01-09-24 PLAN MINS

 

MINUTES OF THE LOUTH TOWN COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE

HELD IN THE OLD COURT ROOM, THE SESSIONS HOUSE, LOUTH

ON TUESDAY 9^th JANUARY 2024

 

Councillor Mrs. S. Crew (SC) (in the chair).

 

Present Councillors: Mrs. E. Ballard (Mrs. EB), L.M. Cooney (LMC), J. Drake (JD), H. Filer (HF), L. Frost (LF), D. Hobson (DH), M. Lamb (ML), Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders (Mrs. JMS), Mrs. K. Parsons (KP), J. Simmons (JS), P. Starsmore (PS).

 

Councillors not present: M. Barnes (MB), G.E. Horton (GEH), Mrs. P.F. Watson (Mrs. PFW).

 

The Town Clerk Mrs. L.M. Phillips, the Town Clerk’s Assistant Miss S. Chitauro and one member of the public were also in attendance.

 

• Apologies for Absence
  Apologies for absence were received from GEH and Mrs. PFW.

• Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
  The following declarations of interest were made:
  1. DH – Items 4 and 5 as a member of East Lindsey District Council (ELDC)
  2. Mrs. JMS – Items 4, 5 as a member of ELDC and item 6 as an ELDC representative on the Louth Transport Board.
  3. JS – PA 8 as an acquaintance of the applicant.
  4. PS – PA 1 as a neighbour of the site.

            NB: Cllr. JD left the room at 8.40pm

• Minutes
  It was RESOLVED that the notes of the Planning Committee Meeting held on 12^th December 2023 be approved as the minutes.

NB: Cllr. JD re-entered the room at 8.41pm

• Applications received by the Local Planning Authority
  The Committee considered all planning applications received, including those listed in the schedule (PA/Schedule 01-09-24) and RESOLVED as follows:
  1. N/105/01181/23 – To strongly object to this application reiterating its original objection of 11th July 2023 on the grounds of: 1) Vitality and Viability of Town Centre. Councillors were concerned that this edge of town development would draw residents away from the Town Centre to shop and relax, thereby causing businesses and shops to close in the Town Centre. The Council did not feel that visitors to the Northfields site from outside of the town’s boundary would venture into town as well as visit the site. All would visit the site and then go home. The Council felt an S.106 agreement was required, and that part of these monies should provide a free shuttle bus from the Northfields site into the Town Centre and back. District Councillors were asked to ensure that the town received some help from S.106 monies in this case. 2) Traffic generation / Access and highway safety. Councillors were concerned about the increase in traffic that these proposals would generate both at the junction of Grimsby Road and North Holme Road (an already very difficult junction to traverse) and at an already small, very busy and dangerous roundabout (Northfields). The Council felt this would have a serious effect on the safety of both drivers and pedestrians in the area. The Council is also concerned about proposals for pedestrian and cycle access over the bypass, a very busy trunk road. It does not feel that this would be safe. There have been at least 3 accidents and a number of deaths just up from the roundabout in recent months. The Council felt that such issues needed to be addressed and mitigated before permission considered.  3) Design and appearance. In summary, the Council is aware that many will support these proposals and it acknowledges that many will find this kind of development more convenient and will welcome it.  Nevertheless, as has been seen in many other towns, such as nearby Scunthorpe, edge of town developments do contribute to the death of existing town centres and Louth Town Council must make all attempts to protect Louth town centre.  It does note that there are many representations on ELDC’s website in support, but it would point out that many of these have been generated from developer advertising which provided an easy means for supporters to contact the Council while objectors were not given the same assistance.  Many of these letters of support are also from members of the public who do not live in Louth, some living very distantly.  The  Council would point out that there is a definite problem with connectivity of this site to the town centre, especially for pedestrians and with the threat of other changes in the town as part of Active Travel Scheme proposals and proposed increases in the price of parking in the town by ELDC it is felt that this development is not conducive with preserving the town centre and will negatively impact the vitality and viability of the town.  The Council firmly believes that this development is in the wrong place and would implore ELDC not to make a decision on it until proper surveys have been carried out regarding traffic, access and highway safety and mitigations agreed.  Finally, many of the documents (reports, plans etc) uploaded to ELDC’s website as evidence for the development are inaccessible, an error message being returned saying that the document is unavailable.  Therefore, proper consultation/consideration has proved difficult.
  2. To support all other applications.
• Planning Correspondence
  The Committee noted the following planning correspondence:
  1. ELDC Planning Decisions
     1. ELDC Refused – N/105/02017/23 – Planning Permission – 125 Crowtree Lane – LN11 0QW – LTC Objected.
     2. ELDC Approved – N/105/01668/23 – Planning Permission – 5 Trinity Lane, LN11 8DL – LTC Supported 19/09/23.

• ELDC Approved – N/105/02078/22 – Planning Permission – Kenwick News, LN11 8EH – LTC Supported 12/12/23.

23. ELDC Approved – N/105/02067/23 – Planning Permission – 30 Victoria Road, LN11 0BX – LTC Supported 12/12/23.
24. ELDC Approved – N/105/01975/23 – Planning Permission – 14-16 Aswell Street, LN11 9BA – LTC Supported 31/10/23.

1. Temporary Traffic Restrictions
   1. ORGANISATION RESPONSIBLE FOR RESTRICTION: Sunbelt Rentals Ltd.

REASON FOR RESTRICTION: Pole Testing.

NATURE AND LOCATION OF RESTRICTION: Road Closure Order – Stewton Lane (Between 1000m and 1500m East of Hawker Drive).

PERIOD OF RESTRICTION: 09/01/2024 – 09/01/2024, 9:30 – 15:30 (Restrictions to be implemented for 1 day as and when required during this period.  Signage will be displayed on site in advance).

1. ORGANISATION RESPONSIBLE FOR RESTRICTION: Anglian Water

REASON FOR RESTRICTION: Emergency – burst main.

NATURE AND LOCATION OF RESTRICTION: Emergency Road Closure Order – Monks Dyke Road (Between Trinity Lane and a point 75m South).

PERIOD OF RESTRICTION: 03/01/2024 – 09/01/2024 (Restrictions to be implemented for 5 days as and when required during this period.  Signage will be displayed on site in advance).

• ORGANISATION RESPONSIBLE FOR RESTRICTION: Anglian Water

REASON FOR RESTRICTION: New Water Connection.

NATURE AND LOCATION OF RESTRICTION: Road Closure Order – High Holme Road (Between Broadbank and Mill Lane).

PERIOD OF RESTRICTION: 10/01/2024 – 12/01/2024 (Restrictions to be implemented for 3 days as and when required during this period.  Signage will be displayed on site in advance).

1. ORGANISATION RESPONSIBLE FOR RESTRICTION: Lincolnshire County Council

REASON FOR RESTRICTION: All events and weekly markets.

NATURE AND LOCATION OF RESTRICTION: Road Closure Order – Cornmarket; Butcher Lane; The Shambles; Market Place Car Park.

PERIOD OF RESTRICTION: 01/01/2024 – 31/12/2024 (Restrictions to be implemented for various days as and when required during this period.  Signage will be displayed on site in advance).  It was agreed that the Town Clerk should query this with LCC.  Cllrs. felt the proposal offered too wide a catchall.  Events should not be a fait acompli, each should have to seek its own separate permission and all should be individually consulted upon.

1. ORGANISATION RESPONSIBLE FOR RESTRICTION: OCU Group

REASON FOR RESTRICTION: New electrical connection

NATURE AND LOCATION OF RESTRICTION: Road Closure Order – Stewton Lane (Between 350m and 500m East of Hawker Drive).

PERIOD OF RESTRICTION: 22/01/2024 – 25/01/2024 (Restrictions to be implemented for 4 days as and when required during this period.  Signage will be displayed on site in advance).

1. Proposed No Waiting at Any Time Order – Fairfield Industrial Estate
   Lincolnshire County Council offered the following response to Louth Town Council’s comments regarding the proposed No Waiting at Any Time Order at Fairfield Industrial Estate: Whilst we appreciate your request for further restrictions, we feel that the proposal offers a fair balance for road users’ safety whilst still offering some safe parking. The development of the new services are utilised by all types of road user, however, the available car parks cannot facilitate all types of vehicles – this proposal offers a small amount of parking spaces to enable these vehicle types to utilise the amenities. As a result, we do not intend on extending the restrictions any further at this moment in time.  However, once the restrictions are installed should issues persist and the local councillors supports the request, we can revisit and assess the site again and determine if further restrictions are necessary.  It was agreed that the Town Clerk should reply and confirm that as users of the road Councillors knew there was a problem and did not agree with LCC’s findings.  Councillors felt that measures should go further now and that might save money in the long run.

• Louth Transport Board – Engagement on Options for Louth Town Centre
  It was noted that Lincolnshire County Council had confirmed the following:
  “The decision has been taken to amend the survey to allow more opportunity for ideas for the town centre to be expressed, while better reflecting the outcomes of the previous surveys carried out by the Town Council and ELDC.
  Given this, more time is required for the planning and the actual engagement, therefore this is a revised timeline for the engagement:
  2024. Engagement activities to commence 22^nd January 2024.
  2025. 2 drop-in sessions to be held in Louth Market.
  2026. Survey closes 1^st March 2024.
  2027. Report with results of survey to be provided to ad-hoc meeting of Louth Transport Board mid-April.
  2028. Decision to be taken by Louth Transport Board.
  2029. If Traffic Regulation Order changes are required – consultation to be carried out.
  2030. Implementation of new measures not requiring a Traffic Regulation Order – early summer 2024 (subject to Pavement Café license and event approval processes).
  2031. Implementation of measures requiring new (or amendment to existing) Traffic Regulation Orders – Autumn/Winter 2024.”

The Council agreed that the Town Clerk should write to Lincolnshire County Council to a) invite them to attend a forthcoming Louth Town Council Planning Meeting to clarify the County Council’s vision for Louth and what it would ultimately like to see achieved via these consultations, b) confirm the dates on which the drop in sessions would take place and c) express the Council’s concern that at this time of year, footfall through the market can be reduced especially if there is inclement weather and ask if there were any contingency plans to mitigate for this e.g., would another drop in session be organised if on one of those originally scheduled it snows or is rainy?  Also, would the sessions cover weekdays as well as weekends as there was concern that if a session does not take place on a Saturday, those who work in the week would entirely miss out.

• Next Meeting
  It was noted that the date of the next scheduled Planning Committee meeting was 30^th January 2024.

The Meeting Closed at 9.18pm.

 

Signed_______________________ (Chairman)                Dated______________________