BRINDLEY HEATH PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
HELD ON TUESDAY 22 MAY 2023
AT THE WHITE HOUSE, MARQUIS DRIVE, RUGELEY

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

IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs T. Williams (Parish Clerk)

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

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

Cllr A. Pearson

Cllr M. Sutherland
Member of District Council’s Planning Control Committee
Member of District Council’s Planning Control Committee Personal

Personal

3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
No members of the public were present.

4. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
Resolved: The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 28 March 2023 were approved as a correct record.

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

6. PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
Application Number: CH/23/0172
Address: 4 Brindley Crescent, Rugeley
Development: Two storey side extension to form garage and annex at first floor and two bay garage to front of existing house

Observations: The Parish Council although not raising outright objections to the development proposal, expresses concern about the size and appearance of the two-storey side extension which has the potential to be used as a separate dwelling.

The District Council is asked to take fully into account the concerns of neighbouring householders.

The Parish Council recommends that conditions are attached to the planning permission if awarded to require that use of the extension/annex remains incidental to the existing dwelling and is maintained as one planning unit. There should be no potential for the extension to be converted into separate residential accommodation in the future.

Application Number: CH/23/0187
Address: Stile Cop Road, Slitting Mill, Cannock Chase
Development: Prior Notification for Proposed telecommunications installation: Proposed 15.0m Phase 8 Monopole 3No equipment and associated works

Observations: The Parish Council has no objections to the telecommunications installation but would ask that the colour of the monopole is chosen to blend with the surrounding landscape of the AONB.

A green monopole would look less prominent than a white one.

Application Number: CH/22/0419 (amended plans)
Address: 1 Brindley Heath Road, Hednesford
Development: Demolition of existing building and erection of 3 no. apartment buildings providing 14 no. dwellings, plus associated development including access, parking and landscaping.

Observations: The Parish Council consider the amendments to be negligible and therefore wishes to restate the observations made in its letter dated 2 February 2023:

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.

7. PLANNING DECISIONS MADE BY THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCIL

No decisions

8. UPDATES ON OTHER PLANNING MATTERS
Open Land and Permitted Development

The Committee, at its last meeting, sought clarification on the 28-day rule for permitted use of land for alternative purposes (such as pop-up campsites) and whether open land should be used for agricultural purposes at all other times.
Research has confirmed that nationally set permitted development rights allow for the temporary use of land for any purpose for up to 28 days in total in a calendar year, under Class B of Part 4 of the General Permitted Development Order. To provide greater support to businesses during coronavirus restrictions, the Government introduced a time limited right which increased the length of time (to 56 days) for which land could be temporarily used for other purposes (Class BA of Part 4). This time-limited right ended on 31 December 2021.
Anyone wishing to use a site for longer than the 28 days allowed under the regulations would need to apply for planning permission in order to do so.
The Committee noted that the Government had recently consulted the general public on permanently extending the right to 60 days per calendar year, restricted to 30 tents at any one time. The consultation ran from 28 February to 25 April 2023.
The Committee raised the point about land classifications and the criteria that determine when a change of use has occurred. It is understood that agricultural land is land suitable for the agricultural production for both crops and livestock. It is split into two different categories arable land and pastureland.

9. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next Planning Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday 25 July 2023.

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