Extraordinary Town Council Minutes (Signed) 19-11-2018
Minutes of the Meeting of the Newmarket Town Council held on Monday 19th November 2018 at 6.00pm
at the Memorial Hall, High Street, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8JP
Attendance:
Councillor R Hood (Town Mayor) Councillor P Hulbert
Councillor J Lay (Deputy Town Mayor) Councillor M Jefferys
Councillor J Berry Councillor J Morrey
Councillor J Clarke Councillor R Nobbs
Councillor A Drummond Councillor C O’Neill
Councillor W Hirst Councillor A Starkey
Councillor D Hudson Councillor J Wadham
Councillor P Winter
Also Present: Roberta Bennet – TCM, Julie Ashton – Minute Assistant, 2 Members of the Press and 21 Members of the Public.
18/11/1 Fire safety briefing and announcement that proceedings may be filmed or recorded
The Mayor opened the meeting and read out the Fire Safety Briefing and the announcement that proceedings may be filmed or recorded.
18/11/2 Apologies for absence – LGA 1972, Section 85(1) & (2)
Apologies were received from Cllr Appleby. Cllrs Anderson and Wright were absent.
18/11/3 Declaration of members interests and to remind councillors of the need to keep up to date their register of members interests and to consider any requests received for members dispensation
None noted.
18/11/4 To receive and confirm the minutes of the development & planning meeting held on 5th November 2018 and any matters arising
Members received the minutes of the Development & Planning Committee held on 5th November 2018 and the following amendment was made:
Page 4 – a note was added to record that Cllr Hood left the meeting.
Subject to the amendment being made, the following was agreed:
D/18/11/4.01 Resolved
Minutes of the Extraordinary Town Council Meeting held on Monday 19th November 2018
That the minutes of the Development & Planning Committee meeting held on 5th November 2018 be adopted and signed as a true record by the Mayor.
There were no matters arising:
18/11/5 Public participation an invitation to members of the public to put questions/statements of not more than 3 minutes duration. No resolutions can be made but councillors are very happy for matters relating to the town to be brought to their attention
5 residents spoke against the proposal, 2 residents spoke for the proposal. Arguments for the application included the improvements that would be made to the A14/A142 junction and increased trade for the Town. Arguments against the application were that it would destroy a green space and become a commuter space for Cambridge. It would be less appealing for horses coming to Newmarket due to increased traffic and the dangers that this brings. There were concerns that the development would have an impact on the historic horse racing heritage and centre of excellence for training, breeding and sales at Tattersalls.
The Mayor thanked the public for their comments.
18/11/6 To consider the following planning application and any response town and county planning act 1990 section 77 Called-in Planning Application DC/13/0408/OUT – Outline application: Residential development of up to 400 dwellings plus associated open space (including areas of habitat enhancement) foul and surface water infrastructure, two accesses onto the A142, internal footpaths, cycle routes and estate roads (Major Development) (Departure from the Development Plan ) Hatchfield Farm, Fordham Road, Newmarket Suffolk, CB8 7XL – Appeals Reference AP/14/0033/SOS.
The Planning Application was considered taking the previous comments into account. Members were advised that the Jockey Club Charter ensured that the racing industry is maintained and continues to thrive and that The Jockey Club would act in the best interests of racing.
Following further debate a proposal was made to reiterate the previous objections with additional reasons for objecting and a named vote was called with the following results:
Votes for – 12 Cllrs Berry, Drummond, Hood, Hudson, Hulbert, Lay, Morrey, Nobbs, O’Neill, Starkey, Wadham and Winter.
Votes against – 3 Cllrs Clarke, Hirst and Jefferys.
The motion was carried and the following was agreed:
18/11/6.01 Resolved
That Newmarket Town Council reiterate and maintain the objection to the
Minutes of the Extraordinary Town Council Meeting held on Monday 19th November 2018
application for development at Hatchfield Farm reiterating the previous reasons, and additionally that:
*There had been considerable changes since this application first came forward.
*Premature with regard to the merger of the District Councils to form West Suffolk in 2019.
*Additional sites have come forward in recent years in Cambridgeshire that are in immediate proximity to Newmarket. The cumulative impact on the infrastructure and local services of these sites in addition to potential development at the Hatchfield site has not been adequately assessed.
*Various economic reports have been published confirming the economic/employment importance of the Horse Racing industry in Newmarket to UK plc. A development at Hatchfield would have a negative effect on the Horse Racing Industry in Newmarket.
*The large scale development of RAF Mildenhall and associated proposed infrastructure (metro/railway) will have a dramatic impact on the site allocations in the West Suffolk region and any merits of the site at Hatchfield should be considered in light of this recent announcement.
Previous comments made in November 2013 were:
The committee objected on the grounds of
*Damage to the interests of the Town’s principle source of employment, i.e. horseracing and training.
*The Town does not have sufficient infrastructure to support an increase in the population (schools, doctors, police and hospitals etc.)
8Archaeological concern
*Concerns regarding water supply
*Environmental damage including damage to Chippenham Fen
*The emerging Newmarket Neighbourhood Plan does not include Hatchfield.
*Traffic Issues in particular the A142/A14 Junction as regards to the strategy and further congestion
*Loss of farmland
*Damage to the towns culture and historic status as a place of National and International importance as supported by the NPPF
Meeting closed at 6:44pm
Signed : __________________ Date : ____________________