Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 December 2015 and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 December 2015 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee considered the report and without debate RESOLVED that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

The proposal before Members sought a twelve month extension to complete the development attached to planning permission P0115.14. The original permission had anticipated that the material required for the development could be imported over a ten week period, with an additional two weeks required for engineering and profiling. In the interests of ensuring the completion of the development, and the site’s timely restoration, condition 8 of the permission granted, limited the engineering operations approved to a six month period which had expired on 27 October 2015.

In addition to the extension the application sought to vary the current permitted hours of operation. The applicant sought the following hours of operation:

·         08:00 to 16:30 Monday to Friday;

·         08:00 -12:00 on Saturdays;

·         No times on Sundays and Bank/Public Holidays.

Members noted that the application had been called in by Councillor Linda Van den Hende as it was considered that the proposed change in hours of operation would result in a loss of amenity to nearby residential properties. In addition objection had been raised to the additional 12 month period of completion because the extension would prolong the unsightly appearance of the site.

In accordance with public speaking arrangements the Committee was addressed by an objector with a response by the applicant’s representative.

The objector commented that the original plans that were submitted lacked clarity and that the applicant had not detailed any reason for the application. The objector commented that poor planning was the reason for completion of only 30% of the work to date. The objector also commented that lack of materials indicated lack of planning and this had had nothing to do with the weather. The objector was also of the view that any extension granted to the dusty and noisy work on the site would be an inconvenience to neighbours.

In response, the applicant’s representative commented that the applicant had found it difficult to obtain the right clay to cap the site and had been hampered by the wet summer. All works carried out to date had been supervised by planning officers. The applicant had also requested a variation of hours as other developers had been allowed to start work earlier and this restriction had not helped. The applicant wished to ensure the work was completed as soon as possible.

With its agreement Councillor Van den Hende addressed the Committee.

Councillor Van den Hende commented that the summer had been one of the driest on record so it was difficult to see how the development had been delayed by a wet summer. With regard to the request to vary the hours this would adversely affect the neighbouring property but also the residents at the end of Bramble Lane. Councillor Van den Hende also commented that it was not necessary for the applicant to keep heavy equipment on the site if it was not working. Councillor Van den Hende concluded by commenting that if wet weather was a key factor perhaps conditions could be applied allowing work in the drier  ...  view the full minutes text for item 392.

The proposal before Members was for a new 2 storey primary school on part of the site formerly occupied by the former Kings Wood School and on part of the Harold Hill Learning Village. The site was in the Green Belt and the proposed development was considered to be inappropriate. There were however considered to be sufficient Very Special Circumstances to outweigh harm to the Green Belt, including the need for school places in the borough and favourable comparison in terms of what had been proposed for this part of the site as part of the outline planning permission for the Learning Village.

Members discussed the proposals and concerns were raised regarding the adequacy of parking provision on-site. Officers assured Members that the application met the criteria with 29 places being proposed which equated to two per classroom plus one additional space. Members also raised concerns regarding the failure to provide for drop off/pick up facilities on the site. Officers agreed to raise these concerns with Children’s Services as issues to be considered in any future educational developments.

It was RESOLVED that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions as set out in the report and the following additional conditions detailed at the meeting:

·         The development hereby approved should not be occupied until the cycle parking shown on the approved plans had been provided and thereafter the provision should be available for the parking of cycles associated with the development.

·         Details of PV system. The development hereby approved shall not be occupied until details of the solar PV system to be installed on the roof was provided in accordance with details that had been previously submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.