Issue - meetings

Documents in relation to this application can be found via the following link –

SDC/22CM003

Sally Panayi (Senior Planning Officer) presented the report and provided an overview of the application, which related to a revised design of Bishops Bowl Fishery utilising the importation of inert material and soils at Bishops Bowl Lakes, Bishops Itchington, Southam CV47 2SR. The application sought to grant approval and was subject to a number of conditions, which were outlined in the report to members.

Full details presented to the Committee included the following:

-        Following the previous planning consent to reduce the depth of the lakes in 2018, the current application sought consent to reduce the depth of further bodies of water at the site. The current lake depth did not provide a good habitat for fish. Decreasing the water depth and introducing reed beds would improve this habitat. Implementation of the previous application had imported the permitted volume of inert material. However, partially as a result of an error in setting out, an additional volume of material was required to be imported to complete the reduction of the depth of the water, as approved in the previous application.

-        The high cliffs at the site were unstable and presented a danger for people jumping from them into the water.

-        There was a danger during hot weather of people wanting to swim in the lakes, which was dangerous due to the depth and temperature of the water.

-       A causeway had been constructed between two bodies of water as part of the initial reduction in depth of the lakes, to facilitate vehicular access. This would be retained once work had been completed.

-        A causeway was to be created along the edge of the Greenhill Lake North to provide  access to the Site of Special Scientific Interest.

-       The import of infill material required a maximum of 100 vehicle movements per day, although it was anticipated the average would be 50 movements. As for the previous planning consent, a condition was recommended for operating hours between 7am-6pm on weekdays and between 7am-1pm on Saturdays. No import or works would be permitted on Sundays or Bank Holidays. Using this timescale, it was anticipated the work would take three years to complete.

There had been 12 letters of objection from residents raising a number of issues, including the routing of vehicles. Residents had complained that following the previous approval, vehicles had been using C roads and unclassified routes to access the site. Bishops Itchington Parish Council had also raised an objection on the grounds of vehicles travelling through Bishops Itchington and had suggested an alternative route. The Committee was told a Section 106 agreement that included a routing agreement requiring only the use of the permitted route had been prepared by the applicant’s solicitor. Sally Panayi said the Section 106 agreement existed in draft form and had not been signed. A planning condition was recommended for no more than 25 lorries per day  to turn right out of the site exit and travel via Bishops Itchington.

Other recommended conditions included a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3