Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest made at this meeting.

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Planning Regulatory Board held on Thursday, 7th January, 2016, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

There were no site visits nor deferments recommended.

Resolved:- (1) That, on the development proposals now considered the requisite notices be issued and be made available on the Council’s website and that the time limits specified in Sections 91 and 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 apply.

In accordance with the right to speak procedure, the following people attended the meeting and spoke about the applications listed below:-

- Outline application for the erection of up to 64 dwellinghouses with details of access at land at Blue Mans Way, Catcliffe for Langtree Group Plc (RB2014/1342)

Mr. D. Rolinson (on behalf of the applicant Company)

Mr. N. Howarth (objector)

-  Erection of 3 No. dwellinghouses with associated access and landscaping (including relocation of existing garage) at land to rear of Winterhills High Street, Kimberworth for Beres Developments (RB2015/1357)

Mr. C. Dunn (on behalf of the applicant)

Written submission from objector

(2) That application RB2015/0142 be deferred pending a visit of inspection, as agreed by the Planning Board, to enable Members to consider the highway implications of the proposed development, with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman approving arrangements for the visit.

(3)(a) That, with regard to application RB2014/1357, the Council shall enter into an Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for the purposes of securing contributions of £30,000 towards off-site affordable housing; and

(b) That, consequent upon the satisfactory signing of the Section 106 Legal Agreement, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the submitted report

(4) That application RB2015/1429 be granted for the reasons set out in the submitted report.

Further to Minute No. 72 of the meeting of the Planning Board held on 7th January, 2016, the Director of Planning, Regeneration and Culture submitted a report concerning the courtesy consultation from Sheffield City Council in respect of the application for planning permission for the erection of a motorway service area including proposed facilities building, hotel, filling station, parking facilities for all vehicles, access and circulation internal roads, structured and natural landscaping with outside picnic space and dog walking area, associated infrastructure and earthworks (Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 Schedule 2 proposal) at Smithy Wood, Cowley Hill (adjoining Junction 35 of M1 Motorway), Chapeltown, Sheffield for the Extra Motorway Service Area Group.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council shall raise objections to this application for planning permission, for the reasons set out below and shall inform Sheffield City Council accordingly:-

(a) it is concluded that the impact of the development on Rotherham will be detrimental in terms of the impact on the ecology of Smithy Wood that is within Rotherham and the visual impact of the woodland clearing on views out of the Rotherham Borough; and

(b)  whilst the mitigation and compensation being offered by the applicant are welcomed, there does not appear to have been any evaluation of the impact on Smithy Wood that is within the Rotherham Borough area.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Planning, Regeneration and Culture concerning a proposal to protect a number of currently unprotected trees situated along the northern boundary of the Brecks Beefeater Hotel/Travel Inn site at East Bawtry Road, Brecks, Rotherham.

The report stated that, as an interim measure and to ensure the protection of the trees, a new Tree Preservation Order (reference No. 4, 2015) was placed on the site on 19 August 2015 and all interested parties were notified. One objection was subsequently received by the Council and details of that objection were summarised within the submitted report.

Members considered the details of the survey undertaken of the various trees, which included 1  No. Horse Chestnut, 7 No. Hawthorn, 10 No. Field Maple and 1 No. Sycamore.

The limited expected life span of some of the trees was emphasised. However, collectively, the trees are a significant landscape feature and provide valuable and important amenity and their retention will help to preserve the character of the Brecks hotel/pub and the surrounding area. 

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the Planning Board confirms the serving of Tree Preservation Order No. 4 (2015) with regard to various trees the subject of this submitted report, situated within the curtilage of The Beefeater Inn, East Bawtry Road, Brecks, Rotherham, under Section 198 and 201 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, this Order being confirmed with modification, as detailed within the submitted report, to include only trees T2, T4, T5, T6 and T13 and a minor modification to the submitted site location plan.

(1)  It was reported that Jim Shirt, Enforcement Officer, was retiring from the Authority on 29^th January, 2016.

The Board Members extended their thanks to Jim for all his work on behalf of the Board and wished him a happy and healthy retirement.

(2)  Members were reminded of the arrangement for a training session about planning and development issues to be held at the Town Hall, Rotherham, on Thursday afternoon, 18^th February, 2016.