March 2020

Minutes of a meeting of the Environment committee held on 16th March 2020 in the Bracebridge Heath Community Library at 20:00

Present: Cllrs Kilcoyne, Manders, Moran, Smith, Trought and Walker.
In attendance: Mrs R Fraser, Assistant Clerk to Council 
No members of the public 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 – Nil

3. To confirm the minutes of the Environment committee held on 20th January 2020 - It was RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 20th January 2020 be approved and signed as a true copy by the chairman.

4. To confirm the minutes of the Environment committee held on 17th February 2020 - It was RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 17th February 2020 be approved and signed as a true copy by the chairman.

5. To consider planning applications –

• 20/0161/ HOUS Sleepy Hollow, 3 Dorothy Avenue - No objections or comments.
• 20/0175/TPO 42 Worcester Close – It was RESOLVED: That the following comments be submitted - Bracebridge Heath Parish Council supports the views of the NKDC tree officer.
• 20/0207/HOUS 12 Lichfield Rd - No objections or comments.
• 20/0294/HOUS 5 Coningsby Crescent - No objections of comments.
• 20/0037/FUL - 72 Grantham Road – It was RESOLVED: That Council strongly object to the application. Council object on the following grounds:

1. Bracebridge Heath Parish Council agrees with the comments from NKDC Economic Development that the scale of the development is excessive and beyond the scope of a typical home business.
2. Layout and density of building – Council consider that this is overdevelopment of the site, noting that a large extension has already been added in the past. The floor area of the proposed building is 95.9m2 with a height to ridge of 4.86m (16 ft) which is much higher than the existing garage. This proposed building is larger than the original bungalow and larger than many bungalows in Bracebridge Heath and the national average size of bungalows. The proposed white rendering is out of keeping with the existing bungalow and it will dominate the original building.
3. Incompatible unacceptable use (see point 1) - The proposal is to site a retail sized business in a residential area. If permission is granted it will impact on current and future residents of the existing residential property. The proposed opening hours (9.30 to 4 pm, 7 days per week) are incompatible with the surrounding residential area. Restrictions on deliveries would need to be in place to mitigate the effects on surrounding residents.
4. Overshadowing /loss of outlook - This proposed building will be located directly south of a neighbouring property and garden and will completely overshadow it. It is also twice the length and higher than the original garage which will lead to loss of light.
5. Inadequate or inappropriate landscaping - No landscaping has been suggested to mitigate the likely negative effects for neighbours to the west and north of the proposed building.
6. Highways - Although it is said that there will be no highways issues this business tends to generate more than one car per customer as a bridal dress tends to involve more than the bride. Its position opposite to the nursery with the parking that it generates could exasperate the problem in mornings and evenings. Parking areas for this building were mentioned in planning applications for the nursery on Grantham Road. Parking at this property was cited as an area of staff parking. Is this still in operation?
7. Existing planning permission - The existing planning permission is only for a podiatry business operating from the Granny annex in the southern extensions giving this house a joint D1 business and residential use. Planning permission was only for podiatry and no other D1 use or other class of use. No request for change of use to retail has been asked for.

The following conditions were made as part of the permission to site a podiatry business at this location:

• Only allowed 8am -9pm Mon to Sat not Sun bank holiday or public holidays.
• Business can only be as an ancillary use associated with the residential occupation on the remaining property as a dwelling.

The size of this proposed building suggests this planning proposal it is not an ancillary use. Council suggests that the existing building (granny annex) which was used for the podiatry business is used for the wedding business and if needed a small extension put on that side.
This building is also capable of being used as a separate building and conditions need to be included to prevent this.

Cllr Moran declared a non- pecuniary interest in planning application 20/0037/FUL at 20:36

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

7. To receive a report on the condition of street lighting and consider repairs – A written report was received prior to the meeting. It was RESOLVED: That Council would instruct E.ON to proceed with the five priority works as listed in the report. It was agreed that a quote would be obtained to provide amber glow light bulbs to all Parish Council street lighting.

8. To consider VE Day event risk assessments and consider any action required - It was RESOLVED: That the Environment committee recommends to Full Council that the VE Day event be deferred to a future date.

9. To consider an application to Fields in Trust – It was agreed that Council should proceed with an application to Fields in Trust to protect green spaces in the ownership of Bracebridge Heath Parish Council.
It was agreed that Council investigate purchase and / or protection of other green spaces in the village.

Cllr Parr arrived at the meeting at 20:56.

10. To consider development of a village heritage trail – A verbal report was given.

11. To consider signage for St John’s hospital cemetery – This item was deferred until the next meeting of the committee.

12. To consider a friendship bench – It was agreed that the assistant clerk would discuss this matter with Arts NK.

13. Items for the agenda of the next committee meeting – Street lighting, VE Day, Neighbourhood Plan and signage for St John’s hospital cemetery.

Items of a confidential nature to be debated in the absence of the press and public (commercially sensitive). {As per the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings Act) 1960} 
At 21:24 it was RESOLVED: That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of the following item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information (commercially sensitive), as defined in the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

14. To consider quotations for repair of the burial ground wall – A verbal report was given. The committee agreed that quotes obtained should be referred to the next meeting of Full Council for consideration.

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 21.30
Signed_______________________________Chairman