To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2023.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2023 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bowes and Martin.  Councillor Taylor was in attendance as substitute.

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.

Councillor Duigan declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Agenda item 9(a) as he had received direct representation from one of his Constituents in his Ward.

The Chairman thanked those Members for attending the recent site visits held on Monday, 13 February 2023, it had been well attended and very informative.

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.

None.

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.

None.

To receive an update. 

Simon Wood, the Director of Planning & Building Control provided Members with the following update on the Local Plan.

The Housing & Economic Needs Assessment was out for tender.  This was a piece of work that would help the Council to understand the housing requirements in the district, particularly in relation to specialist groups such as affordable housing, extra care units etc.  This piece of work in terms of the Tender was expected to be completed in March 2023, then the work itself would take place over the next 2 or 3 months and then the findings from this work would be presented to Members through an all-Member Briefing in due course.

Members were reminded that the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consultation was still on-going, and the closing date was 2 March 2023. Members were encouraged to either email any comments they had to the Planning Policy inbox or to make their own representations on the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) website by 17 February 2023.   If further clarification was required, Members were asked to contact him or Andy D’Arcy, the Planning Policy Manager.

Councillor Atterwill believed that the Planning Team was looking to recruit a Community Liaison Officer to assist with the Local Plan and asked if this person was already in post and what this person’s role would entail.

The Director of Planning & Building Control advised that this person would support the Planning Policy Team with community engagement.  This had been out to Tender and five responses had been received and it was hoped that the successful applicant would be appointed soon. Once appointed their first piece of work would be in relation to the Issues & Options consultation, to support the Team in identifying smaller groups within the community and look at different ways of engagement, as well as making sure that all engagement was easily understood.  This person would also take the lead on some of the work that the Planning Policy Team would be taking to the wider community groups. 

Councillor Kiddle-Morris had seen some recent news in the local press about a number of wetland projects that had been identified in the Breckland area to alleviate nutrients and asked for an update.    

Members were informed that Natural England were undergoing a process that involved them in identifying sites within Norfolk that would, on the face of it, be suitable to provide mitigation for Nutrient Neutrality and were now in the process of going out to the market to have consultants carrying out feasibility work on these sites.  Three of these sites were in Breckland, one of which was on Council land in Scarning.  The Council owned land was not suitable by itself for wetland development as t was too small, but it could provide other quick wins such as riparian zones that could also deal with nutrient neutrality as well.

This was all at a relatively early stage, but wetlands were a solution that would take some time to come forward.The way that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18/23

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

Erection of a new agricultural building.

This application was deferred at the Planning Committee meeting on 13 December 2022 for a site visit.

Erection of a new agricultural building.

This application had been deferred at the Planning Committee meeting on 13 December 2022 for a site visit.  The guidance that the Solicitor to the Council had previously given Committee in respect of voting when a site visit had taken place was acknowledged and clarified where required.

This application was considered in conjunction with Agenda item 8(b).

Consideration was given to the report presented by Matthew Blackie, Senior 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 Agent(s):                           Jasmine Ayton & Oliver Jones (Plandescil Ltd)

New Buckenham Parish Council:        Andrew Bingham (Vice-Chairman) (spoke against the application)

DECISION: Members voted 7 x 0 + 1 abstention against the Officer’s recommendation of refusal.

REASON(S): Members felt that the proposed building would not have a detrimental impact on the character of the surrounding area and that it would not intrude into the open countryside, as was concluded in the Officer report.  Accordingly, they did not feel that the proposed building would fail to preserve or enhance the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside.  In reaching their planning judgments on this application they took into account that within certain parameters, a building could be erected with permitted development rights if the site remained agricultural land.

DECISION: Approved, subject to delegated authority being given to Officers to impose suitable conditions.

Change of use of land from agriculture land to mixed use of agriculture and leisure & domestic use (retrospective). Erection of fencing, entrance gate, bell tent, outdoor kitchen, chicken feed store, beehives, chicken feed store, chicken coop & earth bund and alterations to existing pond (retrospective).

This application was deferred at the Planning Committee meeting on 13 December 2022 for a site visit.

Change of use of land from agriculture land to mixed use of agriculture and leisure & domestic use (retrospective). Erection of fencing, entrance gate, bell tent, outdoor kitchen, chicken feed store, beehives, chicken feed store, chicken coop & earth bund and alterations to existing pond (retrospective).

This application had been deferred at the Planning Committee meeting on 13 December 2022 for a site visit. The guidance that the Solicitor to the Council had previously given Committee in respect of voting when a site visit had taken place was acknowledged and clarified where required.

This application was considered in conjunction with Agenda item 8(a).

Consideration was given to the report presented by Matthew Blackie, Senior 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 Agent(s):                           Jasmine Ayton & Oliver Jones (Plandescil Ltd)

New Buckenham Parish Council:        Andrew Bingham (Vice-Chairman) (spoke against the application)

DECISION: Members voted 7 x 0 + 1 abstention against the Officer’s recommendation of refusal.

REASON(S): Members felt that the change of use was considered acceptable as overall, it neither detrimentally impacted the appearance of the area, nor did it fail to preserve or enhance the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside. Furthermore, Members did not consider that the proposed change of use would give rise to an unacceptable opportunity for activities not appropriate to its location in the open countryside and that it could result in detrimental impact on the amenities of residents along Cuffer Lane and the wider area including New Buckenham.

DECISION: Approved, subject to delegated authority being given to Officers to impose suitable conditions; including:

1.    hedging being planted along the road to soften the look of the fence;

2.    no other structures to be erected without the prior written approval of the Local Planning Authority; and subject to:

3.    the matter of ecology to be resolved with no objection and the receipt of a suitable Unilateral Undertaking or alternative package of mitigation measures in relation to GIRAMS.

To consider the Schedule of Planning Applications:

Erection of fence (retrospective).

Erection of fence (retrospective).

Consideration was given to the report presented by Lucy Gaffer, Graduate Development Management Planner.

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

Councillor Duigan declared a personal and prejudicial interest as he had received direct representation from one of his constituents in his Ward.

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

Applicant’s Agent(s):                            Jonathan Burton (Jonathan W Burton Architectural Design)

Supporter:                                             Debbie Hook

DECISION: Members voted 5 x 4 against the Officer’s recommendation of refusal.

REASON(S): Members felt that the height and design would have no detrimental impact on the character or appearance of the street scene.

DECISION: Approved.

Construction and operation of a solar photovoltaic farm with battery storage and associated infrastructure, including inverters, substations, security cameras, fencing, access tracks and landscaping.

Construction and operation of a solar photovoltaic farm with battery storage and associated infrastructure, including inverters, substations, security cameras, fencing, access tracks and landscaping.

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.

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

Applicant:                                            Matt Lomax (on behalf of the applicant)

Great Dunham Parish Council:          Brenda Upton (spoke against the application)

Little Dunham Parish Council:           Simon Fowler (Chairman of the Parish Council, spoke in support of the application)

Supporter:                                           Craig Rogers

Objectors:                                           John Butterfield, Chris Ridout & Danielle Duffie

Eastern Daily Press:                          Charles Mylchreest (questions only)

Applicant’s Agent:                              Rob Booth (questions only)

DECISION: Members voted 9 x 1 for approval in support of the Officer’s recommendation; subject to:

1.    no objections being received from the outstanding consultees, Highways and Drainage consultant;

2.    delegated authority be given to Planning Officers to add any conditions at the consultees request;

3.    the conditions as listed in the report;

4.    condition 22 (Decommissioning) being updated to include a scheme for the recycling/re-use of panels and other equipment where possible; and

5.    condition 8 (Management and Maintenance) being updated to include fencing.

Proposed extension to the eastern end of the existing Necton 400kV substation (installation of a new bus coupler (Bus Coupler 3)). The need for the proposed substation extension is to ensure the network remains secure, resilient and reliable with the increase in generation in the wider region, ensuring compliance with the Security and Quality of Supply Standard.

Proposed extension to the eastern end of the existing Necton 400kV substation (installation of a new bus coupler (Bus Coupler 3)). The need for the proposed substation extension is to ensure the network remains secure, resilient and reliable with the increase in generation in the wider region, ensuring compliance with the Security and Quality of Supply Standard.

Consideration was given to the report presented by Simon Wood, Director of Planning & Building Control.

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.

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

1.    delegated authority being given to Officers to issue the decision notice once the S106 Legal Agreement has been finalised; and

2.    the conditions as listed in the report.

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.