Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Aziz; Lane; Lynch and Meredith.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1^st Octiober 2013 were AGREED and signed by the Chair.

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The Head of Planning submitted a List of Current Appeals and Inquiries and elaborated thereon.

The Development Management Team Leader explained the issues around the allowed appeals. Application N/2012/1267 had since been allowed. In this case the Planning Inspectorate had rejected the Authority’s view regarding the size of the rooms. In application N/2013/0131 the Planning Inspectorate had rejected the Authority’s view regarding the effect on local business, but had not awarded costs. In application N/2013/0181 consent had been granted, but again no costs had been awarded against the Authority. The full details of the appeal decisions are available via the Council website.

Report of the Head of Planning (copy herewith)

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report of the Head of Planning as set out in the agenda. It was highlighted that the £370,000 contribution to affordable housing would still be made by the developer.

RESOLVED:            That the Committee agree the variation to the S106 agreement as set out in the report.

Report of the Head of Planning (copy herewith)

The Development Management Team Leader presented the report of the Head of Planning as set out in the agenda. Since publication further legal advice had been received and this was outlined in the circulated addendum. The Committee was now asked to note the report and allow the Head of Planning to use her delegated powers to confirm the changes to the Statement of Community Involvement.  

RESOLVED:  The Committee agree to note the report and the intention of the Head of Planning to confirm the changes to the Statement of Community Involvement under her delegated authority.

Report of the Head of Planning (copy herewith)

The Development Management Team Leader reported that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda.

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Report of the Head of Planning (copy herewith)

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda.

The circulated addendum explained that Environmental Health had no objections in principle to the proposals, but had requested conditions in regard to cooking odours and noise.

A condition dealing with cooking odours had already been proposed, but as a result of Environmental Health’s response the following additional conditions were recommended:

(7) Before the development hereby permitted commences a scheme shall be agreed with the Local Planning Authority that specifies the internal and external sources of noise on the site and the provisions to be made for their control. The schemes shall be implemented prior to the development coming into use and the applicant shall demonstrate that the schemes agreed have achieved their design criteria.

(8) The practice of “bottling out” shall not take place between the hours of 23:00 and 08:00 (Note: Bottling out is the tipping of empty bottles or cans into refuse bins).

(9) Deliveries to or collection form the premises shall not take place before 08:00 or after 20:00 on any day.

Reason for all additional conditions: To protect the amenities of nearby occupants in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework.

Councillor Glynane addressed the Committee as the local ward member for Delapre and Briar Hill. He was very happy to support the applications before the Committee and thanked all the Officers for their work in reaching this stage. Councillor Glynane particularly welcomed the plans to reinstate the conservatory as part of the works. He suggested that additional uses be considered, including a potential Wars of the Roses centre.

In response the Principal Planning Officer confirmed that Condition 3 of the application would ensure appropriate windows be fitted to the property, including the conservatory.

Councillors Caswell and Palethorpe both welcomed the applications and believed the Abbey would become a high quality venue and attraction for the town.

RESOLVED: That the planning application be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the report and requested by Environmental Health. The listed building consent application be approved in principle, subject to the prior referral to the Secretary of State and the conditions as set out in the report.

Report of the Head of Planning (copy herewith)

The Planning Officer presented the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda. The circulated addendum explained that further information had been received from the Highways Authority, with additional details of the S106 obligations around the any potential traffic impact.

The Chair invited Mrs Andrea Leonard to address the Committee. Mrs Leonard explained that she was a local resident, who lived directly opposite the site. She believed there would be additional traffic generated on an already busy arterial road. Traffic was often gridlocked and the development would only add to the situation. She also added the area was already well served by shopping facilities, including four supermarkets within a mile of the site. There would also be the loss of parking spaces currently used by residents.

The Chair invited Mr Tim Cobley to address the Committee. Mr Cobley explained he was the manager of Waitrose, Kingsthorpe. He believed Waitrose acted as the anchor to a successful retail centre and potential impact on the local businesses based at the centre had been ignored. The potential for development at the Barrack Road Sorting Office (N/2011/0998) site still existed and the concerns highlighted at 7.9 of the report should be given due consideration. Mr Cobley believed that the approving the new store would be contrary to advice contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).  

The Chair invited Mr Bawtree to address the Committee. Mr Bawtree advised the Committee he was here to represent applicant and developer of the site. He reminded members that they had received independent advice, set out at 7.7, regarding the Barrack Road site. This proposal was 53% smaller than that at Barrack Road, which the report takes into account. The proposal would have considerably less impact than other proposals and would meet the market needs, with the potential operators not one of those already operating in the area. The developer would spend £150,000 as part of the S106 agreement on road improvements and supported the proposal within the addendum to link the traffic signals in the area.

In response to the issues raised the Planning Officer made further comment. The congestion issues are addressed in the report; the re-sited bus stop would result in the reduction of on street car parking by a stretch of approximately 20m, which is unlikely to be significant; as the Barrack Road development is unlikely to proceed, the impact to other retail developments and centres would be no greater than previously allowed for.

Members of the Committee discussed the application. Members expressed sympathy with the residents regarding the traffic in the area. In light of the S106 alleviating this issue and other issues being addressed within the report members did not believe there were any grounds to refuse the application.

RESOLVED: That the application be approved in principle, subject to the prior completion of a Section 106 agreement and the conditions set out in the report.

Report of the Head of Planning (copy herewith)

The Development Management Team Leader presented the report of the Head of Planning. The Town Centre Conservation Advisory Committee had commented regarding the change to the front elevation window being timber framed and an additional condition drawn up to read:

(5) Notwithstanding the submitted details, full details of the proposed replacement windows shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to installation.  Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

Reason:  In the interests of visual amenity and to safeguard the character of the conservation area in accordance with NPPF.

The Chair invited Mr Rod Kilsby, agent for the applicant, to address the Committee. Mr Kilsby explained that the property had been empty for 2½ years and the proposed change of use was in accordance with NPPF and the Northampton Central Area Action Plan (NCAAP) and would comply with Private Sector Housing requirements as set out at 6.4 of the report.

Following questions from the Committee the Development Management Team Leader confirmed that the room sizes met the Private Sector Housing requirements and other issues such as headroom in bathrooms would be managed by Building Regulations.

RESOLVED: That the application be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the report and addendum circulated.

Report of the Head of Planning (copy herewith)

The Development Management Team Leader presented the report of the Head of Planning.

The Chair invited Mr David Croissant, the applicant, to address the Committee. Mr Croissant explained that this was a previously a three bedroom residential property and would only house three tenants. He took his responsibilities to tenants and neighbours seriously and believed he had taken a previously uninhabitable property and put it back to good use. None of the current occupiers had vehicles and as a student let it was not normal for his tenants to own a vehicle. The property had bicycle storage and recycling facilities available.

The members discussed the application.

RESOLVED: That the application be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

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