To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 6 September 2022.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 6 September 2022 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bowes, Clarke and Crane.  Substitutes in attendance were Councillors Brame and Plummer.

The duties to register, disclose and not to participate for the entire consideration of the matter, in respect of any matter in which a Member has a disclosable pecuniary interest are set out in Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011.  Members are also required to withdraw from the meeting as stated in the Standing Orders of this Council.

None received.

The Chairman thanked Members for putting their names forward for future Panel meeting dates.  On another matter, the Chairman pointed out that he did not think that he would be in attendance at this meeting due to contracting Covid and the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Wilkinson had been on standby to cover this meeting.  Although not required, he thanked the Planning Team in particular Rebecca Collins, the Head of Development Management and Julie Britton, the Democratic Services Officer who had done a great deal of work in preparation for the Vice-Chairman to chair this meeting just in case. 

To consider any requests from Ward Members, officers or applicants to defer an application included in this agenda, so as to save any unnecessary waiting by members of the public attending for such applications.

Please note that the following application has been deferred please see page 35 of the agenda pack for further information.

The demolition of Units 1-6 (whole block Western boundary) and Units 7-13 (part of North Block), extensions to units 14 and 15 (large extension to North block), extension to unit 16 (small extension to South Block), external facia changes, refurbishment to Unit 17, and the reconfiguration of parking and creation of a new loading and unloading area.

This application had been deferred prior to the meeting due to further late letters of representation being received that needed to be considered.

To note whether the Chairman proposes to accept any item as urgent business, pursuant to Section 100(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Rebecca Collins, the Head of Development Management provided Members with an update on Nutrient Neutrality.

Following the work that had been undertaken by Royal Haskoning on behalf of all the Norfolk districts, it had recently been agreed that the Norfolk calculator developed by Royal Haskoning would be available for use from 30 September 2022. Additionally, the mapping that was associated with that calculator and the catchment areas would also be available.

The Planning Team would be providing links to both the calculator and the mapping as well as some wording for the website which was currently being worked on and it was hoped that this would all be ready on the website at the end of this week.

It was noted that Breckland Council would be offering both the Natural England calculator and the Norfolk calculator for developers to use, and it would be up to them to decide which calculator they wanted to use.

The Team was currently waiting for a formal written response from Natural England in respect of the Norfolk calculator but to date they had been supportive of the Council’s approach taken and the methodology behind it.

It was further noted that Royal Haskoning would be looking at appropriate mitigation sites going forward, and Members would be kept informed of progress.

Councillor Atterwill asked why two calculators were being offered.

The Head of Development Management explained that as Officers it was felt that it was more important for the developers to decide which of the calculators they chose to use for the development of a site as ultimately developers would have to defend their own decisions.  As it stood at the moment, written sign off had not been received from Natural England for the Norfolk calculator and also it was very likely that the Natural England calculator would require more mitigation and the Planning Team would be supportive of that if the developers chose to use that one.

To receive an update. 

The Head of Development Management provided Members with an update on the Local Plan.

Following the decision made by Cabinet on 26 September 2022, a fresh round of consultations would take place in relation to the single policy update.  This began on the 30 September and would conclude on the 11 November.  It would then return to Cabinet for submission to the Planning Inspectorate before the end of November 2022.

The call for sites responses had been uploaded and they were available to view on the Commonplace website, the Council’s Local Plan platform of which Members had already received details.

Any questions would be directed to the Director of Planning & Building Control accordingly.

Councillor Atterwill pointed out that he had not received responses to his previous questions.

The Chairman asked Councillor Atterwill to remain after the meeting to discuss such matters with the Head of Development Management.

Report by Chris Hobson, Principal Development Management Planner.

Public Footpath Diversion Order Town & Country Planning Act 1990, Section 257 – Footpath no. 45 Swaffham (part).

Consideration was given to the report presented by Chris Hobson, Principal Development Management Planner.

Members considered the matter and fully explored the details of the application in light of prevailing policies and guidance.

Representations were made in respect of the application in accordance with the Council’s scheme of public speaking at Planning Committee meetings:

Applicant’s representative:                 Beth Boucher (BDW (Cambridgeshire)

Rights of Way Executive:                    Marcia Grice (Birketts LLP)

DECISION: Members voted unanimously for approval to divert the footpath FP45 (part) as the requirements of Section 257 of the Town and Country Planning Act had been met.

To consider applications deferred at previous meetings including some, but not all, of those shown on the attached Schedule of Deferred Applications.

The Schedule of Deferred applications were noted.

To consider the Schedule of Planning Applications:

Full Planning Application surface water drainage provision and off-site highways works on land at Weasenham Road, Litcham - pursuant to planning consents: 3PL/2018/0694/O and 3PL/2018/0698/O.

Full Planning Application surface water drainage provision and off-site highways works on land at Weasenham Road, Litcham - pursuant to planning consents: 3PL/2018/0694/O and 3PL/2018/0698/O.

Consideration was given to the report presented by Gemma Manthorpe, Principal Development Management Planner.

Members considered the matter and fully explored the details of the application in light of prevailing policies and guidance.

No representations were made in respect of the application in accordance with the Council’s scheme of public speaking at Planning Committee meetings.

DECISION: Members voted unanimously for approval in support of the Officer’s recommendation; subject to:

1.     the conditions as listed in the report;

2.     delegated authority be given to Officers to determine the impact with regard to nutrient neutrality; and

3.     as this application is linked to two separate undetermined Reserved Matters application, and a discharge of condition application, delegated authority be given to Officers to add conditions as appropriate should they be required to link the developments.

Report of the Executive Director of Place.

Members are requested to raise any questions at least two working days before the meeting to allow information to be provided to the Committee.

Noted.

Noted.