Minutes of a meeting of the Planning and Licensing Committee held 24th October 2022

PL22/069 PRESENT

Councillors McCulloch, Dalzell, Houghton, Lowe and Morris.

A Keppel-Green (Town Clerk)

 

PL22/070 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Cllrs Gray, Robertson (personal business) and Nicholson (health).

 

PL22/071 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS

Cllr Dalzell declared a personal interest in application 22/3945T as the next door neighbour of the property.

Cllr Lowe declared in interests of openness and transparency that he had spoken with a number of residents and representatives of the North Knutsford Community Group concerning application 18/3672M.

Cllr Houghton declared a personal interest in 20/4048M on the ground of being known to a neighbour and 18/3672M on the grounds of being known to the applicant.

Cllr McCulloch declared a personal interest in 18/3672M on the grounds of being know to the applicant.

 

 

PL22/072 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

A resident spoke in opposition to 18/3672M, stating they were concerned the committee appeared to focus on Neighbourhood Plan policies and that they did not believe it was the intention of the Local Plan that all development take place at the same time, questioning if the town’s infrastructure could cope with the quantum of development coming forward.

A representative of the North Knutsford Community Group outlined their objections to 18/3672M, stating their concern that there had been little advance consultation. The representative expressed concern that the town’s infrastructure could not cope with the development, that the houses would not be affordable and that the development would be detrimental to the environment.

A representative of the Combined Community Groups spoke in relation to 18/3672M outlining their objections on the grounds of overdevelopment of the site resultant from the paddock area being removed from the red line boundary and the allocated small areas of public open space being ponds; that the 250 unit cap should be inclusive of any residential care home and that there should be no non-residential uses other than a small convenience shop. The representative further objected to the proposal to site the sports pitch outside the development boundary and in the green belt.

 

PL22/073 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th September 2022.

 

PL22/074 PLANNING APPLICATIONS

It was RESOLVED to submit the comments detailed below.

 

PL22/075 Tree APPLICATIONS

It was RESOLVED to submit the comments detailed below.

 

PL22/076 PLANNING DECISIONS

The latest decisions were noted.

 

PL22/077 DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING DOCUMENT

It was RESOLVED to submit the following comment:

Knutsford Town Council supports the production of the SPD to provide clarity in planning contributions. Cheshire East Council has previously stated its commitment to working with Town and Parish Councils and the Town Council requests reference to this is included within the document to state that where appropriate Cheshire East Council will consult with the town/parish council for the area in advance of the relevant planning committee meeting such that the s106 proposals put to the committee have had local input to ensure they meet local need.

In addition, the Town Council requests that the SPD requires Cheshire East Highways to consult with Town and Parish Councils in advance of submitting a scheme for funding through s106 to ensure communities can input early in the process of designing strategic network upgrades in their areas.

 

PL22/078 PLANNING ENFORCEMENT LOG

It was noted that the log appeared to list items as resolved which did not appear to be and the Town Clerk undertook to ensure the accuracy of the log be assured at its next presentation.

 

PL22/079 OUTSTANDING MATTERS LOG

The log was noted.

 

PL22/080 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on Monday 14^th November 2022.at 6pm.

 

PLANNING APPLICATION COMMENTS

Application Ref	Address	Application Detail	Town Council Comment
22/3736M	4 Queen Street	Non-material amendment to approved application 21/2856M – Erection of a single storey porch/conservatory extension to rear/side.	The council raises no objections.
22/3831M	29 Sharston Crescent	Proposed front porch and extended frontage	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
18/3672M	Tatton Bluebell Village, Land East of Manchester Road	Outline application (with all matters reserved for future approval) for a residential-led (Use Class C3) development, including a local centre comprising of retail, residential and community uses (Use Classes A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, D1 and C3 uses); a mixed residential use area to allow for residential dwellings (C3 Use Class), a Hotel (C1 Use Class), and/or a Residential Care Home (C2 Use Class); alongside any associated recreational space, car parking, cycle parking, landscaping, and other works for all proposed uses	The Town Clerk will draft an OBJECTION based on the following principles:   a)       Overdevelopment of site – requiring a limit of 250 residential units inclusive of any care home and only one convenience retail unit. b)      Detrimental impact on the town’s infrastructure, requiring increase s106 contributions in mitigation c)       Insufficient provision of public open space within the development, requiring the sports pitch to be provided within the development and an increase in usable public open space.
22/3921M	St Vincent De Paul Catholic Primary School, Manor Park South,	Looped Running/Walking Track	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
22/4008M	White House Farm cottage, Bexton Lane	Demolition of existing dwelling and construction of replacement detached dwelling, including works to landscape and boundary treatments.	The council raises no objections, subject to neighbour comments.
22/4048M	18 Pevensey Drive	A ground & first floor extension to the rear and side of the original dwelling. Including internal rationalisation. A proposed front porch extension and part garage conversion	The council OBJECTS on the grounds that the proposals to convert the garage result in insufficient provision for off-road parking, contrary to the requirements of Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan Policy T4, in an area where parking on the highway is at a premium.
22/4050M	Shady Hollow, Toft Road	2-story extension to side and rear in addition to lower ground floor extension to the rear.	The council OBJECTS on the grounds that the proposal constitutes overdevelopment of the site and by virtue of the excessive bulk is incongruous to the Legh Road Conservation Area.   The proposal fails to comply with Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan Policy HE4 by virtue of the development not respecting its context in terms of the scale and massing of the proposals, not respecting the existing bulk and form of the original building and resulting in the loss of trees within the Conservation Area.   Furthermore, the council understands the building’s waste water disposal is to the public sewers on Croft Lane which are currently at capacity and unlikely to cope with the significant increase in drainage required for the proposals. The council therefore the application needs to demonstrate a strategy for ensuring the drainage of sewage and surface water drainage in accordance with Policy C4 of the Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan.

 

TREE WORKS APPLICATION COMMENTS

 

Application Ref	Address	Application Detail	Town Council Comment
22/3746T	Bankside House, Moorside	Section 211 notice: 4-5 Trees, 1 Willow tree and 4 Ash Trees needing removing as part of council planning to add in additional drainage so flooding on The Moor Knutsford is maintained as much as possible. Drain works have previously been conducted however flooding in continuing meaning the drainage needs to head further back and deeper, meaning trees will need to be removed.	The council raises no objections.
22/3887T	72 Glebelands Road.	Works to Protected Trees: T1 Sycamore, Crown clean and deadwood due tree being over footpath, Crown thin tree by 20% to reduce shading of property.	The council raises no objections subject to the arboricultural officer being satisfied that the proposed works are proportionate and required.
22/3954T	Humbug Cottage, 4 Leycester Road	Section 211 notice: T1 – Sycamore – remove 3 stems growing from the base of the tree leaving the main stem, 1m full reduction of canopy, crown lift branches overhanging public footpath	The council raises no objections.