Agenda item

We considered the report of the application and late correspondence which was recommended for approval subject to the conditions outlined in the report.

The local Member for Shirenewton attended the meeting by invitation of the Chair and outlined the following points:

·         The Highways Department had originally objected to the application in view of the capacity of the road network and the need for a transport plan.

·         Paragraph 6.2 of the report of the application states that there will be a maximum of six dogs on site each day with four being collected and dropped off each day by the applicant therefore reducing the number of vehicular trips each day.

·         The Highways report dated 13^th October 2022 recommended a maximum of six dogs per day rather than at any time. The local Member informed the Committee that the Planning Officer and applicant had no objection to following the Highways Department’s recommendation. The local Member asked that the Planning Committee considers amending the condition accordingly. Therefore, condition 8 would state the day care element of the proposal hereby approved is limited to a maximum of six dogs per day rather than six dogs at any time.

·         The conditions cover the fencing and landscaping and are of interest with regard to visual amenity.

·         The public has expressed concern regarding agricultural fields being turned into car parking areas with long high fencing. The rear of another field looks unsightly with high level fencing and the rural background of St. Pierre Woods opposite.

·         The Council’s Landscape and Green Infrastructure officer had a provisional objection to the proposed dog walking area due to insufficient information.

·         The site and fields are located within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as well as being in open countryside.  Current Local Development Plan (LDP) Policy LC4 highlights that any developments to the area of natural beauty must be subservient to the primary purpose to ensure and enhance the natural beauty of the area, hence the reason for the condition on fencing and landscaping are so important.

·         The local Member asked that the Planning Committee considers supporting the change to condition 8 to fall in line with the Highways recommendation as proposed in the latest Highways report in order to reduce the vehicular movements along this rural highway.

In response, the Development Services Manager informed the Committee as follows:

·         The Planning Case officer does not consider the need to change the condition, as outlined by the local Member. It would therefore be for the Planning Committee to decide this matter.

·         If the condition is restricted to up to six dogs per day, that would reduce the applicant’s flexibility.

Having considered the report of the application, the following points were noted:

·         It was considered that there were no reasons to object to the application as outlined in the report.

·         The land remains agricultural and could easily be converted to its original use, if required.

The local Member summed up as follows:

·         Objections to the application had been received from Shirenewton Community Council.

·         The delay in considering the application related to a delay in information coming forward from the applicant.

·         The local Member reiterated her request for Planning Committee to consider supporting the change to condition 8 to fall in line with the Highways recommendation as proposed in the latest Highways report in order to reduce the vehicular movements along this rural highway.

It was proposed by County Councillor J. McKenna and seconded by County Councillor E. Bryn that application DM/2022/00263 be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the report with no amendment to condition 8.

Upon being put to the vote, the following votes were recorded:

For approval             -           15

Against approval      -           0

Abstentions               -           0

The proposition was carried.

We resolved that application DM/2022/00263 be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the report with no amendment to condition 8.