Agenda and minutes

The report before members detailed an application for the demolition of an existing light industrial building and the construction of 4 houses arranged as two pairs of semi-detached houses.

In accordance with the public participation arrangements, the Committee was addressed by an objector, with a response by the applicant.

During a brief debate members considered possible overlooking and the improvement that the development would lend to the openness of the Green Belt.

It was RESOLVED that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

The vote for the resolution to grant planning permission was passed by 8 votes to 0 with 2 abstentions. Councillors Ower and Van den Hende abstained from voting.

Members considered a report that detailed a proposal for the conversion of a pub into a single dwelling house with 4 bedrooms. The proposal involved the conversion of the ground floor of the pub into living accommodation to include a kitchen, dining room and a bedroom with en suite. in to bedrooms, bathroom and a study. The proposal would make the existing pub garden into the garden for the house.

Members noted that the application had been called in by Councillor Ron Ower on the grounds that the property was in close proximity to the Green Belt.

During the debate officers confirmed that the existing pub car park would be returned to the Green Belt use as an orchard themed seasonal garden and that this garden would lie outside the newly defined residential curtilage of the house.

Officers also confirmed that there were two amendments to the conditions contained in the report:

·               Amend Condition 5 to lead in with words "Before the house hereby permitted is first occupied ……".

·               Amend Condition 12 to relate to residential curtilage to fresh drawing number:  "The residential curtilage of the new dwelling shall be restricted to the area north of the dashed line indicated as residential boundary on drawing No.2744_SK03A."

It was RESOLVED that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report and to include the amendments mentioned above.

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

The Committee considered the report and without debate, RESOLVED that the proposal was unacceptable as it stood but would be acceptable subject to the applicant entering into a Section 106 Legal Agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), to secure the following:

·                    A financial contribution of £12,000 towards highway improvements within the vicinity of the site in accordance with Policy DC32 of the LDF Development Control Policies Development Plan Document.

·                    Payment of the Council’s legal fees associated with the preparation of the agreement.

·                    All contributions would be subject to indexation using the appropriate Index. All contributions would be spent within 7 years of receipt of the final payment relating to the specified contributions and to include any interest earned prior to spending. 

That staff be authorised to enter into a legal agreement to secure the above and upon completion of that agreement, grant planning permission subject to the conditions set out in the report.

The Committee considered the report and without debate, RESOLVED that the Head of Development and Building Control be authorised to grant planning permission subject to the conditions set out in the report.

The report updated the Committee on the position of legal agreements and planning obligations. This related to approval of various types of application for planning permission decided by the Committee that could be subject to prior completion or a planning obligation. This was obtained pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Acts.

The report also updated the position on legal agreements and planning obligations agreed by this Committee during the period 2000-2011.

The Committee NOTED the report and the information contained therein.

The report accompanied a schedule of appeals and a schedule of appeal decisions, received between 20 August 2011 and 18 November 2011

The report detailed that 35 new appeals had been received since the last meeting of the Monitoring Committee in March 2011.

The Committee NOTED the report and the results of the appeal decisions received.

The Committee considered and noted the schedules detailing information regarding enforcement notices updated since the meeting held in September 2011.

Schedule A showed notices currently with the Secretary of State for the Environment (the Planning Inspectorate being the executive agency) awaiting appeal determination.

Schedule B showed current notices outstanding, awaiting service, compliance, etc. with up-dated information from staff on particular notices.

The Committee NOTED the information in the report.

The report updated the Committee on the progress and/or outcome of recent prosecutions undertaken on behalf of the Planning Service.

The Committee NOTED the report.

To consider whether the public should now be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that it is likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, if members of the public were present during those items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 9 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972; and, if it is decided to exclude the public on those grounds, the Committee to resolve accordingly on the motion of the Chairman.

The Committee decided on the motion of the Chairman that the public should be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the ground that it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and it was not in the public interest to publish the information.

Attached to the report was a schedule listing, by Ward, all the complaints received by the Planning Control Service over alleged planning contraventions for the period from 20 August 2011 and 18 November 2011.

The Committee NOTED the report and AGREED the actions being taken.