Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence had been received from Councillor P Skinner.

None received.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 March 2021, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee considered a report in connection with an objection received to the proposed introduction of a 30mph speed limit on the A153 at Greylees. Having assessed the section of the A153 as shown at Appendix A of the report, a speed limit was found to be justified against the criteria set out in the speed limit policy. Mean traffic speed was recorded at 35mph, and therefore it could be considered a  borderline case for the introduction of a 30mph limit. A report was subsequently brought to the Committee last February where approval to pursue the limit was supported.

On a motion by Councillor I G Fleetwood, seconded by Councillor N H Pepper, it was:

RESOLVED (unanimous)

That the objection is overruled so that the public advertisement of the proposal, as shown at Appendix B of the report, could be carried out.

The Committee considered a report on a request for a reduction in speed limit on the B1192 Northbound through the village. Investigations indicated that two potential speed limit reductions may be considered as borderline cases as defined in the speed limit policy.

On a motion by  Councillor T R Ashton, seconded  by  I G Fleetwood, it was:

RESOLVED (unanimous)

That the reduction in speed limit proposed be approved so that the necessary consultation process to bring it into effect may be pursued.

The Committee considered a report on the outcome of a pedestrian crossing survey carried out following a request for one in the vicinity of Doddington Hall, as show at Appendix B of the report.

On a motion by Councillor I G Fleetwood, seconded by Councillor A M Newton OBE, it was:

RESOLVED (unanimous)

That the submission of a funding bid for a feasibility study, design and installation of a Puffin crossing in the vicinity of Doddington Hall be approved.

The Chairman reported that this matter would be deferred to the next meeting of the Committee scheduled for 26 July 2021 in order for the report to be updated with the latest information.

The Committee considered a report on objections received to a proposal to introduce mandatory and advisory cycle lanes and waiting restrictions along Main Road, Long Bennington as show in Appendix B of the report.

Eight objections had been received to the scheme during its advertisement period and these were outlined in the report together with the response to them.

In summary the report outlined that the proposed mandatory cycle lane would operate at all times with no loading or waiting allowed within it and the advisory cycle lane would be free of all parked vehicles from Monday to Friday between 8am to 5pm and free from HGV parking at all times. The scheme served to provide a dedicated cycle facility linking existing cycle routes and also aimed to reduce the impact of overnight HGV parking in this area of the village.

Councillor A Maughan, attended the meeting via Teams and made the following comments:-

·         The details of the scheme had been developed in close consultation with the parish council and playing field management committee, with an on site meeting held to agree the details, before going out to public consultation.

·         The single yellow line proposed outside the sports facilities ensured that evening and weekend parking for visitors to our local sport facilities would still be possible. For daytime users of the facilities, parking would be possible south of Westborough Lane. There was also a possibility of limited off-street parking for the playing field in the future. 

·         As well as improving cycle links between Long Bennington and neighbouring villages of Claypole and Dry Doddington and Newark town centre, the scheme also had the added bonus of removing dangerous overnight lorry parking from the north end of the village. The area had suffered for well over decade with the impact of 20+ lorries every night of the week using the village as a stop over. With no facilities in place this has led to high levels of litter and human waste being left on village verges. 

·         The cycle scheme would ensure cyclists could pass safely along this part of the village to join the A1 cycle path. It would also put an end to the unacceptable overnight lorry parking.

·         There had been concerns in the village that the scheme could displace HGVs further into the village, into the residential areas. He had been reassured by Highways Officers that if this were the case HGVs would be in breach of their permits and therefore this was unlikely. Highways would monitor the impact of the scheme, and in the unlikely event this became a problem the County Council would consider additional measures.

(Councillor M J Overton MBE joined the meeting at this point)

(On a motion by Councillor I G Fleetwood, seconded by Councillor R P H Reid, it was:

RESOLVED (13 for, 1 abstention)

That the objections be overruled and the proposal as advertised be approved.

The Committee considered a report where Planning permission was sought by Dr Charles Daniel Lane (the Applicant) to extract and process sand and gravel and to progressively restore the site to a mixture of agricultural land, nature conservation area and an agricultural water reservoir at Land at King Street, Greatford, Lincolnshire in the parish of Greatford. The proposed development would constitute the creation of a new sand and gravel quarry with a restoration strategy to create three separate but linked after-uses, being low level agriculture, an irrigation lagoon and wetland habitat. The proposal was subject of an Environmental Impact Assessment submitted pursuant to the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 and a Planning and Environmental Statement (PES) had been submitted which assessed the potential impacts of the proposed development together with the mitigation measures proposed to avoid, reduce and, if possible remedy any significant adverse impacts.

The Head of Planning guided members through the report and set out the main issues to be considered in the determination of the application.

The report recommended that following consideration of the relevant development plan policies and the comments received through consultation and publicity  conditional planning permission be granted subject to the applicant completing a  section 106 Planning Obligation.

The Agent, Simon Tucker, Quartet/Ashton Estate, on behalf of the applicant, attended via Teams and spoke in support of the application and made the following statement:- "I am director of DTA, a traffic and transport planning consultant acting on behalf of the applicant.  The report recommendations are supported. One of the significant merits of the Manor Farm site was that it was largely unexceptional. There were few, if any interesting features on this isolated parcel of land, being circa 55 hectares, flat, well drained, remote from the nearest residence (at least 420m), the nearest village of Baston (at least 440m) and remote from any distinguishing heritage features.  All the relevant potential impacts of a proposed gravel quarry had been explored in detail in the application and supporting EIA.  These included a detailed report for all likely impacts including noise, dust, air quality, heritage features and hydrology.  The overall conclusion of the report was that the scheme was wholly acceptable and policy compliant subject to the usual planning conditions. The transport aspects of the site merited some more detailed comments.  The scheme had been subject to a detailed Transport Assessment which had been scoped and agreed with the Highway Authority.   Discussions had taken place about potential mitigation. The site bordered the straight road of King Street. In statistical terms, the circa one kilometre of straight road south of the quarry access was safe and appropriate to serve the development.  The site went through a formal Mineral Plan adoption process and was found to be acceptable.   However, as part of the application, a scheme of mitigation had been agreed, in principle, with the Council.   This comprised:

(a)    A routing agreement, secured by a S106 agreement, which would prevent movements through nearby villages.

(b)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The Committee considered a report where Planning permission was sought to construct a Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) school with associated external spaces works, parking and vehicular and pedestrian accesses at the Former Usher Junior School site, Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln. The development was one of two proposals that were associated with the existing Lincoln St. Christopher's SEND school on Hykeham Road. 

Lincoln St Christopher's School had experienced significant growth over the last few years and the demand for school places regularly exceeded place availability. Projected demand for special school places in the Lincoln City area indicated the need for an additional 111 places to be made available by 2023 and in order to meet this need it was proposed to expand the capacity of the school through the formation of a split school site. To achieve this it was proposed to construct a new school for primary school aged children and then redevelop the existing Lincoln St. Christopher's site. The proposal related to the development of a new modern, purpose built SEND school on the former Usher Junior School site. The school would provide places for a total of 130 students (aged 3 to 11) with a range of different needs including profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), severe or moderate learning difficulties (SLD/MLD) and those with autistic?spectrum disorder (ASD). The school was anticipated to employ 68 staff comprising of 52 full?time equivalent staff and 16 staff who would work across both this school and the existing Lincoln St. Christopher's School site. Both staff and pupils currently attending the existing Lincoln St. Christopher’s School would be relocated to this site should permission be granted.

The report recommended that following consideration of the relevant development plan policies and the comments received through consultation and publicity conditional planning be granted.

Officers guided members through the report and set out the main issues to be considered in the determination of the application. The planning update circulated to the Committee on 2 July recommended that condition 7 be amended to read as follows:  No construction traffic, other than that required to carry out the improvement works to the eastern vehicular access, shall enter the site until the eastern vehicular access has been temporarily upgraded in accordance with a specification agreed by the Highway Authority and is available for use.

Kyna Adkins, Headteacher, Lincoln St. Christopher's SEND school attended the meeting via Teams to support the application. She commented on the large demand for school places, the problems with the current buildings and space and the intention to open up the new facilities to the wider community when not in use by the school. She also explained, following questions from members, how the pupils mostly travelled to the school on arranged transport rather than being dropped off by their parents and how this was different to other schools. It was confirmed that there was a travel plan for staff parking and pick-ups and drop offs.

Some members expressed concern about possibility  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11a

The Committee considered a report where Planning permission was sought for the demolition of an existing building, the sports hall, and mobile classrooms of the existing school and to construct a new block comprising; eight new classrooms, sports hall, food tech, office, admin and staff spaces at St Christopher's School, Hykeham Road, Lincoln. The development was one of two proposals that were associated with the existing Lincoln St Christopher's SEND school on Hykeham Road. Lincoln St Christopher's School had experienced significant growth over the last few years and the demand for school places regularly exceeded place availability. Projected demand for special school places in the Lincoln City area indicated the need for an additional 111 places to be made available by 2023 and in order to meet the need it was proposed to expand the capacity of the school through the formation of a split school site. To achieve this it was proposed to construct a new school for primary school aged children and then redevelop the existing Lincoln St Christopher's site. The report related to a proposal to redevelop and refurbish the existing Lincoln St Christopher's School in order to modernise the facilities available and increase the number of pupil places it could currently offer to Secondary school aged children. The main issues to be taken into consideration were the location of the development and acceptability of this development given the sites allocation in the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan as well as a consideration of the potential environmental and amenity impacts of the development.

The report recommended that following consideration of the relevant development plan policies and the comments received through consultation and publicity conditional planning be granted.

Officers guided members through the report and set out the main issues to be considered in the determination of the application.

(Councillor Mrs A M Newton MBE gave her apologies and left the meeting at this point. She had previously notified that Chairman that she would have to leave the meeting at 12.30pm for another important appointment)

On a motion by Councillor I G Fleetwood, seconded by Councillor T R Ashton, it was:-

RESOLVED (Unanimous)

That conditional planning permission be approved.