Agenda and minutes

Planning and Regulatory Committee - Wednesday, 13 September 2017 10.30 am

Venue: Ashcombe Suite, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2DN. View directions

Contact: Angela Guest tel: 020 8541 9075  Email: angela.guest@surreycc.gov.uk

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Items
No. Item

224/17

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS

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    To receive any apologies for absence and notices of substitutions under Standing Order 40.

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    Minutes:

    Apologies for absence were received from Penny Rivers, Keith Taylor and Rose Thorn.

     

    Mary Angell substituted for Keith Taylor. Jonathan Essex substituted for Penny Rivers. Cameron McIntosh substituted for Rose Thorn.

225/17

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING pdf icon PDF 870 KB

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    To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 2 August 2017.

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    Minutes:

    The Minutes were APPROVED as an accurate record of the previous meeting.

226/17

PETITIONS

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    To receive any petitions from members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 65 (please see note 7 below).

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    Minutes:

    There were none.

227/17

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

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    To answer any questions received from local government electors within Surrey in accordance with Standing Order 66 (please see note 8 below).

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    Minutes:

    There were none.

228/17

MEMBERS' QUESTION TIME

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    To answer any questions received from Members of the Council in accordance with Standing Order 47.

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    There were none.

229/17

DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS

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    All Members present are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter

    (i)            Any disclosable pecuniary interests and / or

    (ii)           Other interests arising under the Code of Conduct in respect of any item(s) of business being considered at this meeting

    NOTES:

    ·         Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest

    ·         As well as an interest of the Member, this includes any interest, of which the Member is aware, that relates to the Member’s spouse or civil partner (or any person with whom the Member is living as a spouse or civil partner)

    ·         Members with a significant personal interest may participate in the discussion and vote on that matter unless that interest could be reasonably regarded as prejudicial.

     

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    There were none.

     

    The Committee agreed the re-ordering of the agenda and Item 8 was taken first.

     

230/17

MO/2017/0916 - Brockham Well Site, Felton's Farm, Old School Lane, Brockham, RH3 7AU pdf icon PDF 235 KB

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    Installation of on-site facilities comprising hardstanding, site office, site toilet facilities, site security office and mess facility; storage containers; lighting units incorporating CCTV equipment; 2.4 metres high palisade fence and gates; electrical control buildings; portable site generator with 2 no. enclosed fuel tanks, and parking area for car/van until 31 December 2036 with restoration to agriculture (retrospective).

     

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    Officers:

    Alan Stones, Planning Development Team Manager

    Caroline Smith, Transport Development Planning Manager

     

    Speakers:

    A resident, on behalf of Ms Smith, made the following points:

     

    1.     The resident referred to a current dispute between the County Planning Authority and the Applicant regarding the BRX-4Z side track for which no planning permission was granted. It was said that the buildings within the current application were to support production from the disputed side track and therefore the applicant should not be granted while the dispute was unresolved.

    2.     It was stated that the applicant could not be trusted due to previous disputes.

    3.     Concern was raised regarding the method of extraction as it was not well regulated in the UK.

    4.     The Committee were asked to defer the application.

     

    Helyn Clack, the Local Member, made the following points:

     

    1.     Concern was raised over the progression and long period of time intended for site development.

    2.     She highlighted the current dispute with the applicant outlined in the report and asked the Committee to take into consideration how this would affect the present and future applications coming before Committee.

     

    Key points raised during the discussion:

     

    1.     Officers introduced the report and the update sheet (attached as annex A) tabled at the meeting. The Committee noted the visual impacts of the application and that the site was 500m from the nearest property. Officers highlighted that the site was well concealed and therefore visual impacts were said to be no cause for concern. Members noted Condition 6 of the report which related to the installation of CCTV on the site. Officers suggested to the Committee that further wording be added to the informatives in order to make them more explicit. It was noted that this was a retrospective application and shold not be treated negatively because of that.

    2.     The Committee sought clarification on whether there was enforcement action on the site at the present time. Officers confirmed that there was not.

    3.     The Committee discussed the site visit which Members previously attended and highlighted that some pictures within the report were outdated. There was concern with some comments made during the site visit which suggested that this application was forward looking for future exploration.

    4.     A Member was disturbed to learn that the applicant would be using acidization methods for extraction rather than water injection and felt this could have been better publicised.

    5.     Members discussed the previous disputes with the applicant regarding planning permission which some thought it necessary to take into account when making a decision on the current application. Officers advised against this due to the application being specifically for the installation of on-site facilities.

    6.     Further discussion was had relating to the possibility of a deferral but this was later dismissed due to there being no planning grounds to do so.

    7.     The Committee agreed to add an additional informative which encouraged the applicant to engage with the community and the County Planning Authority in all works going forward. 

     

    Resolved:

    1.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 230/17

231/17

WO/2017/0898 - Freemantles School, Smarts Heath Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 0AN pdf icon PDF 277 KB

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    1.     installation of new modular classroom unit comprising 4 classrooms and ancillary facilities

     

    2.     provision of 23 additional parking spaces and new fire access route

     

    3.     retention of existing demountable classroom unit permitted under application WO11/0011

     

    all for a temporary period of 14 years.

     

    Freemantles School is a specialised school for children aged between 4 and 19 with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD).  The school lies within the Green Belt at Mayford,  2 miles to the south of Woking Town Centre.  The expansion of Freemantles School as set out above to allow for 4 consecutive bulge classes of 9 pupils all with an Education Health Care Plan is part of a suite of proposals within the County to increase the number of Special school places available. This proposal will help ensure that the council meets its statutory duty of providing a school place for every resident pupil who requires one. 

     

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    Officers:

    Dawn Horton-Baker, Principal Planning Officer

    Caroline Smith, Transport Development Planning Manager

     

    Speakers:

     

    None.

     

    Key points raised during the discussion:

     

    1. Officers introduced the report and the update sheet (attached as annex B) tabled at the meeting. Officers highlighted to the Committee that the application was for the installation of a new modular classroom unit comprising of four classrooms and ancillary facilities, the provision of 23 additional parking space, a new fire access route and the retention of an existing demountable classroom unit. Members noted that the application was for a temporary period of 14 years. Six letters of representation had been received which were outlined within the report. The Committee noted the loss of trees on site. Officers stated that there was a clear need for a specialised school within the Green Belt.
    2. Members sought clarification on the reason why the application sought permission for 14 years. Officers confirmed that this was because of the age group of the children which was ages 4-18. Members questioned why this application was not permanent due to the need for specialised schools in the County which Officers stated that this was at the applicant’s discretion.  
    3. Further details of the application were confirmed to the Committee such as replacement of trees and that there was not a need for a sustainable travel plan due to the nature of travel. Members stated they were happy to see this application due to the need for specialised schools for children in Surrey.

     

    Resolved:

     

    1. That application WO/2017/0898 - Freemantles School, Smarts Heath Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 0AN be permitted subject to conditions and informatives outlined in the report.

     

    Actions/further information to be provided:

     

    None.

     

232/17

Surrey County Council's Local List: Request Formal Adoption of Local List for the Validation of County Development and County Matters Planning Applications pdf icon PDF 135 KB

233/17

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

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    The next meeting of the Planning & Regulatory Committee will be on 18 October 2017.

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    Minutes:

    The date of the next meeting was noted.