Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and notification of substitutes (if any).

Apologies for absence were tabled for Councillor Frank Pickett

To sign and confirm the minutes of the last meeting.

The minutes of the previous meeting were signed by the Chairman

To receive declarations of interests in respect of any item on the agenda.

Standing declarations of interest are tabled for the following members in their respective roles as:

Members of Lincolnshire County Council.  Councillors Tom Ashton, Alison Austin and Councillor Paul Skinner.

Members of the South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee. Councillors Tom Ashton and Peter Bedford.

Representatives of the Internal Drainage Boards Councillors Tom Ashton, Peter Bedford and Paul Skinner.

To answer any written questions received from members of the public no later than 5 p.m. two clear working days prior to the meeting – for this meeting the deadline is 5 p.m. on Thursday 31 March 2022

No public questions were tabled.

Major - Full Planning Permission

Erection of additional 2 no. poultry units with associated infrastructure

Bank Farm, Silvertoft Lane, Frampton West, Boston PE20 1RX

Mr Gott, Stonegate Farmers Ltd

The Assistant Director – Planning and Strategic Infrastructure presented the report and confirmed it was tabled through committee to accord with the Council’s constitution as the proposal was an Environmental Impact Assessment Development.   Members were advised that the site of the application was which off Frampton Bank and within the countryside, currently comprised of two main poultry buildings.  The site was bound by fields’ and drains to the east, south and west with Frampton Bank at the north and the surrounding area was predominantly agricultural.

Planning permission was sought for the erection of two buildings to be sited north of the existing units, each to be identical in size and layout with a 9 metre passageway connecting the two units.  The new units would allow a capacity of 34,000 birds in each unit increasing the capacity across the site to 132,000 birds.

As the proposed works would exceed the criteria within Schedule 1 of the EIA Regulations under para.17 which permitted no more than 85,000 places for broilers, or 60,000 places for hens, the application became an Environmental Impact Assessment application triggering specific publicity and consultation requirements with determination timescales and procedural processes all of which had been complied with.

A brief overview of the history of the site was provided along with a reminder of the relevant policies.

Addressing representations received, the Assistant Director confirmed that one representation had been received which had included concerns in respect of highway issues with a lack of view existing onto Fen Road and risks of increase traffic on Silvertoft Lane potentially resulting in a serious accidents.  Further concerns noted increased noise from fans at the site due to the significant increase in birds and also increased heavy goods movements providing feed to the site.

Any issues identified by the statutory consultees had all been agreed prior to final report including any impact on the biodiversity and ecology of the site.

Members’ deliberation agreed the quality of the report and whilst noting the concerns of the representation submitted, acknowledged all issues had been addressed and further agreed the economic benefit to the community of the expansion of the existing business.  Responding to questions the Assistant Director urged caution on a suggestion of the implementation of a one-way system on a highway which he noted would be very difficult to enforce.  He further confirmed that the Parish Council had been consulted but had not responded; the European Directive questioned within 3.4 of the report was still in place and that a condition was in place for odour management on the site

It was moved by Councillor Tom Ashton and seconded by Councillor Yvonne Stevens that committee grant the application in line with officer recommendation and subject to the conditions and informative therein.

Vote:     11 in Favour.     0 Objection.     0 Abstention.

RESOLVED: That the planning committee grant the application in line with officer recommendation and subject to the following conditions and informatives:

1 The development must be begun not l  ...  view the full minutes text for item 125.