Open Session:

There were members of the public present who gave notice they wished to speak on a specific planning application to be considered by the Committee.

Apologies

Prior to the commencement of the meeting, the Deputy Town Clerk reported that apologies for absence had been received from Cllr D E Cracknell and Cllr M A Steele.

Declarations of Interest

There were none.

Present:

Cllr N R G Clarke (Chairman)
Cllr N J Chard
Cllr D R Cole
Cllr M F J Daly
Cllr B H Terry
Cllr Mrs J A M Terry

In Attendence:

Jo Stannard, Deputy Town Clerk

P/4483 Minutes of Previous Meeting

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the meeting held on 20th July 2007, having been circulated, be approved and signed as a correct record.

With the agreement of the Committee, planning application number 07/90578 was considered next for the benefit of the members of public present.

P/4484 Planning Application Number 07/90578

Mr & Mrs Buckley explained that their family home was suffering from severe subsidence. It sat on a large plot and it was therefore proposed to demolish the existing property and build a new family home at the rear of the site, with a pair of semi detached dwellings at the front. They had consulted residents in the surrounding area and Ringwood Society, who had raised no objections and were pleased to see that the proposal would bring back some Victorian character to the Bickerley. They had also been careful to avoid overlooking. A traffic survey had been carried out by the District Council and the proposal would benefit from a safer access than the current arrangement, where cars had to reverse out onto the highway.

Cllr Cole objected to the application as he was concerned that it would set a precedent for back land development in this area. Cllr Daly also objected to additional properties being added to the already inadequate sewerage system. Other members were also concerned about infill, but felt that the site was of sufficient size to accommodate three dwellings.

RESOLVED: That an observation of Permission (1) be submitted for Planning Application Number 07/90578 with the following comment:

“Concern that this will set a precedent of infill in this conservation area and will materially affect the character of the area. There is also concern about the adequacy of the existing sewerage system.”

P/4485 Committee Meetings

Members considered a recommendation to bring forward the time of Committee meetings to 2.00pm and to alter the order of future agendas.

RESOLVED:

1) That the time of Planning, Town & Environment Committee meetings be brought forward to 2.00pm.

2) That the order of the agenda for future Planning, Town & Environment Committee meetings be altered so that planning applications are considered immediately after approving the Minutes of the previous Meeting.

P/4486 Proposed Traffic Regulation Order for High Street, Market Place and Southampton Road

Members considered proposals from New Forest District Council to introduce loading restrictions, with loading only bays, and the provision of disabled badge holder parking in High Street, Market Place and Southampton Road in order to prevent obstruction caused by parked vehicles. A Traffic Regulation Order had been advertised. However, it was noted that this was in the process of being re-advertised as the District Council had been advised that it was not possible impose a time limit on the proposed disabled bays. In addition, the proposed disabled bays in Southampton Road had been moved to the eastern side of the road, at the request of the Town Council.

Members viewed a plan of the proposals. There was some concern as to whether there was sufficient room to accommodate two disabled bays on the eastern side of Southampton Road. In addition, Members recalled discussions at the last Transport Issues Liaison Meeting held on 11th April 2007, when it was agreed that if disabled bays could be provided in Southampton Road, the number of proposed bays in the High Street could be reduced. However, the number of bays in the High Street was the same as in that preliminary scheme.

RESOLVED: That the proposed Traffic Regulation Order for High Street, Market Place and Southampton Road be supported, but that:

i) checks be made to ensure that two disabled bays could be accommodated on the eastern side of Southampton Road;

and

ii) consideration be given to reducing the number of disabled parking bays in the High Street, if it was confirmed that two could be provided in Southampton Road;

and

iii) if approved, the District Council carry out vigilant enforcement in the area to ensure that the new scheme was not abused.

P/4487 Proposed Diversion of Footpath Number 32

Members received details of a proposal to divert a short length of Footpath Number 32, which joins Poulner Hill with Milky Down Back Lane, via Breach Lane. It was noted that the Footpath follows the route of Breach Lane, with the exception of a small section, approximately 162 metres in length, which runs along the driveway and through the gardens of Spring Cottage, a private residence. The proposed diversion would bring this section of the footpath back onto Breach Lane.

The Deputy Town Clerk reported that she had consulted the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Footpath Society, which supported the proposal as it would benefit the public by removing the need to use a stile, bringing the footpath back onto Breach Lane, a good all-weather surface, and users would not feel that they were invading the privacy or security of Spring Cottage.

RESOLVED: That the proposal to divert Footpath Number 32 be supported.

P/4488 Community Safety Initiative – Street Lighting

Members noted that Hampshire County Council was inviting bids for possible inclusion in its 2008/09 programme for street lighting, under its Community Safety Initiative. In the last two years, the Town Council had been successful in bids for lights in Gravel Lane, White Hart Fields and North Poulner Road, which were chosen from sites put forward by members of the public and the Police. Other sites had been included in the District Council’s Footway Lighting Improvements Programme.

The Deputy Town Clerk reported that she had asked the Police to put forward suggestions and was also consulting with the District Council as it was possible that some schemes in its programme may not now be delivered. An article would also be included in the next edition of the Council’s newsletter.

RESOLVED: That the information be noted and a full report be brought back to Committee in September or October, to fit in with the budgetary process for 2008/09.

P/4489 Planning Applications Considered

Planning applications in respect of periods ending 18th & 25th July and 1st & 8th August 2007 were considered.

RESOLVED: That the observations as shown in Annex ‘A’ be submitted.

P/4490 Planning Application Number 07/90451

Members reconsidered Planning Application Number 07/90451 for a house, detached outbuliding/garage, access drive, new access and demolition of existing dwelling at Lynbrook, Salisbury Road, Blashford following the receipt of further information from the District Council, which was not previously available.

It was noted that the proposal was contrary to Policy, in that the proposed replacement dwelling would exceed the 30% floor space restriction by a considerable margin and the overall size, height, mass and scale would be more imposing in its setting than the existing modest bungalow. The Highways authority considered the new access onto the main road to be unacceptable and would prejudice highway safety by having two accesses onto a classified road. In addition, no tree survey had bee provided with the application.

Members queried the 30% policy being relevant in this location. It was noted that, as it fell just outside the defined built-up area of Ringwood, the area was classed as countryside outside the New Forest, therefore Policy CO-H3 relating to replacement dwellings in the countryside outside the New Forest was relevant. Members felt, therefore, that the built-up area had been inappropriately defined, particularly as one of the largest industrial estates in the town was located just north of the proposal site.

RESOLVED: That an observation of Officer’s Decision (5) be submitted for Planning Application Number 07/90451 with a comment relating to the apparent inappropriateness of the defined built-up area in this location.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 3.40pm.