Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Brandon Clayton, James Fardoe and Gemma Monaco.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and / or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 12^th September 2024 were presented to Members.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 12^th September 2024 were approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.

To note Update Reports (if any) for the Planning Applications to be considered at the meeting (circulated prior to the commencement of the meeting)

The Chair Announced that there was an update report in relation to Agenda item 5 (Minute No25).

Members were given a few minutes to read the report, after which Members indicated they were happy to proceed and moved that the Update reports be noted.

The application was being reported to the Planning Committee because, following discussions with the Assistant Director for Planning and Leisure Services, the Planning Officer considered that the application should be determined by the Planning Committee.

Officers presented the report and in doing so, drew Members’ attention to the presentation slides on pages 5 to 12 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack.

The application was for Land South Of, Astwood Lane, Feckenham, Redditch, Worcestershire, B96 6HP and sought permission for an underground cable to connect Feckenham Greener Grid Park to Feckenham Substation.

Officers noted that The Feckenham Greener Grid Park was approved at Planning Committee by Members on 21^st January 2022 under application 21/00195/FUL. The application before Members was for a connecting underground cable between the Greener Grid Park and Feckenham substation, it was further noted that no part of the approved application was to be amended under the proposed application.

The application site was shown on page 6 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack. Officers confirmed that the site was within the green belt, however, as the works were underground, they were not classified as engineering works as detailed under Paragraph 155 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and thus were not considered inappropriate development.

An excess of 10% biodiversity net gain was proposed and consultees had no objection to the application subject to appropriate conditions. No further harm was identified which would warrant refusal

The following was clarified following questions to Officers.

• That no part of the application 21/00195/FUL could be considered as part of the proposed application
• That Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service were consulted regarding concerns raised around the environmental impact of the lithium batteries.  Their response was detailed on page 5 of the Update Reports pack.

Members appreciated the concerns raised during the public speaking and the representation raised by Feckenham Parish Council; however, they noted that the concerns raised were not material considerations for the Planning application in front of them and could therefore, not be taken into account.

On being put to a vote it was:

RESOLVED that

having had regard to the development plan and to all other material considerations, planning permission be GRANTED subject to the Conditions outlined on pages 24 to 28 of the Public Reports pack

The application was reported to Planning Committee for determination because the application was for major development (more than 1000 sq metres of new commercial / Industrial floorspace), as such the application fell outside the scheme of delegation to Officers.

Officers presented the report and in doing so, drew Members’ attention to the presentation slides on pages 13 to 22 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack.

The application was for Claybrook House, Claybrook Drive, Matchborough East, Redditch, B98 0FH and sought the Erection of 13 Class E Business Units with associated parking.

Officers detailed that the site had previously been used as employment land occupied by “Interserve”. However, the site had been vacant for a period of time and following vandalism and anti-social behaviour issues, the building was demolished in 2023.

The proposed site plan was detailed on page 15 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack. Officers identified the access points to the units, in that units 1 to 12 and unit 13 would have different access, via Claybrook Drive and Hemming Road respectively. However, it was further noted that both were existing access routes to the site with no new ones being proposed.

Officers confirmed to Members that the use class for the units would be restricted to E(g) (iii) which was light industrial use, this excluded some uses which would normally be covered under the broader E classification.

there was one objection from a local resident which sited highways grounds, however, Worcestershire County Council, Highways, did not raise an objection to the application. Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) were also consulted, and an acoustic fence was proposed along the northern side of the site.

The following was clarified following questions to Officers.

• It was not considered reasonable or necessary to restrict operational hours for the units given the employment land designation of the site; the restriction on the planning use class for the units; the buffer area beyond the northern boundary; and the provision of an acoustic fence (by planning condition)
• Condition 3 addressed the materials to be used on the site and the details of which would need to be submitted and approved prior to construction.
• The trees along the boundary would be considered during construction and would form a natural sound barrier along with the acoustic fence.

Members then proceeded to consider the application.

Members agreed that it was a good use for a derelict site which was being retained as employment space. Members expressed the opinion that it was a good use of the land and would be an asset to the local area.

On being put to a vote it was

RESOLVED that

having had regard to the development plan and to all other material considerations, planning permission be GRANTED subject to the Conditions outlined on pages 35 to 38 of the Public Reports pack