To receive any apologies from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors K Bool, W Cross and A MacCartney.

To confirm the minutes of the Planning and Licensing Committee held on 21 September 2021.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 21 September.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2021 be APPROVED.

In accordance with the Regulations, Members are invited to declare any disclosable interests under the Code of Conduct and the nature of those interests in respect of items on this Agenda and/or indicate if Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

Councillor A Brown declared a pecuniary interest in item 5 – Planning Applications, application 2021/0018/MAF as a friend of the landowner and confirmed he would take no part in the debate or vote on the application.

Councillors E Baines and M Oxley declared non-pecuniary interests in item 5 – Planning Applications, application 2021/0018/MAF due to knowing the landowner.

Councillor Baines declared a pecuniary interest in item 5 – Planning Applications, application 2021/0736/FUL as an agricultural neighbour to the site who had submitted options to the applications. Councillor Baines confirmed he would leave the meeting for consideration of the item and Councillor N Begy would take the chair for consideration of the item.

Requests to speak on planning applications will be subject to the RCC Public Speaking Scheme.

To request to speak at a Planning Committee, please send an email to

Governance@rutland.gov.uk

In accordance with the Planning and Licensing Committee Public Speaking Scheme, the following deputations were received:

In relation to item 5 – planning applications, application 2021/0018/MAF, Carolyn Cartwright would be speaking as a member of the public opposed to the application and Mark Bassett would be speaking as the agent on behalf of the applicant.

In relation to item 5 – planning applications, application 2021/0737/2921, Tim Wardley would be speaking as a member of the public in support of the application, Sue Willetts would be speaking as a member of the public opposed to the application, Councillor Peter Allen would be speaking on behalf of Braunston in Rutland Parish Council, and Gemma Fesemeyer would be speaking as the applicant’s representative.

To receive Report No. 139/2021 from the Strategic Director of Places.

Report No. 139/2021 was received from the Strategic Director of Places.

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Councillor A Brown took no part in the discussion or vote on the following item having declared a pecuniary interest.

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Item 1 - 2021/0018/MAF - Land North Of A47, Duddington Way, Uppingham, Rutland.

(Parish: Ayston; Ward: Braunston & Martinsthorpe)

Nick Hodgett, Principal Planning officer, addressed the Committee and gave an executive summary of the applications, recommending approval subject to the conditions set out in the report and addendum.

Prior to the debate, the Committee received deputations from Carolyn Cartwright as a member of the public opposed to the application and Mark Bassett as the agent on behalf of the applicant. The Committee also had the opportunity to ask questions of these speakers.

Members raised several concerns regarding whether there was sufficient essential need for the proposal be justified due to the lack of definition of ‘essential’ in CS04 of the Core Strategy CPD. Members cited the location of other filling stations and electric changing points both in Oakham and nearby Uppingham as examples of why there may not be an essential need.

Concerns were also expressed over the proposed new access to the site from the A47/A6003 roundabout and cited issues of highway safety that could arise from an additional exit. The risk to pedestrians from crossing the A47 to access the other facilitates available was also raised. In response Julie Smith, Highways Engineer set out the process followed by the Council’s Highways team and why they had concluded the application was satisfactory with no objections at the determination stage of the planning application. However, it was explained that the Highways team would undertake further assessments as part of their processes following any approval.

Members also cited the agricultural location of the site, and that farming land would be lost should the application be granted. It was also highlighted that the site could be considered inappropriate as land on the other side of the road had been allocated for employment use in the adopted Uppingham Neighbourhood Plan and this has been allocated with an explicit expectation of the site being used for a filling station and had better electricity access for any charging points. 

It was moved by Councillor M Oxley that the application be refused due to the site being prominent in a rural location, the proposed location and design also leading to a loss of visual amenity, concerns on the impact of 24-hour lighting on site, a more suitable site being allocated as employment land on the opposite side of the road by the Uppingham Neighbourhood Plan with the expectation of being used for a filling station, and the Committee not considering the application to have an essential employment need in order to justify the development.

This was seconded and upon being put to the vote, with 4 votes in favour and 3 against, the motion was carried.

RESOLVED

That application 2021/0018/MAF be REFUSED on the following grounds:

1)    Due to the site being prominent in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To receive Report No. 140/2021 from the Strategic Director of Places.

Report No. 140/2021 was received from the Strategic Director of Places. Justin Johnson, Development Manager, presented the report which listed the appeals received since the last meeting of the Planning & Licensing Committee and summarised the decisions made.

RESOLVED

That the Committee the contents of this report.

To consider any other urgent business approved in writing by the Chief Executive and Chairman of the Committee.

There was no other urgent business for consideration.