Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to planning application 23/088/OUT Land off Stoney Wood Drive, Wynyard, TS22 5SN.

At the Planning Committee meeting on the 10 April 2024, Members deferred the decision for the planning application in order to address outstanding concerns in respect of ecology, given the information contained within the submitted ecology report.

In the intervening period, further survey work had been conducted on-site by suitably qualified ecologists to update the report and clarify the outstanding ecological matters.

Those surveys confirmed the original findings that the site was of low ecological value and no further survey work was required to be completed.

All material planning considerations remained as outlined within the original committee report unless otherwise addressed within the Officers report and the matter was referred back to Planning Committee to make a decision on the merits of the scheme following the additional ecological information.

The consultees that had been notified and the comments that had been received were detailed within the main report.

Neighbours were notified and the comments received were detailed within the main report.

The planning policies and material planning considerations that were relevant to the consideration of the application were contained within the main report.

The Planning Officers report concluded that it was considered that the proposed development would remain consistent with the Local Plan for the reasons as detailed within the report.

On balance the scheme was considered to remain a sustainable location and in view of the other material considerations outlined in the original report, was acceptable in planning terms.

The Applicants Agent attended the meeting and was given the opportunity to make representation. Their comments could be summarised as follows:

. Since the previous Planning Committee meeting where Members were minded to defer the application requesting further clarification of the ecological report. This had now been updated following a survey which was carried out during April 2024. The original conclusion remained the same, and there was no additional impact on the site. It was also confirmed that the site had low ecological value and there were no protected species recorded.

. There had been no technical objections from statutory consultees relating to ecological matters.

. The trees that had been removed from the site were done so due to storm damage, however other trees remained on the site.

An objector attended the meeting and was given the opportunity to make representation. Their comments could be summarised as follows:

. The original planning application 13/0342/EIS for the Wynyard Village Extension was approved with a maximum of 500 homes. A further planning application, 20/2408/EIS was approved for 130 houses, and as well as the proposed application for 2 dwellings, there was a further application 22/2579/FUL for 135 houses for consideration today. If all proposed developments gained approval that would increase the original plan from 500 to 767 homes.

. The proposed 2 dwellings sat at the red line edge of the original outline application which was granted for 500 homes. The land should remain as public  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13