Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Terry Knowles.

It was noted that, in accordance with Regulation 13 of the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990, notice had been given that Councillor Paul Rickett had been appointed to the Committee in place of Councillor Daniel McNally for this Meeting only.

At this point in the Meeting, Members were invited to disclose any relevant interests.  The following interests were disclosed:

• Councillor Marnoch asked it be noted that with regards to Item 5 she had previously held a role with another Authority as a social worker working with travellers, however she remained of an open mind. 

• Councillor Rickett asked it be noted that with regards to Item 6 he was Ward Member but did not know the Applicant.

• Councillors Dick Edginton, Stephen Eyre and Neil Jones asked it be noted that they were Members of the Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 16 January 2025.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 16 January 2025 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Councillor Tom Ashton advised Members that there was a Planning Policy Committee meeting scheduled to take place on 27 February 2025 with all Members welcome to attend.

Councillor Tom Ashton further informed Members that it was a challenging time from a Planning Policy perspective following the Government’s announcement that there would be a 150% uplift in the housing delivery for East Lindsey and advised Members that the calculations were being challenged. 

There was a further issue in relation to work being carried out on the current Local Plan as it was impossible to create a new or revised Plan at the moment and the Council would need to wait for the new legislation to come through later this year.  It was further highlighted that the proposal for local government re-organisation was also complicating the process.

S/126/01403/23: View the Plans and documents online, please click on the Application Number.  (Please note: If viewing as a pdf document, this hyperlink is not available).

Applicant:                          Mr A Gray

Location:                           Stickney Showground, East Fen Lane, Stickney, Boston, PE22 8DE

Recommendation:              Refusal

Officer:                              Kelly Grunnell

Application Type:            Full Planning Permission

Proposal:                         Planning Permission - Change of use of land to use as a gypsy/traveller caravan site comprising: a warden's pitch accommodating a static caravan/mobile home and, 10 transit pitches, each accommodating no more than 2 touring caravans, erection of toilet/wash block and, erection of dayroom building and laying of hardstanding (works commenced).

Location:                          STICKNEY SHOWGROUND, EAST FEN LANE, STICKNEY, BOSTON, PE22 8DE

 Applicant:                       Mr A Gray

Members received an application for Full Planning Permission – Change of use

of land to use as a gypsy/traveller caravan site comprising: a warden's pitch

accommodating a static caravan/mobile home and, 10 transit pitches, each

accommodating no more than 2 touring caravans, erection of toilet/wash

block and, erection of dayroom building and laying of hardstanding (works

commenced) at Stickney Showground, East Fen Lane, Stickney, Boston,

PE22 8DE.

The application was considered appropriate for consideration by the Planning Committee given the issues for consideration and the level of public interest.

The main planning issues were considered to be:

·       Principle of development in this location – transit pitches

·       Wardens Pitch – permanent accommodation

·       Highway and pedestrian safety

·       Flood risk

·       Impact on neighbour amenity

·       Effect on the character and appearance of the area

·       Drainage

·       Biodiversity and Ecology

·       Application documents

·       Need and Supply of Pitches for Gypsies and Travellers

·       Whether any harm identified, including conflict with the development plan, would be outweighed by other considerations.

·       Planning balance

Members were referred to the additional information contained on page 1 of the Supplementary Agenda.

Andrew Booth, Development Management Lead Officer, detailed site and surroundings information to Members at Paragraph 2, together with the description of the proposal at Paragraph 3, pages 9 to 10 of the report refer.

Councillors Carleen Dickinson and Tom Ashton spoke as Ward Members.

Members were invited to put their questions to the speakers. 

No questions were received.

Following which, the application was opened for debate. 

-       A Member queried who would supervise the site if there was no warden control and the arrangements for the sewerage, given there were 20 caravans proposed for the site.

The Development Management Lead Officer advised that one of the reasons for refusal related to insufficient information in respect of the drainage and foul surface water. Members were referred to Paragraph 7.72, pages 32 to 33 of the report refer.

-       A Member highlighted that there were reasons for refusing the application, including the proposed site being a high flood risk area and insufficient information being submitted by the Applicant to mitigate any concerns raised.

Following which, the application was Proposed and Seconded for refusal in line with officer recommendation.

Upon being put to the vote, the proposal for refusal in line with officer recommendation was carried.

Vote:         9 In favour            0 Against              1 Abstention

RESOLVED:

That the application be refused.

N/132/01733/24: View the Plans and documents online, please click on the Application Number.  (Please note: If viewing as a pdf document, this hyperlink is not available).

Applicant:                          Mr & Mrs M D Horner

Location:                           Land off South Road, North Somercotes

Recommendation:              Refusal

Officer:                              Claire Girdley

N.B.  Councillor Paul Rickett left the Meeting at 10:51am and returned at

10:52am.

Application Type:            Full Planning Permission

Proposal:                         Planning Permission - Erection of a house.

Location:                          LAND OFF SOUTH ROAD, NORTH SOMERCOTES

 Applicant:                       Mr & Mrs M D Horner

Members received an application for Full Planning Permission – Erection of a

house at land off South Road, North Somercotes.

The application was considered appropriate for consideration by the Planning Committee following a request by Councillor Daniel McNally as Ward Member in recognition of the apparent local support for the application. It should be noted that the proposal, if granted planning permission, would constitute a departure from the development plan for the district.

The main planning issues were considered to be:

·       Principle of Development

·       Flood Risk

·       Impact of the proposal upon the character of the area

·       Other Matters

Andrew Booth, Development Management Lead Officer, detailed site and surroundings information to Members at Paragraph 2, together with the description of the proposal at Paragraph 3, page 47 of the report refers.

Mr Andrew Clover (Agent) spoke in support of the application.

Councillor Daniel McNally spoke as Ward Member.

Members were invited to put their questions to the speakers.

-       Following a query with regards to whether there was any mitigation in place for flooding, Mr Clover responded that the building had been raised up to meet the Environment Agency’s (EA) guidelines and further advised that the EA had no objection in terms of the flooding mitigation.

Following which, the application was opened for debate. 

-       A Member queried whether the mitigation that had been put in place for the flood risk was sufficient to approve the application.  The Development Management Lead Officer advised that the policy was clear on how housing in the coastal area of the district should be approached and that a sequential and exception assessment was required.  He further advised Members that the development did not pass these tests.

-       A Member referred to a housing development on industrial land in Wragby that had been approved following no interest in the industrial land.  It was queried why the proposed land in North Somercotes which had no interest in it for over 35 years was up for refusal. 

The Development Management Lead Officer explained that no two cases were exactly the same and the Wragby development was on a  larger site which had been actively marketed for a long time, with an evidence trail to back it up.  That was not the case with the land in North Somercotes, as in recent years there had been a proposal for an employment development on the opposite side of the road which indicated there was a market for employment at the site.

-       A Member queried whether a deferral of the application would be useful to allow for more information to be submitted. The Development Management Lead Officer advised that there was sufficient information to make a decision and that no evidence had been provided to suggest that the site  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.

The Appeals Decided were noted.

The Delegated Decisions were noted.

The date of the next meeting was noted as Thursday 13 March 2025.