17th February 2021 Planning Minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 17^th February 2021 via video conferencing

Present: Cllr Andy Brewer (Chairman), Cllrs Peter Clayton, Nick Tolley, Louise Parkin, Sue Harvey with Lorna Williams (Deputy Clerk) in attendance.

One member of the press was in attendance

Public Participation

There were no speakers.

16/21/PC       Apologies

                        Cllr Hancock

                        Cllr Helen Groves was not present

17/21/PC       Declarations of Interest in items on this agenda & dispensations granted

Cllr Parkin declared an interest on the item concerned with the road closures for Burnham EAT Festivals

18/21/PC       Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 27^th January 2021 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

19/21/PC       Planning Applications considered

11/20/149

Members noted there had been a considerable amount of development over recent years and although this application was for temporary buildings the meeting was disappointed to see that this was retrospective application. Members discussed the use of the caravan for overnight stays and suggested that a condition was placed on the consent application limiting the amount of overnight stays in the caravan.

The meeting asked the Clerk to contact the Case Officer with regard to quantifying this request.

Since the meeting the Case Officer will communicate with the applicant and it might be they remove the over-night aspect from the proposal.

Comment:    No Observations

20/21/PC       Applications considered under delegated authority

11/20/0136 – 11a Brightstowe Road, Burnham-on-Sea

Members originally objected on the grounds that that the design would have a detrimental effect on the visual amenity and street scene. Having two properties built in such a small space albeit partially underground, represents an overdevelopment of the site. There was concern over flood risk as that the bedrooms were on the lower ground floor.

Whilst there has been a significant change to the plans, particularly relating to the proposed dwelling referred to as ‘Little Eden’ it is still the case that the grounds for the council’s previous objections (above) to this application have not fundamentally changed, therefore this council objects to the application.

11/20/0151 – 33 Victoria St. Burnham-on-Sea

The council’s previous comments remained the same:

Support on the grounds that the application would provide additional local employment and improve the amenity and viability of the local area subject to a change in the requested opening hours from 3am to 1am as this would be more in line with comparable establishments within the town. There must be consideration for the residents that will be living in the newly built retirement flats within 200 meters of this takeaway.

Members were very pleased that an empty business property was being brought back into use however they had concerns that the proposed new door was out of character with the rest of the building. The design and style is contrary to the Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan CB2.

21/12/PC       Correspondence from the Clerk

The meeting NOTED – Notice of application for road closures for Burnham on Sea EAT Festivals – 29^th May 2021 and 23^rd October 2021. Comments by 1^st March 2021

Notice of application for a road closure for Burnham on Sea Farmers Market – 26th March 2021. Comments by 10th March 2021    

Cllr Brewer informed the meeting that he had received notification of major sewerage restoration work in the High St. commencing the 17^th May. There would be no road closures as ‘no dig technology’ was being used.

22/21/PC       Date of Next meeting

Cllr Brewer suggested changing the next two meeting dates of the Planning Committee to enable planning applications to be considered within planning timescales.

It was agreed that the new dates would be changed as follows:

Weds 17^th March moved to Weds 10^th March

Weds 7^th April moved to Weds 31^st March

It was noted that the next meeting of this committee will be held on Wednesday 10^th March 2021 at 7pm.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 7.22pm