Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Les Fry and James Vitali.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registerable or non-registerable interests 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 Jack Jeanes made a declaration to agenda item 6, it was agreed that he would not take part in the debate or vote, nor would he speak as the Local Member. He agreed to withdraw himself from the meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th December 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10^th December 2024 were confirmed and signed.

Members of the public wishing to speak to the Committee on a planning application should notify the Democratic Services Officer listed on the front of this agenda. This must be done no later than two clear working days before the meeting. Please refer to the Guide to Public Speaking at Planning Committee.  Guide to Public Speaking at Planning Committee

The deadline for notifying a request to speak is 8.30am on Friday 31^st January 2025.

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.

Erection of up to 50 dwellings with new cycle/pedestrian link to West Bourton Road and the provision of public open space (outline application to determine access only) (amended plan received). 

Prior to commencing their presentation, the Case Officer sought to correct an omission in the recommendation section of their committee report and clarified that the obligations to be included within the S106 agreement should also include 40% affordable housing.

With the aid of a visual presentation including plans and aerial photographs, the Case Officer identified the site and explained the proposal and relevant planning policies to members. The case officer explained that the site was an outline application, access only, for the erection of up to 50 dwellings with new cycle/pedestrian link to West Bourton Road and the provision of public open space, LEAP and associated infrastructure. She showed the submitted red line plan and the vehicle access onto the new road, the indicative layout of the area, photographs of the site as well as planning obligations, which encompassed 40% affordable housing and £2000 would go to the provision of a new village hall or the existing village hall. Green space would form part of a management plan, and the area would be landscaped and managed for the future.

Public Participation

Mr Chapman spoke in objection to the proposal as the site was located on farmland which had been fertilised and was used until October. He addressed the argument that Dorset had less than required housing supply and that the view that you should allow development to address the issue of future land supply was problematic. There were thousands of houses within a short distance of the village, located in Gillingham, Shaftesbury and Wincanton. There was no overrising need to build on this pasture and Bourton local plan did not support this application and the community was against the proposal and there was a lot of local opposition. He added that Bourton had already grown by 15% and was not shrinking but increasing and there was no driving rationale for this development. The village had seen schemes with affordable housing eroded and reduced in quality and it would not help the least well off by building houses in the countryside with less services and education. He stated that this was not the way to support local communities and would create more isolation and deprivation, with the development adding 50 more cars.  Sewage would increase by 10% with high levels of spills occurring already. There was no commitment to solar or heat pumps and 50 new Kerosine tanks and he requested that this application in this place, at this scale should be refused.

Ms Harris spoke in objection to the proposal as 50 houses was not needed as over 60 houses on 3 developments on the edge of the village in a short distance was being built. She informed that the proposed development would have a serious impact and damage the character and identity of the village. She raised concerns about a park being built at the end of the village which meant that people would have to drive there. The proposed site is on productive farmland with a variety of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

Erection of 6 No. dwellings, form new vehicular access and parking.

The application was deferred as the report did not reflect the affordable housing requirement in the neighbourhood plan.

Creation of school car park and associated access.

With the aid of a visual presentation including plans and aerial photographs, the Case Officer identified the site and explained the proposal and relevant planning policies to members. The application was for a new car park to serve Hazelbury Bryan Primary School. The village is quite spread out and not very well connected and there were difficult walking routes to school and most of the parents drop off their children by car. The site location and proposed layout was shown. There had been no objections from sports England. The school’s entrance was right on the road and there was no safe area to wait, and the nearby church parking was limited and used by the school at times. The new car park would go on land at the back and there would be some removal of trees and a hedge row. The hedge would be relocated back on the site and replanting. The school only currently has 6 spaces, and the proposal would increase parking for staff, and the parish council was supportive. There had been no objection from highway authority.

Public Participation

No public participation.

Members questions and comments

• Comments that it was a good application and to make sure the area was safeguarded for parents and children. 

Having had the opportunity to discuss the merits of the application and an understanding of all this entailed; having considered the officer’s report and presentation; the written representatives; and what they had heard at the meeting, a motion to APPROVE the officer’s recommendation to GRANT planning permission as recommended, was proposed by Cllr Taylor, and seconded by Cllr Jones.

Decision: To grant planning permission for the reasons set out in the officer’s report.

Erection of industrial building.

With the aid of a visual presentation including plans and aerial photographs, the Case Officer identified the site and explained the proposal and relevant planning policies to members. He showed site boundaries, site location and the proposed block plan and access. The application was for the Erection of industrial building, north Dorset business park.

Public Participation

No public participation.

Members questions and comments

• Queried the noise of planning tools and noise control
• The business park was welcome as need for more jobs.
• Maintaining the footpath adjacent to the development
• There were no solar panels on these roofs.
• Look to improve biodiversity and have bats and bird boxes on tall buildings.

Having had the opportunity to discuss the merits of the application and an understanding of all this entailed; having considered the officer’s report and presentation; the written representatives; and what they had heard at the meeting, a motion to APPROVE the officer’s recommendation to GRANT planning permission as recommended, was proposed by Cllr Jones, and seconded by Cllr Jeanes.

Decision: To grant planning permission for the reasons set out in the officer’s report.

Erect building for use as Learning Resource Centre. (with variation of conditions 2 & 3 of planning permission P/FUL/2022/02607 to amend plans & materials).

With the aid of a visual presentation including plans and aerial photographs, the Case Officer identified the site and explained the proposal and relevant planning policies to members. The application was to erect a building for use as a learning resource centre (with variation of conditions 2 and 3 of planning permission P/FUL/2022/02607 to amend plans and materials.

Public Participation

Catherine Cresswell Headteacher Cerne Abbas CE VC First School spoke in support of the application. She informed that the Cerne Abbas village was a remarkably 'together' community and equally remarkable was the close relationship that exists between our school and that community. The school was housed in a very old building, in fact, it is the oldest working school building in Dorset. The building was not listed and though attractive, it was designed for a very different and much earlier generation of school children so over time has had to undergo a number of adaptations. The teaching and staff areas were very cramped and finding sufficient space for the many needs of modern children was problematic. The funding formula for schools was heavily dependent on pupil numbers and even small changes can make the difference between budget balance and budget deficit. The school was in the fortunate position of being the only small school in the Salisbury Diocese with growing pupil numbers but as a result, there is currently a class of 29 children in a room that is far too small for them. The tables needed to be arranged in rows and the teacher was unable to reach all the children without moving furniture out of the way. The original plan, to relocate the school on the Simsay site, was abandoned some years ago by the Local Authority. However, they have recognised our increasingly desperate need for more space and is funding the proposed Learning Resource Centre.

The school wants to continue the success but can only do this if there are adequate facilities for the children and maintain the pupil numbers which, in turn, bring in sufficient resources to fund these facilities.

This is the second time that the plans for the Learning Resource Centre had been brought to the Planning Committee as the architects have been required to respond to various concerns about its environmental impact in an area of outstanding natural beauty. She accepted that any addition to the school buildings should be pleasing to the eye and not at odds with the local building style and earnestly believe that the updated proposals for the Learning Resource Centre have managed to fulfil this requirement whilst also delivering a building with a very specific function which will satisfy a desperate need.

She asked for help in enabling construction of the Learning Resource Centre for the School - this was the final window of opportunity to have the new teaching area expansion completed in time for it to be up and running for the new intake of pupils in September.

No Member questions and comments.

Having had the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

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 x 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 are no exempt items scheduled for this meeting.  

There was no exempt business.