Minutes of Planning Committee Meeting on 18th December 2019

Minutes of Sidlesham Parish Council Planning Committee Meeting on
Wednesday, 18th December 2019 in the Church Hall, Church Farm Lane at 6.30 pm

All members of the Council and the public were informed that the meeting will be recorded.
Present: Mr A Harland (Chairman), Mr M Mellodey, Mr R Ryder, Mr L Ramm, Mrs M Monnington, Mr C Field and Mrs L Gibson-House, Cllr C Purnell (CDC), 4 members of the public and the Clerk, Mrs T MacIntyre.

1. Apologies for absence: Mrs P Tull, Mrs C Hall
2. Minutes of Planning Committee Meeting held 20th November 2019 to be signed as a correct record. Mr Field proposed and Mrs Monnington seconded that the Minutes be signed. All agreed.
3. Declarations by Councillors of personal interests in items on this agenda. Mr Ramm declared an interest in item 8.3. He will not vote on that item.
4. Matters arising from the above minutes not dealt with in separate items below. None.
5. Confirmation of Applications discussed at the Meeting on 20th November 2019
5.1 SI/19/02810/DOM - 63 Street End Lane, Sidlesham
Single storey front extension and new drop kerb for drive.
No objection. Unanimous decision.
5.2 SI/19/02835/DOM – 14 Chalk Lane, Sidlesham PO20 7LW
Demolition of conservatory and erection of two storey side and rear extensions.
No objection. Unanimous decision.
6. New Planning Application for Discussion
6.1 SI/19/02832/FUL - 1 & 4 Keynor Barns Keynor Lane Sidlesham Chichester
Proposed construction of mezzanine floors to Units 1 and 4, 4 no. additional car parking spaces, and further external changes to Unit 1. Change of use to flexible Class uses to Units 1 & 4 to include Class B1, B8, D1 & D2. Changes to hours of use.
No objection. All agreed.
6.2 SI/19/02875/FUL - Old Gardens Highleigh Road Sidlesham Chichester
Construction of 1 no. chalet bungalow with garage.
The PC objects to this Application for the same reason that it objected to the Applicant’s previous application in November 2018. In Sidlesham there is a Local Plan policy which does not allow new building in the parish; only replacement buildings on the footprint of existing buildings or small scale social housing are permitted.
All agreed.
6.3 SI/19/02571/LBC - The Old Doctors House, Highleigh Road Sidlesham PO20 7NR
Proposed partial demolition of residential accommodation and replace with 2 single storey extensions, including a new front porch and entrance, a single storey orangery and minor landscaping amendment works. Variation of conditions 2 from Listed Building Consent SI/18/03252/LBC- Remove glazing bars from the orangery and from the external doors to the dining room and master bedroom.
No objection. Unanimous decision.
6.4 SI/19/02955/ELD - Bramble Stables, Chalk Lane Sidlesham PO20 7LW
Change of use of building to use as a single dwelling house.
No objection. All agreed.
6.5 SI/19/02876/FUL - Land Adjacent To Melita Nursery Chalk Lane Sidlesham Chichester
Change of use of land to travellers’ caravan site consisting of 4 no. pitches each containing 1 no. mobile home and ancillary development.
The Parish Council, despite the fact that it feels Sidlesham now has a large number of traveller pitches, reluctantly accepted that it has no grounds to object due to the known shortfall in traveller sites in Chichester District.
6.6 SI/19/02969/PA3Q 15 Chalk Lane Sidlesham Chichester West Sussex
Class Q(b) Application for Prior Approval - Change of use of Agricultural Building from Agriculture to 1 no. Dwelling (C3 Use Class).
The PC had previously written to object to this Application. However, its objection has now been confirmed having seen the surveyor’s report in which it states that the timber purlins are sound. The PC is not convinced they would support a dwelling. It can clearly be seen that the roof is sagging. The PC considers that a structural engineer’s report is required. All agreed.
6.7 SI/19/02938/DOM – Greenwood Farm House, Ham Road, Sidlesham, PO20 7NX
Access drive.
No objection. Unanimous decision.
7. Planning Decisions.
7.1 SI/19/02575/FUL - Red Barn Selsey Road Sidlesham Chichester West Sussex PO20 7NE
Erection of 1 no. dwelling - alternative design to planning permission SI/19/01545/FUL. REFUSE.
7.2 SI/19/02588/DOM - 1 Stakeways, Ham Road Sidlesham PO20 7NS
Erection of double garage with sail loft - amendments to planning permission SI/19/00812/DOM. PERMIT.
7.3 SI/19/02681/TCA - St Marys Church Church Lane Sidlesham Chichester West Sussex PO20 7RH
Notification of intention to fell 1 no. Common Ash tree (T2), crown raise by up to 2.2m on 3 no. Yew trees (T3,T4 and T5) and reduce branches on north to north-west sectors by 1m touching adjacent building's roof on 1 no. Oak tree (T6). NOT TO PREPARE A TREE PRESERVATION ORDER
8. Planning Correspondence and other planning matters.
8.1 SI/19/01193/FUL - Units 1 To 7 Purchase Farm Easton Lane Sidlesham PO20 7NU Vehicular access; use of buildings for purposes within Use Classes B1 and B8 and for vehicle and boat repair and maintenance; retention of 4 no. portacabins and 5 no. storage containers for ancillary purposes; extension to existing parking areas with associated landscaping
The PC decided to rescind its letter of 4th December 2019 following local evidence regarding the Application. It considers this an inappropriate site for the size of operation and an overdevelopment in a rural area. It objects on the following grounds:
a) Environmental – the site is adjacent to Medmerry Nature Reserve and the car transporters and equipment are clearly visible to walkers on the reserve. The foul drainage from car maintenance seeps into the watercourse and will contaminate Nature Reserve land. There is no wash down bay and no indication of how contaminates are treated and disposed of.
Secondly, cars will be parked adjacent to the ancient pond on the neighbouring property. This is a known habitat for great crested newts, a protected species. The hard standing area identified on the plan to the east of the pond, to be used for parked cars, was wild and known to be a habitat for newts when the pond dries in summer.
b) Road concerns. Easton Lane is a narrow, largely single track lane. It has been brought to the Council's attention that in the original application for industrial units at this site, WSCC Highways clearly acknowledged the unsuitability of Easton Lane to support the proposed work units. Yet, there is no objection from highways to this escalation of traffic movements to and from the site. It is unsuitable for the large number of cars being tested on the lane and vehicle transporters which block and cause damage to the lane. This Council asks that highways be requested to make a site visit and not to rely on a desktop assessment of this narrow, winding lane.
c) Overdevelopment. This is a rural location and unsuitable for the size of operation proposed in the application. The PC believes the operation on that site should be scaled back to that agreed in its original planning permission in 2010 and an alternative site found for the expansion.
d) Drainage. The property shares a cesspit with Easton Farmhouse. The cesspit is proving to be inadequate for the number of employees on site which has grown from the original 15 to over 50. The cesspit is now subject to regular flooding on the neighbour’s drive. The Parish requests a site visit from Environmental Health to assess the adequacy of facilities on site.
Unanimous decision.
8.2 SI/19/02349/FUL - Land East Of 4 Cow Lane Sidlesham West Sussex PO20 7LN
Demolition of existing building and erection of 1 no. 3 bed dwelling as alternative to SI/18/01871/FUL.
Request from Applicant’s agent to red card Application.
The PC maintains its support for the design of the new dwelling. However, the PC was informed that CDC considers the roof to be too high. The PC had requested that Cllr Johnson red card the application but she did not think it a suitable application to red card.
8.3 SI/19/03043/FUL – Field South of Green Lane Piggeries, Ham Road, Sidlesham.
Change of use of land as private gypsy and traveller caravan site (variation of condition 2 of planning permission SI/14/04058/COU (APP/L3815/W/3019459 – to make temporary permission permanent.
The PC objects to this application. The plot of land is in flood zone 3 and therefore unsuitable for the ancillary development required for the caravans. 6 Agreed and 1 abstention.
8. Matters of urgent public importance. Items raised will stand deferred until the next meeting.
None.