11th September 2018 Minutes
Minutes of the meeting of Fiskerton Parish Council held on 11th September 2018 at 6.00pm in Fiskerton Village Hall
Time duration 18.00 - 20.00
Attendees: Cllr W Roberts (chairman); Cllr R Wall (Vice chairman); Cllr Anne Chessman; Cllr S Canner; Cllr L Hutchinson; Mr S Hall (Parish Clerk), Carl Morrison and Peter Stagg (Primetake Ltd)
1.0 Apologies for absence
1.1 Cllr A Cooke, Cllr C Darcel, D/Cllrs Welburn and Palmer
2.0 Resolve move into closed session and exclude members of public
2.1 Members did not resolve to move into closed session and proceeded to discuss planning application 138180 in open session with those present.
3.0 Open session discussion regarding planning application 138180 - barn
3.1 CM and PS declared their interest in Primetake Ltd.
CM opened by stating the company, Primetake Ltd, have no issues with the application in principle and they wish to maintain good relations with Mr P Good, the applicant.
3.2 CM went on to say the Primetake manufacturing facility is close to the proposed barn and close to the Hazard Type 1 Zone (HT1). The safety zones for the hazard types are specified by the HSE and are mandatory. Since one of the proposals is to store diesel fuel in the barn, their concern is that it may increase the risk level and affect their license to carry on manufacturing in the quantities, as they do at present.
3.3 CM said if staff well-being facilities are installed in the barn and if it is occupied then HSE conditions would be expected to be vigorously enforced.
3.4 CM requested that the barn be placed outside their safety zone.
3.5 The clerk read a summarised extract from the HSE consultee response to the application: Should planning permission be granted the Explosives Inspectorate would review the Primetake Ltd licence. The Planning Authority should note that this review may result in the facility’s explosive capacity being significantly reduced; possibly putting its commercial viability in jeopardy.
3.6 WR said this application could be contentious and therefore the parish council’s action or lack of it could be brought into question if the application is not given due consideration. He has spoken to the WLDC case officer and asked if the application can be called in and considered by the WLDC planning committee.
A concern is that should the application be approved, permitted development rights could, in future years, mean that additional buildings and facilities such as grain dryers may be installed within the safety zone. In addition, the residents of Fiskerton could be subject to noise and dust nuisance and suggested the parish council should ask WLDC to impose a condition that no grain dryer should be installed. Fertilizer and diesel fuel would also be hazardous. There will also be an additional 2000 vehicle movements per year at the site.
3.7 SC said Fiskerton is an agricultural area and needs to put up with farming facilities. If the barn is placed outside of the safety zone he would support it.
3.8 One Member questioned whether the nearby pumping station has a safety zone which may conflict with the siting of the proposed barn.
3.9 Ach enquired if CM has asked the applicant, P Good, if the barn can be sited elsewhere? CM replied: it has been suggested.
3.10 CM and PS, having stated their case for Primetake Ltd, left the meeting at 18:40.
3.11 RW commented that it is a very large grain store shed. Living next door to Primetake Ltd he has different pressures and the value of property near Primetake Ltd is reduced because of its manufacturing operations. RW also queried why move the farming operation from Reepham to Fiskerton. It was mentioned the motive was to free up land at Reepham for housing development.
3.12 LH said traffic will increase - the further north the better.
3.13 in summary Members have reservations about:
the proposed barn is intended for storage of equipment and materials which under certain conditions can be a fire or explosion hazard
The proposed site for the barn is within the Primetake Ltd Hazard Zone
The siting of the barn may lead to the HSE revoking the license held by Primetake Ltd threatening 70 job losses.
2000 heavy vehicles are expected to access and egress to the proposed farm site.
there is a large roof and concrete standing and there appears to be no proper means to control disposal of surface and stormwater.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue have insisted on the installation of a fire hydrant. This has been included in the application drawing but the proposed site for the fire hydrant is within the high-risk safety zone.
The siting of the barn is wrong, for the well-being of all concerned the barn should be outside of the safety zones.
The immediate neighbours to the barn development site have not been notified about the planning application.
Public notices announcing the application have not been posted in accordance with established practice. Allegedly public notices were posted only one week before the closing date for b comments.
4.0 Draft of PC comments to WLDC
Due to the imminent closing date for comments; WR will summarise councillors’ remarks and forward them to WLDC as the parish council response to the application. Action: WR
5.0 Dates of Next Meetings
5.1
19:30 15th October 2018, PC meeting
19:30, 10th December 2018, PC meeting
6.0 Signed as a true record of the meeting
Cllr W Roberts, Chairman, 15th October 2018