Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 March 2025 (attached herewith).

The minutes of the meeting held on the 12 March 2025 were submitted and approved, and the Chair was authorised to sign them as a correct record.

There were none.

Disclosure by Councillors of personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Councillor regards the interest as prejudicial or a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DPI) under the terms of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were none.

Items not on the agenda which the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency by reason of special circumstances as defined in Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were none.

To receive petitions from Councillors or members of the public in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13 (Page D10 of the Constitution).

There were none.

To deal with written questions from Members pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 12.3 (page D9 of the Constitution).

There were none.

Where additional information has been received by Planning Officers subsequent to the publication of the agenda, a supplementary report will be added to this item and published on the Council’s website the day before the meeting to update the main reports with any late information.

A supplementary report was circulated to the Committee the day before the meeting, updating the main reports on the agenda with any late information (a copy of which was published on the Council’s website).

Councillor Louise Alexander spoke on behalf of Barcombe Parish Council. Dr Anne Livesey (Local Resident), Angela Murphy (Immediate Neighbour) and Robin St Clair Jones (Neighbour) spoke against the proposal. James Caldwell (Agent) spoke for the proposal. Councillor Mark Slater spoke in his capacity as the Lewes District Ward Councillor.

Resolved:

That reserved matters application LW/20/0245 to provide details of the layout and appearance for the development of six houses and reserved matters application LW/21/0872 concerning landscaping relating to application LW/18/0627 - creation of 6-no. houses and associated parking be approved, subject to:

1.     The conditions set out in the report and additional conditions set out in the supplementary report;

2.      An additional condition for a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP);

3.     An amendment to the Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) condition so that particular regard is paid to measures to control access to the wildlife corridor by cats; and

4.     That the wording of the CMP (Construction Management Plan), CEMP (Construction Environmental Management Plan) and LEMP (Landscape and Ecological Management Plan) include a requirement for public engagement.

Councillor Steve Saunders spoke on behalf of Newhaven Town Council. Neil Leggett (Immediate Neighbour), David Nash (Near Neighbour) and Derek Page (Neighbour - on behalf of himself and Immediate Neighbour, Barbara Metcalf) spoke against the proposal.

Resolved:

That planning application LW/24/0627 for demolition of existing garages and replacement with 3-no. dwellings be approved, subject to:

1.     The conditions set out in the report;

2.     An amendment to the Construction Management Plan (CMP) to ensure that deliveries avoid school openings and closing times;

3.     A cycle parking condition to ensure reference to the storage of cargo bikes; and

4.     An additional condition regarding a travel plan.

Resolved:

That planning application LW/24/0649 for the redevelopment of existing dwelling into 5-no. dwelling houses (AMENDED SCHEME) be approved, subject to:

1.     The conditions set out in the report;

2.     An additional condition regarding disabled access, as set out in the supplementary report; and

3.     That authority be delegated to the Head of Development Management to secure 10% BNG (Biodiversity Net Gain) and monitoring, either by s106 agreement or condition, as appropriate.

Resolved:

That planning application SDNP/24/03720/LIS for replace/adapt door sets, fire stopping to open penetrations and compartmentalised areas, removal of existing fire alarm equipment and replacement with new wireless system, installation of fire signage and electrical distribution network modifications and replacements (part-retrospective) be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

Report of Senior Planning Advisor

The Committee considered the report which provided details planning applications LW/894/CM (FM Conway Site) and LW/896/CM (Brett Aggregate Site) which had have been submitted to East Sussex County Council (ESCC) for decision.

The Senior Planning Specialist summarised the report, highlighting that although ESCC was the decision-making Authority, it had consulted Lewes District Council regarding its views on the two planning applications.

Discussions included noise complaints at the Brett Aggregate Site, amendment to hours of operation to mitigate noise disruption within the local community and actual data verses projected data referenced in the report.

Resolved:

1.     That as the Consultee, Lewes District Council objects to LW/894/CM (FM Conway Site) on the grounds that there is insufficient data available to be able to understand the impact on emissions nor the opportunities for pollution mitigation.

2.     That in the event that ESCC approves planning application LW/894/CM, Lewes District Council requests that ESCC seeks:

a)    Ecological and Biodiversity Gains on site; and

b)    Ongoing improvements in the reduction of emissions, dust and noise both from the plant operations and from HGVs movements.

3.     That as the Consultee, Lewes District Council objects to planning application LW/896/CM (Brett Aggregates Site) on noise pollution grounds, (in particular from aggregates being moved around the site and between the wharf and the site, including out of hours operation).

4.     That in the event that ESCC approves planning application LW/896/CM, Lewes District Council requests that ESCC seeks:

a)    Ecological and Biodiversity Gains on Site E1 LLP2 Policy E1 Land at East Quay, Newhaven Port;

b)    Improvements in the reduction of emissions, dust and noise both from the plant operations and from HGVs movements; and

c)     Controls that require HGVs to access the site via McKinlay Way and not via Beach Rd, East Quay, Clifton Rd and Railway Road.

Report of Head of Development Management

The Committee considered the report, which provided an update on the Council’s designation under Section 62A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The Head of Development Management summarised the report highlighting Key Performance Indicators (KPI), the Council’s role as a Statutory Consultee and the involvement of the Planning Inspectorate as the decision maker under the Council’s current designation.

Resolved:

1)    That it be noted:

a)    That the designation took effect on 9:00am on 8 May 2024;

b)    The statutory duties and the role of the Council as a designated Local Planning Authority;

c)     The role of the Planning Inspectorate in determining applications;

d)    That the strict 21-day time limit in which the Council must respond to any Section 62A Planning Application as a statutory consultee; and

e)    The requirement to agree s.106 planning obligations in a timely manner.

2)    That authority be delegated to the Head of Development Management to:

a)    Process Section 62A Planning Applications as required by the Planning Inspectorate;

b)    Provide a substantive response to the Planning Inspectorate on Section 62A planning application consultations, in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Applications Committee (or the Deputy Chair, in the absence of the Chair); and

c)     To enter into s.106 planning obligations to provide appropriate mitigation for the proposed developments.

3)    That Lewes District’s Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the consequential changes to the Council’s Scheme of Delegation, as set out in the supplementary report.

To note that the next meeting of the Planning Applications Committee is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, 11 June 2025, in Room 209/210 on the Second Floor, The Marine Workshops, Railway Quay, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 0ER, commencing at 5:00pm.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Planning Applications Committee was scheduled to be held on Wednesday, 11 June 2025, in Room 209/210 on the Second Floor, The Marine Workshops, Railway Quay, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 0ER, commencing at 5:00pm.