DRAFT ONLY – NOT YET APPROVED
EAST HOATHLY with HALLAND PARISH COUNCIL
Meeting of the Planning Committee on 6th November, 2023 at 7.00pm.
(Draft) MEETING MINUTES
In attendance: Cllrs. Butcher, Freezer (chair), Partridge, Pope and Thatcher.
Also participating: District Cllr. Draper, Malcolm Ramsden (clerk) and forty members of the public.
AGENDA
- ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
Cllr. Freezer, as chair of Parish Council in the absence of an elected chair of the Planning Committee.
- PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend. The first fifteen minutes of the meeting will be available for the public to express a view or ask a question on relevant matters on the agenda. The public and press are also welcome to stay and observe the rest of the meeting (subject to any items considered as confidential within the terms of the Public Bodies (Admission to meetings) Act 1960).
Initial comments from the floor covering:-
Successful objection to this proposal to thwart access for possible future developments on adjacent Tourles Farm land.
The past 14 failures to gain approval to develop the site.
Damage to the existing oak trees.
Responded to by Mr. Best as failure of this application would not prevent access to the land behind as this could still be achieved as a result of developments within the District Council Local Plan currently being prepared and that there were no plans to remove the oak trees stating that houses would be set back beyond the tree roots with there being no intention to ignore any TPO restrictions.
Further comments from the floor covered:-
Assumed links to recent offer of financial contribution for the parish which the chair responded to as needing to be seen in isolation to this application. Cllr. Partridge noting how unfair it was that each application be considered in isolation with the possibility of three access points to South Street being a real possibility.
Further comments from the floor covered:-
How boggy and unsuitable for housing the land was.
Adverse effect on the conservation area and wildlife.
Concern at the timing of the application in relation to the Neighbourhood Plan currently being worked on.
Capacity of sewage farm.
- DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Members are invited to make any declaration of personal or prejudicial interests that they may have in relation to items on the agenda and are reminded to make any declarations at any stage during the meeting if it then becomes apparent that this may be required when a particular item or issue is to be considered.
Cllr. Pope declared his continuing interest in matters relating to his association with Church Marks Green Management Co. Ltd.
- APOLOGIES – to receive apologies for absence
Apology and reason for absence received, and accepted, from Cllr. Vaughan.
- PLANNING
4.1 Current application under consideration
Application No. WD/2023/2516/MAJ
Application Type: Major Application – Full
Location: LAND OFF SOUTH STREET, EAST HOATHLY, BN8 6DS
Description: ERECTION OF 20 NO. DWELLINGS (INCLUDING 35% AFFORDABLE),
ACCESS, LANDSCAPING AND OTHER ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE.
Councillors noted the comments from the floor with particular note of the intention to develop a waterlogged site with TPOs in existence, the many instances of previous refusals, adverse impact on the conservation area, inclusion of the site as a ‘green space/gap’ in the Parish Neighbourhood Plan, wildlife green corridor, lack of site lines to trees and open spaces beyond, not enough demonstrated need for 20 extra houses with 200 being built to overcome the previous refusals, extra pressure with increased traffic that will result, possible road access from behind the site and concerns about design and architecture.
Following a proposal by Cllr. Partridge and seconding by Cllr. Butcher
RESOLVED to object to the application, delegating agreement of the wording to approval by email. (Later – see Appendix A for wording)
- DATE OF NEXT MEETING
To note that the next meeting will be of the Full Council and will be held on Monday, 27th November, 2023 at 7.00pm.
Meeting closed at 8.10pm
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE E-MAILED COPIES OF THIS AND FUTURE AGENDAS PLEASE CONTACT THE CLERK (07948 496760) and/or
clerk@easthoathlywithhalland.org.uk
Appendix A
WD/2023/2516/MAJ – LAND OFF SOUTH STREET, EAST HOATHLY BN8 6DS We believe that commenting in isolation to already approved applications (in this case WD/2023/0633/MRM) is not appropriate but find this frustrating and not at all cohesive and ask that, should this not be the case, we be allowed to update our submission. East Hoathly with Halland Parish Council strongly objects to this application as it would adversely impact on the setting of the designated East Hoathly Conservation Area and it would have a noticeable and significantly adverse impact, by virtue of the positive contribution that the site currently makes being, as it is, included as a ‘Local Green Gap/Space’ in the recently submitted Neighbourhood Plan. The proposal would not enhance or better reveal the significance of the Conservation Area and would not make a positive contribution due to the inappropriate location, design and form of the development within its setting and, therefore, continued rejection, as with the previous 14 applications relating to this site since 1961, would continue to be appropriate. This application for 20 homes is on a green field site outside the designated boundary of East Hoathly and not needed with some 200 extra homes now being provided at Paddock Green and consent for a further up to 55 homes adjacent to this application site. At a recent and earlier planning meeting, residents voiced their concerns and complaints regarding the capacity of the school, the difficulties of getting doctor’s appointments, the marginal effectiveness of the utilities (electricity supply, water, drainage, foul water capacity, etc.), the severe impact on biodiversity, the green corridor for wildlife, potential to damage root structure of ‘protected’ trees (especially that of the oak trees that gave rise to the name Circle of Oaks), traffic congestion and parking and the poor state of maintenance of roads and pavements. This leads us to believe that the infrastructure of the Parish is at or beyond capacity. Further development on this scale would certainly exacerbate this situation.