Agenda and minutes

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest in any item on the agenda.

Councillor G Bunn declared a non – registrable, non pecuniary interest in item 5.2 as she had been a customer of the garage based on the site proposed for development. Minute number 52.2 refers.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2024.

The minutes of the meeting on 7 February 2024 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Committee received notification of lobbying in respect of the planning applications subject to consideration at the meeting.

Change of use of land to animal sanctuary with 27 guest cabins, reception / spa / retreat / education centre, ancillary restaurant building and animal houses /enclosures, creation of new access and car parking including landscaping

Land to west and south of Station House, The Forge, Trowell, Nottinghamshire

Change of use of land to animal sanctuary with 27 guest cabins, reception / spa / retreat / education centre, ancillary restaurant building and animal houses /enclosures, creation of new access and car parking including landscaping

Land to west and south of Station House, The Forge, Trowell, Nottinghamshire

The application was brought to the Committee at request of Councillor D Pringle. The proposal was also a departure from the Broxtowe Part 2 Local Plan 2019.

There were number of late items and one late, late item.  The late items included ten objections, four comments of support, a link to an online petition in support of the application and a written petition had been submitted by the applicant in support of the application.  A leaflet had been submitted by the applicant in support of the application and an email from the Born Free Foundation to the applicant advising on the care of his lions.  A comment was received from a Nottinghamshire County Councillor. The late, late item was a written petition submitted in opposition to the proposal.

There was a request from Councillor S J Carr that the precise contents of the email from the Born Free Foundation be shared.

It was proposed by Councillor R S Falvey and seconded by Councillor G Marshall that there be an adjournment of five minutes to allow Planning Officers to find the email.  On being put to the meeting, the motion was carried and the meeting was adjourned. 

When the meeting resumed, the late item comprised of the email from the Born Free Foundation was read to the Committee in full.

Reece Oliver, the applicant, Sarah Brown, supporting by written statement, Roger Gray, objecting, Katie Richards, objecting by written statement, and Councillor D D Pringle, Ward Member, made representation to the Committee prior to the general debate.

Having given due regard to the representations put before them, the Committee commenced the debate.  There was concern that there had been a lack of consideration of more suitable sites.  It was noted that the biodiversity net gain would be -16% and there would be a loss of ecology on the site, including protected species.  There were also comments on the importance of the site as a flood plain and a green corridor marking the boundaries between the settlements of Trowell and Ilkeston.  It was considered that the proposed development would lead to an increase in traffic and pollution.  There were concerns about the morality of keeping animals in captivity, the size of the site, security and the lack of details about the animals that would be kept on the proposed reserve.

As the debate progressed consideration was given to the ambition of the project and the opportunity for investment in the Borough.  The claim that the scheme was carbon negative was discussed. 

RESOLVED that planning permission be refused for the following reasons:

Proposed demolition of existing car garage and construction of residential accommodation comprising 12 studio flats and 2 x 6 bedroom cluster flats (HMO) (revised scheme)

Beeston Car Centre, Broadgate, Beeston, Nottinghamshire, NG9 2HD

Proposed demolition of existing car garage and construction of residential accommodation comprising 12 studio flats and 2x6 bedroom cluster flats (HMO) (revised scheme)

Beeston Car Centre, Broadgate, Beeston, Nottinghamshire, NG9 2HD

This application was brought to the Committee at the request of Councillor B C Carr and Councillor S J Carr.

The late items were comprised of an additional comment received objecting to the submission of an amended visualisation without any extension to the neighbour consultation period and an amendment to the section 106 payment for parks and open spaces to take into account the two cluster flats.

Mark Bassett, the applicant and Ian Cooper, objecting, made representation to the Committee prior to the general debate.

The number of applications for student accommodation clustered around this area were discussed.  It was noted that the proposed development would be on an employment site, which if lost, could impact the viability of Beeston Town Centre.  There was also concern that the six parking spaces allocated to the building were for staff, not residents, that the rooms in the block were small and that the proposed density for the site was too high. 

Debate progressed on to the detrimental impact of student blocks on the character of the area, especially the appearance of the block at the gateway to Beeston Town Centre, as well as the impact on existing residents and the wider community. 

Councillor G Marshall proposed that the item be deferred to allow officers to gather further information about student properties in the area.  He then withdrew his proposal.

RESOLVED that planning permission be refused with the precise wording of the refusal, to include reasons regarding the loss of an employment site, the density, highways and loss facilities and employment, delegated to the Vice Chair of Planning Committee in agreement with the Head of Planning and Economic Development and the Planning Manager.

Reasons

1.         The proposed building, by virtue of its scale and massing, is considered to dominate neighbouring properties in the street scene and cumulatively have an unacceptable impact on the character of the surrounding area. Therefore, the proposed development would be contrary to the aims of Policy 10 of the Aligned Core Strategy 2014 and Policy 17 of the Part 2 Local Plan (2019), and there are no other material considerations that justify treating this proposal as an exception to these policies.

2.         The proposal would contribute to an increasing imbalance in the local housing mix and represents an unacceptable density of residential development, contrary to the aims of Policy 8 of the Aligned Core Strategy 2014 and Policies 15(6) and 17 of the Part 2 Local Plan (2019), and there are no other material considerations that justify treating this proposal as an exception to these policies.

3.         The proposal would result in the loss of facilities and services, place additional demand on those that remain and reduce the sense of locally distinctive character, contrary to Policy 17 of the Part 2 Local Plan (2019) and the Building for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.2

Change of use from existing HMO (Use class C4) to a large House in Multiple Occupation (Sui-Generis use). Construction of dormer and single storey side and rear extensions

193 Station Road, Beeston, NG9 2AB

Change of use from existing HMO (Use class C4) to a large House in Multiple Occupation (Sui-Generis use). Construction of dormer and single storey side and rear extensions

193 Station Road, Beeston, NG9 2AB

The application was brought to Committee at the request of Councillor V C Smith.

There was one late item, which was an email highlighting concerns and objections.

Rae Murphy, the applicant and Dave Gilkerson, commenting, made representation to the Committee prior to the general debate.

The Committee debated the item, having given regard to the representations before it.  There were concerns about the size of the proposed development and the impact it would have on car parking and flooding in the area.  Consideration was also given to the approach of the developer and the high quality of the proposed development, which was considered to be an improvement on the current state of the property.

RESOLVED that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

Retain static mobile home

Trinity Farm, Awsworth Lane, Cossall, Nottinghamshire, NG16 2RZ

Retain static mobile home

Trinity Farm, Awsworth Lane, Cossall, Nottinghamshire, NG16 2RZ

Councillor L A Ball BEM requested that this proposal come before Committee.

The late item was a correction to the original report which referenced paragraph 154 of the National Planning Policy Framework rather than 155.

Lewis Winter, the applicant, made representation to the Committee prior to the general debate.

After considering all representations, the Committee debated the item.  It was noted that the building was temporary, that the farm was a key part of the agricultural community and that the development did not have any impact on the openness or amenity of the Green Belt.

RESOLVED that planning permission be granted with the precise wording of the approval and conditions, to include a condition to return the site to it’s original state after ten years, be delegated to the Vice Chair of Planning Committee in agreement with the Head of Planning and Economic Development and the Planning Manager.

Reasons

1.              Planning permission is hereby granted for a temporary period only and shall cease to have effect on 14 March 2035. The use hereby permitted shall be discontinued and the land restored to its former condition on or before that date in accordance with a scheme of work submitted to and approved by the local planning authority.

2.         The occupation of the caravan, the siting of which is hereby permitted, shall be limited to a person solely or mainly employed, or last employed, at Trinity Farm in agriculture as defined in section 336 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, or any subsequent equivalent statutory provision or a dependent of such a person residing with him or her, or a widow or widower of such a person.

3.         Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (as amended) (or any subsequent equivalent legislation) no development falling within Part 14 of Schedule 2 of the said Order shall be carried out without the prior written permission of the Local Planning Authority.

The Committee noted the delegated decisions.

The Committee is asked to RESOLVE that, under Section 100A of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

RESOLVED that, under section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 12A of the act.

The Committee noted the report.