Address:       Woodlands Nurseries, Biggleswade Road, Upper Caldecote, Biggleswade, SG18 9BJ

Outline application for new plant production unit and access road and enabling commercial development (B1/B2/B8) of up to 9,275sqm and residential development of up to 35 dwellings.

Applicant:     Chessum Plants

The Committee had before it a report regarding Planning Application CB/17/04476/OUT, an outline application for a new plant production unit and access road and enabling commercial development (B1/B2/B3) of up to 9275sqm and residential development of up to 35 dwellings at Woodlands Nurseries, Biggleswade Road, Upper Caldecote, Biggleswade, SG18 9BJ.

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee’s attention was drawn to additional consultation/publicity responses, additional comments and additional/amended conditions as set out in the Late Sheet.  The planning officer also advised of the receipt of comments from Highways England which had arrived late yesterday after the publication of the Late Sheet.  Highways England had raised no objection to the application but had recommended the inclusion of certain conditions.  The planning officer stated that the conditions were almost the same as those set out in the Late Sheet.

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee received representations from Northill Parish Council and the applicant under the public participation scheme.

(Note: At this point in the proceedings Councillor Firth, as the ward Member, withdrew from the seating allocated to Members of the Committee and sat at the seat allocated to public speakers to address the meeting).

The ward Member acknowledged that a previous application for up to 40 dwellings had been refused but approval had already been given for 15 dwellings through an earlier permission and the application would, in effect, increase this by a further 20.  He stated that the application for up to 40 dwellings had been refused because the development site lay outside the settlement envelope.  However, he felt the site was sustainable with a regular bus service running between Biggleswade and Bedford along the Biggleswade Road and, approximately ¾ mile away along Biggleswade Road was a shop.  He concluded by stating that he supported the application and asked the Committee to do so as well.

(Note: Councillor Firth left the meeting at this point and took no further part in the debate or in the vote on this item).

The Committee considered the application and in summary discussed the following:

·         A Member’s comment that, whilst he understood the reluctance to use the site for a residential development, the application before the meeting was for a more modest number of dwellings than had been applied for previously.  Further, it had been shown how the overall development would be sustainable, create employment and be a better use of the site.

On being put to the vote 11 Members voted for approval, 0 voted against and 1 abstained.

RESOLVED

that Planning Application No. CB/17/04476/OUT relating to Woodlands Nurseries, Biggleswade Road, Upper Caldecote, Biggleswade, SG18 9BJ be approved as set out in the Schedule attached to these minutes.