Minutes of North Rode Parish Council Meeting
held on Thursday 22nd August 2024
at Daintry Hall, North Rode at 7.30pm
Present:
Councillor Huw Williams – Chairman
Councillor Georgina Bailey – Vice Chairman
Councillor Brian Evans
Councillor Jacqui Lea
Councillor Jon Burwood
Councillor Richard Edwards
Councillor Alastair Bayley
Cheshire East Ward Councillor Lesley Smetham
Mrs Brenda Lomas – Clerk
- Welcome by the Chairman
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting - Apologies for absence
None received - Public Participation
No members of the public were present - Declarations of Interest
A declaration was made from Councillor Jacqui Lea in respect of the planning
application to be discussed for Bank Farm – as being friends with the applicant.
A declaration was made from Councillor Huw Williams regarding the creation of an
entrance to the field adjacent to his property (planning enforcement case 20/0012E). - Minutes of the previous meetings
The minutes of the previous Parish Council Meetings held on 16 th May 2024 (Parish Meeting
and AGM) were agreed as being true and accurate records and were signed by the Chairman. - Highways Updates
a) A new direction sign has been erected by the CEC Highways Department on the
Congleton Link Road to direct traffic through the Congleton town to obtain access to the
A54 – in the hope that this would deter traffic from using Bank Lane / Church Lane in
North Rode. A further traffic survey will be required in approximately12 months time, to
assess the effect on traffic numbers using Bank Lane/Church Lane.
b) The Chairman advised that only two heavy goods vehicles have been reported to have
used Bank Lane / Church Lane since the last meeting. It was generally agreed that
following the erection of the ‘Not suitable for HGV’ signs at either end of the road – there
has definitely been an improvement.
c) The Highways Department are currently jetting the drains on Bank Lane and Bramhall
Hill. It was noticed that a mini digger had been working outside Tinker Bells Hollow. The
Chairman advised that he would visit the site to enquire of the findings and outcome.
d) It was suggested that the Parish Council could invite the new Macclesfield MP to the
next PC meeting to discuss the highway issues. Clerk to write to the MP
e) The proposal to have a grit box by the bend on Station Road / Shellow Lane by the
railway bridge was discussed. Cllr Richard Edwards had enquired of the landowner of
the grass verge of the possibility of positioning a grit bin on that strip of land – but the
land owner was not in agreement with that location. The only alternative location is a
space which is actually on the bridge itself – if the Highways Department would agree to
that position. Cllr Williams advised that the cost of a grit bin is approximately £100. Cllr
Williams will ask the Highways Department if they will supply the bin. If not – then it was
agreed that the parish council could fund it or that an approach could be made to UPS
as being the first users of the road in the mornings to see if they might offer to fund it. - Planning Applications
The following planning application has recently been submitted to CEC and was
discussed:- Planning application number 24/2680C for Bank Farm, Bank Lane, North
Rode – Prior approval for the change of use to erect a temporary tipi structure on existing
farm land for five months of the year
The proposal is for tipis for the holding of weddings and celebratory functions on a few
days per week. The application includes allowing up to 50 tents for persons to camp
overnight in the field Councillors felt that it was good that the applicant was trying to
create a business. However, a number of concerns were raised in terms of introducing a
wedding venue business in a quiet rural area and the possible impact to the village and
residents. The concerns included
The amount of traffic accessing the site along Bank Lane/Church Lane – which
could be significant i.e. possibly 228 movements in and out of the site per function dependent on the number of attendees at each event and the number of persons in each vehicle.
If buses, taxis or mini buses were employed then the practicalities of maneuvering the vehicles.
Traffic noise when leaving the site during late evening hours may impact on residents’ sleep as vehicles drive past dwellings.
Noise from amplified music and behavioural noise from attendees at the site might cause issues.
Campers may be inebriated and play their own music / employ rowdy behaviour during night time hours.
Maintenance of the field as the existing public footpath which crosses the site can be very wet and muddy. The access route would require upgrading as it is just a track at present. Cars may become stuck on the field during wet weather conditions.
There was no provided information on services and their vehicles such as the provision of toilets and caterers.
If successful, then weddings and functions could take place seven days per week.
The application does not include any detail on the actual management of traffic, noise management and behavioural management or if anyone will be on the site overnight to manage the site.
Councillors resolved that they did not wish to recommend a refusal of the application but rather to inform CEC Planning Department of the concerns raised and that additional information was required to overcome those concerns. It was further resolved that if possible, a trial of the business could be granted, to be able to assess whether any detrimental impact is caused to the village and its residents. Clerk to write a letter – to be checked by Councillors – and then forwarded to the Planning Department.
Updates on Planning Application Numbers 24/2048C (full planning) and 24/2049C (listed building consent) for Daintry Hall.
The Chairman reported that four letters of concerns / objection had been lodged to the application – which the Daintry Hall Management Committee had hopefully overcome. There were 16 letters of support from local residents. A bat survey is required. The objections raised by a Heritage organization have also been addressed with the assistance of the CEC Conservation Officer – and a rebuttal statement has been submitted. - Planning Enforcement – update
a) Tinker Bells Hollow, Bramhall Hill. It seems that no-one is living on the site at present
albeit dogs appear to be permanently on the site. It was agreed that a watching brief
will remain as regards whether the mobile home becomes occupied. This matter will
remain on future agendas.
b) 20/00120E. Creation of a new access gateway on Church Lane owned by Mr Mark
Bullock of The Oaklands. Planning enforcement had previously advised that, as
engineering works have been involved in the creation of this access i.e. the digging out
of the land / soil removal – then that they had referred the matter to the Highways
Department for their involvement and that the Parish Council should also make contact
with the Highways department if they were concerned that the new vehicular access
could result in highway safety concerns. The Clerk had subsequently written to the
Highways Department and received a response from John Denwood, Highways
Engineer, who considered that this was a planning enforcement issue. He stated that he
would notify the planning enforcement Department. It was discussed that the confusion
might be due to Church Lane being an unclassified road. Councillors resolved that the
Parish Council clerk should write again to both the Highways Department and to the
Planning Enforcement department. The intention of the correspondence was to seek to
receive confirmation of which Department is responsible – or whether both are
responsible. - Finance
Following the successful DDay80 celebration, the Parish Council will make donations of £81
each to the following armed services charities – Army Benevolent Fund, Royal Naval
Association, Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, Normandy Memorial Trust and The Merchant
Navy Association.
The Clerk advised of practical difficulties in changing the Parish Council account to a
Community Account whereby online banking could be undertaken as well as having a parish
council cheque book. Councillor Brian Evans offered to assist whilst also undertaking a bank
reconciliation of the accounts. - Parish Council laptop
Councillor Burwood has offered to donate a laptop which will be around 12 months old and
wiped of all data. This generous offer was gratefully received by Councillors. - Neighbourhood Plan
Councillor Bailey and the Clerk had attended a Marton Parish Council Meeting to obtain
information on how Marton had achieved their village Neighbourhood Plan. It was apparent that
a number of persons were involved and that the amount of work required was significant –
possibly taking around three years to complete. One of the important factors taken by them was
measures to protect the sight line i.e. the view. They had found the plan to be of benefit during a
recent planning appeal situation for new development. Councillor Brian Evans had attended a
ChALC online training session on Neighourhood Plans and he advised that there was a lot of
work involved and was unsure if it was going to be really beneficial to our particular village.
Councillors discussed that the new Labour Government were proposing wide changes to the
planning system. Following consideration – whilst a Neighbourhood plan could be useful – it
was felt that there was no appetite within the Parish Council to commence working on a plan at
present and as such, that the proposal to have a Neighbourhood Plan would be put on hold for
now. - NRPC Events for 2025
The Chairman felt that following the success of the DDay80 village event on 6 th June 2024, that
the Parish Council should organize at least one village function per year. He was proposing that
a village well dressing event is organized as there are a number of wells around the village.
The Chairman thought that this could be combined with a village walk – perhaps round the
boundary – a picnic and folk music as entertainment. Councillor Evans advised that he already
had maps of a boundary walk which he could share. It was discussed that the wells would
require some tidying up and that we would then need to learn how to dress them. The Parish
Council could fund the band but the remainder of the event should be at minimal cost.
Councillors were supportive of the suggestion and it was agreed that the Chairman would start
to put plans together.
The Chairman further advised that he had found a method of making poppies out of plastic
bottles and was proposing to invite members of the village to a crafting workshop to make them.
They would then be placed around the village for remembrance day. - Communication received by the Parish Council
An invitation to join the Cheshire SLCC Branch Conference meeting on 26 th September
2024 at a cost of £45 per delegate was of interest to the Clerk. Councillors agreed that
the clerk could attend on behalf of the Parish Council.
A CEC consultation on the future of Public Libraries had been received – Councillors
had no comments to make on the proposals - Litter Picking
The Chairman proposed that the village could hold a litter picking event. Councillor Burwood
offered to organize the event. - Historical Board for North Rode
The Chairman suggested that an etched historical board could be created and placed in a
position whereby passer bys could read it. A suitable location was discussed and it was agreed
that if the new pavilion at Daintry Hall was created – then that would make an ideal location. - Parish Council Notice Board
The Chairman raised the point that the present PC Notice Board on Daintry Hall is looking worn
and that the lettering is faded. He volunteered to repaint and re-letter the notice board – which
received the support of the Councillors. The Notice Board is mainly used for the Notice of
Meetings and provision of an agenda – but it was discussed that it could also be used to display
photographs and maps. - Dates of the next meetings
The proposed dates of the next two meetings are Thursday 21 st November 2024 and Thursday
27 th February 2025.
The meeting closed at 9.00pm.