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NEWPORT PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING AND LICENSING COMMITTEE

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF NEWPORT PARISH PLANNING AND LICENSING COMMITTEE HELD ON THURSDAY, 4th AUGUST 2011, AT THE RIVERSIDE CENTRE, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT, COMMENCED AT 6. 30PM Councillors Present : Shirley Smart (Chairman), Tony Coburn, Mary Craven, Debbie Dixcey, Lois Prior and Peter Whiteman. None Chris Hougham

Public: Clerk:

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME None -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------P/619 APOLOGIES None received. P/620 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Cllr.Peter Whiteman declared a general personal interest on the basis that he is employed in the building industry. P/621 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING AND MATTERS ARISING The minutes of the last meeting held on 21st July 2011 were agreed and signed as a correct record. The Assistant Clerk updated Members on the latest position on certain related matters, primarily enforcement enquires and investigations, that were set out in the Additional Matters Paper circulated to Members prior to the meeting. Unauthorised use of land at Priory Farm Lane Members were advised that a response has been received from the Acting Lead Officer for Enforcement to advise that he has now investigated the matter himself and visited the site, he comments. visited the site last week and frankly, was appalled by the mess. This was always an attractive area of the conservation area that provided a very important gap between the older elements of the village the modern estates to the north. The site is highly visible from several footpaths and now has a number of older caravans, equipment etc stored close to the Churchyard wall. My opinion is that this is a change of use of the land to storage, that due to the visual impact of caravans, is harmful to the appearance of the land.

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He says that if this is not addressed (hopefully promptly) then he will take action and serve notice on the landowner. Members asked the Assistant Clerk to monitor the situation. New Church in Pyle Street PW raised this as an issue as the church has not been completed in accordance with the approved scheme and, further to that, there appears to be little prospect of it being finished in the foreseeable future. The Assistant Clerk made appropriate enquiries and the Regeneration Team Leader (Planning) responded in the following terms. I can fully understand why this issue has been raised by Newport PC as a partially implemented development in a prominent position adjacent to a Grade II* is from ideal. Although not necessarily untidy to the detriment of the wider area, its incomplete condition clearly lacks the quality and enhancement that was envisaged when consent was granted. Work did temporarily stop on the main building for a while before progressing to its current state. The reason for the initial delay and for the current condition is purely financial on the part of the Congregational Church. They are of course committed to completing work but only when finances allow. The remaining part of the scheme is quite intricate and therefore expensive. There are powers available to serve a Completion Notice, although the associated guidance does state that if the reason for delaying a project is financial then it is unlikely that a Completion Notice would succeed and the only recourse would be for the Authority to acquire the building and to complete the work itself. This simply won't happen. I appreciate that the situation is disappointing, but at the present time it's unavoidable. Members noted the prompt detailed response although they were disappointed by the advice. The Assistant Clerk confirmed that, in his view, this was the correct advice.

P/622 RECENTLY LODGED PLANNING APPEALS AND DECISIONS Recent Appeal Decision Members were advised that an appeal for the demolition of house, residential redevelopment comprising a two/three storey block of five flats with associated parking at 64 Fairlee Road had been dismissed. P/623 LICENSING APPLICATIONS Application for a minor variation to a premises licence at The Retreat, 10 Scarrots Lane. Members asked the Assistant Clerk to obtain further information before commenting on this application. P/624 PLANNING APPLICATIONS P/01021/11site of concrete products manufacturing plant off Westminster Lane Members were advised that this related to a permission granted three years ago when, in error, consent was made conditional on the completion of a S.106 Agreement and that this Agreement was never concluded. The applicants have been advised that they need to effectively renew a consent of doubtful validity rather than submit a new application with all the necessary supporting information. That said, Members fully understand that if there has been no change in circumstances during the three years that have elapsed that realistically there are unlikely to be any sustainable reasons for reaching a different decision on this occasion. On this basis Members wished to raise NO OBJECTION to the application subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions in terms of access, landscaping/planting, boundary treatment etc.

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P/00977/11 land at former Dairy Crest site north of Lukely Brook Westminster Lane Members maintained the view that this scheme is quite clearly a serious overdevelopment of the site and that the submitted drawings with this reserved matters submission are indicative of the degree of overdevelopment and the adverse impact that this will have on the developing character and appearance of the area. Nevertheless Members were advised that this is a reserved matters submission and that despite the concerns of the Parish Council the detailed matter of scale was dealt with at the outline stage and consequently this is not a sustainable objection to the submission. The definition of scale as shown on the planning portal, reflecting the amendments in 2006, is that it includes information on the size of the development, including the height, width and length of each proposed building. Members believe that the building is oversized and that this has led to a design solution in terms of appearance that can only be described as barrack style. Members accept that the design reflects some of the architectural detailing and features of the neighbouring far smaller block in Old Westminster Lane but still wish to OBJECT to this application on grounds of the appearance of the proposed block(s) that detracts from the visual amenities of the area, contrary to local planning policies, and hope that Officers will look with the applicants agents for a better more innovative solution to minimise the stark oppressive nature of an oversized building that takes up the vast majority of the available site area. P/00819/11 land to the south east of Newport between and including part of Staplers Road and St. Georges Way Perhaps not surprisingly this aspect of the Pan Meadows development continues to be relatively contentious with a fair degree of scepticism and genuine concern as whether the facility will prove to be viable and sustainable. However, Members appreciate that this latest application seeks to modestly reposition and re-orientate the building and also includes provision for a higher flue as a requirement of new regulations on air quality and, on that basis, they were prepared to raise NO OBJECTION to the application. P/00931/11 Westminster Bookshop 74 St. James Street Members recognised from the information, including photographs, that this building , in common with a number of others in this part of the town centre, is desperately in need of repair and refurbishment; even more so as a listed building in the Conservation Area. In this context the application is welcomed and the replacement of the existing timber frame shopfront on a like for like basis and the reroofing of the building has the full support of Members. However, Members are fully aware of the Councils policy on the use of uPVC windows and that this has always been upheld when tested on appeal. Members support this stance and although the proposed replacement windows are sash in style they are not appropriate for a listed building in any location. Consequently Members OBJECT to the application. P/01031/1140-41 St. James Street Essentially this application falls to be considered in two parts. Firstly the material change of use and the nature of that use in this particular location. Secondly the alterations and installation of specialist equipment to facilitate that use. Members took the view that the traditional retail character of this part of the town centre is slowly being eroded and that there is an over proliferation of this kind use in the immediate vicinity. However, this is not prime retail frontage and as a developing trend it is preferable to

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seeing empty shops. The consensus view was that Members, even with concerns, are not opposed to the material change of use. In terms of the external installation of generator and extraction equipment Members are firmly of the view that it is important that the EHO scrutinises the application very carefully as there are residential properties in the immediate vicinity. If the EHO is satisfied the Parish Council wishes to raise NO OBJECTION subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions restricting opening times, refuse bins for customers outside premises, measures to eliminate, reduce and/or mitigate against any noise/vibration/fumes from the equipment to the rear of the building and to ensure that the equipment is not used when the premises is closed. P/00197/11, P/00198/11 & P/00199/11 former Whitecroft Hospital, Sandy Lane Members were advised that no information was received in respect of these revised applications until the day of our meeting, after the press date, and consequently it wasnt possible to carry out a detailed analysis. That said, the Case Officer (Sarah Wilkinson) was kind enough to advise that these are relatively minor changes designed to protect more of the trees on site and, on this basis, Members were comfortable with the amendments. However, Members did object (see our comments 18/3/11) to the initial submissions on grounds of inadequate information and although we were subsequently advised that matters relating to the provision of affordable housing were likely to be dealt with by a financial contribution there still a number of outstanding matters that need to be resolved before the application(s) is determined. P/01003/11 & P/01004/11 Forster & Green Veterinary Surgeons, 107 Carisbrooke Road Members had NO OBJECTION to these applications. P/01013/11land at Vittlefields Industrial Estate, Forest Road Members had NO OBJECTION to this application. P/625 PLANNING NOTICES The Committee noted recent decisions that had been received. P/626 ANY OTHER PLANNING RELATED MATTERS INCLUDING CONSULTATIONS Consultation with Post Office over proposed relocation of Branch Post Office from 99 High Street to 43-51 Pyle Street (Co-operative Stores) Members agreed that there was very little surprise about this development and the closure of the Post Office in the High Street. Nevertheless they were keen for the Assistant Clerk to respond outlining certain points and general concerns about the provision of the service in a large market town like Newport. P/627 MEMBERS QUESTION TIME TC asked as to whether Members knew if the (former) residential property next to Union Street Garage had planning permission for use as an office in connection with the repair garage. TC also asked about a matter relating to a right of way adjacent to the side boundary on the vicarage off Clatterford Road and was advised by the Chairman that was likely to be a civil matter and something with which the Parish Council would not be involved. PW asked if there had been any progress on the latest attempts to get the former Shoulder of Mutton (PH) tidied and was advised by the Assistant Clerk that the responsible Officer in Planning was contacting the owners of the site to get some further

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work done. The Assistant Clerk said he would monitor the situation. SS raised an issue about the removal of certain unauthorised advertisements and asked the Assistant Clerk to make enquiries about the Councils policy on this type of matter and whether there were any size limitations etc. CLOSE OF MEETING The next meeting was confirmed as Thursday 18th August 2011 at 6.30pm. The meeting closed at 7.29pm.

.........................................................................................................Chairman

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