Planning Committee
MINUTES of a meeting of the Planning Committee held at Council Chamber, County Hall, Lewes on 15 June 2022.
PRESENT Councillors Tom Liddiard (Chair), Barry Taylor (Vice Chair), Abul Azad, Eleanor Kirby-Green, Pat Rodohan and Trevor Webb
ALSO PRESENT BY MS TEAMS Councillor Kathryn Field
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 2022
1.1 The Committee approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 2022.
2. Apologies for absence
2.1 Councillor Kathryn Field was not present in the Chamber but joined the meeting via Microsoft Teams. She participated in the debate but did not vote on the items under discussion.
3. Disclosures of interests
3.1 Councillor Eleanor Kirby-Green declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 5 as the Local Member and District Councillor for the Burwash area. She did not consider this to be prejudicial.
4. Urgent items
4.1 There were none.
5. Reports
5.1 Reports referred to in the minutes below are contained in the minute book.
6. Temporary widening of the access junction between Shrub Lane and the access track leading to Burwash Wastewater Treatment Works and temporary use of land adjacent to the Works as a compound for a period of 12 months to enable essential upgrade works to be carried out at the Treatment Works (retrospective).
6.1 The Committee considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.
6.2 Officers confirmed an amendment to Condition 2 in the report whereby part iv) has been listed as a separate Condition.
6.3 Mr Blyth, Town and Country Planner on behalf of Southern Water spoke in support of the proposal and officer’s recommendation.
6.4 The Committee Members have considered the report and comment of the public speaker, together with the proposed amendment to Condition 2 and agreed with the officer’s conclusion and reason for recommendation set out in paragraph 8 of the report.
6.5 The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to grant planning permission subject to conditions including the amendment to Condition 2:
1. The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the drawings and document listed in the Schedule of Approved Plans.
Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.
2. No later than 30 June 2023 details of the following matters shall be submitted to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport for approval in writing:
(i) Measures to secure the reconstruction of the verge bank on the southern side of the access to avoid erosion;
(ii) Measures for the reconstruction of the affected part of the public highway and its interface with the Treatment Works' access track, including surfacing and retention of existing gully drains; and
(iii) Provision of a timetable for the reconstruction works in (i) and (ii) above and the planting of the verge bank, together with the restoration of the area of the temporary compound.
The approved details shall be carried out in full and shall be undertaken jointly with the approved Landscape Plan.
Reason: To secure an appropriate restoration of the access in the High Weald AONB in accordance with Policies WMP25 and WMP26 of the East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste and Minerals Plan 2013, Policy EN1 of the Rother District Core Strategy Local Plan 2014, Policy DEN2 of the Rother District Development and Site Allocations Local Plan 2019, Part 15 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 and Objective FH2 of the High Weald AONB Management Plan 2019-2024.
3. A brief report for each year of the 5-years maintenance plan, as set out in the Landscape Plan, shall be submitted before the end of each calendar year, outlining the progress of the planting carried out.
Reason: To secure an appropriate restoration of the access in the High Weald AONB in accordance with Policies WMP25 and WMP26 of the East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste and Minerals Plan 2013, Policy EN1 of the Rother District Core Strategy Local Plan 2014, Policy DEN2 of the Rother District Development and Site Allocations Local Plan 2019, Part 15 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 and Objective FH2 of the High Weald AONB Management Plan 2019-2024.
4. No stationary vehicles are permitted to overhang the site access onto the public highway.
Reason: To secure safe access for vehicles entering and leaving the site, in accordance with Policies WMP25 and WMP26 of the East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste and Minerals Plan 2013.
INFORMATIVES
1. The applicant is reminded that, under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended) and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), it is an offence to: deliberately capture, disturb, injure or kill great crested newts (GCN); damage or destroy a breeding or resting place of GCN; and deliberately obstruct access to a resting or sheltering place of GCN. Planning approval for a development does not provide a defence against prosecution under the legislation. Should GCN be found at any stages of the development, then all works shall cease, and Natural England should be contacted for advice.
2. The applicant's attention is drawn to the need to obtain advice from the Highway Authority (contact Transport Development Control Team on 01273 482254) on whether a licence will be required for works to the public highway.
Schedule of Approved Plans
751149-JTX-XX-XX-DR-T-00003 P02.1 - Site Location Plan, 751149-JTX-XX-XX-DR-T-00004 P02.1 - Existing and Proposed Site Layout Plans, 751149-JTX-XX-XX-DR-T-00005 P02.1 - Vehicle Tracking, 751149-STA-Z0-XX-DR-Z-00001 P01 - Landscape Plan, Supporting Statement
7. Lilybank Farm, London Road Battle
7.1 The Committee considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport,
7.2 Councillor Kathryn Field as the Local Member spoke to highlight safety concerns in relation to the speed of vehicles on A2100 London Road, Battle and safety of potential residents of the new development crossing to the east side of the road.
7.3 Councillor Abul Azad spoke to highlight safety concerns in relation to the speed of vehicles on A2100 London Road, Battle.
7.4 Councillor Tom Liddiard confirmed that the draft Traffic Regulation Order being considered under this agenda item cannot be amended to include an additional section of A2100 London Road, Battle and a petition to extend the speed limit reduction will be considered by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment in July.
7.5 The Committee Members have considered the officer’s report and the comments of the Local Member and agree with the conclusions and reasons for recommendations as set out in paragraph 3 of the report.
7.6 The Committee RESOLVED to:
1) Not uphold the objections to the draft Order as summarised in paragraph 2.2 of the report.
2) Recommend to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport that the draft Traffic Regulation Order be made as advertised.
(The meeting ended at 11.42 am)