Agenda and draft minutes

(if any) - receive.

Apologies were received from Councillor Ray Best (Councillor Philippa Crowder substituted).

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point in the meeting.

Members may still disclose any interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

There were no disclosures of interest. Councillor Jane Keane stated that she was a member of the Romford Civic Society.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 28 September 2023 and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting of 28 September 2023 were agreed as a true record of the same and the Chair was authorised to sign them.

Report attached.

The Committee received a presentation from Stephen Daw a chartered surveyor and Simon Treacy Planning Director on the phased Mineral Extraction/Inert Infilling Proposal with Restoration to a Mixture of Nature Conservation and Agricultural Afteruses (Rainham Lodge Farm) with continued Stockpiling and Processing of Mineral, Concrete Batching and Aggregate Bagging (Rainham Quarry); Associated Highway Improvements on behalf of Brett Group Limited.

As set out in the committee rules, the Developer was given 20 minutes to speak.

The Committee noted the report and the following considerations were summarised as follows:

·       Further details as to why the equipment at Rainham Quarry is not being moved.

·       Expressed concern about the safety along the road and the potential for conflict between HGVs and cyclists. Members would like some further information to understand how that risk is being addressed.

·       In relation to page nine of the slide, Members sought to understand what is meant by no scope for passing places.

·       The Committee is seeking guarantee and reassurance around materials. Making sure there is appropriate check.

·       Details of noise mitigations.

·       Members looking for reassurance or demonstration in the application that in terms of the tracking applicant is factoring or taking into account all different vehicle sizes.

·       Keenness to see an adjustment to the working hours on a Saturday, that 7am on a Saturday is early could applicant consider an alternative start time as part of submission.

·       Further details around the landscaping scheme for the woodland area, details of the trees to be planted.

·       The specific number of residential properties impacted through traffic movements.

·       Further details around the routing of the extracted material.

·       Further details as to how vibration would be experienced and what causes it.

·       Further details on the flood prevention measures.

·       Regarding Berwick Pond Road, future issues of state of disrepair along the route. Members are keen to understand what measures or mitigations that the company would offer up as part of any submission.

·       The small bridge on Launders Lane, whether there is an ability to widen the bridge/road.

Any further comments or considerations could be emailed to the Head of Strategic Planning within 1 week of the meeting.

Report attached.

The report before the Committee sought outline planning permission on the land at Rom Valley Way in Romford, a site known as Seedbed Centre and Rom Valley Way Retail Park. The application is for the comprehensive redevelopment of the site for a mixed use development which is residential led and would deliver up to 840 new homes as well as a minimum of 3,000sqm of industrial floorspace, plus retail and leisure floorspace, public and private open space, highways improvements, landscaping and other benefits such as the naturalisation of the River Rom.

The Committee considered the report and RESOLVED to GRANT PLANNING PERMISSION subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

The vote for the resolution to grant planning permission was carried by 6 votes to 1 against.

Councillor Dilip Patel voted against the resolution.

Report attached

The report before the Committee sought outline planning permission, with all matters reserved, for the demolition of existing buildings and structures and redevelopment to create a 2 Form Entry School of up to 4 storeys, including all associated works, on the land at Rom Valley Way in Romford - a site known as Seedbed Centre and Rom Valley Way Retail Park.

This application was presented for consideration alongside the approval of the outline planning application P2072.22 at Seedbed Centre, Rom Valley Way in Romford for the comprehensive redevelopment of the land for a mixed use development.

Officers clarified to the Committee that the application was to go ahead side by side and in the event of both sites are not being developed, there would be some financial contribution to be paid for the Seedbed scheme. It was stated that the obligation sets out that the school being developed is dependent on both schemes coming forward hence the need for a school would not arise if the whole of the strip was not developed.

The Committee considered the report and RESOLVED to GRANT PLANNING PERMISSION subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

Members voted unanimously for the resolution to grant planning permission.