Agenda and minutes

a)    Webcasting;

b)    Introductions of Members and Officers;

c)    Other announcements.

The Chair announced the following:

a)    The meeting was being broadcast live to the internet via the usual webcasting facility and was capable of repeated viewing. The images and sound recording could be used for training purposes within the Council. The Chair had the discretion to terminate or suspend filming if it was his opinion that continuing to do so would prejudice the proceedings of the meeting. Members of the public were not permitted to enter the Chamber or speak to members of the committee unless invited.

b)    Any views expressed by any speaker in the meeting were the speaker’s own and did not necessarily reflect the views of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.

c)    Members of the Committee and Officers present were introduced by the Chair.

d)    Members had made site visits during the morning of the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2024, be approved as a correct record.

The Head of Development Services advised members of the new NPPF which was published earlier in the day and came into immediate effect. He suggested to members that delegated authority should be granted to himself and the Chairman as part of any resolution made during the meeting to consider whether there were any material changes in policy as a result of the new NPPF which would impact a decision. If not, the decision should be issued and if there were these items should  be returned to the committee at a later date.

RESOLVED:

That the comments be noted.

i. Disclosable Pecuniary Interests;

ii. Other Interests;

iii. Lobbying Interests.

RESOLVED:

That the Late Representations report be noted.

Erection of a Flexible Energy Facility, associated works, landscaping and habitat creation.

(Report recommended delegated authority be granted to the Head of Development Services in consultation with the Chairman to APPROVE, subject to conditions and confirmation of no outstanding objections from Environmental health).

(Having declared an interest Councillor Pointon withdrew from the meeting during the consideration of and voting on the application)

Received representation from the undermentioned speakers:

Against the application:

Caroline Lovatt – Local resident

Rev. Caryl Siegertsz – Local resident

Georgina Smith – Local business owner

For the application:

Jack Stentiford – Agent

Adam Varley – Local resident (statement was read out by the legal advisor)

Cllr Worthington – Ward Councillor

Members discussed the difficulties of the application given that it is located in the green belt, they also discussed the following;

·       climate change,

·       noise conditions,

·       the discharge capacity of the site,

·       cumulative effects of multiple sites,

·       the EHO report,

·       mental health and wellbeing,

·       the formulation of a future renewable energy mapping policy,

·       tourist impact, 

·       the relocation of footpaths.

Officers advised members that conditions would be applied to a scheme concerning site restoration and that no additional over ground infrastructure would be required to support this application. They further advised that whilst Staffordshire Wildlife Trust had not lifted their objections, Officers were satisfied that mitigation could be resolved with conditions.

RESOLVED:

1.     That the Late Representations report be noted;

2.     That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Development Services in consultation with the Chairman to APPROVE, subject to conditions, confirmation of no outstanding objections from Environmental health and no material changes in policy arising from the new NPPF.

(Proposed by Councillor Johnson and seconded by Councillor Hoptroff)

Application for full planning permission for the erection of 87 dwellings and associated works. The report bought to the committee was an addendum report and should be read in conjunction with the previous report to committee (published 10th October 2024) and late letters update (16th October 2024). The application was deferred at the October committee meeting in order to resolve the Lead Local Flood Authority’s (LLFA) holding objection and to ensure that Severn Trent Water provided comment on the application. The committee also had questions relating to the distribution of open space and education contributions, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and boundary treatment which are all addressed within this report.

(Report recommended approval subject to the prior completion of a Section 106 agreement and conditions)

(Councillor Plant was no longer present at the meeting)

Against the application:

Cllr Colin Pearce – Representing Checkley Parish Council

Tracy Smith – Local resident (Statement read out by the Legal Advisor)

For the application:

Gareth Small – Drainage Engineer

Caroline Payne - Agent

Members discussed the new S106 agreement against the previous one, looking at the quantity of open space, levels onsite, maintenance of fencing, educational contribution, flooding, the legal responsibility of Severn Trent and the calculations of the S106 contribution.

The legal advisor made members aware that should they grant approval the S106 could be amended as the application progressed.

RESOLVED:

1.     That the Late Representation report be noted;

2.     That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Development Services in consultation with the Chair of the committee to APPROVE the application  subject to the prior completion of a Section 106 legal agreement and conditions and no material changes arising as a result of the new NPPF;

3.     That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Development Services and Chair of the Committee to agree the Section 106 package;

4.     That in the event of any changes being needed to the wording of the Committee’s decision (such as to delete, vary or add conditions / informatives / planning obligations or reasons for approval / refusal) prior to the decision being issued, the Head of Development Services be delegated authority to do so in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, provided thar the changes do not exceed the substantive nature of the Committee’s decision.

(Proposed by Councillor Hoptroff and seconded by Councillor Roberts)

Outline application for erection of a self-build single dwelling including details of means of access.

(Report recommends refusal)

Received representation from the undermentioned speakers:

For the application:

Jim Malkin - Agent

Mark Bullock – Applicant

RESOLVED:

1.     That the Late Representations report be noted;

2.     That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Development Services in consultation with the Chairman to REFUSE the application for the reasons and based on the policies contained within the report subject to no material changes arising from the new NPPF;

3.     That in the event of any changes being needed to the wording of the Committee’s decision (such as to delete, vary or add conditions / informatives / planning obligations or reasons for approval / refusal) prior to the decision being issued, the Head of Development Services be delegated authority to do so in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, provided thar the changes do not exceed the substantive nature of the Committee’s decision.

(Proposed by Councillor Roberts and seconded by Councillor Hoptroff)

Application is for a proposed carport.

(Report recommended refusal)

Received representations from the undermentioned speakers:

For the application:

Andrew Dukesell – Agent

David Underwood – Applicant

Members discussed previous planning applications, the views and the height of the proposal.

RESOLVED:

1.     That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Development Services in consultation with the Chairman to REFUSE the application for the reasons and based on the policies contained within the report subject to no material changes arising from the new NPPF;

2.     In the event of any changes being needed to the wording of the Committee’s decision (such as to delete, vary or add conditions/in formatives/planning obligations or reasons for approval/refusal) prior to the decision being issued, the Head of Development Services has delegated authority to do so in consultation with the Chairman of the Planning Applications Committee, provided that the changes do not exceed the substantive nature of the Committee’s Decision.

(Proposed by Councillor Roberts and seconded by Councillor Swindlehurst)

(A proposal to approve the application had been moved by Councillor Wilkinson and seconded by Councillor Pointon but was lost)

The Chair to move:-

 “That pursuant to Section 100A (2) and (4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or nature of the proceedings whereby it is likely that exempt information as defined in Section 100A (3) of the Act would be disclosed to the public in breach of the obligation of confidence or exempt information as defined in Section 100I (1) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act would be disclosed to the public by virtue of the paragraphs indicated.”

The Chair moved:

That pursuant to Section 100A (2) and (4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or nature of the proceedings whereby it is likely that exempt information as defined in Section 100A (3) of the Act would be disclosed to the public in breach of the obligation of confidence or exempt information as defined in Section 100I (1) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act would be disclosed to the public by virtue of the paragraphs indicated.

Members received information regarding key enforcement cases and performance between January 2024 and November 2024.

Consideration was given to a report on the performance of planning appeals.

RESOLVED:

That the exempt minutes from the meeting held on 12 November 2024 be approved as a correct record.