Agenda and minutes

Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a record be kept of the Members present and that this record form part of the minutes of the meeting. Members who cannot attend a meeting should tender apologies to the Town Clerk.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors A Gray, J Silverstone, R Yates and P Carberry.

(i)    Under the Localism Act 2011 (sections 26-37 and Schedule 4) and in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, Members are required to declare any interests which are not currently entered in the Member’s Register of Interests or if he/she has not notified the Monitoring Officer of it.

(ii) Should any Member have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in an item on the agenda, the Member may not participate in consideration of that item unless a Dispensation has first been requested (in writing) and granted by the Council (see Dispensation Procedure).

No pecuniary interests were declared and no dispensations were requested.

Councillor D Bowater declared an interest as a substitute member of the Central Bedfordshire Development Management Committee.

To receive questions and statements from members of the public in respect of any item of business included in the agenda, as provided for in Standing Order Nos 3(f) and 3(g).

Two members of the public spoke in objection to planning application CB/22/00622/FULL (land at Old Linslade Manor). Both members of the public had submitted written representations which were circulated in advance to committee members.

A member of the public and representative of the Manor Court management company spoke to express concern regarding the visual impact of the proposed development on the Green Belt, with a building size significantly larger than the current building and the risk of additional structures in future which it was felt would contravene covenants on the land. There was also concern about the impact of construction traffic on residents given the access issues to the site and the vehicle height and weight restrictions on Old Linslade Road.

A member of the public spoke to highlight that the previous appeal on the site had been dismissed as there had not been the necessary “very special circumstances” required to justify development on the Green Belt. The application was felt to be inaccurate in stating that there was no increase in the size of the structure and it was felt this represented unacceptable “urbanification”. The application also misrepresented access rights, waste management arrangements, fire access standards and impact on neighbouring properties. The proposed design did not meet several Central Bedfordshire minimum design standards and the report failed to address several conditions applied to the previous Class Q planning consent.

Members of the public were thanked for attending the meeting.

(a)        To receive and approve as a correct record the minutes of the Planning and Transport Committee meeting held on 9 March 2022 (attached) in accordance with Standing Order 12.

(b)       To receive information updates on matters arising from the previous meeting (if appropriate).

The Committee received the minutes of the Planning and Transport Committee meeting held on 9 March 2022.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning and Transport Committee meeting held 9 March 2022 be approved as a correct record and were signed accordingly.

Minute reference 277/P: it was suggested that a representative of the Committee should speak at Central Bedfordshire Development Management Committee if and when applications CB/22/00219 and CB/22/05691/RM were considered.

To consider Planning Applications received (attached). An updated list will be issued on Friday 25 March 2022 (if applicable).

The Committee reviewed applications received up until Friday 25 March 2022.

The Committee considered application reference CB/22/00622 (land at Old Linslade Manor). Although it was felt to be an improvement over the previous application, many concerns remained, the primary one being the impact on the Green Belt and Ouzel Valley landscape.

Councillor Owen as a churchwarden at St. Mary’s Church, Linslade spoken to raise concerns regarding access and archaeological society investigations at the site.

RESOLVED to recommend to Central Bedfordshire Council that objection be made to application reference CB/22/00622 (land at Old Linslade Manor) on the following grounds:

i)          The applicant has failed to demonstrate very special circumstances sufficient to override established Green Belt policy.

ii)        The proposal would adversely impact the rural landscape of the Ouzel Valley.

iii)       The Town Council maintains its highway concerns on the grounds that the narrow restrictive vehicular access would in its opinion compromise the ability for emergency and service vehicles to access the site safely to the potential detriment of other highway users and thereafter, for vehicles to access the site by virtue of the narrow carriageway width.  

iv)       Proposed arrangements for waste collection refer to access rights which are not established.

v)        Concern regarding the use and potential future enclosure of the proposed sun canopies which represent a significant addition to the footprint of the proposal.

Should Central Bedfordshire Council be minded to approve the application, the Town Council would seek assurance that a legal right of access exists and that a condition be attached that would restrict any future incremental increase in habitable floorspace through the potential enclosure of the sun canopy structures which form part of the planning application. 

RESOLVED to recommend to Central Bedfordshire Council that no objection be made to application reference CB/22/00924 (4 Shepherds Mead), subject to Highways being satisfied with safety and car parking proposals.

The Committee reviewed application reference CB/22/00457 (46 High Street) and agreed that previous objections had only been partially addressed in the revised application.

RESOLVED to recommend to CentralBedfordshire Council objection to application CB/22/00457 (46 THE HIGH STREET) on the following grounds:

-                  No car parking and insufficient cycle parking – reference to “discouraging” vehicular access to the site was unclear

-                Lack of amenity space for residents

-                  Concern regarding the reference to not meeting internal space standards

-                Concern regarding proposed arrangements for waste collection

-                Concern regarding noise and odour from pre-existing neighbouring business premises and that businesses not be adversely affected by complaints from incoming residents.

-                The partial demolition of a grade 2 listed building

-                Overall concern that this was an inappropriate development proposal for the site.

-        

Should Central Bedfordshire Council be minded to approve the application, the town council would seek a condition that the granting of this permission would not prejudice any future regeneration/development to be proposed on the land known as land south of the High Street.

The Committee discussed application reference CB/22/00692 (Corner House, Sandy Lane) and agreed that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 285/P

(a)       To receive correspondence from the Department of Transport in respect of taxis (attached).

(b)       To finalise agreed projects for submission to the Central Bedfordshire Rural Match Fund, further to discussion at the previous meeting.

(c)        To consider any other matters relating to highways/transport (if appropriate

The Committee received a copy of correspondence dated 15 March 2022 from the Department of Transport, as well as correspondence dated 23 March 2022 from Central Bedfordshire Council, to Andrew Selous MP in respect of taxi licensing. The Town Clerk had also met with officers from the local authority to consider potential taxi rank locations in the town centre.

RESOLVED to note the correspondence and to write to Central Bedfordshire Council seeking enforcement of conditions relating to taxis.

The Committee considered again potential schemes for applications to the Central Bedfordshire Rural Match Fund. It was noted that approval had been given from Policy & Finance Committee for match funding from the Highways Schemes earmarked reserve up to a maximum of £25,000. The Fund was a Central Bedfordshire led scheme and they would lead on design and implementation of projects.

The Committee noted that all suitable projects were a Highways responsibility but that the fund allowed parish councils to bring forward specific proposals of benefit to the parish. The Committee further noted that discussions were currently underway with the local authority regarding responsibility for footpaths which had been created under former Urban District Councils.

It was noted that a site visit was due to take place with representatives of the Canal & River Trust regarding the towpath access onto the Leighton Road canal bridge pedestrian crossing and agreed this would be followed up separately.

RESOLVED to submit an application to the Central Bedfordshire Rural Match Fund for two schemes of up to £25,000 each (£12,500 match funding from the Highways Schemes earmarked reserve as follows:

(i)        Widening and improving of the diagonal footpath and cycleway across Parson’s Close Recreation Ground, to benefit all users and improve accessibility.

(ii)      Improvements to the pedestrian path between Bunkers Lane and the railway bridge on Wing Road.

If the Parson’s Close scheme could not proceed, the alternative scheme would be the request for a speed indicator device in the vicinity of Greenleas Lower School, Derwent Road due to speeding issues. Otherwise, seeking installation of the speed indicator device would be pursued separately.

The Committee received a Public Notice from Central Bedfordshire Council dated 22 March 2022 regarding an experimental order for the High Street, to come into effect from 29 March 2022. This introduced a prohibition on driving in the High Street on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

RESOLVED to submit comment to Central Bedfordshire Council seeking the addition of wording to “exclude any locally agreed policies” for example the market adverse weather policy which permitted traders to take vans into the market area for safety reasons.

The Committee expressed concern over an apparent lack of bus timetable information available to residents.  

RESOLVED to write to Central Bedfordshire Council seeking clarification regarding availability of bus timetables.

The Committee noted an incidence of subsidence at the junction of Wing Road and Leighton Road where the footpath had been widened, which resulted in the pooling of water after rain. It was agreed to report this to Central Bedfordshire Council.

To receive and consider any items of information received (if applicable).

The Committee received correspondence dated 18 March 2022 in respect of street naming at Chamberlains Barn phase 3, north of Vandyke Road.

RESOLVED to suggest street naming themed around the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway and its locomotives given the close proximity to the line, or alternatively to the theme of local author Mary Norton and The Borrowers.

Councillor Palmer raised a query regarding recent guidance from Natural England regarding the introduction of a 12.6km kms zone of interest around the Chilterns Beechwoods special conservation area centred on Ashridge, whereby assessment of applications for residential development would need a relevant habitats impact analysis.   It was agreed to seek Central Bedfordshire Council guidance on this.