Gypsy site goes back to Planning Committee
Released on 24 November 2006
We were right to defer our decision, and if the officers now feel it is right for our Planning Committee to look again at the matter, Cabinet must await the outcome of that planning process - however frustrating the uncertainty must be for everyone
Vivienne Clifford-Jackson, Council Leader
Council-owned land that was granted permission for a Gypsy site is once again under consideration.
On 20 September, South Norfolk Council's Planning Committee granted permission for a temporary period of three years for a Gypsy caravan site on the land it owns at Rushall Road, Harleston.
However, in early November, Norfolk County Council Highways Department announced that it was investigating whether its own advice to South Norfolk Council's Planning Committee was correct.
The issue concerned a line of trees and hedge alongside the site. Norfolk County Council highways officers had advised the South Norfolk Planning Committee that the required visibility splays for the caravan site would not mean the removal of any further trees and hedge other than those directly affected by creating a site access.
When South Norfolk Planning Committee made its decision to approve the application, it also set conditions requiring there to be no removal of hedge or lopping of trees fronting visibility splays without the Council's consent.
South Norfolk Council has now received new advice from County Council Highways officers which says that after carrying out further survey work, those highways officers consider that five mature oak trees would need to be removed along with a lengthy section of the hedge in order to accommodate the necessary sight lines.
In accordance with South Norfolk Council practice, John Tomlinson, Head of Planning Services, is now arranging for the matter to be referred back to South Norfolk Planning Committee.
This will allow Councillors on the Planning Committee to consider a new report from planning officers and to consider whether they would have taken the same decision to grant planning permission in the light of the new County Council advice.
Shortly after it was told about the County Council Highways investigation in early November, South Norfolk Council's Cabinet agreed to defer any decision on providing the Gypsy site at Rushall Road.
South Norfolk Council Leader Vivienne Clifford-Jackson said that decision had now been shown to be the right and responsible course of action.
She said:
"Shortly after we were told by the County Council that there was a question mark against their original highways advice, Cabinet deferred any decision on site provision while the County Council carried out its own investigation. We have now been informed of the outcome.
"We were right to defer our decision, and if the officers now feel it is right for our Planning Committee to look again at the matter, Cabinet must await the outcome of that planning process - however frustrating the uncertainty must be for everyone."
Although the formal planning permission was issued in early October, local planning authorities have statutory powers to revoke planning permissions.
The Planning Committee will consider its decision at its next meeting on Monday 8 January.
Information provided by the South Norfolk District Council website: http://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/
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