Agenda item

Cllr Ann Beech, Cllr Mike Stubbs and Cllr Dylis Cornes spoke against the application.

Resolved:

That the County Council be informed that the Borough Council objects to this proposal and considers that it involves inappropriate development in the Green Belt and that very special circumstances do not exist to justify such development as the economic benefits, and any other benefits, of the scheme do not outweigh the harm to the openness and the visual appearance of the Green Belt that arises.    

The Borough Council are not satisfied that enough has been done to ascertain that remains of any casualties of the Diglake Colliery disaster, that may lie in the former workings, will not be disturbed by the proposed development and that the submission does not provide suitable assurances as to what the developer considers should happen should any remains be disturbed during operations on site.  The Borough Council request that the application should therefore be refused.

Should the County Council not accept the above, the Borough Council request that careful consideration is given to the consultation response of the Environmental Health Division and that planning permission should only be granted if the County Council are satisfied that the environmental issues, from dust, noise and particle emissions can be suitably addressed.

In addition the Borough Council consider that very special circumstances that justify inappropriate development will not exist, without the security of a financial bond through a Section 106 Planning Obligation by agreement that can be called upon to complete the restoration of the site if necessary.  Such a bond is also justified on the basis of the harm to the setting of the listed Wedgewood Monument that arises as a result of the proposed extraction.

If the County Council are minded to permit the application conditions relating to the following should be imposed;

• All conditions to secure appropriate mitigation measures as recommended by the Environmental Health Division.
• A routing agreement for vehicles.
• All existing trees on boundaries and in undisturbed areas within the site to be retained and protected during the works.
• All recommendations of the Arboricultural Survey Report to be followed.
• Submission of a Tree Protection Plan and Arboricultural Method Statement to BS5837:2012;
• Submission of detailed restoration proposals including landscaping and planting proposals and a forward programme for planting management and establishment.
• Requirement that all footpaths affected by the development are reinstated to their existing routes.

Consideration should also be given to securing a significant financial contribution toward the restoration of the Wedgewood Monument, provided the County Council considers that such a contribution would meet the requirements of Section 122 of the CIL Regulations.

2) The Borough Council requests that the County Council Planning Committee undertakes a site visit prior to making any decision on the application.

3) The Borough Council requests that in the event of a Health Impact Assessment being submitted, it be consulted upon such an assessment

4)  If the Borough Council is consulted upon such an Assessment that a further report is brought to the Planning Committee to establish what the response of the Borough Council should be.