Agenda and draft minutes

Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, County Hall, Ruthin and by video conference

Contact: Committee Administrator 01824 706715  Email: democratic@denbighshire.gov.uk

Media

Webcast: View the webcast

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES pdf icon PDF 111 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Michelle Blakeley- Walker and Terry Mendies.

 

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST pdf icon PDF 118 KB

Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests in any business identified to be considered at this meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.

3.

URGENT MATTERS AS AGREED BY THE CHAIR

Notice of items which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

No items of an urgent nature had been raised with the Chair prior to the commencement of the meeting.

 

4.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 298 KB

To confirm the accuracy of the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on the 6 November 2024 (copy attached).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on the 6 November 2024 were submitted. It was:

 

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on the 6 November 2024 be received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

 

5.

APPLICATION NO. 22/2024/0045 - LAND ADJOINING TO PENIARTH, GELLIFOR, RUTHIN pdf icon PDF 6 KB

To consider an application for the erection of 14 dwellings and one detached garage, including the formation of vehicular accesses and parking, formation of visitor car park, landscaping and associated works (copy attached).

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

An application was submitted for the erection of 14 dwellings and one detached garage, including the formation of vehicular access and parking, formation of visitor car park, landscaping and associated works.

 

Public Speaker – Robert Jones (Agent) (For) – The application for 14 dwellings provided a balanced response to the local housing need while addressing key community and environmental considerations.

 

The developer was a trusted party with a strong record of delivering high quality housing in Denbighshire.

 

The site was allocated for housing in Denbighshire County Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP) and was positioned within the local settlement boundary of Gellifor. The application respected the character of the village while creating energy efficient homes with a carefully considered housing mix including 2,3 and 4 bedroomed homes, which aligned with the local housing assessment. The design combined traditional and contemporary architectural elements to create a coherent street scape while maintaining Gellifor’s character. 

 

Environmental sustainability was a priority including a Landscaping Strategy with hedgerow, flower and tree planting with bat and bird boxes being incorporated to encourage wildlife.

 

The application also included one 3-bedroomed affordable housing property. Infrastructure improvements included widening the road fronting the site and adding a new pedestrian walkway to enhance safety and connectivity. A significant feature of the development was a communal parking area with 11 spaces which would alleviate parking pressures already existing in the area. To ensure the parking changes were approved by Highway Services the existing hedgerow would be removed as a matter of safety.

 

The planning application had been developed with close working with the Local Planning Authority to balance concerns of stakeholders while meeting policy requirements. It delivered energy efficient homes, improved infrastructure and meaningful community benefits.

 

The Chair thanked Mr Roberts for addressing the Planning Committee and the discussion was opened to Members.

 

General debate -

 

Local Member, Council Huw Williams supported the planning application.

 

The Chair highlighted the local concern from residents regarding parking in the area and asked Officers to clarify the management of the new car park in the proposed plans.

 

The Principal Planning Officer stated that an area to the West of the site had been allocated for parking which had been offered to alleviate an existing problem of parking in the area. Members were referred to condition 14 of the planning application which stated, no development shall be permitted to commence on the provision of the school carpark until full details of the following had been submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority:

A)   Details of the layout, access, gates, surfacing, boundary treatment, landscaping and any signage required.

B)   A carpark management agreement to include for how the carpark will be operated, managed and secured.

Councillor Jon Harland stated that the application referenced Sustainable Development however, there was no mention of solar panels or heat pumps on the designs of the dwellings. He continued to question if a condition could be put on the application to ensure the developer included the these. The Principal Planning Officer stated that there were no policies in place which meant the developer needed to include solar panels or heat pumps although, he would have a discussion with the developer to encourage them to consider the use of heat pumps and the installation of solar panels.

 

Councillor Delyth Jones questioned when the new walkway would be ready for use. The Principal Planning Officer stated that they would be having further discussions with the developer around the walkway and condition 11 already placed on the application could be extended to include the timings of the walkway.

 

Councillor Andrea  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

APPLICATION NO. 01/2022/0523 - UPDATE ON GRAIG QUARRY, DENBIGH, PLANNING APPEAL

Members to consider a confidential report by the Head of Planning along with received legal advice into the options available to the Local Planning Authority in dealing with the forthcoming Public Inquiry Planning Appeal into the refusal of planning permission for the or the extension of winning and working of limestone, importation of inert waste and restoration to amenity land (planning application number 01/2022/0523) (copy attached).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Development Manager presented a confidential report and recommendations regarding the Denbigh Quarry Planning Appeal. The report contained legal advice received by the Council.

 

Members debated both the issues and the legal advice and questioned Officers at length.

 

Following a detailed discussion the Development Manager guided Members through the recommendations, requesting Members voted `For` or `Against` the recommendations.

 

Members requested a recorded vote which was voted for in favour and agreed.

 

Vote

 

For

Councillors, Ellie Chard, James Elson, Justine Evans, Alan James, Julie Matthews, Arwel Roberts, Gareth Sandilands, Cheryl Williams and Anton Sampson

 

Against

Councillors Karen Edwards, Chris Evans, Jon Harland, Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Delyth Jones, Merfyn Parry, Andrea Tomlin, Elfed Williams and Mark Young

 

Abstain – 0

 

Due to an equal vote, for and against the recommendations, the Chair, Councillor Mark Young had the deciding vote and voted against officer recommendations.

 

RESOLVED: that the Planning Committee REFUSED the Officer recommendations and instructed the Council proceed to defend the Denbigh Quarry Planning Appeal for the three reasons for refusal already given.

 

Meeting concluded at 11.35am