The Minutes can be read below or downloaded here:  MN_2023 September 06 DPC Approved Minutes

Approved Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held in Dittisham Village Hall
on Wednesday 6 September 2023 at 7:00p.m.

a. Public Issues

No issues raised.

Present: Cllrs Nightingale (Chair), Bond (Vice-Chair), Golding, Green, Hodge, Tucker, and Unitt were present, as was A Thom (Clerk), and the Parish Lengthsman for his Report.

  1. Apologies

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Lloyd, Neale, and SHDC Cllr McKay.

  1. Declaration of Interests

Cllr Nightingale declared an other registrable interest in the Friends of the Dart Bathing Water Status Application. It was resolved to approve the written request for a dispensation to speak on the item.

  1. Approval of Minutes

It was resolved to approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 July 2023.

  1. Community Reports

    1. Devon County Council Councillor

Deferred in the absence of DCC Cllr Hawkins.

    1. South Hams District Council Councillor

Deferred in the absence of SHDC Cllr McKay.

  1. Financial Matters

    1. Financial Reports

Approval of the financial reports was deferred.

    1. Payments

It was resolved to authorise the following payments:

  • Village Hall, Hire April to July 2023, £120.00

  • Clerk Office Expenses Reimbursement, £66.83

The payments made since the last monthly meeting were noted:

  • Parish Lengthsman, 22/23 final Lengthsman invoice, £264.00

  • Parish Lengthsman, Weeds Project March 2023, £308.00

  • Parish Lengthsman, Weeds Project April – June 2023, £241.50

  • South West Water, March – June 2023, £32.01

  1. Parish Lengthsman

The lengthsman gave a verbal report about works carried out in the Parish. They will plan to do the weeds clearance on Dittisham Hill as soon as possible.

  1. Reporting Salary Payments

The advice via DALC that the payments do not have to be reported in the Minutes was noted.

  1. SHDC Planning Decisions

The following decisions were noted:

    1. 2034/23/COM Land at SX 857 053 Lapthorne Farm Dittisham Dartmouth TQ6 0JF. Notice of intention to install a telegraph pole at 10.5m high (9m above ground) for the provision of FTTP. Permitted development
    2. 2284/23/TEX Langscott, Lower Street, Dittisham, TQ6 0HY.Proposed works: T1 & T2: Silver Birch – Fell due to both trees are dead. Grant Exemption.

    3. 2385/23/TCA Rose Grove, Lower Street, Dittisham, Dartmouth, TQ6 0HY. T1: Christmas spruce – fell due to close proximity to property on a slope, risk of blowing over. No Objections raised.

The Clerk was asked to enquire about the reason for not requiring planting of replacement trees.

    1. 1883/23/FUL Newstone Blackawton TQ9 7DR. Erection of agricultural building. Conditional Approval.

  1. Planning applications received since the 5 July 2023 meeting
    1. 2245/23/VAR Greenslades Higher Street Dittisham TQ6 0HT. Application for variation of condition 2 (approved drawings) of planning consent 1446/21/HHO (retrospective).

It was decided not to call an extraordinary meeting to comment.

    1. 2385/23/TCA Rose Grove Lower Street Dittisham Dartmouth TQ6 0HY. T1: Christmas spruce – fell due to close proximity to property on a slope, risk of blowing over.

The Clerk and Tree Wardens responded. TPO not requested.

  1. New planning applications
    1. 2209/23/FUL Herongate Lower Street Dittisham TQ6 0HY. Conversion & extension of boathouse for short term holiday let (resubmission of 3628/22/FUL).

Object (by resolution, one abstention)

DPC’s view agrees with assessment carried out by the SHDC Planning Officer in the pre-application assessment for the previous, withdrawn application: The site is sensitive due to its location in the AONB and immediately adjacent to the Undeveloped Coast, the proposal would extend the habitable accommodation and associated activity close to the foreshore, and it would have an adverse impact on the levels of tranquillity and would fail to conserve and enhance the AONB. DPC also objects because it considers that the proposal would have a negative impact on the character of the Conservation Area is is located within. DPC’s objection is also informed by its observation that the proposed build does not incorporate on-site renewable energy generation, energy storage, or low and zero carbon space and water heating systems, and that the SHDC’s delivering biodiversity net gain and habitat improvements criteria is not met. DPC’s standard comment on light pollution will be made. DPC requests that if SHDC was minded to approve the application a Construction Management Plan be required because of the location’s access issues and the large volume of earth which would need to be removed.

    1. 2637/23/VAR Dittisham Hideaway Dittisham TQ6 0JB. Application for variation of condition 1 (Approved Drawings) and discharge of conditions 2 (Landscaping Scheme), 3 (Finishes/Treatment to huts), 4 (Surface WaterManagement Scheme), 7 (Lighting), 9 (Ecological report & LEMP), 10 (Sewage Disposal) and 11 (DEV32) of planning consent 0546/21/FUL

No comment (resolved unanimously). The Clerk was asked respond to SHDC to note that this is a retrospective application and has therefore not been described correctly on the application form.

  1. Monitoring DPC’s Process to Comment on Planning Applications

It was noted that 2209/23/FUL would be evaluated as requiring discussion.

  1. New tree applications
    1. 2812/23/TCA Langscott Lower Street Dittisham TQ6 0HY. T1 Judas tree – fell and replace – tree splits off into multi-stems from just above ground level & decay is present within this union.

It was resolved not to object to the works and to request that replacement trees are planted.

  1. Consultations

  • Dart Harbour Navigation Authority, Consultation on bringing larger cruise ships (up to around 250m length) to the Dart. Decision by end of September.

No comment made by DPC.

  • NALC, Response to the DLUHC Consultation on Local Plans – seeks views on proposals to implement parts of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. Closes 22/09/23

No comment made by DPC.

  • Devon Housing Commission, Short Survey

The Clerk was asked to share the survey with the community. It was resolved that the Clerk would respond on behalf of DPC in consultation with Cllr Nightingale. The Clerk was asked to write to the relevant housing association to ask that a property on The Level which has been empty for about six months is used for accommodation and copy to SHDC.

  1. Charging for DPC Car Parks

It was resolved to add to the brief for the TAFG for the Review of the policy for private residences access over The Ham a review of DPC’s policy for charging for DPC approved use of its car parks eg site compounds. It was resolved to pursue the outstanding invoice for a site compound and to communicate that DPC withdrew the planned penalty charge for the compound remaining beyond 31 March.

  1. Traffic Accident affecting The Ham

The Report on an accident in August 2023 was noted. I was agreed to accept Cllr Tucker’s offer to arrange for the replacement post.

  1. Private Accesses to The Ham

It was noted that risk assessments are being done and that the Clerk has requested the Maintenance team cut back the hedging next to private access onto Ham Lane to improve visibility.

  1. Registration of The Red Lion Inn as an Asset of Community Value

It was agreed to seek evidence of community support to purchase and run the asset, to continue to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the community using the relevant questions on SHDC’s application form. DPC’s methods will include web-based and paper forms, Parish Magazine, and a petition. Cllr Nightingale will discuss with the owner.

  1. Friends of the Dart Bathing Water Status Application

Cllr Nightingale described the proposal before leaving the room.

It was unanimously resolved that DPC will submit a letter of support.

Cllr Nightingale returned to the room.

  1. Community Consultation Process

The Clerk noted that a report and resources have been provided to DPC.

  1. Proposal for a DPC WhatsApp Group

DPC Councillors chose not to participate in a WhatsAppGroup to be used for short DPC communications.

  1. DALC AGM Conference and Exhibition

The event on 27/09/23 was noted. It was resolved that DPC would pay the attendance expenses of attending Cllrs. Tickets £45 per DPC attendee. Cllrs Nightingale and Hodge are attending.

  1. Correspondence

The following correspondence was noted:

  • Invitation, South Devon and Dartmoor Community Safety Partnership, online 26/10/23 at 2:00 pm

  • 9/8/23, Stagecoach, Bus service changes from Sunday 3/9/23

  • AONB Farming in Protected Landscapes grant scheme. Extended until March 2025.

  • 31/8/23, Introductory email from new Stakeholder Liaison Team, DCC Highways

  • South Devon and Dartmoor Community Safety Partnership, Let’s Talk Teenagers and Let’s Talk Pre-Teens, Support sessions for parents in September & October

  • Scribefest, 21/09/23, (Online), Free

  1. Next Meeting

It was noted that the next monthly meeting of Dittisham Parish Council will take place on 4 October 2023 at 7:00 pm.

The meeting closed at 9:10 pm.