Agenda and minutes

Councillor Klute welcomed everyone to the meeting. Members of the Committee and officers introduced themselves and the Chair outlined the procedures for the meeting.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no substitute members.

If you have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest* in an item of business:

§  if it is not yet on the council’s register, you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent;

§  you may choose to declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest that is already in the register in the interests of openness and transparency. 

In both the above cases, you must leave the room without participating in discussion of the item.

If you have a personal interest in an item of business and you intend to speak or vote on the item you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent but you may participate in the discussion and vote on the item.

*(a)     Employment, etc - Any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

(b) Sponsorship - Any payment or other financial benefit in respect of your expenses in carrying out duties as a member, or of your election; including from a trade union.

(c) Contracts - Any current contract for goods, services or works, between you or your partner (or a body in which one of you has a beneficial interest) and the council.

(d) Land - Any beneficial interest in land which is within the council’s area.

(e) Licences- Any licence to occupy land in the council’s area for a month or longer.

(f) Corporate tenancies - Any tenancy between the council and a body in which you or your partner have a beneficial interest.

 (g) Securities - Any beneficial interest in securities of a body which has a place of business or land in the council’s area, if the total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body or of any one class of its issued share capital. 

This applies to all members present at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The order of business would be B4, B3, B6, B5, B1, B2, B7, B8.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 June 2016 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

Single panel – 6 Sheet Advertisement Display Freestanding Internally Illuminated Panel

(Planning application number: P2016/0448/ADV)

In the discussion the following point was made:

·         The location of the panel was considered.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.

Single panel – 6 Sheet Advertisement Display Freestanding Internally Illuminated Panel

(Planning application number: P2016/0450/ADV)

In the discussion the following point was made:

·         The location of the panel was considered.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.

The construction of a basement underneath the rear garden (as amended), together with an additional linking staircase from the lower ground to the new basement level. The conversion of existing vaults into a utility room and wc.

(Planning applications: P2015/3235/FUL and P2015/3383/LBC)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer advised that the basement policy had been introduced since the application was received. At the time of validation a Structural Method Statement was not required but a condition should be added to require one now that the basement policy was in place. Adjoining residents should be consulted on this and the statement would have to be agreed prior to construction.

·         The quality of habitable space was considered.

·         The basement would meet the policies of having at least 1 metre of soil on top of the basement construction and the basement not being below more than half of the garden.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission and listed building consent be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer report with the additional condition regarding a Structural Method Statement outlined above.

Refurbishment of east side of Barnard Park including improvements to football pitch, planting, turfed areas and re-design and layout of pathways.

(Planning application number: 2016/1109/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer advised that Sport England had objected to the application so if the sub-committee decided to grant the application, it would be put forward to the Secretary of State to determine if it should be called in.

·         Concern was raised that if the village green area was not included in the calculations, there would be a 70% reduction in sports provision in the park.

·         The planning officer advised that the sports pitch and village green had both been included in the 36% reduction in overall sports provision in the park figure included in the officer report. Informal sports would take place on the village green.

·         The committee did not agree with the view that the village green could be held to be a sports facility for the purposes of assessing the loss of existing sports facilities.

·         The planning officer advised that the proposed pitch would be of a higher quality than the existing one and the overall the park’s facilities would be improved.

·         Extensive consultation had taken place with park users, community groups and young people.

·         The applicant advised that the design of the park had been led by consultation.

·         The Football Association had submitted a letter suggesting they might be interested in investing in a full sized pitch. The applicant raised concern that a full sized pitch would be dominant in the park and the consultation was in favour of having a less dominant pitch.

·         Concern was raised that the village green would not be used much for informal sports if it was also been used for leisure e.g. picnics.

·         A member stated that the current pitch at 8,990 sqm was larger than a full sized pitch of 7,140 sqm so reducing it to a full sized pitch would reduce its dominance. Alternatively other sized pitches could be considered. It was suggested that, in line with the advice contained in the letter of objection from Sport England, a 9 a side pitch would be of most use to local schools.

·         Concern was raised that the Cally pitch located 0.2 miles away was closed and there were no plans to upgrade it.

Councillor Poyser proposed a motion to defer consideration of the application to enable more consideration to be given to different size football pitches - based on Sport England comments on pitch sizes, and the balance of sports and leisure use. This was seconded by Councillor Nicholls and carried.

RESOLVED:

That consideration of the planning application be deferred for the reasons outlined above.

Internal reconfiguration of the existing floorspace, and construction of rear extension at basement, ground and first floor levels to comprise office (B1 Use Class), conversion of second floor to residential and additional floor of residential within existing roof profile. The building will contain B1 office space at basement, ground and first floor levels, with 7 residential units (C3 Use Class) over upper floors.

(Planning application number: P2015/1655/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer confirmed that the applicant had agreed to pay the full £350,000 affordable housing contribution and not £300,000 as stated in Recommendation A of the officer report.

·         The planning officer advised that there was no requirement for the provision of affordable workspace as this was a minor application for a refurbishment and not a rebuild.

·         The application was policy compliant.

·         Small businesses would use the space.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report and subject to the prior completion of a Deed of Planning Obligation made under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing the heads of terms as set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.

Demolition of three existing garages and excavation works for the construction of a ground floor over basement two-bedroom residential dwelling with green roof.

(Planning application number: P2016/0840/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The Structural Methods Statement was listed as an approved document.

·         The materials to be used were discussed. The building would be of a brick construction with glazing and timber doors.

·         The design of the building was considered.

·         A member raised concern that the house would be behind a wall and the wall would be higher than the existing wall.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives and the legal agreement set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.

Installation of Free Standing Internally Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 sheet) on pavement on the east side of Essex Road close to the junction with New North Road.

(Planning application number: P2015/4873/ADV)

In the discussion the following point was made:

·         The location of the panel was considered.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.

Public art work to the Railway Bridge.

(Planning application numbers: P2016/2039/FUL and P2016/2040/ADV)

RESOLVED:

That planning permission and advertisement consent be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.