Agenda and minutes

Land adjacent to Springpool Wood, S of Phase 3 and West of Newcastle Golf Course, Keele University, 18/00933/FUL

The Working Party does not object to wind turbines in general but the turbines in this proposal intrude into the designed landscape and their appearance especially relating to the view from Keele Hall is detrimental to the character of this part of the landscape.  They also therefore affect the setting of the Conservation Area and the Registered Park and Garden given that they are all intrinsically connected. The turbines should not be seen or intrude upon this view.  They should be reduced in height to mitigate this harm.  There was a suggestion that much smaller turbines could be utilised in greater numbers, perhaps 3 or 4 as an option.  The Working Party also raised concerns over the equipment required to facilitate the turbines and the solar panels, such as the inverters, cameras, substation and pylon and large number of battery containers etc.  The Working Party wanted consideration to be given to the facilities and infrastructure for both the turbines and solar panels to be set underground to reduce their impact.  Some members raised concern over the harm caused to the tranquil environment with noise from the turbines and the equipment.

Land adjacent to Springpool Wood, S of Phase 3 and West of Newcastle Golf Course, Keele University, 18/00934/FUL

The Working Party has no objections generally to the location of the solar panels given that they sit lower in the landscape, although again it is the level of obtrusive equipment required to facilitate them which will be incongruous in the landscape and potentially harmful from specific viewpoints.  The fact that they are temporary was considered by the group.  The Working Party had particular concerns over the number of cctv cameras proposed which looked more like a prison encampment and suggested that if necessary that the number of them should be significantly reduced.  One member had concerns about the reflective quality of the panels that may result which will intrude on the designed landscape. 

1 King Street, Newcastle  18/01014/FUL & 18/01015/LBC

The Working Party welcomes the principle of the proposal, of larger studio apartments providing the open staircase is protected and all historic timber is retained.  Noise issues were raised given the location of the building and members suggested that disabled access could be provided to at least one of the units on the ground floor with small modifications.  It was suggested that opaque glass might be inserted into the ground floor shop window to provide some privacy for the relevant unit whilst not impacting on the character of the external appearance of the building.

Cobra Biologics, Keele University  18/01013/FUL

The Working Party had no objections to the revisions and said it was an improvement on the previous proposed entrance.  They raised a point that no gutters were shown on the drawings and that the extension should have an eaves detail that matched  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.