Denton a village in South Norfolk, England

Denton Parish Council

Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting Held on Tuesday 26th April 2011

at 7pm at Denton Village Hall

Present: Liz Cargill (Chairman), Terry Hanner (Vice Chairman), Roger Gibson, Peter Hill, Adrian Hipwell, Annie Whiteman, Eddie Winter, Pauline Sandell (Clerk).

Also Present: Murray Gray (District Councillor), Peter Ramsdale (Saffron Housing Trust), 12 Members of the Public.

1. Apologies
None.

2. Planning Application 2011/0568 Land Adjacent to Thanksgiving Cottage, Norwich Road, Denton – Provision of Electrical Substation
Liz Cargill declared an interest and will not take part in the discussion or the voting. She handed the chairing of the meeting to Terry Hanner.
Peter Ramsdale introduced himself and explained the history of the affordable housing for Denton from the housing needs survey up to present day. He said that the earliest notification, that he knew of, from UK Power to say that a substation would be necessary on site, was 15th March 2011. The initial site suggested was in the green area, about 10metres in. This was a high visibility location and not thought suitable. The rear of the garden of plot one was then considered as a possible location; it had the largest garden, it was out of sight, acceptable to UK Power and acceptable to the Planners. Saffron consulted with the Parish Council and met up with Terry Hanner to look at the sight. Terry consulted with the other Councillors and it was agreed that this was a suitable site for the substation. Saffron then consulted with the neighbours at Thanksgiving Cottage. They were concerned that the location of the substation would be too close to their house and garden and the house and garden of plot one and suggested locating the substation at the opposite corner of the site. However, siting the substation there would be closer to housing, car parking spaces would be lost and it would be more costly. Therefore, it was decided that the bottom of plot one was the most suitable site and a planning application was submitted.
Some of the members of the public in attendance were very concerned about the health risks of the substation and thought it would be a danger to their children being so close to housing. They were annoyed that the substation was not on the original plans and also thought that it would look unsightly. Murray Gray asked why the substation had to be so big.
Comments from the Councillors were as follows:
The affordable site is lovely and just what the village needs. The electricity has to be put in somewhere and the bottom of plot one is the most suitable location. The Parish Council, Murray Gray and the land owner had helped to get a 10 metre strip of land to be used as a buffer zone between the affordable housing and Thanksgiving Cottage to keep the development further away from the housing.
There is a substation in Bungay which has no fencing around it and people can go right up to it. It is therefore felt that there could be no health risk involved and as it would be well screened with fences and hedging there will not be a visual problem.
No better alternative. Plot one has the largest of the gardens and not inappropriate to place the substation there. The houses have been given sheds with green roofs which can just be seen above the fence line and the substation would not be seen much more than the sheds. Having visited the site and viewed the site as a whole this was the most suitable location. If it was located at the other corner it would be out in the open and would be obtrusive. No objections to the substation being situated at the bottom of plot one. There are a number of transformers in Denton that are very close to housing and do not cause any health hazard.
The following proposal was made by Adrian Hipwell: If a substation needs to be built, then the end of plot one is the best position for it. Peter Hill seconded, Liz Cargill abstained, remainder agreed. Roger asked that a condition be included that if the application is approved that the smallest unit possible is used. All agreed.

The meeting closed at 8 pm.

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