4. Development Control 04/B/1067 – Full Planning Application and 04/B/1068 Listed Building Consent Application -– Conversion of agricultural buildings to create 5 no. dwellings; Coupland Home Farm, Wooler (i) Verbal representations were made by: Applicant Hugh Fell, George F White (agent) (ii) Notes of debate: Planning officers drew Members’ attention to a letter from the Environment Agency which withdrew the Agency’s objections to the development and detailed four conditions to be applied to any permission given. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval and Listed Building Consent to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report, with the following amendment: Deletion of condition (m) (flood risk) and replacement with the following 4 conditions: • Finished floor levels of all units to be set at a minimum of 45.250mAOD Reason: to prevent the houses from flooding. • Garden surrounding unit 3 to have post and rail (or similar) fence instead of a wall. Reason: To allow conveyance of flood water and prevent loss of floodplain storage which could increase risk of flooding elsewhere. • 1m high flood protection boards to be placed on the windows of Unit 3. Reason: To prevent floodwater entering the property • No development approved by this permission shall be commenced until a scheme for the provision of water proofing methods including fittings and building services has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Reason: To ensure that the construction can sustain inundation and can provide waterproof protection in times of a flood event. 06/B/0778 – Full Planning Application and 06/B/0890 – Listed Building Consent Application – Change of use to pavement cafe; 8 Golden Square, Berwick-upon-Tweed (i) Declaration of interest: Having declared an interest, Councillor P Herdman left the meeting during discussion of the item set out above. (ii) Notes of debate: Members were told that this development would not be able to proceed until the bins currently on the site were relocated by the applicants. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval and Listed Building Consent to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report. 06/B/1137 – Renewal of unimplemented permission – Erection of 60 bedroom hotel – renewal of pp ref: 03/B/0878; West Hope, Berwick-upon-Tweed (i) Verbal representations were made by: Applicant: Nick Green, Edwin Thompson (agent) (ii) Notes of debate: Members noted that condition (c) should state that the development shall be begun before the expiration of three years rather than five years. The informative (c) reference to condition numbered 13 should read condition (m). Members also noted the addition of condition (n) related to the protection of nesting bats and owls which had not been included in the previous permission. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval and Listed Building Consent to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report, with the following amendment: Condition (c) to read: The development hereby permitted shall be begun either before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission, or before the expiration of two years from the date of approval of the last of the reserved matters to be approved whichever is the later. 07/B/0013 – Full Planning Application – Change of use to garden ground and erection of detached garage; 4 Bricksheds, Station Road, Belford (i) Notes of debate: There was no substantial debate on this item. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report. 07/B/0199 – Full Planning Application and 07/B/0112 – Listed Building Consent Application: Proposed attic conversion to facilitate bed & breakfast accommodation / insertion of new windows and internal alterations; Parade School House, 61 Church Street, Berwick-upon-Tweed (i) Verbal representations were made by: Objector: Georgina Hill, Parade School Mews, Berwick-upon-Tweed (ii) Notes of debate: Members were assured that the current application had resolved previous problems related to the retention of a staircase in the listed building. Other objections had been addressed and controlled by conditions. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval and Listed Building Consent to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report. 07/B/0120 - Full Planning Application and 07/B/0121 –Listed Building Consent Application: Change of use from dwelling to bed & breakfast (2 bedrooms) and alterations to provide en-suite shower rooms; 7 Ravensdown, Berwick-upon-Tweed (i) Verbal representations were made by: Objector: Mr Zsuppan Applicant: Ian Kille Ward Councillor: Councillor John Robertson (ii) Notes of debate: Members accepted that policies related to the issuing of residents’ parking permits for bed and breakfast establishments were for Northumberland County Council to determine, but that the applicants were doing their best to minimise the impact of the new business on local parking. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval and Listed Building Consent to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report. 07/B/0129 – Full Planning Application: Proposed two-storey extension; 17 Taylor Street, Seahouses [Note: the item detailed above was deferred, and was not discussed at this meeting.] 07/B/0152 – Full Planning Application: Proposed conversion of farm buildings to live/work dwelling; Unit 4, Mount Carmel, Norham, Berwick-upon-Tweed (i) Verbal representations were made by: Applicant: Thomas Stewart, architect (ii) Notes of debate: Members were told that negotiations with neighbours had resolved some objections, and others were to be controlled by conditions. In response to a question from Councillor Watkin, the architect agreed to consider ways to reduce the risk of bird strike on the glazed gable end to the south of the property. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report. 07/B/0176 – Full Planning Application: Erection of 24 office units and 6 industrial units; Ramparts Business Park, Berwick-upon-Tweed [Note: Councillor RJD Watkin left the meeting during discussion of the item detailed above.] (i) Notes of debate: There was no substantial debate on this item. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report. 07/B/0222 – Full Planning Application: Erection of a veterinary surgery; Plot 3, Ramparts Business Park, Berwick-upon-Tweed (i) Declaration of interest: Having declared an interest, Councillor RJD Watkin left the meeting during discussion of the item detailed above. (ii) Notes of debate: There was no substantial debate on this item. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report. 07/B/0313 – Full Planning Application: Change of use to include hot-food takeaway; The Ravensholme Hotel, 34-36 Ravensdowne, Berwick-upon-Tweed (i) Verbal representations were made by: Objectors: Michael Yorke, 38 Ravensdowne Alison Cowe, Berwick-upon-Tweed Civic Society Do Shaw, on behalf of Mr and Mrs Smith, 30 Ravensdown, Berwick-upon-Tweed Applicant: Tony Brown, solicitor (ii) Notes of debate: Key issues raised by the objectors included: • Noise • Odour • Litter • Parking • Impact on a residential area However, Members were told that the area was designated in the Local Plan as town centre, for mixed use including commercial and residential. Councillor Watkin pointed out that the Ravensholme Hotel was a commercial building which had been operating for many years. Officers also explained that other concerns raised by objectors were subject to the control of other bodies, and as such were not material to the application under consideration. Councillor Herdman proposed a motion to reject the application on the grounds of “adverse impact on the residential amenity”. This was seconded by Councillor Grant. 5 members voted in favour of this motion, whilst 5 voted in favour of the officer’s recommendation to approve the application. There was one abstention. The Chairman then made his casting vote in support of the recommendation to approve. DECISION: To grant Full Planning Approval to the application, subject to the conditions detailed in the officer’s report. |
