Agenda and minutes

In respect of planning application TWC/2022/0515, Councillor N Dugmore advised that he was a member of Muxton Parish Council but had not been involved in any discussions on this application.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 31 August 2022.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 31 August 2022 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

None.

None.

Please note that the order in which applications are heard may be changed at the meeting.  If Members have queries about any of the applications, they are requested to raise them with the relevant Planning Officer prior to the Committee meeting.

Members had received a schedule of planning applications to be determined by the Committee and fully considered each report and the supplementary information tabled at the meeting regarding planning application TWC/2022/0390.

This was an application for the erection of 22no. dwellings, a retirement living complex containing 66no. units and 10no. bungalows, indoor sports facility and community hall with associated car parking, additional parking for local community organisations, alterations to 2no. existing accesses and provision of 2no. new vehicular accesses, associated landscaping, attenuation pond, public open space and infrastructure on the site of former New College Telford, King Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire.

This application was presented to committee as it required financial contributions via section 106.

An update report was tabled at the meeting.

Mr S Thompson, Applicant, spoke in favour of the application which was part of a £27m investment in the Wellington area over the next three years.  Viability of the application had been challenging due to construction costs and it was asked that there be no affordable housing secured via a 106 on this application.  A Homes England Grant to bring the project forward was being applied for and this could not be granted if affordable housing was sought via the S106.  The development would fulfil 78% affordable housing via the Homes England Grant.

The Principal Planning Officer gave a brief overview of the application which met NDSS required space standards  Although there was slightly less outdoor space attached to the bungalows, space was provided for each of the bungalows in the form of a private outdoor space or a balcony as well as a communal garden.  Access was from Regent Street and King Street and there was an additional 21 bay car park to serve an existing community group in order to address local congestion and parking issues.  There was also an addition of a parking space for staff attending at the apartments.  An amended site plan has been agreed showing the additional staff parking space.  Concerns had been raised regarding the impact of the development on setting of the former listed girls’ school from the proximity of the retirement apartments and although it had not been possible to fully address these concerns it was considered that the benefits outweighed the harm and on balance could be accepted subject to conditions.  Following a viability appraisal the scheme was not viable for 25% affordable housing secured via the S106 and therefore Members were being asked to approve the scheme with 0% affordable housing to allow the applicant to access Homes England Grant Funding to deliver 78% affordable housing on site.  Contributions via the S106 would be sought towards healthy spaces and education and it was agreed by the applicant that these would be paid in full.

During the debate some Members asked for clarification on the use of the indoor sport facility and whether it would be used for community use and would this be manned by a paid member of staff.  Other Members asked for clarification in relation to the additional car park for community use.  Further clarification was sought on the Homes England Grant Funding and how this would be monitored.  Other Members asked if  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC309

This application was for the felling of 1no. Monkey Puzzle tree and 3no. Pine trees on the site of 23 Wellington Road, Muxton, Telford, Shropshire.

The application was before Members at the request of Donnington & Muxton Parish Council.

Councillor L Dugmore spoke against the application on behalf of the Parish Council who raised concerns regarding the conditions from the previous three applications being ignored and damage had been caused to the trees which had caused them to be in a desperate state and dangerous.  She felt approving the application was a reward for the applicant’s behaviour.  Further concerns were also raised that enforcement hand not taken place and how could they be confident that action would be taken against the Developer for their flagrant disregard of planning consent.

The Planning Officer informed Members that a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) had been placed on four trees in 2018 in relation to the proposed development and following a compliance visit it was apparent from the condition of the trees that the conditions of the TPO had not been adhered to protective fencing had not been implemented and there had been soil interruption to the tree roots.  The damage to the Pine trees had meant they had become unstable with dead wood present and the surrounding ground compacted.  Long term stability of the trees was of concern.  The Arboricultural Specialist had confirmed that the Monkey Puzzle tree had declined and the roots of the Pine trees had been damaged irrecoverably.  The Council’s Tree Officer had confirmed that in the interest of safety and future amenity that the trees needed to be felled.

It was requested that consent was approved, subject to the conditions that trees were replaced in line with the Tree Officer recommendations of a 20-25cm girth and the submission of an aftercare management plan for five years in order for successful tree survival.

The Tree Officer commented that conditions were not adhered to and ground works, the storage of concrete blocks and changes to soil levels had all impacted the trees.  In August this year there was some stem bleeding and honey fungus and it was a question of when the trees would come down.  A power company had recently taken a chunk out of the Pine tree and it was suggested that these trees be removed and replaced with similar large trees.

During the debate some Members raised concerns regarding the state of the Monkey Puzzle tree as well as the Pine trees and felt that the Tree Officer had a better knowledge of the state of the trees and that they should be replaced with like for like trees with an aftercare plan in place in order to ensure that it was adhered to.  Other Members felt concerned that the trees had been destroyed and asked what actions could be taken, whether the replacement trees would be semi mature and what conditions could be put in place.  It was also asked if there was a timescale for action to  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC310

This application was for a change of use from residential dwelling (Use Class C3) to children's residential accommodation (Use Class C2) at 16 Avondale Road, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 2HD

This application was before Planning Committee at the request of Wellington Town Council.

Councillor M Hosken (Ward Councillor) spoke against the application and on behalf of local residents who had raised concerns regarding the change of use from use class C3 to use class C2.  This was a residential property and should not be used for a commercial enterprise and a family would be removed from their home and moved elsewhere in order to accommodate a pseudo family.  He raised concerns regarding the ages of the residents, the sex of the residents, social and educational welfare area outside of the property, staff qualifications and who would monitor their performance and that this money making venture would affect the lives of local residents and devalue surrounding properties.

Mrs H Barker, a member of the public, raised concerns regarding the consultation process and she had made further representations prior to the committee meeting.  She was not against the idea of the scheme but felt that issues had not been fully addressed in relation to the bedrooms and sleeping arrangements for up to four people on a 24 hour basis.  Some of the downstairs space was being converted into work space and this would limit the living space which would be unfair on the children.  The back garden was of a decent size but adjoined five other gardens spaces and this, together with the weather, would limit the use in that sense.  She felt that this application would be more suitable for a detached house in order to meet the needs of the children.

The Planning Officer confirmed that this was a three bedroom, two storey house with parking at the front and around the side of the property.  The change of use to a C2 residential institution would be for a maximum of two children from the ages of 8-18 years with two carers on a rota basis.  There would be up to two children sleeping overnight with six carers on for 48 hours and the off for 60 hours with no more than three carers at any one time.  There would be a changeover at 8am with a manager visiting between the hours of 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday.  Changes to the living room into an office/study was proposed and there was sufficient parking space at the property.  Policy HO7 regarding specialist housing needs proposed that it met the needs of local residents and required local community shops, services and transport.  Policy BE1 confirmed there was no significant adverse impact.  The proposed use would simulate a typical family and was close to amenities and services in Wellington.  A balanced view had been taken as planning could not differentiate between children, there was a strict match making process for vulnerable children and a short of supply of housing with children often  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC311