WEST CHILTINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

A meeting of the Planning Committee of West Chiltington Parish Council was held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 1st May 2007 in the Parish Office at the Reading Room, Church Street, West Chiltington.

 

Present: Harvie Steele, Dennis Tyler, Michael Jackson, Neil Longson, Pietro di Marino, Paul Royce, Jonathan Trees, Estelle Warriner and Roger Watts

 

Also in Attendance: Tony Thomas (Clerk) and 2 members of the public.

 

The Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed everyone.

 

 

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

Apologies received from Celia Rayner.

 

 

2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

 

It was proposed by Roger Watts and seconded by Dennis Tyler and agreed by all members to duly approve the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 3rd April 2007 and the Chairman was authorised to sign the minutes as a true record of the meeting.

 

 

3. MATTERS ARISING

 

The Clerk reported on the following:

 

(i)                 Housing Needs Survey – The Clerk presented a draft covering letter and survey from Action in Rural Sussex but the members thought that many of the questions did not apply to this area so it was decided to have another meeting on Friday 4th May to finalise a document for presentation at the meeting on the 8th May.

 

(ii)               Willets Farm DC/06/2789 – The application was to be considered again at the Development Control meeting on the 20th March but was withdrawn at the last minute because no agreement has been reached with the applicant to restrict further development on the site as requested by members at the February meeting.

 

 

 

 

4. CURRENT APPLICATIONS FOR COMMENT

 

 

DC/07/0575 - Mr and Mrs S Hewson, Brookdale Farm, West Chiltington Lane, Broadford Bridge             

Change of use of building no. 1 to offices with various alterations

 

Parish Council: No objection

 

 

DC/07/0576 - Mr and Mrs S Hewson, Brookdale Farm, West Chiltington Lane, Broadford Bridge             

Change of use of a building to mixed use of office and ancillary accommodation with various alterations

 

Parish Council: No objection, but would like condition to be only used as ancillary accommodation to the house.

 

 

DC/07/0679 - Mr N.Kingdon and Mrs S. Bremner, Brambledown, Fir Tree Lane  

2-storey rear extension

 

Parish Council: No objection

 

 

DC/07/0710 - Mr S Hewson,  Brookdale Farm, West Chiltington Lane, Broadford Bridge

Agricultural prior notification to re-build and harden existing farm track

 

Parish Council: No objection

 

 

DC/07/0737 - Positive Images, The Winery, Southlands Lane               

Demolition of existing workshops and erection of single storey workshop with link to office building

 

Parish Council: No objection

 

 

DC/07/0785 - Mr N Courtney, Woodbarn House, Adversane Lane, Broadford Bridge Billingshurst     

2-storey extension to side

 

Parish Council: No objection

 

 

DC/07/0785 - Mr and Mrs P.E.Higerty, Nightingale House, Harborough Hill

Garden shed

 

Parish Council: No objection

 

 

 

5. PLANNING DECISIONS AND APPEALS

 

(I)                District Council Decisions:

 

DC/06/2104 - Ebury & Stone Ltd, Hill Stream, Harborough Hill, West Chiltington       

Demolition of Hill Stream and erection of 2 x two-storey detached houses and 1 x single-storey detached bungalow.

 

Parish Council: No objection to the principle of the development but would like the design and materials used on the dwelling on the southern plot nearest the road to be sympathetic to the rural scene of the area and not be red brick as nearby developments.

 

District Council Decision: Permitted

 

 

DC/06/2673 Mr R Phillips, Burchetts, Castlegate       

Surgery to 1 Oak tree

 

Parish Council: No objection to the surgery but suggest it might be more appropriate to fell tree T2 to allow trees T1 and T3 more room to develop.

 

District Council Decision: Permitted

 

 

DC/06/2902 - Brookworth Developments Ltd, Bracklyn, Harborough Hill

Replacement of Bracklyn and erection of 6 new detached dwellings (Outline)

 

Parish Council: Objects to the plans as the replacement of Bracklyn has failed to increase the area available for the other plots, and that plots 2 and 3 facing Harborough Hill appear particularly cramped.

 

District Council Decision: Refused

 

 

DC/07/0087 - Mr RE and Mrs JL Blackburn, 4 Hindle Close    

Surgery to 2 Oak trees.

 

Parish Council: No objection but will leave the determination to Will Jones.

 

District Council Decision: Permitted

 

 

DC/07/0129 - Mr S Gillespie, Little Loxley, Monkmead Lane               

Re-open original vehicular access onto Monkmead Land and retain existing opening

 

Parish Council: No objection if it is intended to create ‘In’ and ‘Out’ access and the scheme is acceptable to WSCC Highways.

 

District Council Decision: Permitted

 

 

DC/07/0184 - Mr J E and Mrs N Murray, Brae Lodge, 4 Badgers Wood 

Erection of 1 dwelling and garage (Land to the rear Brae Lodge)

 

Parish Council: No objection as long as steps are taken to protect the trees on site.

 

District Council Decision: Refused

 

 

DC/07/0187 - Mr and Mrs S Struthers, Ambleside, 5 Barkworth Way

2-Storey side extension and single-storey rear extension

 

Parish Council: No objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted

 

 

DC/07/0209 - Mrs T Sadler-Wilson, Gorse House, Common Hill    

Erection of 1 x detached dwelling and garage

 

Parish Council: Objects to the application on the grounds that the plot is too small for a house of this size. It would be likely to appear overbearing to the occupiers of Gorse House, and if permitted it would be difficult to resist similar proposals in the vicinity.

 

District Council Decision: Refused

 

 

DC/07/0211 - Mr and Mrs Taylor, Tanglewood, Nyetimber Copse              

Erection of detached dwelling with integral garage

 

Parish Council: Objects to the application due to the close proximity to its neighbours and possible overlooking, and that the proposal does not make best use of the plot to the detriment of neighbouring properties.

 

District Council Decision: Refused

 

 

DC/07/0444 - Mr and Mrs A Fletcher, Ragmans Castle, Common Hill    

Rear conservatory

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted

 

 

DC/07/0522 - Nyetimber Ltd, Nyetimber Vineyard, Gay Street              

Change of use and conversion of barn to office accommodation

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted

 

 

DC/07/0542 - Mrs Bilbe, Pax, Harborough Drive               

Conservatory

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted

 

 

 

(2). Appeal Decisions:

 

DC/06/2697 Mr and Mrs Roberts, Kingfisher House, Common Hill    

Single storey rear extension

 

Parish Council: No objection

 

District Council Decision: Refused – by virtue of its positioning would be considered to adversely affect the residential and visual amenities of the occupiers of the neighbouring dwelling and would result in mutual overlooking.

 

Appeal lodged 28th February 2007, decision awaited.

 

Appeal Withdrawn

 

 

 

 

 

(3). Appeals Submitted:

 

DC/04/2650 - Willets Farm, Broadford Bridge Road

 

An appeal was lodged on 8th November against the refusal of planning permission for 21 Industrial units for B1 (Business) and B8 (Storage & Distribution) on the site, and has been linked with the Enforcement Notice issued by HDC against the unauthorised development on the site.

 

Description of unauthorised development:  Without planning permission, the change of use of the land from use for agriculture to a mixed use for agriculture and B1 (Light Industrial), B2 (General Industrial) and B8 (Storage /Distribution) uses and for the stationing on the land of a mobile home for residential purposes.

 

The appeal will be heard by way of a Public Enquiry at a date to be arranged.

 

 

 

DC/06/1313 - Mr and Mrs Darlington, Land North Of Longmead and Inglewood and Careys, Haglands Lane 

Erection of 3 dwellings

 

Parish Council: Objection on the grounds that the development will be unduly prominent, particularly in the front of Longmead, and therefore harmful to the street scene and detract from the semi rural character of the area.

 

District Council Decision: Refused

 

Appeal lodged 14th November 2006, decision awaited.

 

 

 

DC/06/1817 - Clearview Hotels Ltd, Butchers Shop, 3 Haglands Lane, West Chiltington       

Erection of a 2-storey building comprising 5 x 1-bed flats (Haglands, Haglands Lane)

 

Parish Council: Objects to the development as being cramped over-development of a building frontage, design out of keeping with the neighborhood, damage to existing protected trees during building work and the loss of existing parking. No provision has been made for parking of the existing and new tenants which in this commercial area is at a premium and extra vehicles parked permanently would only exacerbate the problem. The Parish Council would like to make it clear that the car park owned by them opposite is for the use of allotment holders and those visiting the shops, and is not to be used for residents parking.

 

District Council Decision: Refused

 

Appeal lodged 30th January 2007, decision awaited.

 

 

DC/06/2276 - Mr Stephen Dovey, Palings, Harborough Hill

Additional access from Harborough Hill

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Refused – would result in the addition of an unnecessary point of conflict for turning vehicles to the detriment of highway safety.

 

Appeal Submitted 5th March 2007 – Decision awaited.

 

 

 

6. CORRESPONDENCE

 

a) Highway Rangers – Now working and have suggested a visit to explain what they can do. Replacement for Shirley Stone now started and his name is Mark Whitwell.

 

b) Rampchild has quoted £2150 + vat to repair skateramp – Decision to be taken at Parish Council meeting on 8th May 2007.

 

c) Parking at Village Hall – Complaint from The Mary Howe Film Society re parking on the 24th April. The Cricket Club have been requested to use the overflow car park and have been given the dates of the Film and Jazz Club bookings. Users are requested to have marshals to organise the parking to maximise use of the space.

 

d) Accident on Easter Saturday – Accident at the cross roads next to Pietro’s garage, the Parish Council have been requested to take action to stop speeding up Mill Road and Common Hill approaching the cross roads. Would rumble strips be a solution? The Clerk was requested to write to Tex Pemberton, Cabinet Member for Transport, WSCC to inform him of the problem and request stop signs be installed at the two cross roads near the Queens Head and the Garage before anyone is seriously injured or killed.

 

e) WSCC Review of Speed Limit Criteria – Consultation document with responses by 15th June. Details are available from the Clerk.

7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

a). Estelle Warriner said the footpath along Common Hill was very uneven and requested County Highways be informed and asked to take action before someone was injured.

 

b). Dennis Tyler mentioned that Juggs Lane was becoming very overgrown restricting visibility for motorists. The Clerk would inform County Highways and request the hedges were trimmed.

 

c). Jonathan Trees asked what had happened to the safe routes to school scheme and whether s106 funds could be used to improve the footpaths to school. The Chairman said it had been dropped as being too expensive to provide a hard surface from Haglands Lane to the school.

 

d). Neil Longson requested that the decision to appoint a contractor for the refurbishment for the playground was taken at the meeting on the 8th May in order that the work was completed before the Fayre & Flower Show on the 14th July.

 

 

There being no other business the Chairman thank everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 9.20 pm.