Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Susan Cocking and John Worth.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registerable or personal interest as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

Cllr Sarah Williams declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Applications WD/D/19/001641 and WD/D/20/001117 - 7 St Andrews Road, Bridport, DT6 3BG and that she would not take part in the debate or vote on this item.

Cllr Nick Ireland declared that he had not predetermined application WD/D/19/002903 - Osmington Mills Holidays, Mills Road, Osmington Mills, Weymouth DT3 6HB as the Dorset Council ward member and Chairman of the Parish Council.  He stated that he had not taken part in any prior discussions on this application.

Cllr David Bolwell and Cllr Kelvin Clayton stated that they had not predetermined applications WD/D/19/001641 and WD/D/20/001117 - 7 St Andrews Road, Bridport, DT6 3BG which related to a colleague on the Bridport Town Council.

Cllr Louie O’Leary stated that he had previously commented on another caravan park in his ward, but confirmed that he had not predetermined application WD/D/19/002903 Osmington Mills Holidays, Mills Road, Osmington Mills, Weymouth DT3 6HB.

Cllr Nick Ireland gave a statement regarding the outcome of a Code of Conduct complaint made against him concerning applications WP/19/00528/FUL and WP/19/00529/LBC – Terrace adjacent to Beach Chalets, Greenhill Garden, Weymouth, which had been considered by the Committee in 2019.  He explained the reasons why he felt unable to apologise to the committee, despite this being recommended as a result of the recent Conduct of Conduct hearing.

To receive questions or statements on the business of the committee from town and parish councils and members of the public.

Public speaking has been suspended for virtual committee meetings during the Covid-19 crisis and public participation will be dealt with through written submissions only.

Members of the public who live, work or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area, may submit up to two questions or a statement of up to a maximum of 450 words.  All submissions must be sent electronically to denise.hunt@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by the deadline set out below.  When submitting a question please indicate who the question is for and include your name, address and contact details.  Questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda.

Questions will be read out by an officer of the council and a response given by the appropriate Portfolio Holder or officer at the meeting.  All questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.  The deadline for submission of the full text of a question or statement is 8.30am on Tuesday 6 July 2021.

Representations by the public to the Committee on individual planning applications are detailed below. There were no questions, petitions or deputations received on other items on this occasion.

To consider the applications listed below for planning permission

Members considered written reports submitted on planning applications as set out below.

 Use of land as a year round holiday park.

The Chairman declared that he would not take part in the debate or vote on this item and therefore the Vice-Chairman was in the Chair for consideration of this application.

The Committee considered an application for use of land as a year round holiday park presented by the Senior Planning Officer.

Members were shown a location plan, site plan, aerial photo and photographs showing the site entrance from Mills Road, the clubhouse and buildings and views across the site.

The main planning issues were highlighted including:-

• Principle of development
• Effect on AONB/Heritage Coast
• Effect on residential amenity
• Nature conservation
• Highways

The Senior Planning Officer advised that various applications in other locations had been granted previously to cover all months of the year. This was consistent with the winter break scenario as well as increasing local economic benefits during this period. He also highlighted that the Planning Inspector in the appeal for a further lodge on this site had been allowed with no limit on the months of the year that it could be occupied.  It was therefore his view that refusal of this application would be difficult to sustain.

The recommendations were outlined and the committee was advised that the application provided a useful opportunity to limit the number of caravans on site to 69 as the existing caravan site licensing allowed a maximum of 130 caravan pitches.

The Technical Support Officer read out the public written submissions which are attached to the minutes of this meeting.

In response to the points raised during public participation, the Senior Planning Officer advised that appropriate conditions to prevent residential use all year round for this scheme had been widely used elsewhere in Dorset.

In response to the request for technical questions, Cllr Nick Ireland queried the original reason for restricting opening to 10 months which had not been outlined in the report and how occupancy would be enforced and checked, including background checks to verify the veracity of written records. He also questioned the sustainability of the location given the lack of a shop, street lighting, pavements or bus and in light of other appeal cases in the Owermoigne, Warmwell and Osmington areas that had been lost due to being unsustainable due to limited services.

The Senior Planning Officer advised that there had not been a market for winter breaks at the time of the original permission and that the 10 month limit had been used to avoid permanent residential use, in the absence of any other mechanism to control occupancy at that time.  However, this application included a condition requiring a written schedule of occupiers including names, addresses and dates of occupation.  This was an important tool that would help the Council to exercise control with a check of the written schedule being triggered by a routine enforcement team enquiry or investigated in response to a complaint.

Whilst it was accepted that this location was not ideal in terms of available facilities, this was an existing holiday park with a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

Internal and external alterations to include formation of stepped access from street to front door, fit iron railings on existing stone wall and relocated gas boiler to attic space and move flue from back wall to rear of roof.

Cllr Sarah Williams did not take part in consideration of this application.

The committee considered an application for Listed Building Consent for internal and external alterations including the formation of a stepped

access from the street to the front door, fitting iron railings on an existing stone wall, relocating a gas boiler to the attic space and moving the flue from the back wall to the rear of the roof.

The Planning Officer presented the application and outlined the recommendations, advising that the boiler and flue only required Listed Building Consent and not planning permission.

Proposed by Cllr Kate Wheller, seconded by Cllr Nick Ireland. 

The Committee was minded to grant the application.

The Service Manager – Development Management and Enforcement, having considered the officer’s presentation and having taken into account the views of the committee, made the following decision under delegated authority.

Decision of the Service Manager:

That the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the appendix to these minutes.

Formation of stepped access from street to front door and fit iron railings on existing stone wall.

Cllr Sarah Williams did not take part in consideration of this application.

The committee considered an application for the formation of a stepped access from the street to the front door and fitting iron railings on an

existing stone wall.

Proposed by Cllr Bill Pipe, seconded by Cllr Louie O’Leary.

The Committee was minded to grant the application.

The Service Manager – Development Management and Enforcement, having considered the officer’s presentation and having taken into account the views of the committee, made the following decision under delegated authority.

Decision of the Service Manager: That the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the appendix to these minutes.

Cllr Nick Ireland left the meeting at this juncture.

Erect retail development comprising five units (Use Classes A1, A3 and A5) with associated car parking, servicing arrangements, landscaping and groundworks.

The committee considered an application to erect a retail development comprising five units (Use Classes A1, A3 and A5) with associated car parking, servicing arrangements, landscaping and groundworks.

The Senior Planning Officer advised that this application had been considered by the Committee in March 2021 with a recommendation to delegate authority to the Head of Planning.  A decision had not yet been issued due to discussions in relation to the Section 106 Agreement and amendments had also been made in the meantime that were before the committee today.

Members were given a presentation of the application  with a key amendment that the terrace of 3 units was proposed to be separated into two with units 2 and 3 adjoined and unit 4 as a standalone unit that would come forward when an occupier was found.  There was also reconfiguration of the internal road layout meaning that delivery vehicles would be required to reverse back in order to access Unit 4.

The key planning matters were outlined including:-

• Amendments to previous scheme
• Residential amenity
• Visual amenity
• Highway safety

Late representations, an additional condition and amendments to conditions  outlined in the update sheet circulated to the committee before the meeting were also outlined by the Senior Planning Officer during her presentation. 

The Technical Officer read out the public written representations that are attached to these minutes, in addition to the update sheet.

The Highways Officer commented that lorry access to unit 4 could be achieved either by reversing or using the turning head to the west of the units that remained unchanged as a result of the revised scheme.  The developer was willing to put in place the alterations in mitigation of the issues raised by the South Western Ambulance Service subject to the consent of the landowner.  This was a private matter and the applicant had stated in writing that they were willing to provide this mitigation subject to the landowner’s approval.

Members expressed concern regarding the noise from lorries reversing outside of the curfew given the proximity of residential properties and also the request from SWAST being met.

The Highways Officer reiterated that the applicant was willing to fund improvements to Souter Way subject to the consent of the landowner. 

The Senior Planning Officer confirmed that conditions would restrict the times that lorries could reverse to unit 4 and that a noise management plan would be in place for the units.

Members noted that 32 car charging points were included in the application and a request was made for these to be rapid charging points.  They were also informed that a condition for a landscaping scheme included additional planting along the boundary with the residential properties as well as an acoustic wooden fence.

Members considered this to be an important development for the town.

Proposed by Cllr Louie O’Leary, seconded by Cllr Kate Wheller.

The Committee was minded to delegate authority to the Head of Planning to grant the application subject to the conditions, including the new and amended  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

To inform Members of notified appeals and appeal decisions and to take them into account as a material consideration in the Planning Committee's future decisions.

The committee considered a report informing members of notified appeals and appeal decisions with a view to taking them into account as a material consideration in the Planning Committee’s future decisions.

Noted

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972

The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.

There was no exempt business.