Whitestone Parish Council

Minutes of Whitestone Parish Council held at Whitestone Parish Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday,

12^th March 2020 .

Attendance: Chairman – Councillor N Thom

Councillors M Belt, R Bramhall, V Bryant, L Fairley, R Hunt, P Lee, S Llewelyn, T Miles. District Councillor A Swain, County Councillor A Connett.

Mrs P Vaughan, Clerk to the Council

Mr M Fairley, Ms T Baird, Mr G Fielding, Mrs D Radford Lewis, Mr M Harris

Mr and Mrs W Gillard, Mr P Turner, Ms E Nield, Ms J Hargreaves, Mr G Radford,

Mrs M Durrant. (some of these parishioners left between 8pm and 8.40pm)

Apologies: Councillor D Jones, District Councillor A Foden.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Mr Turner addressed the Council in regard to his planning application for Devon View and answered questions put to him by Councillors and members of the public in attendance.

Mrs Gillard spoke on behalf of herself and her husband regarding the planning application which is on the agenda for an agricultural building in Heath Lane which has been referred to Whitestone Council as it is adjacent to the Whitestone Parish boundary.

The Chair then opened the meeting of the Parish Council.

Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Thursday 13^th February 2020 having been circulated were taken as read and signed by the Councillor Thom.

REPORTS FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR / DISTRICT COUNCILLORS

17.1 District Councillor Swain reported on Teignbridge District Council matters with respect to its current position on the Lower Hare Farm and he said he was hopeful that a new response would be forthcoming soon..

17.2 County Councillor Connett reported that the issue of Parish Councils being able to have vehicle activated speed signs is being pursued and should be debated by Devon County in April and other issues have not been forgotten. In regard to another issue raised with him he confirmed that there are no weight restrictions on roads in Whitestone. Regarding the planning issues regarding Lower Hare Farm he regrets he will not be making any observations as he is a member of the Devon County Planning Committee and therefore would prejudice his vote. He said he continued to hear all the arguments and read all the submissions on the Devon County Council planning portal, now standing at over 300 objections with approximately 3 in support..

PLANNING

Planning Applications

The following planning applications were examined and discussed and the subsequent observations were confirmed to be relayed to Teignbridge District Council.

20/00230/FUL Change of use of agricultural land and buildings to commercial use (Use Classes B1. B2 and B8) including widening of existing access at Devon View, Whitestone

The Parish Council discussed the Devon View application 20/00230 with a planning report presented by Cllr Miles. On consideration of all the evidence available, the Parish Council unanimously objected to the proposal for the following main reasons:

Unsuitable location for industrial enterprise as proposed
Unsustainable development
Traffic and congestion issues
TDC and DCC Carbon emission targets
Cumulative effects of noise and light pollution
Protection of the AGLV landscape and Special Verge (ecological safeguards)
Adverse effects to biodiversity and change to natural habitats
Adverse effect of amenity to residences in close proximity
Potential change of street scene from rural to industrial
Previous refusal of a Class Q Barn Conversion application (17/02645) based on the fact that they were agricultural barns and of unsound construction not suitable for conversion.

A full report has been submitted to Teignbridge District Council and can be viewed on the planning portal.

18.2 20/000194/FUL Change of use of previous care home to domestic dwelling at Cameroon, Whitestone. Discussed and supported.

18.3 20/00394/NPA Request for comments as this application is adjacent to the Whitestone Parish Boundary – Application for prior approval under Part 3 Class Q (A) and (B) and Paragraph W of the GPDO for change of use of an agricultural building from agricultural use to a dwelling at Heath Lane. Discussed and not supported due to risk of contamination owing to closeness of a working farm. The Chair had attended a site visit with officers from Teignbridge District Council and experienced the noise levels at first hand and concluded that the barn was wholly unsuitable for conversion to a dwelling as it would never be a very nice place to live.

18.4 19/002276/FUL Demolition of Barn and construction of two dwellings at Styles Barton Farm. This application had not been supported when the application was made in December and revised plans have been submitted regarding the construction of the dwellings but the Council’s views are unchanged.

Refusal of Planning Permission

18.5 19/01413/FUL Change of use of agricultural land to rear (Use Class) to self storage business (use Class B8) and associated works at White Horse Self Storage, Tedburn Road.

Grant of request for Prior Approval

18.6 20/00074/NPA Application for Prior Approval under Part 3 Class Q (a) and (b) and paragraph W of the GPDO for change of use of an agricultural building from agricultural use to two dwellings at Styles Barton Meadow.

18.7 Devon County Council Planning for Lower Hare Farm – DCC/4101/2018

A full report had been received from Mr R Murdock and had been circulated to Councillors who had a meeting last Wednesday to discuss their continued opposition to the landfill and to plan a way forward. As this application had such fundamental repercussions for the community it was agreed that Cllrs Thom, Bramhall, Miles and Jones would meet to compose a response to Devon County Council using the findings from the report. The Parish Council unanimously oppose this application. The report will be made available to as many parishioners as possible and copies are available from any Councillor or from the Clerk. Cllr Thom also reported that he had been to the site to investigate complaints that the Alphin brook had been re-routed and this matter was now in the ands of Teignbridge District Council planning enforcement department.

MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION

19.1 Application from Parish Hall Management Committee for a Grant

An application has been received for a grant of £1,000 towards the provision of facilities for the deaf and hard of hearing in the Billiard Room meeting room. Following discussion it was agreed that the Parish Council would be willing to support but would request that the Hall Committee explore other areas for raising funds in order that the contribution from the Parish Council could be reduced. County Councillor Connett did say, if approached, he might be willing to give a donation from his funding which will be available from April.

19.2 Whitestone Rural Skip

The Clerk reported that Teignbridge District Council have informed us that this will take place on Saturday 25^th April 2020 (10am to 4pm) and notices have been placed on noticeboards and this will be advertised through the Whitestone website and the Parish Magazine.

School Houses – Thermal Insulation Assessment

Information had been received from the Letting Agents Carter Geering that as the Council have no official documentation regarding Thermal Insulation which was completed in 1918 Carter Geering are arranging for an inspection to be carried out in order to verify that the houses comply with current regulations.

19.4 Crossway Park

Cllr Fairley reported that following the annual inspection by The Play Inspection Company report the junior swings have now been cordoned off in order that they are not used. Cllr Thom offered to remove the dangerous equipment over the weekend and investigations will be made for three quotes for new swings.

19,5 Speeding through Whitestone

Cllr Connett reported on progress to date and said that speeding signs are still being investigated as the way forward and thanks were given to all those investigating the options.

Parish Lengths person

Cllr Thom distributed a job description which will be used to advertise for this post in the April Magazine and through various websites as well as posters around the Parish.

19.7 Dates for Parish Council Surgeries

These have been advertised and will commence on Saturday 25^th April from 10am to 12 noon and it was agreed that the local Police Constable should be invited.

19.8 Parish on-line Mapping System

This had now been purchased at a cost of £90 and will be made available to Councillors via a password.

FINANCE

Income

20.1 1 School Houses rent to 30^th March 2020 £725.00 - £69,60 (includes £11.60 VAT) = £655.40

20.2 2 School Houses rent to 1^st April 2020 £800.00 - £76.80 (includes £12.80 VAT) = £723.20

Expenditure

The following expenditure was proposed and seconded for payment. All in favour and the cheques were signed by Councillors Belt and Miles.

20.3 Clerk’s expenses/quarterly salary £325.52 (Cheque No 1507) Clerks Income Tax £74.10 (Cheque No 1510)

20.4 Whitestone Parish Hall Management Committee £68.00 (room hire for Council meetings £56.00 and room hire for Food Fair £12.00) (Cheque No 1508)

20.5 Geoxphere Ltd (Parish Online Mapping System) £90.00 (includes £15 VAT) (Cheque No 1509)

20.6 W Kirkpatrick £62.99 (Buy a Battery Co £15 – includes £2.50 VAT and Krystal Hosting Ltd £47.99 – includes £8 VAT) (Cheque 1512)

CORRESPONDENCE

21.1 Jock Kirkpatrick had notified that the Whitestone Website had been closed owing to the illness of the hosting organiser. He had negotiated with another company and the yearly fee is £47.99 which includes £8 VAT and he has already transferred information and the site is now up and running again. He had also noted that the defibrillator batteries were in need of replacement and he has organised replacements and installed. The Parish Council wish to record their appreciation of his efforts on behalf of the Parish.

21.2 Notification of temporary road restrictions – 4^th to 7^th May in Halsfordwood Lane and 26^th to 29^th May Road from Heath Cross to the Firs, Whitestone.

21.3 A request has been received from the Whitestone Gardening Club for a grant of £150 to enable them to supply weed suppressant and re-do all the wood chip area in the Parish Council’s garden.

21.4 Notification from Teignbridge District Council that an Appeal has been made to the Planning Inspectorate regarding the Teignbridge refusal to a planning permission for conversion of existing commercial building into two dwellings and partial demolition of two single storey elements and associated works at Unit 1, Rebecca Springs.

REPORTS

22.1 Cllr Llewellyn said that she would give a report on the Climate Change Workshop she attended together with Cllr Fairley in February at the April meeting.

Cllr Belt reported that organisations using the Parish Hall would be approached regarding closure of the Hall facilities owing to Corona

22.3 Cllr Belt requested that Devon Highways be notified of the hedge slipping into the road in the area between Brooklands Cottage and Whitestone Cross.

22.4 Cllr Fairley reported that 30 trees for planting within Whitestone had arrived including Rowan and Birch. Cllr Thom will distribute and plant these saplings.

The meeting closed at 10pm

The April Parish Council meeting will be held on Thursday 9^th April 2020
(Note: Cancelled due to Covid19 - Next Meeting 1st June 2020)