ECCLESHALL PARISH COUNCIL – PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES – June 21^st 2023

A meeting of Eccleshall Parish Council Planning Committee was held on June 21^st 2023, at Offley Hay Village Hall at 8.38pm following the Annual Parish Council meeting.

118/23).   Present were: –

 Councillor B. Delanchy (Chairman)         Councillor S. Mifflin

Councillor D. Hill                                   Councillor C. Wilkins

Councillor C. Ryan-Bloor                        Councillor R. Taylor

Councillor S. Perren                                Councillor A. Reid

Councillor L. Dale                                  Councillor R. Langford

Councillor G. Dale                                 Councillor P. Jones

Mrs Stacey Worden (Clerk)

six members of the public

119/23).   Apologies

Apologies were received from Councillors Hall and Kean.

12023).   Public Participation

Two members of the public spoke on the following subjects:

• A member of the public spoke in strong opposition to application 23/37149/FUL, construction of a solar farm off Wincote Lane and Cash Lane. The resident noted many concerns including traffic volume and safety during construction and the permanent harm to the landscape, potential health implications and the loss of good quality agricultural land.
• A member of the public spoke in strong opposition to application 23/37150/FUL, retrospective application for change of use at Walton Bank. The application concerns a number of barn conversions that have been converted to businesses without the appropriate planning permission. The resident notes that the businesses are detrimental to local residents for a number of reasons including increased traffic flow and parking in excess of that stated in the application; impact and environmental pollutants such as noise, smell and light and antisocial opening hours.

121/23).  To approve the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 17^th May 2023:

The minutes, which had been previously circulated, were agreed and signed.

122/23).   Planning Decisions of Stafford Borough Council:

22/36916/FUL – Replace the existing garage that is in a poor state of repair and change of use to a beauty room for our client to work from home. 11 The Crescent Eccleshall. Approved.

23/37134/TWT – TPO 78 1980: Robinia (T7) – Remove of 2 small lower branches overhanging road. Raleigh Hall Industrial Estate Swynnerton Road. Approved.

23/37074/TWT – TPO 603 2016: Works as per submitted documents. Rear Of Eccleshall Middle School Shaws Lane Eccleshall. Approved.

23/37413/LDCPP – The proposal consists of new two storey extension and side extension to the original foot print of the dwelling. Ivy Cottage Cash Lane Garmelow. Refused.

123/23)   Planning Applications for consideration:-

Cllrs. Reid and Jones abstained from voting on planning applications to avoid any conflict of interests due to their duties within Stafford Borough Council.

23/37539/PAR– Change of use of agricultural building to a single dwellinghouse (Class C3). Little Blore Farm Langot Lane Fair Oak. There were no objections to this application.

SCC/23/0071/FULL-MIN – Two classroom block at Walton Hall School, Stafford Road, Eccleshall, Stafford. (note, this is a County Council planning application). There were no objections to this application.

23/37149/FUL – Construction of a ground mounted solar farm with associated infrastructure. Land East Of Horsley Hall Wincote Lane Wootton.

It was resolved to strongly object to this application and endorses the views of the consultation responses from Conservation and Heritage, CPRE, Natural England and local residents.

The Council fully supports the Conservation Officers conclusion that the proposal is contrary to policies N1, N8 and N9 of the Plan for Stafford Borough. The development will cause serious harm to the setting of the nearby heritage assets and that no measures can be proposed to amend the application that would mitigate this harm.

The CPRE note that policy N3(a) Low Carbon Sources and Renewable Energy) of the Plan for Stafford Borough refers to the support of schemes for renewable every resources where this ‘does not cause harm to residential amenity, the significance of heritage assets and their setting and has limited adverse effects on the surrounding landscape and townscape character’. Policy N8 specifies that development proposals must be informed by and sympathetic to landscape character and quality. This proposal will have a substantial impact on the landscape and its character and therefore contravenes both policies.

National Planning Policy Framework paragraphs 174 to 188 states that planning policies and decisions should contribute to the and enhance the natural and local environment. The council endorses the CPRE view that this proposed development is not in line with this statement.

In addition the Parish Council observes the following points:

• The proposed development encroaches upon public rights of way 118 and 149 and will have an adverse effect on routes that are popular with the local residents.
• The local highway network is not suitable for the vehicles which would be required to have access during the construction which would have a great impact on the area and its residents.
• The increased potential of theft from the site and surrounds, which is close to isolated dwellings.

23/37475/HOU – Demolition of conservatory and replacement with single storey rear/side extension and alteration of existing ground floor windows. Copmere Villa Doley Road Eccleshall. There were no objections to this application.

23/37546/FUL – Proposed outbuilding to field. Oak Tree Views Newcastle Road Eccleshall. There were no objections to this application.

23/37150/FUL – Retrospective planning application for a change of use from agricultural buildings to general industrial (B2) and storage and distribution (B8). Walton Bank Stafford Road Walton.

It was resolved to strongly object to this application as this is contrary to policy E2 of the Plan for Stafford Borough for Sustainable Rural Development. Policy E2 c) states development should ‘be complementary to, and not prejudice, any viable agricultural operations on a farm and other existing viable uses’; and g) ‘not be detrimental to the amenity of the area’. It is believed that the businesses that are in operation in the buildings covered by this application are detrimental to the immediate area and adjacent residential properties. Issues include light pollution; noise pollution; air pollution; odious smells, intrusive signage and antisocial working hours to include nights and weekends. There is a significant increase in traffic movement on a shared driveway and traffic speeds are dangerous to pedestrians who have to share the driveway. The road is now used by delivery vehicles, tow trucks and to test vehicles from the workshop. The Parish Council also notes that there may be some inaccuracies in the volume of traffic and amount of parked vehicles as stated in the application.

The council observes that this is not a designated industrial estate within the current Plan for Stafford Borough. Furthermore it requests that if the application is refused, that Borough Council enforcement is involved to ensure the landowner reinstates the properties to their former designation as a priority.

It was also resolved for Borough Cllr. Jones to call in the application for decision by committee.

124/23).  To consider any further applications:-

There were no further applications to consider.

125/23).  Any Other Planning Matters: –

• Stafford Borough Council has received a response from Vistry (Bovis) with regards to the outstanding works to the Sancerre Grange development. Vistry has advised some will be done immediately and the work that can’t be done now will be completed in the autumn. The Clerk has asked enforcement if the planned programme of works can be obtained.

126/23).  Correspondence:-

No correspondence has been received.

127/23).  Date and venue for next meeting:

Wednesday July 5^th Eccleshall Community Centre, 7.30pm

There being no further business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.30pm.