WEST CHILTINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

A meeting of the Planning Committee of West Chiltington Parish Council was held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 9th October 2007 in the Parish Office at the Reading Room, Church Street, West Chiltington.

 

Present: Harvie Steele, Dennis Tyler, Amanda Apps, Simon Booth, Neil Longson, Pietro di Marino and Jonathan Trees.

 

Also in Attendance: Tony Thomas (Clerk)

 

 

The Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed everyone.

 

 

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

Apologies received from Michael Jackson, Paul Royce, Roger Watts and Philip Circus (District Councillor).

 

2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

 

It was proposed by Pietro Di Marino and seconded by Dennis Tyler and agreed by all members to duly approve the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 4th September 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:

 

  1. Museum – Two local builders are to quote for carrying out part of the refurbishment project, leaving the toilet installation until a latter date. It has been suggested that a connection to the sewer and water could be made at the Church Hall and the Clerk will write to the Church to see if permission would be given.

 

  1. Flood Relief Scheme – NPFA have now got agreement from Southern Water to pay their costs re a surveyor and legal advice and have asked for the name of a surveyor who can value and negotiate the easement for the drain. Henry Adams have been suggested as a possible company to carry out the work. The Environment Agency have just put a statutory notice in the papers regarding the scheme with a closing date for representations of 16th November.

 

  1. Road Safety Improvements – No decision has been made re the safety improvements requested at the Common and Church Street. Mike Horton has left WSCC Highways and a temporary replacement is to take up position pending full time appointment, meanwhile nothing will be decided. Current thinking is that a mini roundabout at the Common, due to reduced visibility up hill, could cause more accidents so will probably not be considered but other options are possible.

 

4. CURRENT APPLICATIONS FOR COMMENT

 

DC/07/1963 - Mr and Mrs Martin Pitt, Little Warren, Wyndham Lea 

Demolition of existing garages and workshop and erection of 2-storey extension comprising garage with room over

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

 

DC/07/2104 - Mr Alan Holland, Rowlings, Sunset Lane

Fell Scots Pine tree

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

 

DC/07/1999 - Mr David Long, Old Haglands, Haglands Lane            

Removal of existing shed/greenhouse and replacing it with a new greenhouse (Listed Building Consent)

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

 

DC/07/2000 - Mr David Long, Old Haglands, Haglands Lane            

Removal of existing shed/greenhouse and replacing it with a new greenhouse

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

 

DC/07/2148 - E Willis, Dove Cottage, Fir Tree Lane                         

Fell 5 Alder trees

 

Parish Council: Leave decision to Will Jones on amenity value as members felt they were not specimen trees needing protection.

 

 

 

5. PLANNING DECISIONS AND APPEALS

 

(I)                District Council Decisions:

 

DC/06/2789 – Wealden Grain & Fodder Re. Willets Farm, Broadford Bridge Road

Demolish existing buildings and erect 8 units for B8 (Storage & Distribution) and 1 unit for B1 (Light Industrial) usage.

 

Parish Council: The meeting was attended by 9 residents from nearby properties who with the parish council are pleased at the reduced scale of the proposed development, however if the application is approved would like the following conditions to be attached:

1)      That a legal agreement be entered into restricting any future expansion on the site due to the likely increase in traffic.

2)      The weighbridge to be removed along with the buildings before commencement of building work.

3)       That all appeals currently outstanding be withdrawn.

4)      That should the industrial estate prove to be economically unviable it should be returned to agricultural use.

5)      That careful consideration is given to the signage at the site to protect the visual rural appearance of the area.

6)      That full details of who is responsible for monitoring the CCTV system restricting access to/from the site to the south to be included.

7)      That standard conditions regulating hours and days of work be listed to safeguard the rights of nearby residents to be able to enjoy their properties.

 

District Council Decision: Permitted - Noted that any future application for expansion of the site may not be viewed favourably by the Council, that hours of work both during construction and after are restricted. A Section 106 Agreement has been entered into by the applicant with Horsham District Council stipulating various conditions: That the existing buildings and weighbridge are to be removed before commencing work on the new buildings, that new signage to the site must be approved by the Council, that the applicant must notify the Council of the details of occupiers of the units within 7 days of occupation and that 30% of the workforce must reside in the surrounding parishes of West Chiltington, Pulborough, Thakeham, Billingshurst, Shipley or Storrington, that the applicant must install and maintain a CCTV system covering the access road and retain the tapes for 6 months for inspection by the Council and must restrict traffic turning left out of the site or right into the site from Broadford Bridge Road and not to amalgamate two or more units to form one unit.

 

 

DC/07/0333 - Mr Tom and Mrs Ruth Simmonds, Nyetimber Farmhouse, Gay Street                                Change of use of part of barn to form office

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted 

 

 

DC/07/1415 - Mr S J and Mrs J J Collins, Fir Trees, Westward Lane 

Conservatory to front elevation

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted 

 

 

DC/07/1553 - Mr and Mrs D Taylor, Gatewick Farm, Broadford Bridge Road    

2-Storey rear extension and repositioning of porch

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted 

 

 

DC/07/1544 - Mr Michael P Stephens, Cedar Barn, West Chiltington Lane, Coneyhurst  

Erection of 3 stables, corner box, hay barn and tack room (Land to the South East of Cedar Barn)

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted 

 

 

DC/07/1549 - Mr and Mrs D Taylor, Gatewick Farm, Broadford Bridge Road    

2-Storey rear extension, repositioning of porch, internal alterations, conversion of garage to living accommodation, replacement of all windows on the house and alterations and extension of existing ancillary residential building (Listed Building Consent)

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted 

 

 

DC/07/1624 - Mr and Mrs J Moss, Lukut, Rambledown Lane           

Single-storey side and rear pitched roof extensions

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted 

 

DC/07/1786 - Mr Alan Holland, Rowlings, Sunset Lane                    

Fell 1 x Scots Pine tree

 

Parish Council: No Objection

 

District Council Decision: Permitted 

 

 

DC/07/1836 - Mrs Smith, Heather Heights, Monkmead Lane            

Surgery to 1 x beech tree and fell 1 x cherry tree

 

Parish Council: We would like Will Jones to view the trees as the beech tree appears to be in good health and shape and we question the necessity of surgery, we have no objection to replacing the cherry tree if diseased.

 

District Council Decision: Permitted - Will Jones has explained his reasons for approval.

 

 

DC/07/1891 - Mr.J.S and Mrs.S.Williams, Heatherbank, Birch Tree Lane          

2-Storey side/rear extension

 

Parish Council: No Objection but we would like conditions to be imposed regarding the matching of materials to existing to preserve the look and character of this cottage in a proposed Conservation Area.

 

District Council Decision: Permitted 

 

 

 

(2). Appeal Decisions:

 

None

 

 

(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 Public Enquiry will now take place on 1st – 3rd April 2008 in the Drawing Room, Park House North, Horsham.

 

 

 

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.

 

Appeal lodged 1st October – Decision awaited.

 

 

6. CORRESPONDENCE

 

a) Horsham District Council, following a meeting with WSCC Highways representatives, have issued a protocol for the handling of Section 106 Transport Contributions currently collected and held by HDC. Once suitable road or transport schemes have been identified by WSCC and approved by the relevant Parish Council, HDC will pass the contributions over to WSCC to implement the scheme

 

 

7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 

 

a)      The Clerk raised two points:

 

i)                    A request has been received from the occupiers of Braeside for the Parish Council to trim the willow tree on Hayling Pond green which is hanging over their garage. At the same time the dead cherry tree should be removed and possibly replaced.

The members agreed to the request and authorised the Clerk to have the work carried out.

 

ii)                   A Road Safety group is being formed by residents of the village to try and obtain action from police etc. on speeding.  A meeting is to be held later in October and a paper prepared for consideration at the next PC meeting on 13th November. I have said the PC will co-operate with them if required.

 

b)      Pietro di Marino said he had seen a number of vehicles entering Little Hill from Mill Road in the wrong direction which could lead to a serious accident and the Clerk agreed to check if all the warning signs were in place and visible.

 

c)      Pietro di Marino said he had been told that a group of allotment holders in another district had grouped together and obtained planning permission on their plots and asked if the Parish Council could be faced with a similar problem. The Clerk said he had heard of the rumour but had not seen any mention of the situation in the Parish Council news magazines or Clerk magazine and thought there must have been special circumstances to allow this to happen but would investigate the story.

 

d)      Dennis Tyler had been asked if there were any vacant plots on the allotments and the Clerk informed him there was a waiting list as plots were not given up very often.

 

e)      Simon Booth asked if the Highways rangers could be asked to remove the fallen branches in East Street and the Hollows which were restricting the carriageway. The Clerk would notify the rangers and ask for the work to be carried out on their next visit.

 

f)       Jonathan Trees asked for an update on the work being carried out at Flints in Haglands Copse. The Clerk had spoken to Eddie Hughes, HDC Enforcement Officer, who informed him the work did not require planning permission as their was no increase in the footprint of the building but the work did have Building Control approval.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No other matters were raised by members.

 

 

There being no other business the Chairman thank everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 8.30 pm.