Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A M Hall, C L E Vernon and N H Pepper.

For openness and transparency, Councillor T Smith declared that he was in attendance at the meeting of the Planning and Regulation Committee when item 6a on today’s agenda had been previously discussed, but no decision taken.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the Planning and Regulation Committee held on 3 July 2023 be agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

A report was received which invited the Committee to consider an amendment to the Council’s off street parking places order in relation to a car park at Scarborough Avenue, Skegness. The Traffic Manager introduced the report.

It was noted that Skegness Town Council maintained the asset and wished to increase the charges to park at the car park, and that an opportunity had arisen to reconsider the current arrangements. It was also noted that in order to enable enforcement and ensure the conditions of use the asset required an off street parking order.

On a motion proposed by Councillor I G Fleetwood, and seconded by Councillor Mrs M J Overton MBE, it was:

RESOLVED (unanimous)

That the Committee approve the amendment so that the necessary process to bring it into effect may be taken forward.

Consideration was given to a report which outlined an application seeking permission by Lincolnshire County Council to construct a one and two storey 28 bed secure children’s home and associated support accommodation. Supporting infrastructure included a new service road, a car park, surface water attenuation pond, landscaped areas, renewable energy provision and battery store at Bone Mill Farm, Bonemill Lane, Sleaford.

The Head of Planning introduced the report alongside a presentation and advised that an update to the report was published ahead of the meeting which amended the original recommendations as a completed unilateral undertaking had now been received.

The following matters were highlighted to the Committee regarding the application:

·   The development was set back away from the road access and the neighbouring industrial estate and was shielded by a tree boundary.

·   Energy provision was derived from onsite renewable energy sources.

·   The design was a 1 to two story layout.

·   A railway level-crossing was situated on the road access.

·   Following the consultation and publicization of the development support had been received from the local County Councillor, Councillor M Allan, and Sleaford Town Council, and no further objects had been received upon the resubmission of drawings and plans.

·   North Kesteven District Council had submitted a detailed response to the consultation and raised no objections.

·   Improvements were required to make the access, via Bonemill Lane, appropriate for the increased use.

·   A Grampian condition had been placed on the access improvement works, which required improvements to be made before works could take place to ensure safe traffic access. However, the full extent of the improvements were not required until the building was occupied.

Matthew Stapleton (Senior Project Manager – Corporate Property – Lincolnshire County Council) spoke on behalf of the applicant and stated the following:

·   There was a national shortage of secure children’s accommodation and this application would help contribute additional capacity and modernise by replacing the existing smaller facility in Sleaford.

·   The building would be net zero in terms of energy use, with the capacity to generate off-grid power.

·   The application would create 100 new jobs in the sector and would act as a flag ship facility for Lincolnshire.

The Committee discussed the report and the following matters were raised:

·   The application was sufficiently isolated away from the neighbouring industrial estate.

·   Network Rail’s objection was noted regarding the application’s breach of their policy that no new level-crossings be created. However, the Committee felt that the application did not create a new level-crossing but rather brought an existing level-crossing into greater use. Overall, the Committee felt that the application’s intended use of the crossing was safe and that continued dialogue with Network Rail should be pursued to resolve the issue.

·   The Central Lincolnshire Local Plan included policies towards meeting net zero targets and as such the application’s incorporation of renewable energy technologies helped conform to the Plan without setting a president for the land to be considered as being used for energy.

·   The application was assessed on the basis that ground floor windows  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22a