Wellington Town Council planning minutes October 2004

Minutes of the 91st planning meeting of Wellington Town Council held in the United Reformed Church Hall in Fore Street, Wellington on Monday 4th October 2004 at 5.45pm
PRESENT: Councillor R. Bowrah (chairman), who presided, Councillors Mrs V. Byrne, Mrs A. Milne, Mrs V. Stock-Williams, Councillors P. Critchard, who arrived at 6.26pm, C. Hindley, A. Horsman, D Mitton, and E. Warren, the clerk, A. Brown and Taunton DBC West area planning manager, Mr J. Hamer. There were apologies from Councillors G. James, D. Gill, A. Govier, C. Biscoe, R. Henley and N. Wilson. There were 23 members of the public present.12958 TONEDALE MILL REDEVELOPMENT PROPOSALSThe chairman welcomed Mr Andrew Brown, of Woodhall Planning and Conservation to give a detailed presentation on the application by Courtleigh Securities for the conversion and alteration of mill buildings into residential (147 dwellings) and commercial units, demolition of parts and associated exterior works, Tonedale Business Park, Tonedale Mills, Milverton Road, Wellington (43/2004/119 and 43/2004/120LB). Councillor Bowrah said the council would not be making a decision that evening as the views of Environment Agency, English Heritage, County Highways and Taunton DBC were not available.
Mr Brown stated that nothing was likely to happen to the site unless there could be a profit, that the aims were to limit the demolition of buildings and to maintain a mixed use development. There were three different parts of the site. The upper section near the Milverton Road would be retained mostly for commercial use and more buildings would be brought into commercial use.
The middle section would have commercial use on the ground floor and lower ground floor levels with residential use on the upper floors. The lower section to the west of the site by the back stream would be entirely for residential use. There would be 147 residential units, including 13 “live work” units which would be residential units with either workshop or office units, and 2,888 square metres of new commercial space provided in those buildings to be altered.
The majority of the residential units would be two bedroomed flats, with some one and three bedroomed flats, and a small number of three and four bedroomed houses, including 7 four bedroomed houses.
There would be parking for 280 cars in addition to the 20 spaces at the entrance to the site at the moment. Some of the buildings were contaminated with asbestos which would require removal by specialists.
To deal with possible flooding on the site the various obstructions in the back stream would be removed, a holding lagoon to retain flood water would be constructed to the south of the railway line and a by-pass channel would be provided around the west side of the site. A new footpath would be provided through the site to replace the existing unofficial footpath around the west of the complex. The new footpath would run along the edge of back stream and through the centre of the site.
Mr Brown answered questions from residents in Millstream Gardens and Richards Close about possible traffic calming along the main route into the site, the provision of amenity space and play areas, and about the amount of additional cars using the narrow road bridge over the railway. There were also questions from tenants of existing workshops/units on the site about the future of their tenancies and their possible future relocation within the complex.
Mr Brown replied that all the various comments and suggestions made would be looked at. They hoped to retain the majority of the workshops/businesses on site. There were problems with providing social housing on the site as most of the dwellings were flats. They had suggested to Taunton DBC that they would make a financial contribution for social housing off site. Mr Graham Tyson, of Courtleigh, stated that they had offered buildings with machinery to the Princes Trust for £1 per building. Both Mr Brown and Mr Tyson were thanked for their attendance.2061
WELLINGTON TOWN COUNCIL: OCTOBER PLANNING MEETING
12959 COMMENTS TO TAUNTON DBC ON PLANNING APPLICATIONSIt was agreed to inform Taunton DBC that the town council was in favour of the following plans: (a) Residential development to provide 2 detached dwellings on land opposite 10 Farthings Pitts, Wellington (re-submission) as amplified by letter dated 22nd September 2004 (43/2004/114: providing permission includes a condition for measures to be taken to ensure the stability of the bank between the site and houses in Cox Road. Mr Hamer, who recommended approval, reported that three letters of objection had been received on the grounds of loss of privacy and light, the stability of the boundary, flooding and the loss of on-street parking places. With the reduction from 3 dwellings, which had been refused previously, to 2 dwellings, the planners felt that the application was acceptable); (b) Change of use of building from B2 to funeral directors office, chapel of rest and associated services at Three Cups Yard, Wellington (43/2004/117. Mr Hamer stated the building had been previously used as an MOT centre).
12960 DEFERRED APPLICATION: 2 OAKLEIGH, PYLES THORNE ROADWith reference to minute 12911 it was agreed to again defer commenting on an application for the erection of a dwelling on land adjacent to 2 Oakleigh, Pyles Thorne Road, Wellington (43/2004/072) after Mr Hamer reported there were still on-going discussions to reconcile differences between the landscape and highways officers.
THE MEETING CLOSED AT 6.42PM