Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies for absence were table from Councillor Helen Staples with Councillor Anne Dorrian substituting and from Councillor Ralph Pryke with Councillor Stephen Woodliffe substituting.

To sign and confirm the minutes of the last meeting.

With the agreement of the committee, the Chairman signed the minutes of the previous meeting.

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

Standing declarations of interest are tabled for Members of the Planning Committee who are also a:

Member of Lincolnshire County Council:

Councillor Alison Austin

Members of the South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee:

Councillors:  Peter Bedford, Anne Dorrian and David Middleton.

Representatives of the Drainage Boards:

Councillors Peter Bedford, David Middleton, Chris Mountain, Claire Rylott, David Scoot, and Suzanne Welberry

Councillor David Brown declared that he would speak as the ward member on planning application B 23 0046 and as such absent from the committee for that item.

Councillor Peter Bedford declared that he knew Mr Wray who was registered to speak on planning application B 22 0356 as a member of the Black Sluice Drainage Board but it would not preclude him from determining the application.

Councillor Claire Rylott 0112 had a phone call from the applicants’ wife but did not respond to the call and would consider the application with an open mind.  Councillor Claire Rylott further advised that she knew Mr Wray who was registered to speak on planning application B 22 0356 as a member of the Black Sluice Drainage Board, but it would not preclude her from determining the application.

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 13^th July 2023

No public question tabled.

Proposed 1no two storey dwelling with parking.

The Corner Bungalow

Puttock Gate

Fosdyke

Boston

PE20 2BX

Mr and Mrs Howell.

Proposed 1no two storey dwelling with parking

The Corner Bungalow, Puttock Gate, Fosdyke, Boston PE20 2BX

Mr & Mrs Howell

The Deputy Development Manager presented the report advising that the application had been called-in by the Ward Member Councillor David Brown citing the reason that the application would be incongruous to its surroundings.

The application site was located at the corner of Puttock Gate and Old Main Road, Fosdyke and consisted of part of a domestic garden. It was partly gravel-surfaced, but was mostly lawned and contained a number of shrubs and small trees. The site’s boundaries were a 2m-high conifer hedge and a very short length of 2m-high close-boarded timber fence to the west of the site, a 2m-high close-boarded timber fence to the north, to the east partly by a 2m-high hedge and it was partly undefined to the south

The boundary treatments onto Old Main Road contained a gap which appeared to correspond with the location of the vehicular access approved under B/10/0318, but did not appear to be in use as an access at the time of the site visit.

The land surrounding the site was predominantly in residential use, but that immediately to its north was in use as an agricultural yard.

Full planning permission was sought for the erection of a detached, three-bed, two-storey dwelling (with single-storey elements). The dwelling would measure a maximum of 11.5m x 8m in plan, would stand 7.7m-high at ridge level, and would have windows/glazed doors in every elevation. The walls being finished in red multi facing brick; the roof in imitation slate tiles with integrated solar panels and white upvc windows. The application form indicated that doors would either be in upvc or woodgrain composite. 2 swift nesting bricks, 1 starling nest brick, 1 house-sparrow nest brick and 1 bat box would be provided within the building.

Vehicular access was proposed to come from Old Main Road (via the existing gap in boundary treatments), and would lead to a parking and manoeuvring area to the north of the dwelling.

The application was accompanied by a Flood Risk Assessment dated January 2023: a Sequential and Exception Test dated April 2023; a Supporting Planning Statement and three documents from the applicant and agent which sought to respond to points raised by objectors.

Full planning permission had been granted on 15^th October 2010 on the site

for the construction of a new vehicular access.

Planning permission had been refused on 20^th October 2010 for the construction of a chalet bungalow with integral garage as the application had conflicted with the Local Plan in place at that time.

Objections had been received from the owner of the agricultural yard to thesite’s immediate north on several grounds including concerns in respect of the access to their own yard which adjoined the access proposed to serve the dwelling, which been used for loading and deliveries since to their site since 1952 and would significantly limit visibility for vehicles using the proposed new  ...  view the full minutes text for item 163.

Outline Application with al matters reserved (Access, Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and scale) for the erection of a two-storey domestic dwelling.

Land to the rear of La Vern

Washdyke Lane

Kirton Meeres

Boston

PE20 1PP

Mr John Burton

Outline Application with all matters reserved (Access, Appearance,

Landscaping, Layout and Scale) for the erection of a two-storey

domestic dwelling.

Land at the rear of La Vern, Washdyke Lane, Kirton Meeres,

Boston PE20 1PP

Mr John Burton

The Deputy Development Manager presented the report confirming that it had been called in by the Ward Member Councillor Ralph Pryke stating he felt the reasons given for the recommendations to refuse the application to be grossly unfair, with numerous other applications having been granted within the locality.  Almost all residents living outside of the town needed a vehicle to carry out essential tasks and almost no applications in the area to the south of Boston could demonstrate a sequential test.

The application site was part of a pasture field, located on the western side of Drainside North, Kirton which was a narrow, rural road without footways or street lighting and was subject to a 60pmh speed limit.  The site was located in the countryside but within a group of three existing dwellings, two of which had extensive curtilages (a substantial part of which was in equestrian use and contained paddocks, menage, stable and storage buildings).  The application sought outline planning permission with all matters reserved and the application form identified was that the dwelling would have two bedrooms and two-storeys. The site was in open countryside and officers had determined that it had not been demonstrated that the proposal was necessary to the location or that it would meet the sustainable development needs of the area and as such the proposal is contrary to Policy 1.  Furthermore the site was located within Flood Zone 3 of the Environment Agency Maps and within the ‘more vulnerable’ flood risk vulnerability category and a successfully completed Sequential Test had not been provided.

Representation was received by Mr. Goldsmith in objection to the application which included:

Advising his main concern was in respect of overlooking, Mr. Goldsmith stated that he felt his horses could be affected by the noise from the proposed dwelling, due to its proposed location 2 metres from the fence. He stated that whilst the proposed house would not overlook his house, it would overlook stables and menage. Concern was also tabled in respect of accessing the proposed site when there was insufficient room to turn a car around, and a suggestion was made that the location of the proposed build be relocated to an area within the site which was 17m wide and from where the applicant would have views over their own land and not over his equestrian facilities.  Committee were further advised that the post code for the application was recorded incorrectly and should read PE20 1PE.

No significant questions were asked of Mr. Goldsmith just points of clarification on the site plan provided.

Representation was received from the applicant Mrs. Sarah Burton which included:

Advising she would address the objections raised, Mrs. Burton stated that the current menage facility within the objectors’ site was unused and was overgrown  ...  view the full minutes text for item 164.

Proposed development of a Photovoltaic Solar Array, Grid Connection, Access Improvements Works and Ancillary Development on Land at Bicker Fen, Boston and South Holland.

Land to the west of Cowbridge Road, Bicker, Boston.

Mr Luke Rogers AGR Solar 2 Limited.

Proposed Development Of A Photovoltaic Solar Array, Grid Connection, Access Improvements Works And Ancillary Development On Land At Bicker Fen, Boston And South Holland.       

Land to the west of Cowbridge Road, Bicker, Boston

Mr Luke Rogers, AGR Solar 2 Limited

The Planning Officer presented the report confirming that the application has been called in by former Councillor Michael Cooper on the grounds of cumulative impacts on residents.

The application was a full planning application for a proposed development of a photovoltaic solar array, grid connection, access improvement works & ancillary development on land at Bicker Fen.  The development (including the grid connection corridor) would involve approximately 97.3ha of land, the majority of which was arable agricultural land. The development is anticipated to have a lifespan of 40 years, after which the land could would be returned to agricultural use.

The solar farm was predicted to have a peak output of 49.995 megawatts during peak operation, which would be capable of powering thousands of homes. The development would consist of solar PV panels arranged in linear rows approximately 5m apart to face south. Panels were mounted on a steel and aluminium frame, with supports pile driven into the ground to a depth of approximately 1.2m depending on ground conditions. In areas of archaeological sensitivity surface mounted solar panel frames would be used to enable preservation of archaeology in situ. The panels would be mounted at approximately 0.8m from the ground at the lowest point, rising to up to approximately 3m at the highest point.

The development would also include a battery storage facility (to reinforce the power generation of the solar farm), inverter / transformer stations, CCTV, deer type perimeter fencing (approx. 2.1m high) and landscaping. The electricity generated by the solar development will be fed into the Bicker Fen National Grid Substation via underground cables.

This was a cross-boundary application with South Holland District Council. The larger proportion of the site covered by panel’s lay within the boundary of South Holland. The application site predominantly comprised arable farmland made up of large fields, crossed by a network of ditches and drains. It also included the grid connection corridor where underground cables would be laid. Field margins were typically formed by open ditches, however in some locations established hedgerows and hedgerow trees made up the field boundaries. These features were characteristic of the wider local landscape. The landscape was interspaced by occasional farm buildings (both residential and functional) of varying size and condition. A Public Right of Way follows Hammond Beck in a broadly north/south direction.

The site is not subject to any landscape, heritage or conservation area designations and there are no listed buildings on the site itself. There are listed buildings in Bicker to the east, but these are some distance away. There are no formal ecological designations within 2.5km of the site.

Representation was receive in support of the application by Mr Wray which

Confirming he was the owner of Wray Farms, one of three farms which had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 165.

A report by the Assistant Director – Planning and Strategic Infrastructure

Committee noted the report tabled by the Assistant Director – Planning and Strategic Infrastructure.