April 2020

Minutes of a meeting of the Environment committee held remotely using Zoom on 21st April 2020 at 19.30

Present: Cllrs Kilcoyne, Manders, Moran, Trought and Walker
In attendance: Clerk to Council, Mrs S Knowles
Cllr Callan observed the meeting 
No members of public were present

1. To consider apologies and accept valid reasons for absence - It was RESOLVED: That apologies be accepted from Cllr Hauton.

2. To receive members’ declarations of disclosable pecuniary, non-disclosable pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests in relation to any agenda item – Cllr Kilcoyne declared a non-pecuniary interest in matters relating to planning application 20/0344/HOUS – 24 Gloucester Close.

3. To confirm the minutes of the Environment committee held on 16th March 2020 - It was RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 16th March 2020 be approved and signed as a true copy by the chairman.

4. To consider planning applications –

20/0247/HOUS - 27 Canwick Avenue - No objections or comments.
20/0344/HOUS - 24 Gloucester Close – It was RESOLVED: That Council object to the application on the following grounds:
 The proposal will reduce parking spaces in the cul-de-sac and will result in only one off-street parking space for a fourbedroomed property. This is contrary to the emerging Neighbourhood Plan for Bracebridge Heath which states that a minimum of 3 spaces would be required for a property of this size.
 The layout, density and design of the extension will be out of keeping with properties in the vicinity. As it is, the single storey garages soften the street scene appearance and leave a lower skyline. A second-floor extension over the garage will remove at least half of the lower skyline and leave just a small garage in the terrace effect that this creates.
 Council has concerns that the garage walls and foundations of the garage party wall will not be suitable for supporting a second storey.
20/0296/VARCON – 91 Grantham Road - It was RESOLVED: That Council object to the application on the following grounds:
 The increase in the number of children and the additional members of staff needed for correct ratios will increase the issues of excess vehicular traffic, parking issues and highway safety that are already present at the site.
- In particular, staff parking is already an issue with regular on-street parking on surrounding residential roads. The original planning application for the site stated that ‘the staff will not use the car park for long term parking. Half of the staff live within Bracebridge Heath and will walk or cycle to work. Those that use motor vehicles will not park on-site but use off-site, off street parking nearby’. Council understands that this off- street parking nearby referred to the bungalow opposite 91 Grantham Road which is no longer connected to the business and cannot be guaranteed to be available for staff parking. Whilst Council would like to support employment opportunities for residents, the business cannot guarantee that its employees will only be selected from areas of walking distance from the site. Therefore, the business should expect that there will be an increased need for staff parking on and off site and this will come with associated issues of noise, disturbance and highway safety.
- Parking is already very limited for parents dropping off children and is insufficient particularly during peak times.Council is concerned about the impact of expanding the business on the grounds of highway safety in particular where parents are parking on the pavement along the A607, Grantham Road.
 The capacity of the site to provide for additional children. Council is concerned that the outside area is already very limited and a further 15 children will overstretch this provision.
- Council understands that the business has no current provision or facilities for a before and after-school club and the provision for children aged 4 to 11 would require substantially different facilities, indoor and outdoor, to those needed for a day nursery. Council does not feel that the site has sufficient space to adequately provide this.
 Alteration of condition 10 relates to a change in opening hours. The condition relating to opening hours was originally applied to limit the effect of noise and disturbance to what is essentially a residential area. Council consider that there will be increased noise and disturbance at unacceptable times of the day if this condition is altered as proposed. Opening the business to customers from 7.15am will also mean that staff will be arriving at the site before 7am and this will have a detrimental effect on the occupiers of nearby residential properties.
- The application is contrary to CLLP policies LP5 and LP26 as the proposals for increased employment and expansion of the business do not demonstrate how the amenity of nearby residential properties will be protected particularly from noise and disturbance. These reasons were stated on the decision notice on the original application. Council consider that the reasons for specific conditions to limit opening hours and numbers of children still apply.

5. To receive a report on planning decisions received – A written report was received prior to the meeting.

6. To receive an update on the burial ground wall – A verbal report was given on the progress of repairs.

7. Items for the agenda of the next committee meeting – Nil

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 20.04

Signed_______________________________Chairman 18 May 2020