Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies were received from Councillor Chowdhury.

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 as per the agenda.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Picknell be appointed to serve on Planning Sub-Committee B with immediate effect until the appointment of her successor.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2015 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

Demolition of the existing 2-storey semi-detached houses in multiple occupation (HMO – use class C4) and the construction of a new 5-storey (including lower ground floor) building providing 10 residential dwellings (C3) consisting of 10 x 2 bedroom units with bin storage area to the front, cycle storage area to rear and associated landscaping.

(Planning Application Number: P2015/2917/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer stated that the applicant had agreed to pay a £200,000 offsite affordable housing contribution, the onsite total CO₂ reduction in Condition 20 should be 17.45% and the applicant had agreed to a £7,292 carbon offset payment. The £7,292 and other payments in the Heads of Terms of the Section 106 were in addition to the £200,000 offsite affordable housing contribution.

·         The chair stated that the inspector had given priority to the council’s policy on affordable housing.

·         The location of the storage unit was outlined.

·         There were site constraints which limited accessibility and meant some requirements could not be met, however one lift was proposed and there was a ramp to the rear.

·         A member referred to the government’s recent letter to the council, the implications of which meant that the Secretary of State’s guidance in Planning Practice Guidance was reaffirmed and that land values should reflect policy requirements and planning obligations. Concern was raised that the viability assessment was not in line with this and should amongst other considerations, take into account the council’s 50% affordable housing policy.

·         The planning officer advised that the viability study had assessed an alternative use of two single family dwelling houses as the site could be returned to this use without planning permission.

·         The planning officer confirmed that the independent viability assessor was not present at the meeting.

·         In response to a question about how much it cost to purchase the site, the applicant advised the cost was £3.2 million.

·         The planning officer confirmed that the unit without amenity space was not the shared ownership or accessible unit.

·         The inspector was not concerned about sunlight, daylight, amenity or bicycle storage and therefore the committee set aside the objections relating to these matters.

Councillor Convery proposed a motion to defer consideration of the application for a revised viability assessment in light of the government’s recent letter the council, the implications of which meant that in accordance with the Secretary of State’s guidance in Planning Practice Guidance land values should reflect policy requirements and planning obligations. He stated that the economic viability should be revised to take into account the council’s 50% affordable housing policy. This was seconded by Councillor Klute and carried.

RESOLVED:

That consideration of this item be deferred for the reason outlined above.

Change of use of ground floor and part basement level from conference centre (Sui Generis) to office (B1a) use, associated flexible A1/A3 use at ground floor, alterations to facades and entrances and the addition of roof lights.

(Planning Application Number: P2015/4230/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer advised that the reference to BREEAM (2011) in Condition 6 – BREEAM (Compliance) should be replaced with BREEAM (2014) – Refurbishment and Fit Out.

·         The planning officer confirmed that five desks had been secured at 50% of the market rate for five years. The legal officer advised that the desks were unlikely to be in a separate space, a lease or licence might not be appropriate and a more flexible arrangement might be required to secure access.

·         It would not be possible to limit the occupier to shared workspace as they were only restricted to uses within their land use class.

·         Licensing matters were to be considered against a separate regulatory regime.

·         There was an extant permission in place which meant the space could be used as a conference centre without planning permission.

·         The application was consistent with policy.

Councillor Nicholls proposed an additional condition requiring a Delivery Service Plan which would include specified delivery times,  to be put in place. This was seconded by Councillor Klute and carried.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in Appendix 1 of the officer’s report as amended above 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’s report.