2019 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

March 19 - Ordinary Meeting

Minutes of a meeting of Hemswell parish council held on

Tuesday 18th March 2019 in the village hall at 7.30pm

1. Present:

Cllr. C Black, Cllr. B Mander, Cllr. P Huntley, Cllr. M Foster, Cllr. J Roberts, Cllr. Brian Everatt

Also present: District Cllr. Paul Howett- Cowan and 5 Parishioners

2. Apologies;

PCSO Julie McFaul

3. Adjournment

4. Declaration of Interest:

Councillor B Everatt – a personal Interest

5. Minutes of january PC meeting

Missing from the minutes; Signposts on Middle Street pinpointing the road to Hemswell needs to be reported to Highways.

Proposed: Cllr J Roberts; Seconded: Cllr. M Foster

6. Planning to be Discussed

6.1 138992 – My Council has the following comments/objections to make on the proposal:

Hemswell Parish Council have reservations regarding this application as they believe the application is contrary to a number of National and Local policies which were advised to us when the site was rejected, in an independently assessed (AECOM) "Call for Sites" exercise, conducted as part of the ongoing development of the Hemswell and Harpswell Neighbourhood Plan.

The relevant policies being

Policy LP2: The Spatial Strategy and Settlement Hierachy, whereby the site does not qualify as an "appropriate location" as development would:

not retain the core shape and form of the settlement;
have potential to significantly harm the settlement’s character and appearance;
have potential to significantly harm the character and appearance of the surrounding countryside or the rural setting of the settlement. Policy LP2: The site is outside the core part of the village and would not be given priority in a sequential test for development sites in appropriate locations in accordance with the Policy.

Policy LP55: The site is not within the ‘developed footprint’ of the settlement and rather is outside the settlement hierarchy and regarded as Countryside and as such is restricted to certain types of development where new dwellings will only be acceptable where they are essential to the effective operation of rural operations (not relevant for this application). The site is Grade 2/3 best and most versatile agricultural land.

LP2 & LP4: The principle of residential development would not be permitted in this location in accordance with these policies whereby the site would be viewed as relating more to the surrounding countryside than to the built-up area of the settlement;

Policy LP17: The site is within an Area of Great Landscape Value whereby ‘development proposals must consider the impacts on landscape and townscape, including the setting of settlements’.

Having met with the applicants and listened to their reasons for the application and willingness to mitigate the limited damage to views and settlement appearance via the use of appropriate colours and natural screening, together with an agreement that the temporary dwelling be removed and the land revert back to its original use on the vacation of the initially intended occupants; the council would not object to this application provided that

Legally enforceable conditions can be placed on the permission to
Mitigate the damage to views and settlement appearance through the use of appropriate colours and natural screening etc. to be specified in the permission.
That the permission be granted on a personal level exclusively to Mr and Mrs Bontoft and cannot be transferred or inherited from the initially intended named occupants.
That the temporary dwelling be removed at the title holders’ expense and the land revert back to its existing usage and open countryside designation on either
A fixed time to be specified (e.g. 5 years) or
The vacation of the property by the initially intended named occupants whichever arises first
That the granting of this permission does not set a precedent for similar applications or confer rights or altered land usage designations to this or adjacent land.

If the above conditions cannot be put in place or fulfilled, then the council would oppose this application for the reasons initially stated above and suggest the temporary dwelling be located within the existing substantial dwelling curtillage.

6.2 139061 The council has reservations about the size, outlook and the prominent position of this non-designated heritage house and feel the proposed extension will alter it.

7. MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED

7.1 Maypole

Because of the problem with funding and the 13 weeks notice needed for the road closure the work will not begin until August/September. The cost of the will be around £7668.00. [Action Cllr. B Mander]

7.2. Beck Lane Trees

The council has agreed to accept the quote from Hill Top Tree Services

7.3. Fencing in the cemetery

The council has agreed to accept the quote from G Boxall

7.4. New councillor

We will wait for the May elections to fill the post

7.5. Village Hall Roof

Get in touch with Village Hall Committee about the invoice

7.6 Parish Council Election Forms

The forms were given out to the councillors

7.7 Parish agreement for Highway Verge Cutting 2019/20

The council will ask R Marfleet to continue with this work

7.8 Active Communities Project

Matt Snee to be asked to come to May Day

7.9 Lives

The council is looking to organise a refresher course to advertise in the newsletter

8. Reports

8.1. A written report came from the Village Hall Committee –

8.2. A written report was given by CLLR. B Mander for the Neighbourhood Plan

9. FINANCE

9.1 Cheques authorised

Newsletter                                                      £19.60
Clerks salary                                                   £285.00 including expenses
Cemetery Rates                                              £48.44
Lalc                                                                 £136.56

9.2. Income received

Barningham Memorials Cheque £30.00