Agenda and minutes

Venue: De Montfort Suite - Hub

Contact: Rebecca Owen  Democratic Services Manager Email: rebecca.owen@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

215.

Apologies and substitutions

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors C Allen, R Allen, Boothby, W Crooks, Hollick and Lynch, with the substitution of Councillor H Williams for Councillor C Allen authorised in accordance with council procedure rule 10.

216.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 83 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2019.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Cartwright, seconded by Councillor Flemming and

 

RESOLVED – the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October be confirmed and signed by the chairman.

217.

Declarations of interest

To receive verbally from Members any disclosures which they are required to make in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct or in pursuance of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. This is in addition to the need for such disclosure to be also given when the relevant matter is reached on the agenda.

Minutes:

No interests were declared.

218.

Decisions delegated at previous meeting

To report progress on any decisions delegated at the previous meeting.

Minutes:

It was noted that all decisions had been issued with the exception of application 19/00607/FUL which was subject to a legal agreement.

219.

19/01035/FUL - Land Adjacent To 1 Back Lane, Market Bosworth pdf icon PDF 119 KB

Application for erection of 1 No. detached dwelling.

 

Late items:

 

This application has been withdrawn from the agenda.

Minutes:

It was noted that this application had been withdrawn from the agenda.

220.

19/00901/FUL - The Retreat Farm, Whittington Lane, Thornton pdf icon PDF 68 KB

Application for installation of 19 lamp posts along driveway (retrospective).

 

Late items:

 

Introduction:-

 

The application seeks permission for the retention of 19 lighting columns alongside the access driveway from Whittington lane to the farmhouse/yard.

 

An early evening (5-5:30pm) site visit was conducted by officers.

 

Consultations:-

 

A further letter has been received from an existing objector raising concerns regarding light pollution on wildlife.

 

Officer Comments:

 

The additional comments arise from an objection received by LCC Ecology Unit that the lights are being kept on all night.

 

 LCC ecology make the following comments: I have been contacted by a local resident concerning the above application. I understand that this is retrospective and that the application is to regularise the existing lighting. It was my understanding from the application documents that these lights would only be used occasionally, and for short bursts of time. However, it appears that they may be being used for more longer periods of time throughout the whole night. I would draw your attention to the ‘Bats and Lighting Protocol’ (attached) which explains possible mitigation in more detail. Please note that this refers to the immediate light spill in the area, we are not able to provide guidance on further ‘glare’.

 

Officers have made an evening site visit and timed the lights which are on a motion sensor and are triggered by movement from large objects such as cars or people at the house or the entrance driveway. The lights stay illuminated for 7 minutes. They are not triggered by small movements from wildlife.  A condition is included on the permission to ensure that the lights remain on a timer of 10 minutes as a maximum and that the lamps must not be permanently illuminated.

 

The third objection is not from a new address but a second objection from an existing address. The objection is based on light pollution.

 

Additional comments have been received from the Environmental Health officer after the site visit which confirms: that following the site visit I do not believe that the light from this application would cause significant impact on local residents and as such I do not object to this application.  Should the permission be granted, and complaints arise, the matter could be investigated through nuisance legislation; however, based on what I saw last week, it is very unlikely that the light would cause statutory nuisance.

 

A condition is included that restricts the illumination of the light bulbs to 1600LM which is within the guidance set by the Institute of Lighting Engineers.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

The additional comments can be addressed by the conditions as set out in the Officer Report and the Officer recommendation for approval subject to conditions remains.

Minutes:

Application for installation of 19 lamp posts along driveway (retrospective).

 

It was moved by Councillor Gibbons and seconded by Councillor Walker that permission be granted. Councillor Findlay, seconded by Councillor Cartwright, proposed that a condition be added to require warm white bulb (with a yellow glow, rather than bright white) to be used. The mover and seconder of the original motion accepted the amendment. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED – permission be granted subject to the conditions contained in the officer’s report and the abovementioned additional condition to require use of warm white bulbs in the 19 lamps that were the subject of the planning application.

221.

Appeals progress pdf icon PDF 43 KB

To report on progress relating to various appeals.

Minutes:

Members were provided with an update on progress in relation to various appeals. It was also noted that the Government used quarterly statistics as a measure to assess performance and that an authority was designated as under-performing if 10% of its total number of decisions on applications were overturned at appeal. There were separate measures for major and minor/other applications. It was agreed that a column would be added into the report to show the total number of applications processed to be read in conjunction with the figure for the number of decisions overturned at appeal.