This meeting of the King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council Planning Committee was scheduled to consider four planning applications, note a report on tree matters and receive the schedule of planning applications determined by the Executive Director.

White Cottage, 19 Wodehouse Road, Old Hunstanton

The Committee was scheduled to consider a retrospective application to vary conditions 1 and 4 of planning permission 23/00598/F. This permission was for the Demolition of existing dwelling and construction of replacement dwelling at White Cottage, 19 Wodehouse Road, Old Hunstanton. The report pack states that condition 1 relates to approved plans, while condition 4 relates to retaining existing trees and hedges. The report pack describes a number of changes to the original plans, including the reconfiguration of windows and doors on the first floor and the addition of a basement room. The report pack also acknowledges that the Parish Council objected to the application on the grounds that it is an attempt to legitimise development by stealth . The officer recommendation was to approve the application, subject to conditions.

Land To The East of West End Cottages, High Street, Thornham

This application requested full planning consent for the construction of a one-bedroom holiday let on land to the east of West End Cottages, Thornham. The application site currently comprises an area of cleared land/hardstanding with parking bays provided immediately adjacent to High Street which serve the existing terrace of dwellings known as West End Cottages. The application site is within the Thornham Conservation Area boundary, and West End Cottages (within red line) are marked as important unlisted buildings within the Conservation Area Character Statement.

The report pack notes that Thornham Parish Council objected to the application on the grounds of overdevelopment and overcrowding. However, the Conservation Officer supported the application, stating that:

The scale, design and materials proposed for this scheme are all appropriate and sympathetic to the character of the area, and could feasibly be interpreted as a row of outbuildings, serving the cottages.

The officer recommendation was to approve the application, subject to conditions.

SJC Trailers Ltd, 6 New Road, Crimplesham

The Committee was scheduled to discuss an application for the removal of condition number 3 attached to planning permission 24/00476/F for a Proposed industrial unit to provide covered storage for existing trailers incorporating new landscaping and enlargement of existing vehicular access. at SJC Trailers Ltd, 6 New Road, Crimplesham. Condition 3 stated that the development should at all times be used in association with the site and it shall at no time be sold/ let/ used for any other business or commercial purposes. The report pack states that the applicant, SJC Trailers Ltd., wished to subdivide the site and allow the existing building to be occupied by another operator (a similar type of business) within the approved land use.

The Highways Authority objected to the application, stating that:

The permitted use of the site now finds a significant accident reduction as supported by 4.0 of their Transport Note, which is reflective to reduced slowing, stopping, and turning movements.

The officer recommendation was to refuse the application.

Land Behind 32 Winch Road, Winch Road, West Winch

The final planning application scheduled to be considered was for the erection of a cottage and garage on a former brown field site on land behind 32 Winch Road, Winch Road, West Winch. The report pack notes that this site has recent planning history, with two previous outline applications being refused, one by the Planning Committee and the second on appeal. The applicant, Mr John Wood, argued that the application complies with the relevant local planning policy, stating that:

The only policy which can be set against the proposal is E2.2 a 1. No development resulting in significant new traffic or accesses onto to the A10 (excepting that provided under growth area Policy E2.1) will be permitted in advance of the new West Winch link road opening. The argument centres around a theoretical increase (or decrease) in traffic that results from building one new house and removing and existing builder's yard.

The Local Highways Authority recommended that the application be refused, stating that:

The Local Highway Authority would also give strong consideration to the findings of the Planning Inspectorates decision for planning reference 19/02177/O which would have been reviewed during the period which the applicant clams to have been utilised as a builder's yard.

The officer recommendation was to refuse the application.

Tree Update Report

The Committee was also scheduled to note a report from the Council's Arboricultural Officer, Mr Brian Ogden, providing an update on Tree Matters. The report provides details of all of the tree work applications and notifications considered by the officer during the six months from 01 May 2024 to 31 October 2024. The report details ten new Tree Preservation Orders that have been served since 1st May 2024. The report states that where no objections were received, these have been confirmed under delegated powers, but when objections have been received they will need to be considered by the Planning Committee. The report also notes that there have been no appeals relating to decisions regarding works to protected trees since 1st May 2024.

Delegated Decisions

Finally, the Committee was scheduled to receive the Schedule of Planning Applications Determined by the Executive Director. The report pack states that there were 112 decisions made in total, of which 107 were made under delegated powers, and five were decided by the Planning Committee at its last meeting.