Present: - Councillor Moores ( Chairman)
Councillors Champion, Green, Mrs Hackett, Harrison, Johns and
Vandersteen.
Mr M Isaac (Clerk).
In Attendance: 28 parishioners/members of the public.
139 OPENING OF THE MEETING
The meeting was declared open by the Chairman.
140 APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Councillor Crombie.
141 COUNCILLOR DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
There were no declarations of interest announced.
142 PLANNING APPLICATIONS
The Chairman outlined the format of the meeting. The first part of the meeting would be open to Parishioners to express their views and ask questions on each of the 3 Planning Applications. The second part of the meeting would be a discussion and voting on recommendations by the Councillors only.
Councillor Green gave an overview of the Local Plan process and the allocation of the 3 sites in the draft local plan. He stated that the District Council are required to provide sufficient land allocations as required by Central Government to meet the needs of North Devon up to 2031. Christies put forward 3 sites in Instow that they were prepared to consider for development. The Parish Council agreed in May 2013 to extend the Instow development boundary to include the 3 sites for housing development with a total of 23 dwellings. The 3 applications as submitted are for 29 dwellings.
He further stated that North Devon Council had advertised the Local Plan consultation and only 2 representations had been made from Devon County Council and Christie Estate.
The Parishioners in attendance stated that they were not aware of the Public Consultation on the Local Plan. Concern was expressed that the Parish Council did not challenge the proposed development sites when invited to comment and that the local community was not involved.
It was also stated that some Parishes were exempt from Development tp preserve the landscape.
Parishioners made the following comments on the 3 applications:
(a) 58606 Outline Application for Erection of 10 Dwellings, Public Open Space, a Locally Equipped Area of Play, Footpath Link to the Tarka Trail and Access & Associated Works, Land North Of Marine Parade Instow
Who would be responsible for the maintenance of the proposed play area?
It was stated that for the first number of years s106 monies would be used to maintain the play area after which the parish Council may take on the responsibility as a Community facility.
Some Parishioners expressed the view that the proposed play area was not in an appropriate location adjacent to the Tarka Trail and could cause safety problems for users of the area and new residents. It was stated that especially during the summer it would be a congregating place for young people. It was also stated that there was a play area by All Saints Chapel.
It was stated that the proposed play area was flooded 6 months of the year.
It was also stated that there had been at least 31 incidents of sewerage overflow problems experienced in the Chalets since 2009. Surface water disposal was also a problem.
(b) 58608 Outline Application for Erection of 12 Dwellings and Access & Associated Works Land at Barton Lane Instow
The Applicants stated 'there is insufficient brownfield land to meet the village needs'- Barton Farm comprises a very large range of stone buildings and other buildings that are redundant- the land has been let to farmers some of whom are based outside the Parish and use of the buildings has been severely restricted because of possible effluent reaching the nearby stream. This could make an excellent site for development comprising numerous dwellings covering probably 2 acres or more and would meet the guidance issued to councils last October by Communities Secretary of State to develop brownfield sites as a priority.
The Applicants stated 'the low density at Barton Lane is typical of this part of the village' 12 dwellings in 1.98 acres is out of keeping and has to be challenged. The development would give visitors, on entering the village, the immediate impression of urban sprawl which is one of the key features the Secretary of State wanted councils to avoid in his guidance. A Consultee response from Collette Hall Conservation Officer for N Devon says 'The green field comprising the development site marks the clear separation between the developments of Instow Town and the seaside settlement. Development of this would remove the significance of the existing green space and would cause harm to the setting ‘.This harm would be greater than the harm caused
by development of the associated site at Anstey Way.
The Parish Council confirmed to NDC in 2013 that they were happy with the draft local plan chapter for Instow which comprised these 3 sites, why was there no obvious public consultation with parishioners for this very controversial decision in the same manner that this meeting is being held tonight? The multi million pound plan, comprising 29 dwellings, is the largest proposed development seen in the village in our lifetime and the proposals are of a size and scale that would significantly damage the character of this unique coastal resort. The Council was urged to reject it as it stands and suggested that the Parish Council and Planners ask Christie Estates to go back to the drawing board and point them in the direction of the Barton buildings for development or find alternative sites that are visually less intrusive in this important and sensitive landscape that is a notable feature of this part of the estuary setting.
Sewerage from the site was also a concern.
(c) 58626 Outline Application for Erection of 7 Dwellings and Access & Associated Works at Anstey Way, Instow
Concerns of privacy and overlooking of adjoining property were raised.
It was suggested that the application should be reduced to 5 dwellings located further away from adjoining property boundary.
Sewerage was an issue and South West Water had agreed for developer to tap into SW existing mains.
It was staed that no flood risk assessment had been undertaken.
143 RE-CONVENED MEETING DATE
It was agreed that the meeting be re-convened on Monday 2nd February 2015 at 7.00 p.m. at the All Saints Chapel Community Centre.
Chairman
The meeting adjourned at 9.35 p.m.
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