Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all parties to the meeting and drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure in the event of an emergency.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Fabian Breckels (Councillor Steve Pearce substituting).

To note any interests relevant to the consideration of items on the agenda.

Any declarations of interest made at the meeting which are not on the register of interests should be notified to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting as a correct record.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the above meeting held on 19^th July 2023 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Committee is requested to note any outstanding actions listed on the rolling Action Sheet for DCB Committee.

There were no issues arising from the Action Sheet.

To note appeals lodged, imminent public inquiries and appeals awaiting decision.

Officers made the following comments concerning appeals:

Number 69 - 29 Hobhouse Close, Bristol BS9 4LZ: The application related to its use as a small HMO. The appeal had been held in abeyance following an appeal against non-determination. The Inspector had refused the appeal and the enforcement team were now actively liaising with the applicant to ensure the required action was taken.

To note enforcement notices.

There were no issues reported.

Any member of the public or councillor may participate in public forum. The detailed  arrangements for so doing are set out in the Public Information Sheet at the back of this agenda. Please note that the following deadlines will apply in relation to this meeting:

Questions:

Written questions must be received three clear working days prior to the meeting. For this meeting, this means that your question(s) must be received at the latest by 5pm on Thursday 31^st August 2023.

Petitions and statements:

Petitions and statements must be received by noon on the working day prior to the meeting. For this meeting, this means that your submission must be received at the latest by 12 Noon on Tuesday 5^th September 2023.

The statement should be addressed to the Service Director, Legal Services, c/o The Democratic Services Team, City Hall, 3^rd Floor Deanery Wing, College Green,

P O Box 3176, Bristol, BS3 9FS or email - democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK AT THE COMMITTEE, YOU ARE REQUESTED TO INDICATE THIS WHEN SUBMITING YOUR STATEMENT OR PETITION. ALL REQUESTS TO SPEAK MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A WRITTEN STATEMENT.

In accordance with previous practice adopted for people wishing to speak at Development Control Committees, please note that you may only be allowed 1 minute subject to the number of requests received for the meeting.

Members of the Committee received Public Forum Statements in advance of the meeting. The statements were published online prior to the meeting. Each statement was heard before the application it related to and taken fully into consideration by the Committee prior to reaching a decision.

The Chair advised the Committee that due to administrative reasons some statements had not been included which had previously been submitted to Development Control A Committee on 9^th August 2023.

Responses Supplementary questions were asked as follows:

QA1 – Mark Ashdown - I don’t believe that my question has been answered. Please can you explain why the passage I quoted from DM19 has been omitted.

A: It has answered it since evidence is required and it is relevant in planning terms. The mitigation would enable a small positive uplift.

QA2 – Danica Priest – 1^st Question: Why have additional sites not been explored and why has the reference to other sites not being considered not been mentioned in the report?

A: The applicant explored additional sites to the extent that it was necessary. The report needs to address all the key issues for consideration by the Committee.

QA2 – Danica Priest – 2^nd Question: Why is the commitment to honour nature as required in the green motion, which specifically referenced Yew Tree Farm, not being honoured?

A: This commitment is not mutually exclusive with the approval of this development. The report cannot mention every detail but the omission of this specific point does not make a material difference in this instance.

QA3 – Amanda Barrett – 1^st Question: Since the search for sites for crematoria started in the 1960s, is planning being undertaken for future sites?

A: A plan is being developed for the future which would consider the requirements for the next 15 years.

QA3 – Amanda Barrett – 2^nd Question: Since so much has changed over the last 20 years in terms of biodiversity and climate change, what actions are being taken to avoid repeating the same problems.

A: Since the city was running out of burial space, a plan for the next 15 years would help address the key issues, including the need for an uplift in biodiversity.

It was also noted that many of the issues in this question were strategic planning issues which were more suited to the Cabinet and the Mayor.

QA4 – Maddy Longhurst – 1^st Question: Should some of the issues connected to planning be considered as planning issues due to the duty to co-operate on them and be taken into consideration with the combined authority, such as urban growth , and the food system along with space for burials

A: There was a duty to co-operate at a strategic level which we are working with the neighbouring authority to address. There was a requirement to provide burial space as close to where people lived as possible so that others could visit and avoid using other Local Authorities

QA4 – Maddy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

To consider the following applications for Development Control Committee B -

The Committee considered the following Planning Application:

Planning officers introduced the report and made the following comments as part of their presentation:

·       The Application is for the expansion of the existing cemetery to allow additional burial space

·       The new site is divided into 3 plots – the southern plot, the northern plot by the railway and with an additional plot of land allocated for a new drainage pond and various drainage runs across the site

·       Details of the Local Plan allocations were set out on the screen. All the land in question is within the green belt

·       The proposed development would be delivered in phases – southern, norther and then the land around the pond

·       Since the development was a pavilions 1970s low level office block, officers had assessed that it would not impact on this. The other listed building was owned by Honeyfield Personal Training and would also not impact

·       Section 38(6) stated that the Local Planning Authority should have regard to the development plan unless material considerations indicated otherwise

·       Key issues were the urgent need for burial capacity in the city – at current usage it was estimated this would run out after 2 years. In addition, it had been assessed that there were no other opportunity to expand in other cemeteries

·       The impact in the green belt was deemed acceptable. Officers’ view is that the SNCI can be mitigated with the amendment sheet providing further details of this

·       There had been three further objections since the issuing of the amendment sheet, including from the Avion Wildlife Trust

·       The land officer had also recommended some additional conditions to have a further assessment of the site

·       Therefore, the recommendation contained in the report was to approve subject to the issuing of delegated authority to officers concerning the proposed conditions

Officers responded to Councillors’ questions as follows:

·       The biodiversity net gain was set out in the amendment sheet. Following a number of revisions, the BNG assessment had now been set as positive 2.93% gain in area habitats, 107% gain in hedgerow units and 0.19% gain in river units

·       Councillors’ concerns were noted about the impact on Yew Tree Farm and its viability. Officers confirmed that mitigation to enable it to continue through improvements in the remaining land and that the Local Planning Authority would be directly involved in negotiations to enable Yew Tree Farm to continue to use it. In addition, it should be noted that the amount of land affected was a comparatively small area of land

·       Members’ concern was noted that there had been an apparent lack of consultation with Yew Tree Farm as the adjacent land user and current tenant. Whilst the specific list of consultees was not available at the meeting, officers could confirm that consultation involved the neighbours, erection of site notices and notices in the local paper, two of which were statutory requirements. Stakeholders were consulted as part of the Community Involvement Statement – even though these had not been listed, they had been consulted and their views given the appropriate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

The next meeting is scheduled to take place at 2pm on Wednesday 18^th October 2023 in the Council Chamber, City Hall, College Green, Bristol.

The next meeting is scheduled for 2pm on Wednesday 18^th October 2023 in the Council Chamber, City Hall, Bristol.