Agenda and minutes

When the continuous alarm sounds you must evacuate the building by the nearest available fire exit. Members and visitors should proceed to the visitors’ car park at the front of the building and await further instructions (during office hours staff should proceed to their usual assembly point; outside of office hours proceed to the visitors’ car park). Please do not re-enter the building unless instructed to do so.

In the event of a fire any person with a disability should be assisted in leaving the building.   

53.1          The evacuation procedure, as noted on the Agenda, was advised to those present.

53.2          The Chair gave a brief outline of the procedure for Planning Committee meetings, including public speaking.

54.1          Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R J G Smith.  There were no substitutes for the meeting. 

Pursuant to the adoption by the Council on 24 January 2023 of the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct, effective from 1 February 2023, as set out in Minute No. CL.72, Members are invited to declare any interest they may have in the business set out on the Agenda to which the approved Code applies.

55.1          The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 24 January 2023 and took effect on 1 February 2023.

55.2          There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2023.

56.1          The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2023, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

57.1          The objections to, support for, and observations upon the various applications as referred to in Appendix 1 attached to these Minutes were presented to the Committee and duly taken into consideration by Members prior to decisions being made on those applications.

PROPOSAL: Residential development (up to 165 dwellings), associated works including infrastructure, open space, landscaping and pumping station.  Construction of a new vehicular access from Mythe Road and demolition of existing structures.

OFFICER RECOMMENDATION: Minded to refuse.

57.2          This was an outline application for residential development (up to 165 dwellings), associated works including infrastructure, open space, landscaping and pumping station; construction of a new vehicular access from Mythe Road and demolition of existing structures.

57.3          The Senior Planning Officer advised that this application was subject to a non-determination appeal which was due to be heard by way of Inquiry in April. The Council must therefore advise the Secretary of State of its views on the proposals which would be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate to inform the appeal.  The application was in outline and sought planning permission for residential development of up to 165 dwellings, public open space, vehicular and pedestrian access from Mythe Road (A38), a pumping station and associated infrastructure.  All other matters relating to access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale were reserved for subsequent approval.  The application site was located at The Mythe, approximately 1.2km north of Tewkesbury Town Centre via the A38, and would be located approximately 1km to the north-west of the defined settlement boundary of Tewkesbury as the crow flies, as defined in the proposals map to the Tewkesbury Borough Plan.  The site extended to 11.75 ha of predominantly agricultural land, interspersed with some woodland subject to a Tree Preservation Order. The site sat on an elevated spur of land which lay between the river valleys of the Avon and Severn and Officers considered the site itself to be a ‘valued landscape’.  The site was also partially located within the setting of a number of designated heritage assets – most notably Grade II listed The Mythe and its associated Coach House; Grade II listed Uplands; and Tewkesbury Conservation Area to the south.  The principle components of the development were: provision of up to 165 dwellings, of which, 40% would be affordable dwellings; removal of the existing farm track access to Mythe Business Park to create a new vehicular and pedestrian access to the south; retention of existing woodland; new woodland planting, particularly around the northern, eastern and southern boundaries; creation of a communal green area to the north of the retained woodland which would also contain a Locally Equipped Area of Play; Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) and a pumping station; and, widening of the footway to provide a combined walking and cycling route along the A38.  In terms of the principle of development, the application site was not allocated for housing development and was located outside of the settlement boundary of Tewkesbury. The application therefore conflicted with Policy SP2 and SD10 of the Joint Core Strategy and Policy RES3 of the Tewkesbury Borough Plan and the conflict with those adopted development plan policies was the starting point for decision making.  As set out in the Committee Report, the Conservation Officer identified that the proposal would give rise to a high degree of less than substantial harm to the setting of The Mythe and Uplands; the Coach House to The Mythe would experience a moderate degree of less than substantial harm to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57a

To consider current planning and enforcement appeals and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities appeal decisions.

58.1          Attention was drawn to the current appeals and appeal decisions update, circulated at Pages No. 63-64.  Members were asked to consider the current planning and enforcement appeals received and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities appeal decisions issued.

58.2          It was

RESOLVED           That the current appeals and appeal decision update be NOTED.