Issue - meetings

KEY - Determination of Article 4 Direction on Employment Areas

Meeting: 03/12/2019 - Executive (Item 246)

246 Determination of Article 4 Direction on Employment Areas pdf icon PDF 90 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

That (A) the making of a non-immediate Article 4 direction to remove Permitted Development Rights to convert buildings or land currently in B1(a), B1(c) or B8 use into C3 use in the Designated Employment Areas in East Herts Council’s adopted District Plan, as detailed in Essential Reference Paper ‘B’, be approved; and

(B) authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Building Control, acting in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Growth, to commence public consultation on the non-immediate Article 4 direction and confirm the Article 4 direction having considered the outcome of the public consultation unless material amendments to the direction are required following public consultation in which case, a report will be brought back to the Executive for consideration.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth submitted a report on the introduction of Article 4 directions on designated employment sites in the district.  The measure would, following 12 months’ notice, remove the use of permitted development rights to convert employment land to residential use without planning permission.

 

Councillor J Goodeve summarised the background to the report and the reasons for the recommendations.  Permitted development rights (PDRs) could detrimentally affect employment.  There was a need to consider the impact of change of use from employment to residential use, particularly in areas where there was already significant residential development.  Councillor Goodeve referred to the detriment if unchecked use of PDR continued, such as avoidance of obligations under section 106 to bring benefits to the community and loss of potential employment land.  Proper consideration should be given through the planning process to development.  Giving notice of the intention to use the Article 4 Direction process would be likely to mitigate against potential claims for compensation. 

 

Councillor S Rutland-Barsby welcomed the measure, as employment land in her area was under threat.

 

Councillor J Goodeve proposed, and Councillor S Rutland-Barsby seconded, a motion to support the recommendations detailed in the report.  After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED. 

 

RESOLVED - (A) to approve the making of a non-immediate Article 4 direction to remove Permitted Development Rights to convert buildings or land currently in B1(a), B1(c) or B8 use into C3 use in the Designated Employment Areas in East Herts Council’s adopted District Plan, as detailed in Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ to the report; and

 

(B) authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Building Control, acting in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Growth, to commence public consultation on the non-immediate Article 4 direction and confirm the Article 4 direction having considered the outcome of the public consultation unless material amendments to the direction are required following public consultation in which case, a report will be brought back to the Executive for consideration.