Agenda and minutes

A webcast of the meeting can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrlN4_PKzPXjar7IOtLtNZvIwZ4xT_8yU

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 August 2023 were taken as read, confirmed and signed.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 34.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 7(3) and 7(5).

There were no urgent items for consideration.

The Chairman invited members who wished to do so to declare any interest in respect of items on the agenda for the meeting.

Mr. C. Smith CC declared a registerable interest in agenda item 8: 7 Bruxby Street, Syston as he was the Cabinet Support Member for Children and Families. Mr Smith CC stated that he would leave the room for that agenda item.

It was noted with regards Agenda Item 7: Airfield Business Park that Mr. P. King CC was the local member for the Market Harborough West & Foxton division. It was also noted that Mr. D. Grimley CC had previously worked with the architect.

The Chief Executive reported that no petitions had been received under Standing Order 35.

The Board considered a report of the Chief Executive, a copy of which, marked ‘Agenda Item 7’ is filed with these minutes. The Board was also in receipt of two addendum reports which set out proposed amendments to the conditions in the original report.

In accordance with the procedures for making representations for the Board Andrea Hopkins, Strategic Property Services, Leicestershire County Council spoke on behalf of the applicant.

The local member Mr. P. King CC noted that staff that would work at the business park could come from outside the Harborough area and therefore questioned whether the Highways Authority had taken this into account when commenting on the application and he raised particular concerns about the nearby road junction. Mr King CC also stated that whilst he would have preferred the proposals to have been more ambitious he could see no planning reasons to refuse the application and therefore he would support it and he proposed the motion to permit the application.

RESOLVED:

That the application be permitted subject to the conditions nos. 1-17 as set out in the appendix to the report, subject to the amendment of conditions nos. 4 and 10 and the addition of conditions nos. 18, 19 and 20 to read as follows:

4.           The construction of Units H2 (a – f) and H3 (a – f) shall not commence until drawings showing the floor plan and elevations of these units have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the CPA. The submitted floor plan and elevations shall accord with Drawing no. 215060-PHASE2-PL02 Rev B titled ‘Plots A, H, 1, 2 & 3 Site Layout Plan’ dated 10th August 2021.

Reason: To ensure that the building accords with that the development that is permitted.

10.       All site preparation and construction work, deliveries of and movements of material and machinery, in connection with the approved development, shall take place only between 07:30 – 18:00 hours Monday to Friday and 08:00 – 13:00 hours on Saturdays. No such activities shall take place at any other time on Sundays, Public or Bank Holidays.

Reason: In order to safeguard the amenity of the area in which the development is located and to accord with Policy GD8 (Good design in development) of the HLP.

18.       No part of the development hereby permitted shall be occupied until a Travel Plan which sets out actions and measures with quantifiable outputs, outcome targets and monitoring has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, CPA. The Travel Plan shall include suitable measures relating to bus passes and travel packs for each employee. Thereafter the travel plan shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: To mitigate the impacts of the development on the transport network, in accordance with Policy GD1 Achieving Sustainable Development and Policy IN2 Sustainable Transport of the HLP.

19.       No development approved by this planning permission shall take place until a landscape scheme has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the CPA. The scheme shall include a specification for all planting including trees, shrubs and grass seeding. The scheme shall include a plan showing the proposed planting layout, details of the proposed ground preparation, numbers, size and spacing of stock of planting, grass seeding specification, plant protection, maintenance and management measures. The scheme shall thereafter be implemented in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: To ensure that opportunities to improve biodiversity in and around the development are integrated and to secure measurable net gains for biodiversity in accordance with the NPPF.

20.       Prior to installation, detailed design of the photovoltaic cells to be installed on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

The Board considered a report of the Chief Executive, a copy of which, marked ‘Agenda Item 8’, is filed with these minutes.

In accordance with the procedures for making representations to the Board, Nicci Collins, Strategic Lead for Transformation, Commissioning and Planning, Children and Family Services, Leicestershire County Council spoke on behalf of the applicant, and Michael Warburton, local resident, spoke against the proposals.

Arising from discussions the following points were noted:

(i)           The property at 7 Bruxby Street had not yet been purchased by Leicestershire County Council. However, under Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, where on an application for planning permission a local authority was named as the applicant and that authority intended to develop the site itself, the application should be determined by that authority. 

(ii)         The Chief Executive reported that the local member Mr. T. Barkley CC had asked the Board to consider the recommendations of the Leicestershire Police Designing out Crime Team referred to at paragraph 26 of the report in relation to access, security and lighting being in-line with the most-up-to-date building regulations and British Standards. Leicestershire Police had also recommended the installation of CCTV and an alarm system prior to occupation due to the change of use and the children’s personal safety. Mr Barkley had asked that if the Board was minded to approve the application that the Police recommendations be made a condition of approval. In response it was explained that there was a criteria for when CCTV was deemed to be necessary and the level of CCTV surveillance which the Police was recommending was not recommended by Ofsted for a children’s home of this nature.

(iii)        The children residing at the home would be from Leicestershire but not necessarily from the Syston area specifically.

(iv)       Members raised concerns about Anti-social Behaviour incidents involving children’s home residents. In response the Chief Executive emphasised that when considering the planning application, it could not be assumed that the children residing there would be more problematic than other children residing in the area. In response to a question from a member as to whether a record was kept of Anti-social Behaviour incidents involving Leicestershire County Council children’s home residents it was agreed that a written answer would be provided to Board members after the meeting.

(v)         Ofsted required there to be one manager for every two children’s homes, however Leicestershire County Council had a policy of having one manager for each home. Therefore, the property at 7 Bruxby Street would have one manager who would be on site 5 days a week and local residents would be able to speak to that manager should they wish to. Engagement events between the manager and local residents would be held, for example coffee mornings.

(vi)       In response to a comment from a member about the applicant having to demonstrate a need for this development before it could be approved, the Chief Executive clarified that this was only where the application was not in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework or local policies. As the proposed children’s home at 7 Bruxby Street, Syston was in accordance with Policy the need did not need to be demonstrated.

RESOLVED:

That the application be permitted subject to the conditions nos. 1-3 as set out in the appendix to the report.

Future meetings are proposed to be held on the following dates all at 2.00pm:

Thursday 30 November 2023;

Thursday 11 January 2024;

Thursday 22 February 2024;

Thursday 4 April 2024;

Thursday 30 May 2024;

Thursday 11 July 2024;

Thursday 22 August 2024;

Thursday 3 October 2024;

Thursday 21 November 2024.

RESOLVED:

That future meetings of the Board be held on the following dates all at

2.00pm:

Thursday 30 November 2023;

Thursday 11 January 2024;

Thursday 22 February 2024;

Thursday 4 April 2024;

Thursday 30 May 2024;

Thursday 11 July 2024;

Thursday 22 August 2024;

Thursday 3 October 2024;

Thursday 21 November 2024.