Next Meeting:
Location: The Crown, Bathley
Present:
Brian Cross (BC), Jim Hawkins (JH), Julie Pulford (JP), Dominic Heneghan (DH), Hilary Heneghan (HH), Madeleine Reed (MR), Adam Bradley (AB), Sally Grogan (SG)
Guests:
Cllr Laughton (Cllr L), Cllr Saddington (Cllr S)
Apologies:
Members Of The Public:
38 members of the public and members of neighbouring parish councils
Declaration Of Interest:
BC declared a prejudicial interest so was unable to vote
Planning Application 18/02219/FUL. Change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for one Gypsy family with 2 no. caravans (including no more than 1 no. static caravan/mobile home), laying out of hardstanding, construction of access and erection of ancillary utility building.
The application was unanimously OBJECTED to by the Councillors with one abstention due to prejudicial interest.
A large number of residents attended the meeting and plans were available to view. Councillors had already distributed information regarding the proposed development and a petition had been raised which now has 150 signatures on it. 35 are non Bathley residents but the site development would impact them as they are in the neighbourhood.
IT WAS AGREED that due to the large numbers of residents attending the meeting and the proximity to the Christmas period, BPC should request an extension of time to give the Council’s formal comments and to allow sufficient time for residents to respond. BL/SG will contact planning.
Concern was raised over a number of issues as follows:
The proposed access is on a blind, raised bend on a small single track country lane and would cause further danger to users of that road.
The site has no utilities. There is no mains drainage and no electric connection.
The site is out of the village envelope and will impact on village boundaries.
The neighbouring property will be overlooked and their privacy severely impacted.
The land is agricultural. If agricultural land can be changed to residential land, the character of the village could be severely impacted.
The road is not suitable, ie there are no footpaths and the users are often large farm vehicles and agricultural machinery. There has already been a serious accident on that bend in the past and the road has not changed.
The village cannot sustain a caravan site as there are no amenities. Bathley does not have a shop or church or village hall or play area or school and the bus service is limited.
Cllr Laughton will speak to Highways on our behalf regarding the unsuitability of access to this site.
Cllr Saddington will advise Planning that the matter should go to the Committee to be discussed more fully.
Residents requested information regarding who to write to if they wanted to comment so Councillors agreed to put the information they were given on the noticeboard and the village forum.
Meeting closed at 8.30pm