access. S/1554/09/F. Permission Refused.
(d) 91 Beechwood Avenue – Conservatory. S/1681/09/F. Permission Granted.
(e) There were no further Notifications or Planning Consultations received.
[Cllr. Linnette declared a Personal Interest in Item 525/09 (a)]
525/09 Planning Applications:
(a) 91 High Street – Extensions and Alterations. S/0026/10/F. Recommend Approval.
(b) 9 Orchard Road – Conservatory. S/1915/09/F. Recommend Approval with comments. No drainage details described, needs to be resolved. Suggest recycling if possible.
(c) Bury Lane Fruit Farm – Alterations and Extension to roof to form Enclosure over Existing Covered Area. S/1922/09/F. No Recommendation.
The Council has concerns about the expansion implication long term, non-“farm shop” sales activities are pushing “farm shop” activities into external areas needing enclosing (this application). These are enlarging the shop size “by stealth” as in this instance.
[Cllr. Purbrook left the meeting at this point the time being 8.46pm]
[Cllr. Sherwen having declared an interest in item 525/09 (d) withdrew from the Chair and as the Vice-Chairman had already left the meeting the Chair was taken by Cllr. Wakerley]
(d) 13 Hale Close – Extension and Alteration. S/1923/09/F. Recommend Approval.
(e) There were no further planning applications received.
[Cllr. Sherwen took back the Chair.]
526/09 Correspondence:
(a) There was no correspondence received.
527/09 Urgent Matters:
The Clerk reported that she had heard from Richard Preston with regard to the proposed yellow lines on Station Road. Richard is to send the Parish Council a revised map showing the suggested alterations and if this is found to be acceptable then CCC will take through the statutary process.
There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.02pm