PAPER A
MINUTES OF RYDE TOWN COUNCIL’S PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND
REGENERATION COMMITTEE HELD ON TUESDAY, 2 MARCH 2021 AT 4.00PM VIA
THE ZOOM VIDEO CONFERENCE MEETING FACILITY
STREAMED LIVE VIA YOUTUBE
Members Present:
Cllr Diana Conyers (Chair), Cllr Henry Adams, Cllr Charles Chapman,
Cllr Michael Lilley, Cllr Phil Jordan and Cllr Malcolm Ross
Other Cllrs Present: Cllr Tim Wakeley
Also in Attendance: Jon Baker (Committees Coordinator) and Chris Turvey (Planning Clerk)
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
A written question was received from Helen Keogan of The Ryde Society with regard to
the live streaming of a planning consultation meeting held on 4 February 2021. This is
appended, along with the response, to the end of these minutes and forms part of the
minutes.
A written question was received from Suzie Prax of Ryde with regard to potential planning
and licencing implications for a property in Sea Close, Augusta Road in Ryde. This is also
appended, along with the response, to the end of these minutes and forms part of the
minutes.
29/21 APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Cllr Adrian Axford and Cllr Ian Stephens.
Members wished to place on record their thoughts and good wishes for Cllr Axford
who had recently been taken ill.
30/21 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None declared.
31/21 REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATIONS
None requested.
32/21 MINUTES
The minutes to the previous meeting held on 8 February 2021 was reviewed.
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RESOLVED:
THAT the minutes to the meeting held on 8 February 2021 were approved as
a true and accurate record and would be signed off by the Chair following
the meeting
33/21
MEMBER QUESTIONS
Cllr Lilley asked a question on the issue of how School Admissions were calculated
for secondary placement in Ryde as Ryde Academy was currently full and any
further major housing developments would put additional strain on the community
and force parents into sending children to schools in Sandown, Newport or Cowes.
The Chair advised that the review of the Position Statement which was on the
agenda for the meeting and would be discussed later, would look to address the
towns schooling requirements. However, the Planning Clerk would submit a
Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Isle of Wight Council (IWC) for
information on how their figures had been calculated.
Cllr Lilley also asked when was the IWC likely to discuss at their Planning
Committee the various major Ryde planning applications that had been submitted
for consideration. He expressed concern that such applications would be left until
after the local elections in May 2021 as they could not be considered during the
pre-election period. Members were advised that Planning Applications could still
be considered during the pre-election period and that the Town Council would be
notified in the usual manner when and if an application was being taken to an IWC
Planning Committee.
34/21
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
The following applications were considered under delegated powers by the Chair
and Planning Clerk and they proposed the following:
Parish(es): Ryde Ward(s): Ryde North East
Location: Hovertravel Ltd, Quay Road, Ryde, PO33 2HB
Proposal: Removal of existing buildings and structures; proposed purpose-built
workshop and staff rest facilities (revised plans - reduced size and scale and
amended design, appearance and internal layout for proposed building)(revised
description)(readvertised application)
Members noted that the previous concerns raised about this application with
regard to the height of the buildings affecting the seascape, had now been
addressed to satisfactory conclusion.
Parish(es): Ryde Ward(s): Ryde North West
Location: 30 Westfield Park, Ryde, PO33 3AB
Proposal: Proposed alterations and small extensions to rear and bay windows;
alterations and extension existing north facing balconies; new garden pergola
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iii.
Parish(es): Ryde Ward(s): Ryde East
Location: 11 Hope Road, Ryde, PO33 1AG
Proposal: Demolition of existing bathroom; alterations; proposed single storey
rear extension
iv.
Parish(es): Ryde Ward(s): Ryde North East
Location: 26 Melville Street, Ryde, PO33 2AN
Proposal: Listed Building Consent for proposed alterations to include removal
of old/damaged plaster work to internal and external walls
v.
Parish(es): Havenstreet and Ashey Ward(s): Havenstreet, Ashey and Haylands
Location: Land Between 107 And 117, Newnham Road, Binstead
Proposal: Variation of conditions 2, 3, 8 and 11 on P/00798/17 to amend interior
layout and appearance of dwellings on plots 1, 2, 5 and 6 (originally plots A1,
A2, C1 and C2) to include additional front dormer windows to Type C dwellings
on plots 5 and 6; to replace Type B dwelling on Plot 9 (originally plot B2) with a
Type C dwelling with additional front dormer window; to alter access, layout and
landscaping, to include retaining walls for Plots 1, 2 and 5 (originally plots A1,
A2 and C2), additional tree to front of Plot 2, additional driveway and turning
area for plots 2, 5, 6 and 9, relocation of driveway for Plot 3 (originally plot B1),
alteration of shared access for plots 1 and 2 to two separate accesses for these
plots; to add garages for plots 3, 5, 6 and 9; and to update Arboreal Method
Statement for the site to account for proposed changes to the development
(revised plans and revised arboreal method statement received)
(revised
description) (re-advertised application)
RESOLVED:
THAT the above five applications were agreed with no objections.
35/21
LICENCING APPLICATION
The following application was considered:
Application for a Minor Variation for Premises Licence - The Southern Co-
RESOLVED:
THAT the above licencing application be agreed.
36/21
DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL
Members noted the following decisions taken by the IWC’s Planning Department.
PLANNING APPLICATION DECISIONS
1. APPLICATIONS APPROVED
Location: Roebeck Country Park, Gatehouse Road, Ryde, PO33 4BP
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Proposal: Ash trees to be felled to near ground level over a three-year period
in accordance with work schedule Titled "Supplementary plan Ash removals".
Oak tree to have the crown reduced in accordance with the detail given in
"appendix 1 tree assessment" submitted with the application.
Parish: Havenstreet and Ashey Ward: Havenstreet, Ashey and Haylands
Decision Date: 03/02/2021
Tree Decision
ii.
Location: Ryde School With Upper Chine, 7 Queens Road, Ryde, PO33 3BE
Proposal: Refurbishment and extension of theatre building, including lighting
on the front elevation and new external ramped access/paths and
balustrading
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde North West
Decision Date: 05/02/2021
Ryde Town Council raised no objection to this application
iii.
Location: 17 Spencer Road, Ryde, PO33 3AA
Proposal: Single storey front extension; alterations; loft conversion to include
2 dormer windows and recessed balcony
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde North West
Decision Date: 08/02/2021
Ryde Town Council raised no objection to this application
iv.
Location: Rye House, Playstreet Lane, Ryde, PO33 3LJ
Proposal: T1; Sycamore is to be felled to near ground level G3; Hedge,
various mostly Bay and Laurel - is to have the height reduced by up to 50%
and thinned. T3 (861); English Oak - Lift crown height and rebalance tree T4
(866); Sycamore is to have the lower removed T5 (851); Ash is to be have
major branch removed or cut back to the positions shown in the application
photos G2 (818); Pittosporum to be cut back by 2/3rds G1 (881 and 882);
Lawson Cypress x 2 is to be felled to near ground level
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde West
Decision Date: 09/02/2021
Tree Decision
v.
Location: Land At Ryde House, Ryde, House Drive, Ryde, PO33 3FE
Proposal: G1; Group of Goat Willow, Small Ash and Hazel situated as
detailed in the application are to be coppiced to ground level.
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde North West
Decision Date: 09/02/2021
Tree Decision
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vi.
Location: 16 Northwood Drive, Ryde, PO33 3AQ
Proposal: Alterations and conversion of garage to habitable room; proposed
conservatory to rear
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde North West
Decision Date: 09/02/2021
Ryde Town Council raised no objection to this application
vii.
Location: Olinda House, 1 Trinity Street, Ryde, PO33 2AS
Proposal: Listed Building Consent for alterations and refurbishment of
building to include removal of internal stud partition, new timber staircase,
timber internal panel doors, timber panelling, decorative fireplace, external
replacement of timber door, replacement windows to lower ground floor and
new window fan.
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde North East
Decision Date: 10/02/2021
Ryde Town Council raised no objection to this application
viii.
Location: Hideaway Cottage, Marlborough Road, Ryde, PO33 1AA
Proposal: Listed building consent for replacement windows and doors
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde East
Decision Date: 12/02/2021
Ryde Town Council raised no objection to this application
ix.
Location: Stonelands, Binstead Road, Ryde, PO33 3NJ
Proposal: Sycamore situated to be pollarded to 50% of its current size.
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde West
Decision Date: 12/02/2021
Tree Decision
x.
Location: 10 Quarr Close, Binstead Ryde, PO33 4EN
Proposal: T1 - T5; English Oak to have limbs removed to raise crowns up to
6m approx on the driveway and house side clean out major deadwood.
Parish: Ryde Ward: Binstead And Fishbourne
Decision Date: 17/02/2021
Tree Decision
xi.
Location: Boundary of Ryde Academy, Pell Lane Ryde
Proposal: T1; Ash to have stump removed, ground out and plant new tree.
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde West
Decision Date: 17/02/2021
Tree Decision
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2. APPLICATIONS REFUSED
i.
Location: 16 Cross Street, Ryde, PO33 2AD
Proposal: Change of use of ground floor office (Class E, financial and
professional services) to form a self- contained flat
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde North West
Decision Date: 01/02/2021
Ryde Town Council objected to the application on the following grounds:
a) Whilst Ryde Town Council supports the need for affordable homes within
Ryde, it is of the opinion that the granting of such an application would be
inappropriate within a ground level commercial location. It would set a
precedent for the change of use class in the Town Centre Boundary area
and have a detrimental effect on the towns retail and commercial centre.
b) The granting of the application to convert to residential use from
commercial use would be prior to the outcome of the Government
Consultation on Extension of Permitted Development Rights to Support
Housing Delivery and Public Service Infrastructure and would therefore
pre-empt any decision on government policy.
c) The proposal is contrary to Ryde Town Council’s Position Statement and
the Ryde Place Plan. In addition it is contrary to current Isle of Wight
Council Planning Policy DM9 regarding change of use to non-retail at
ground level within town centre boundaries. The application has not
demonstrated that it would not have a significant adverse effect on the
retail function, design, character, vitality and viability of the town centre.
ii.
Location: 16 Cross Street, Ryde, PO33 2AD
Proposal: Listed Building Consent for alterations in connection with proposed
change of use of ground floor office (Class E, financial and professional
services) to form a self- contained flat.
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde North West
Decision Date: 01/02/2021
Ryde Town Council objected to the application on the same grounds as
iii.
Location: 21 Adelaide Place, Ryde, PO33 3DJ
Proposal: Detached dwelling; alterations to vehicular access and parking
(revised plans)
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde West
Decision Date: 10/02/2021
Ryde Town raised no objection, subject to there being restrictions to parking
where sight-lines would be affected by stationary vehicles
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Location: 7 Westfield Park, Ryde, PO33 3AB
Proposal: Proposed two storey rear extension
Parish: Ryde Ward: Ryde North West
Decision Date: 16/02/2021
Ryde Town Council raised no objection to this application
RESOLVED:
THAT the decisions taken by the Isle of Wight Council since the last meeting
be noted.
37/21 BIRD AWARE SOLENT - AWARENESS OF PROTECTED BIRDS
Owing to the Assistant Ranger for Bird Aware Solent being unable to attend, this
item was deferred until the meeting scheduled for 23 March 2021.
38/21 ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL’S CONSULTATION ON REQUESTED
SUGGESTIONS FOR BROWNFIELD SITES
The committee was advised that the IWC had made a request of all Island Town
and Parish Councils for suggestions on various ‘Brown Field’ sites that could be
redeveloped. This would assist in the preparation of the next version of the Island
Local Plan (The Island Planning Strategy), which would have an impact on where
houses, businesses and other land uses can be created in the future.
The deadline for the end of the consultation was Friday, 19 March 2021.
It was agreed that all Ryde Town Council Councillors would be invited to make
suggestions via email after the meeting and requested to submit them before the
deadline.
39/21 REVISED RYDE TOWN COUNCIL POSITION STATEMENT
Members were reminded that a Review Group was established by the committee
in order to evaluate and modify the Ryde Position Statement which was initially
created and subsequently approved as a policy document by all members in
January 2019.
Whilst the review was standard practice, it was now particularly relevant to carry it
out since there was to be a further review of the Isle of Wight Council’s Island
Planning Strategy and the Position Statement was a recognised document that
helped to inform it.
The committee was also keen to finalise the document ahead of the local council
elections on 6 May 2021 and the preceding pre-election (Purdah) period, to avoid
any unnecessary delay.
Members of the Review Group had looked at the following areas that required
specific attention:
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• Heritage
• Economy
• Housing
• Infrastructure
• Environment
On reviewing the draft, a number of additions and amendments were proposed
regarding the following:
• Enforcement action
• Canoe Lake
• Visitor accommodation
• Smallbrook Stadium
• Job creation
• Appropriate and inappropriate new housing development
• Design of new houses
• St Thomas Street Upper car park
• Secondary school places
• Memorandum of Understandings (MoU’s) with NHS and utility providers and
noted some terminological issues.
Some terminological issues were also noted.
Owing to the committees delegated responsibility of having the authority to agree
any revised planning document such as the Position Statement, it was proposed
and seconded that all amendments should be made outside the meeting with a
view to sending the final version to all committee members before it is formally
adopted and published.
It was therefore:
RESOLVED:
THAT the revised Ryde Position Statement be agreed, subject to the various
amendments being added with the final version circulated to all members of
the committee ahead of adoption and publication
40/21 IWALC / IWC PLANING SERVICES TRAINING SESSION
The Chair, who is also the Chair of the Isle of Wight Association of Local Councils
(IWALC) advised that an online training session hosted by the Isle of Wight
Councils Planning staff had been provided to members of IWALC. She, along with
the committee Vice Chair and the Committees and Ryde Place Plan Co-ordinator
had attended and a written report on the session was circulated to committee
members ahead of the meeting.
It was noted that one of the main outcomes of the session was around enforcement
and there was a discussion about IWC resources being insufficient to deal with
the number of enforcement cases they received, which had increased by 32
percent in 2020.
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At the Webinar, the IWC was reminded by Cllr Ross that financial help from RTC
had in the past been offered and then refused. The IWC did however imply that
they would reconsider any contributions offered from local Town and Parish
Councils, although stipulated that such financial assistance could not be allocated
to individual areas.
It was therefore suggested at the Webinar that IWALC could reconsider the
possibility of a joint contribution, although when this suggestion was considered a
number of years ago there was insufficient support from IWALC members to make
it viable. The Chair said that she would raise the issue again when IWALC would
next meet.
41/21 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
RESOLVED:
THAT the next meeting of the Planning, Regeneration and Environment
Committee will be held on Tuesday, 23 March 2021 via the Zoom Video
Conference Meeting facility, at 4.00pm.
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APPENDIX
WRITTEN PUBLIC QUESTIONS RECEIVED AND RESPONSES
1. PUBLIC QUESTION - REF 01/21 FROM MS HELEN KEOGAN OF THE RYDE
SOCIETY
“The recent Pennyfeathers consultation Meeting on 4th February 2021, was held at an
inconvenient time for many working residents. Having been denied the opportunity to
watch the livestream, many were further angered that they had no access to the
YouTube recording. This meant that very few residents had access to all the
information they needed to submit a comment before the February 12 deadline.
For the benefit of those members of the public could you please explain why the
recording was removed?”
RESPONSE FROM CLLR DIANA CONYERS (CHAIR OF COMMITTEE)
“We appreciate the reasons for this question. When residents made the request, it was
too late to reinstate the YouTube recording. However, the Planning Clerk did provide
a copy of his presentation. He also tried to provide a copy of the soundtrack to
residents, but this proved technically impossible.
It is also worth pointing out that on this occasion, the meeting was left on YouTube for
five days after the meeting was held (it was eventually taken down on Monday, 8
February 2021).
The YouTube recording was taken down because, although this was a public meeting
not a formal committee meeting, the same principles applied to it as to all other Council
meetings. In particular:
i. The meetings are streamed on YouTube to allow residents to view them live whilst
face to face meetings are not possible during the Covid 19 Pandemic, not to provide
a permanent record of the meeting. As the recent experience of Handforth PC has
shown, there is a risk in making them permanently available on YouTube, because
issues may be misrepresented or taken out of context.
ii.The soundtracks of meetings are also recorded, but this is for officer and member
reference purposes, not for public use and these are deleted when no longer
required.
iii. The Town Council is not legally obliged to provide any form of recordings of its
meetings. If this had been a face-to-face meeting, there would have been no
recording.
iv. As with face-to-face meetings, residents may, if they wish, make their own
recordings of meetings.
v. It is not the Town Council's responsibility to provide information to residents to help
them comment on planning applications. The intention of the planning system is that
residents provide their own personal perspectives, not repeat those of the local
council. We appreciate the particular difficulties in this case, because of the
complexity of the application. However, the principle remains the same.”
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2. PUBLIC QUESTION - REF 02/21 FROM MS SUZIE PRAX OF RYDE
“Following an unofficial visit by Cllr., Diana Conyers to the owner of a residential house,
Beldornie Tower, Sea Close, Augusta Road, Ryde P033 3AU, from where he intends
to run a commercial Weddings and Events Venue business and, where pe-application
discussions took place confirming the legality and legitimacy of the use of the house
for said business and, which views were then communicated to residents:
Could the Chair of the Planning Committee please confirm and give assurances that
both she and the Council understand the procedure and rules regarding a material
change of use from a private dwelling to a commercial events venue business within a
quiet residential conservation area and that the views previously expressed do not
indicate a predetermination or bias in favour of the said intended planning proposal.”
RESPONSE FROM CLLR DIANA CONYERS (CHAIR OF COMMITTEE)
“Thank you for your question.
i. I would like to assure residents that both I and the Council understand the procedure
regarding change of use. However, one cannot determine whether an activity
actually constitutes a change of use without full information on exactly what the new
use will entail.”
ii.
“This is a particularly complex case, involving several different pieces of legislation
and not just change of use but also erection of a temporary structure and licensing.”
iii.
“When residents approached us, we gave them some indication of the possible legal
implications, based on information provided by them and the owner and an initial
study of some of the relevant legislation. However, we didn’t attempt to give either
a comprehensive or a conclusive opinion.”
iv. “We also asked the Isle of Wight Council, with whom any such decision rests, for
their advice on the case, particularly the implications for a listed building. The
Council have sent a response, both to us and to residents, in which they say they
have contacted the owner themselves and offered advice.”
v. “We have emphasised to residents throughout that we cannot give a conclusive
opinion until a planning application is submitted or take any enforcement action until
a possibly illegal act has been committed. If and when a planning application is
submitted, the Committee will review the evidence as then presented, without
prejudice or bias, and inform the IWC of our views.
vi. “Regarding my personal integrity, I have already assured residents that, because I
am a resident of Augusta Road, I have a personal interest in the case and so will
not be involved in any decision that the Committee makes.”
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