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Agenda item
Rocklands Private Caravan Park, Rocklands Lane, Hastings
Minutes:
Proposal:
Discharge of condition 4 (details of the planting scheme and soft landscaping), 6 (archaeological monitoring), 7 (foul and surface water drainage scheme) and 8 (external colour scheme) of Appeal A ref. APP/B1415/C/15/3029007 – (EN/15/00028).
Application No:
HS/CD/16/00655
Existing Use:
Conservation Area
Listed Building
Public Consultation
Caravan Park
No
No
10 further representations received since the report
was written. 1 petition received.
The Principal Planner, Miss Roots, presented this report for approval of the remaining part of condition 6 (archaeological monitoring) of Appeal A ref APP/B1415/C/15/3029007 – (EN/15/00028).
Condition 6 was partly discharged at Planning Committee on 16th November 2016 in relation to the written scheme of investigation which included the proposed methodology for the archaeological works. The remaining part of condition 6 (archaeological monitoring) is considered under this application relating to the final archaeological watching brief report. Both outstanding condition 4 (planting scheme and soft landscaping) and condition 7 (foul and surface water drainage scheme) will be considered at a future Planning Committee when current issues are resolved.
The report relates to the discharge of the outstanding part of condition 6 only, relating to the final archaeological watching brief report. The main issue to be considered is whether the written record of archaeological works is adequate and has been submitted within the required timescale. The applicant has submitted an Archaeological Watching Brief Report within 3 months of the work being undertaken, to comply with part of Condition 6.
Members were informed of several updates to the report:-
- 1 petition and 10 further representations had been received since the publication of the agenda. Objections had been received from 3 different individual/organisations, raising new concerns in respect of the archaeology condition as follows:-
- Concern that additional works to satisfy outstanding drainage and landscaping conditions may disturb archaeological remains;
- Premature to discharge condition without necessary groundworks being identified.
Other concerns relate to drainage and landscaping scheme which are not being considered under this application.
- In response to the petition and concerns raised, the Principal Planner, Miss Roots, provided an amended recommendation to the report:-
The discharge of condition 6 is based on the following information:-
- Planting Schedule & Planting, Maintenance and Establishment Specification (The Mayhew Consultancy Ltd, January 2017);
- Drainage Layout Plan (Drawing: Drainage01, November 2016);
- Written Scheme of Investigation for Archaeological Monitoring (Archaeology South-East, August 2016);
- Archaeological Watching Brief Report (Archaeology South-East, December 2016).
The applicant is advised that should changes to the scheme, not currently identified in the application, be made in order to progress the discharge of landscaping or drainage conditions, or in light of any subsequent revisions to drainage or relevant ground works that may occur through the building regulation process, this condition will no longer be deemed to be discharged and a further application for discharge of condition 6, part 2, will be required.
Condition 6 of appeal decision APP/B1415/C/15/3029007:
"No further groundworks required to complete the development shall take place until the implementation of a programme of archaeological works has been secured in accordance with a written scheme of investigation submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. A written record of any archaeological works undertaken shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority within 3 months of the completion of any archaeological investigation unless an alternative timescale for the submission of the report is first agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority".
Members were shown plans and photographs of the application site.
Mr Bob Okines, Petitioner, Save Ecclesbourne Glen Campaign Group, spoke against the discharge of Condition 6 of the Planning Inspector’s appeal decision. He said that it would be premature to discharge Condition 6 until the works have been agreed. He referred to three outstanding issues which he felt needed further consideration:- the tree planting scheme; surface water drainage and the building control recommendations. He requested that all the conditions set by the Planning Inspector are only discharged after all of the plans and schemes are agreed by the relevant authority and the wishes of the Planning Inspector and various consultees are satisfied.
The applicant, had been invited to attend, but was not present.
Councillor Bacon, Ward Councillor for Old Hastings, was present and spoke against the discharge of Condition 6. He said that all works at Rocklands must be subject to archaeological monitoring to protect any archaeological remains within the Iron Age hill fort and the scheduled monument. He felt that discharging condition 6 would be premature as there are still further ground works needed to complete the building at this stage and therefore Condition 6 should not be discharged until the full scale of works is known, so that all consultees have the chance to review them. He said we cannot allow any archaeological remains to be negatively affected until all works that may be carried out are clearly specified.
The Principal Planning Officer addressed the issues raised by the petitioner and ward councillor, she said that the written scheme of investigation which sets out the methodology for undertaking the works, as approved by the county archaeologist, was heard by the Planning Committee in November 2016. Furthermore, the concerns set out in the petition and other objections about the impact of the tree and landscaping plan and any drainage and additional ground works that might entail, have been addressed in the amended recommendation which states that if there are any further ground works the applicant would have to submit a revised discharge of condition application. The concerns received relating to drainage and the landscaping scheme are ongoing and will go forward to a future Planning Committee once they have been resolved.
Members discussed this item at length, and sought clarification on Condition 6. The Principal Planner advised members that the condition attached by the Planning Inspector set out a time limit because part 1 and part 2 of Condition 6 are closely connected. Part 2 (the watching brief) has to be submitted in 3 months. If not discharged, part 1 may have to be redone again and we will end up in an endless cycle. In this process all the conditions cannot be discharged together. The amended recommendation, as agreed by the archaeologist, is intended to address concerns that could happen.
Councillor Beaney proposed a motion to approve the amended recommendation as set out in the officer’s update/powerpoint presentation. This was seconded by Councillor Dowling. The vote was lost by 4 votes to 6.
Councillor Wincott proposed a substantive motion to defer the application as set out in the resolution below. This was seconded by Councillor Scott.
The substantive motion to defer the application was agreed by 7 votes to 3 against as set out in the resolution below.
RESOLVED – by (7 votes to 3 against) to defer determining the application until the next meeting of this committee to allow for further consultation with the County Archaeologist and the Legal Department as to the implications for the validity of the planning application.
Supporting documents:
- MAP_HS_CD_16_00655_Rocklands, item 158a PDF 282 KB
- HS-CD-16-00655 Rocklands Private Caravan Park, item 158a PDF 102 KB
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