BRINDLEY HEATH PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
HELD ON TUESDAY 29 NOVEMBER 2022
AT THE WHITE HOUSE, MARQUIS DRIVE, RUGELEY

PRESENT: Parish Councillors: D. Cotton (Chairman)
P. Adams
Mrs M. A. Turville
R. Turville
Mrs S. Pearson
Mr A. Pearson
Mr M. Sutherland

IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs T. Williams (Clerk)
2 Members of the public (to end of item 3)

1. APOLOGIES
No apologies

2. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
To declare interests for this meeting:
Member

Councillor A. Pearson

Councillor M. Sutherland

Councillor M. Sutherland Interest

Member of District Council’s Planning Control Committee

Portfolio Leader for Economic Development at Staffordshire County Council

Planning Application CH/22/0353 (West Midlands Designer Outlet Village)
Type

Personal

Personal

Personal

3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
Resolved: The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 27 September 2022 were approved as a correct record.

The Chairman adjourned the meeting and invited two members of the public to address Parish Councillors.

The Members of the public (husband and wife) asked whether it would be possible for Parish Councillors to undertake a site visit of their land as they were seeking advice on achieving planning permission for an eco-home build on a one-acre plot off Slitting Mill Road. They said they had been pursuing planning permission for several years on land that was fully serviced and classified as residential.

They had joined Cannock Chase Council’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), participated in the Cannock Chase Local Plan Review – Preferred Options Consultation, and joined the Self-Build Register. They left documentation with Parish Councillors for them to view and provided their contact details.

The couple advised the Council that they occupied the site daily to maintain the land and they looked after nearby rights of way and the stream. They were respectful of their surroundings and didn’t understand the reason the District Council had not considered their application favourably. There were no issues with neighbouring residents.

They wanted Parish Councillors to visit the plot to give their opinion on whether it was viable for development.

The Chairman advised them to seek advice from the local planning authority in the first instance and Councillor Sutherland offered to contact the Senior Planning Officer to ask whether she would assist – preferably by making a site visit. The Chairman said that Parish Councillors would willingly have a look afterwards, but the issue was policy related (with reference to development of the Green Belt) and planning officers were the experts in this field.

The couple told Councillors that the District Council had said it didn’t want to give approval for development that would contribute to the merging of Rugeley and Hednesford.

At the end of the item the meeting was reconvened.

4. PLANNING OBSERVATIONS MADE BY THE PARISH COUNCIL SINCE THE LAST MEETING
No Planning applications had been received.

5. PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
Resolved: That the following observations are submitted to the District Council in respect of planning applications in the parish:

Application Number: CH/22/0353
Address: West Midlands Designer Outlet
Development: The application seeks approval of details of Scale, Layout, Appearance and Landscaping (the Reserved Matters) pursuant to the original Hybrid Planning Consent (CH/15/0048),as amended by the s73 planning permission (CH/21/0197). The outline planning application was an Environment Impact Assessment application,and an Environmental Statement was submitted to the planning authority in support of the application at that time.

Observations: No comments were made by the Committee on this proposed development.

Councillor Pearson explained that this was the second phase of development for the designer outlet. Outline planning permission had already been awarded and this application required approval of the detail/Reserved Matters.

Councillor Sutherland advised the Committee that he had met the Managing Director who had developed 24 of these shopping outlets in the UK and Europe. He was very impressive at the meeting, very experienced in the field and sustainability was a high priority.

6. PLANNING DECISIONS MADE BY THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCIL

Application Number: CH/22/0321
Address: The Holding, Rugeley Road, Hazelslade, Cannock
Development: Demolition of Equestrian buildings and erection of 3 bed dwelling house

The Planning Committee noted that planning permission had been refused on 12 October 2022.

7. UPDATES ON OTHER PLANNING MATTERS
Advertisement Banners

The Chairman reminded the Committee that there had been ongoing communications with Cannock Chase Council about the display of advertisement banners in the AONB. He advised that a new Enforcement Officer had been appointed and she was investigating all outstanding enquiries.

The Committee agreed that the display of banners were not in keeping with the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the advice given by previous Enforcement Officers (that they were permitted) had been inconsistent and inaccurate.

Requirement for Planning Permission

The Clerk updated the Committee on Cannock Chase Council’s response to a request for an investigation into the activity of new homeowners who had removed a quantity of trees/shrubbery and were installing a stone road, thought to be intended as an access to a new lodge/chalet. The project was thought to be progressing towards demolition of the building.

The Clerk said that the Enforcement Officer had confirmed the matter had been investigated and was satisfied that the Site Manager understood planning and the many requirements for the redevelopment of the land. The Site Manager was aware of the land designations and Tree Preservation Orders and was undertaking topographical surveys, bat surveys and tree surveys prior to submission of a planning application.

Councillor Pearson advised the Committee that Cannock Chase Council was not legally obliged to appoint an Enforcement Officer but chose to do so voluntarily.

The Chairman informed the Committee that he would like to make contact with the Enforcement Officer to open up a direct line of communication. He would like to convey the message that the Parish Council took its role as consultee seriously, undertaking research and paying attention to due diligence. He would like them to be aware that the Parish Council explores and discusses issues thoroughly and treats all planning matters consistently.

The Committee suggested asking for clarification from the Senior Planning Officer on planning policy relating to the installation of new drives/roads and chalets with regards to planning permission and whether it was a necessary requirement. The definition of an unclassified road was also questioned.

Copies of a Freedom of Information Request received by the Parish Council in November 2022 were given to Committee members for information. It was confirmed that the information requested would be prepared and provided within the legal timeframes.

8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next Planning Committee meeting would take place on Tuesday 31 January 2023.

The venue for the meeting would be the White House, Marquis Drive, Brindley Heath.

Signed…………………………………………………

Chairman
Councillor D. Cotton

Date……………………………………………………