To receive any apologies from Members.

Apologies were received from Councillors K Corby, A MacCartney and S McRobb.

To confirm the minutes of the Planning and Licensing Committee held on 18 April, 27 April and 2 May 2023 and receive an update on any actions agreed in the minutes.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meetings held on 18^th, 27^th April, and 2^nd May 2023.

RESOLVED

a)    That the minutes of the meeting on the 18^th, 27^th April and 2^nd May 2023 be APPROVED.

To appoint a Vice-Chair of the Committee for the 2023-24 municipal year.

Nominations were invited for the position of Vice Chair of the Planning and Licensing Committee for the Municipal Year 2023-24.

Councillor R Payne proposed, and this was seconded for Councillor A Brown to be Vice-Chairman to the Planning & Licensing Committee, there were no other nominations. Upon being put to the vote this was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

a)      That Councillor A Brown be APPOINTED Vice-Chairman of the Planning and Licensing Committee for the municipal year 2023-24

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

Requests to speak on planning applications will be subject to the Council’s Public Speaking Scheme for Planning Applications.

To request to speak regarding a planning application, please send an email to democraticservices@rutland.gov.uk

In accordance with the Rutland County Council Planning and Licensing Speaking Scheme, the following deputations were received on item 6, Mallard Pass Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project.

In relation to the Mallard Pass Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, Sue Holloway would be a member of Mallard Pass Action Group speaking against the project, Trevor Burfield would be speaking on behalf of Essendine Parish Council and Paul Douglas would be speaking on behalf of Great Casterton Parish Council.

To receive Report No. 81/2023 from the Strategic Director for Places.

Report No.81/2023 was received from the Strategic Director of Places.

2023/0120/NSIPCO - Mallard Pass Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project.

(Parish: Essendine; Ward: Ryhall and Casterton)

Nick Thrower, Principal Planning Officer, introduced the application and gave an executive summary, outlining the officer’s recommendations in the report.

Prior to the debate the Committee received deputations from Sue Holloway who spoke as the member of Mallard Pass Action Group opposing the application, Trevor Burfield who spoke as the representative from Essendine Parish Council and Paul Douglas who spoke as the representative from Great Casterton Parish Council. The Committee also had the opportunity to ask questions of these speakers.

During the debate, the following comments were made by the Committee which they wished to be added to the officer’s response to the Examining Authority: -

-        What plans were in place if issues occurred on the A1 and if a holding bay was identified for vehicles to wait in to avoid peak times of travel.

-        To ask about the securing of biodiversity net gain

-        To provide comments from environmental health on the PN2.5 and PN10 dust issues.

-        The cleaning of the roads with regards to truck slap in wet conditions.

-        The impact of HGV’s around the schools and CCTV monitoring within those areas.

-    The impact on residents health and wellbeing and the housing situation for the area.

It was agreed that the final response would be agreed with the Chairman before being submitted.

It was moved by Councillor R Payne and seconded that members agreed with the officers recommendation including the additional comments made by members of the committee to be added into the officers response. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

a)    That Members of the Planning and Licensing Committee ENDORSED the contents of the attached Local Impact Report for the Mallards Pass Solar Farm Development and authorised officers to submit the document as a formal response to the Examining Authority along with a formal objection to the proposal development based on the content of the Local Impact Report including the additional matters raised by Members during the debate.

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

There were no items of urgent business.

Tuesday, 18 July 2023.

Tuesday, 18^th July 2023.