The Planning Committee of Mid Devon Council met on 12 June 2024 to discuss several significant planning applications and related issues. Key decisions were made regarding the approval of new affordable housing developments, the management of communal gardens, and the handling of recycling and bin storage.

Affordable Housing Developments

Holly Road and Sycamore Road, Tiverton

The committee approved the erection of 13 affordable dwellings following the demolition of 4 existing dwellings and garage blocks at Holly Road and Sycamore Road, Tiverton. The development will include 3 terraced houses with 2 bedrooms and a larger block of 10 properties with 1 bedroom. The site will provide 28 parking spaces and secure bike storage. The development will also feature solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and comply with the National Space Standards. The committee agreed to amend condition 8 regarding the management and maintenance of communal gardens and to include additional conditions for recycling and bin storage.

Somerlea, Willand

The committee approved the erection of 7 affordable dwellings on disused council-owned land off Somerlea, Willand. The development will include 12 car parking spaces and solar PV panels. The committee addressed public concerns about parking and the displacement of vehicles, confirming that the site was originally a garage ground rent site with no legal right to park for local residents. The committee agreed to amend condition 7 regarding the management and maintenance of communal gardens and to include additional conditions for recycling and bin storage.

School Close, Bampton

The committee approved the erection of 18 affordable dwellings following the demolition of 10 existing properties at School Close, Bampton. The development will include a mix of 1, 2, 3, and 4-bedroom homes with solar PV panels. The committee addressed public concerns about the impact on lighting, privacy, and security, confirming that no play area is proposed, only an open communal landscaped area. The committee agreed to amend condition 8 regarding the management and maintenance of communal gardens and to include additional conditions for recycling and bin storage.

Wordland Cross, Cheriton Fitzpaine

The committee approved the erection of 6 dwellings following the demolition of 4 existing dwellings at Wordland Cross, Cheriton Fitzpaine. The development will include small gardens, a layby parking area for 12 parking spaces, and solar panels. The properties will have individual bin and recycling storage.

Braid Park, Uplowman Road, Tiverton

The committee approved the variation of Condition 2 and the removal of Conditions 24 and 25 of planning permission 21/00128/MFUL to allow 5 self-build units to be open market units at Braid Park, Uplowman Road, Tiverton. The committee discussed the loss of custom and self-build plots and confirmed that the application for 5 open market units did not reach the threshold for affordable housing contributions.

Other Matters

Major Applications and Appeals

The committee noted the list of major applications with no decision and the list of appeal decisions. The Majors Report and the Appeals Report were circulated and discussed.

Planning Performance Dashboard

The committee reviewed the Planning Performance Dashboard Q4 2023_24, which provided an overview of the council's planning performance for the last quarter.

The meeting concluded with a reminder of the next informal planning committee scheduled for 29 May 2024.

For more details, you can refer to the Minutes of the Meeting.