Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Lane and Councillor Kilbride.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 December 2016 were agreed and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED:That under the following items, the members of the public and Ward Councillors listed below were granted leave to address the Committee:

N/2016/1448

Jane Brown

Cllr Mohammed Azizur Rahman (Aziz)

Councillor M Markham declared a personal and disclosable pecuniary interest in Items 10d and 10e as a Director of Northampton Partnership Homes.

There were none.

The Development Manager submitted a List of Current Appeals and Inquiries and elaborated thereon. The application at 99 Weedon Road had been dismissed, the Inspector had agreed with the Council’s decision.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

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(ADDENDUM ATTACHED)

(Copy Herewith)

The Development Management Team Leader submitted a report on behalf of the Head of Planning and elaborated thereon. The Committee were informed that the application sought to add a first floor extension above the existing attached garage which had been amended to reduce the rear projection by 0.8m to 2.2m, a single storey extension with a rear projection of 3 metres and a single storey front porch extension. Furthermore, the Committee were referred to an additional comment made by Michael Ellis MP, which was contained in the Addendum.

Ms Jane Brown, the resident of 51 Acre Lane, addressed the Committee and spoke against the application. She cited concerns about the potential loss of light in her garden and rooms to the rear of her property.

Councillor Aziz, as the Ward Councillor, spoke against the application and echoed the concerns of Ms Brown. He stated that there were no objections to the extension being in line with neighbouring properties, however this application would, in his view, protrude too far out to the rear. He asked the Committee to take into account the views of Ms Brown when deciding the outcome of the application.

Members of the Committee welcomed the comments and agreed that while they were sympathetic to Ms Brown’s situation, the applicant had already made reasonable adjustments in response to her objections. 

RESOLVED:

That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions as set out in the report and for the following reason:

The proposed development would due to its sitting, scale and design not have an undue detrimental impact on the appearance and character of the host building, wider area and amenity of adjoining occupiers to comply with Policies E20 and H18 of the Northampton Local Plan, S10 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Care Strategy, the Council’s Supplementary Planning Document on Residential Extensions and aims of the National Planning Policy Framework.

(Copy Herewith)

The Development Management Team Leader submitted a report on behalf of the Head of Planning and elaborated thereon. The Committee heard that the application sought to change the use of the property from a dwelling to a house in multiple occupation (HIMO). The Committee were informed that no structural changes needed to be made and there had been no objections -from Northamptonshire County Council Highways Authority. In addition the Development Management Team Leader commented that this property only increased the concentration of HIMO’s to 4.4% in a 50 metre radius, which was under the 15% guideline.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED:

That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions as set out in the report and for the following reason:

The proposed development for a change of use from a dwelling to a house in multiple occupation (HIMO) would not lead to an unacceptable concentration of HIMOs within the locality nor would the development have significant adverse impacts on neighbouring amenity or parking provision. The property is of sufficient size to accommodate the level of accommodation as proposed, in accordance with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework, Policies H1, H5 and S10 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy, saved Policies E20 and H30 of the Northampton Local Plan and the Houses in Multiple Occupation Interim Planning Policy Statement.

(Copy Herewith)

The Development Manager submitted a report on behalf of the Head of Planning and elaborated thereon. The Committee heard that the application sought to erect a marquee to accommodate fans’ facilities. 6 parking spaces would be affected and there were no concerns raised by Northamptonshire County Council Highways Authority.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED:

That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions as set out in the report and for the following reason:

The proposed development, subject to conditions, would have a neutral impact upon the character and appearance of the locality, neighbour amenity and the highway system. The proposal is therefore in conformity with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework, Policy S10 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy and Policy E20 of the Northampton Local Plan.

6.46pm. At this point Councillor M Markham left the room, having declared a personal and disclosable pecuniary interest in items 10d and 10e of the agenda.

(Copy Herewith)

The Development Manager submitted a report on behalf of the Head of Planning and elaborated thereon. The Committee heard that the only point to be considered was the means, not the principle of demolition.

In response to questions asked, the Committee heard that should the garages form part of the rear wall to neighbouring gardens, they would be repaired, maintaining the garden space for affected properties.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED:

Agreed that the Authority’s PRIOR APPROVAL WILL NOT BE REQUIRED for the method of demolition and proposed restoration of the site for the following reason:

That the means of demolition and the proposed restoration of the site are considered to be acceptable and would be consistent with the aims and objectives of policies of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy and National Planning Policy Framework.

(Copy Herewith)

The Development Manager submitted a report on behalf of the Head of Planning and elaborated thereon. The Committee heard that the two garages to be knocked down would make available more parking spaces.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED:

Agreed that the Authority’s PRIOR APPROVAL WILL NOT BE REQUIRED for the method of demolition and proposed restoration of the site for the following reason:

That the means of demolition and the proposed restoration of the site are considered to be acceptable and would be consistent with the aims and objectives of policies of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy and National Planning Policy Framework.

6.58 pm. Councillor M Markham re-joined the meeting.

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(Copy Herewith)

The Development Management Team Leader submitted a report on behalf of the Head of Planning and elaborated thereon. The Committee were informed that the consultation by South Northamptonshire Council (SNC) related to reserved matters approval relating to an outline consent approved in February 2015 for the extension of Pineham Business Park, comprising of the erection of employment units, associated parking and landscaping. The reserved matters application related to the approval of details of layout, scale, appearance and landscaping in relation to the erection of a storage and distribution unit and associated offices and parking. The Development Management Team Leader confirmed that an existing cycle path was to be extended in line with the development.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED:

That Northampton Borough Council RAISE NO OBJECTIONS to the reserved matters application as proposed.

(Copy Herewith)

The Development Manager submitted a report on behalf of the Head of Planning and elaborated thereon. It was noted that this was a revised application for 75 dwellings and that the Committee had previously objected to planning permission for 110 residential dwellings. Although this application was a reduction in terms of number of dwellings, this was still a piecemeal development on a greenfield site.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED:

That Northampton Borough Council OBJECTS to the application for the following reason:

The development would result in the piecemeal incursion of the built area into the countryside in an area designated as Green Wedge which would be contrary to the relevant policies of the Daventry Local Plan, as well as failing to demonstrate that there would be an acceptable impact upon the local road network in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework. These issues would outweigh the contribution which the development would make to the five year housing land supply within the Northampton Related Development Area.

None required.