BRINDLEY HEATH PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
HELD ON TUESDAY 31 JANUARY 2023
AT THE WHITE HOUSE, MARQUIS DRIVE, RUGELEY

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

IN ATTENDANCE: Ms G. Adams (Parish Clerk)
Mrs T. Williams (Parish Clerk)

1. APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Councillor A. Pearson and Councillor Mrs S. Pearson.

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

Councillor M. Sutherland

Councillor M. Sutherland

Councillor D. Cotton Interest

Portfolio Leader for Economic Development at Staffordshire County Council

Planning Application CH/22/0004 (Larkholme, Shooting Butts Road)

Planning Application CH/22/0004 (Larkholme, Shooting Butts Road)
Type

Personal

Personal

Personal

3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
Resolved: The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 29 November 2022 were approved as a correct record.

Councillor Sutherland advised the Committee that he had contacted the Senior Planning Officer on behalf of the couple who were seeking advice about the development of their land. He said they had been put in touch with an expert who was able to offer advice, and he had visited the couple on site.

Councillor Cotton advised the Committee that he had also spoken to the couple and said he would make a site visit.

4. PLANNING OBSERVATIONS MADE BY THE PARISH COUNCIL SINCE THE LAST MEETING
No planning applications had been received from the County or District Councils.

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/22/0419
Address: 1 Brindley Heath Road, Hednesford
Development: Demolition of existing building and erection of 3 no. apartment buildings providing 15 no. dwellings, plus associated development including access, parking and landscaping

Observations: The Parish Council is concerned about the proposed development for the following reasons:

• The position, height and scale of the apartment buildings will result in an oppressive form of development to detract from the open and spacious character of the junction. The proposal would have an adverse effect on the established structure and layout of the area.

• The parking provision meets only minimum standards leading to the likelihood that an excess of vehicles and visiting traffic will park on the roadside creating safety issues on Brindley Heath Road and Bradbury Lane and nuisance to surrounding residents. Mitigation measures would be needed in this regard.

• The single access point serving all fifteen dwellings is relatively close to the crossroads/junction and will provide limited visibility to motorists entering and exiting the site when traffic is accelerating into Brindley Heath Road from the traffic lights at the crossroads.

• The adverse effects of the development on Cannock Chase SAC, particularly in the absence of adequate mitigation and avoidance measures to protect its integrity.

The Parish Council supports the comments made by the Environmental Protection Section as the noise from the road and railway line may present a risk to the amenity of future residents.

The Parish Council would like to ask that the application is ‘called in’, to be determined by the District Council’s Planning Control Committee.

The following planning applications had been listed on the District Council’s weekly list of new planning applications and were discussed prior to receipt of the consultations:

Application Number: CH/23/0001
Address: 65 Brindley Crescent Hednesford
Development: First floor side extension to create a small 3rd bedroom and study

Observations: No objections

Application Number: CH/23/0004
Address: Larkholme, Shooting Butts Road, Rugeley
Development: Single and 2 no. storey extensions

Observations: No objections

6. PLANNING DECISIONS MADE BY THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCIL

No decisions had been received.

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 different locations in the AONB.

The Committee agreed that the item should be closed apart from monitoring the display of any new banners.

Road Classifications

At the last meeting the Committee had suggested seeking clarification on the requirement for planning permission for the installation of new drives/roads and chalets. The definition of an unclassified road was also questioned.

The Council noted previous advice given by Cannock Chase Council (in an email dated 7 March 2022) referencing unclassified roads and permitted development. It suggested that a means of access to and from a highway can be permitted development where the highway is not a trunk road, or a classified road and access is required in connection with permitted development by any Class in Schedule 2 of the order (other than by Class A of this part). The permitted development right is not restricted by inclusion of the land within the AONB.

Classified roads were noted as local roads intended for local traffic. The vast majority (60%) of roads in the UK fall within this category.

The Chairman expressed concern about the installation of chalets and roads without the requirement for planning permission.

Freedom of Information Request

The Clerk advised the Committee that the information requested had been delivered.

8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next Planning Committee meeting would take place on Tuesday 4 April 2023 (thereafter amended to 28 March 2023).

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