Minutes of the meeting of the Development and Planning Committee

held in The Stevenson Centre on Monday 11^th September 2006

Present            Councillors          Mrs.C.J.Baker                       Chairman                          

                                                        D.C.Allen

                                                        Mrs.C.A.Beer-Todd

                                                        M.Fryer 

                                                        Mrs.F.A.Jackson

                                                        Mrs.P.White            

                                                        J.R.A.Sayers

                  Council Manager         Mr.M.J.Fitt                             

                  Clerical Assistant        Mrs.N.C.Tamlyn

1)            Apologies for Absence

           None

2)        Declarations of Interest  

           Cllr.J.R.A.Sayers declared a personal interest with regards to his membership

           of Babergh District Council and Sudbury Town Council.

3)         New Planning Application  

     Considered out of Committee

            i)  B/06/011172/RES/RM – Phase 2 Cornard Mills

         Submission of details under O.P.P.B/06/0185/OUT-the siting, design and

         external appearance of, means of access to, and the landscaping of phase 2

         of the development comprising 76 residential dwellings.

               Recommended – REFUSAL

• The block represented by plots 53-68 on the plan is shown as four storey, plus a pitched roof. We believe that this block is excessively tall and will completely obscure any view of the River Stour from the Bures Road, representing a severe loss of amenity for all the properties on Bures Road affected.

• This Council is aware that increased density of housing development is an aspiration of central government. However we believe that the limited and potentially dangerous access to this site warrants special consideration. There is only one access road, which crosses an unmanned level crossing. The increase in the number of dwellings will, logically, increase the population on site and the number of vehicle and pedestrian movements over the crossing. Accidents on this type of crossing are only too common and an increased usage must, therefore, increase the risk of an accident happening here. Also, should the crossing be blocked the residents on site would be ‘marooned’.

• A single entrance to the estate is likely to prove problematical for emergency vehicles, there being no alternative should the entrance be obstructed.

• Construction material are shown variously as ‘Suffolk mixture buff’, old English buff multi’, andante golden buff’. We are unaware of the technical details of these types of brick but would suggest that the development should be carried out in what are known as ‘Suffolk white’ bricks.

• It would appear the vehicular access to the Stour Valley visitor centre will be along the main access road and across a small bridge which crosses the mill race. We believe that an investigation of this bridge will show it to be constructed from corrugated iron hoops covered with soil, and, therefore, highly unsuitable for any vehicular traffic (particularly visiting coaches). The Council should ensure that any proposals for the road construction address the shortcomings of this bridge.

• The development has some dwellings in small ‘courtyards’, off the main roadway. This Council is constantly receiving requests from residents of older developments, with this type of design, for new street lights, asserting that insufficient lighting was installed when the estate was built, and that the parking areas and cul de sacs are dangerously dark. The Planning Authority must ensure that the developer provides suitable and sufficient lighting in all areas of the development. Who is it intended will ‘adopt’ the adoptable street lighting?

• There is a street light shown on the footpath/cycleway immediately adjacent to the new artificial otter holt. Consideration should be given to the advisability of this proximity.

• Surface water from the site will, we understand, be drained into the mill race and there are no current plans to fit interceptors, in spite of the findings of the developers ‘Environmental Risk Assessment’ from which we quote.

“The site is located within a highly sensitive area being underlain by a major groundwater resource and given the proximity of the River Stour” “The proximity of the river and mill race makes the water course highly vulnerable to site activities. The river and mill pond supports considerable fish life and wild fowl which would be sensitive to pollutants entering the watercourse.”

“The site is considered to be in a highly sensitive location as it is underlain by a major aquifer with abstractions in the vicinity and most of the site is located within the inner zone of a groundwater source protection zone and the remainder within the outer zone.”

The increased number of dwellings must logically increase the amount of

pollutants in the surface water to be drained, if only from the number of cars washed at the week-end, and we contend that the proposed treatment is unsatisfactory, particularly being fed into the mill race where pollutants will ‘settle’ in the mill pond.

ii)      B/06/01208/FHA/RM – 17 Kingsbury Walk

Erection of single-storey rear extension and front porch

      Recommended – APPROVAL

iii) B/06/01219/RES/DB – Part Side Garden, 87 Head Lane

Outline – Erection of single-storey dwelling (siting and access to be considered)

      Recommended – REFUSAL

The proposed development is very cramped and represents a gross

Over development of the site, leaving the new property and 87 head Lane with

minimal garden space.

iv)      B/06/01255/FHA/GP – The Old Rectory, Kedington Hill, Little Cornard

      Alterations to existing garden building

      Recommended – APPROVAL

v)      B/06/01256/LBC/GP – The Old Rectory, Kedington Hill, Little Cornard

Application for listed building consent – External and internal alterations to garden building

Recommend - APRROVAL

vi)      B/06/01276/DPA/GP – 10 Kiln Drive

Application under Regulation 3 of the Town & Country Planning General Regulations 1992 – Retention of 1.2m high close boarded fence to boundary and erection of 1.8m high close boarded fence to rear boundary.

       Recommend - APPROVAL

vii) B/06/01291/CDP/RM – Old School, Wells Hall Road

Application under Regulation 3 of the Town & Country Planning General Regulations 1992 – Retention of temporary office unit 142.

      Recommended – APPROVAL

      New Planning Applications

i)   B/06/00375/FUL/DB – Land to the rear of Queens Arms & site  

formerly 40, Radiator Rd    

Erection of 8 No. residential flats. Alterations to existing vehicular access pedestrian access. (REVISED PLANS)

Recommended – APPROVAL subject to

The 50sqm ‘shared garden’ area must permanently remain as garden space.

ii)   B/06/01349/FUL/GP – Clibbon House

      Cllr.M.Fryer declared a personal interest, as a close relative is a resident of

      Butt Road.

      Erection of 2 No. two bed dwellings; erection of 2 No. three bed

      dwellings; erection of 2 No. two bed bungalows; erection 1 No. three

      bed bungalows; erection 7 No. one bed flats and erection 9 No. two

      bed flats (Clibbon House to be demolished). Construction of new

      vehicular access.

      Recommended – REFUSAL

·        Over development of site

·        The three-story building is not in keeping with the surrounding area.

·        Poor design

·        Lack of privacy for residents opposite the site.

·        Parking issues. The site has four-exit point onto Butt Road, an area that already has considerable traffic issues due to the school.

iii)   B/06/01408/FHA/RM – 24 Turkentine Close

       Erection of rear conservatory (existing conservatory to be demolished).

       Recommended – APPROVAL

iv)   B06/01435/FHA/RM – 12 Highbury Way

       Erection of a rear conservatory (following demolition of single-storey rear

       extension).

       Recommended – APPROVAL

v)   B/06/01431/FHA/RM – 49 Hawthorn Road

      Erection of conservatory

      Recommended – APPROVAL

 Meeting closed at 7.24pm