Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors M Alexander, E Bedford, K Crofton, J Jones, M Newman and K Warnell.  It was noted that Councillors S Bull, T Page and M Wood were substituting for Councillors J Jones, M Alexander and M Newman respectively.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on Wednesday 25 February 2015 (Previously circulated as part of the Council Minute book for 4 March 2015).

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2015 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Recommended for Approval.

The following people addressed the Committee in objection to the application:

·                          David Glass (East Herts Ramblers and the Bishop’s Stortford and District Footpath Association)

·                          John Rhodes (Bishop’s Stortford Civic Federation)

·                          Rob Francis (Chantry Community Association)

·                          Tom Gardiner (Bishop’s Stortford Community Football Club).

The following people addressed the Committee in support of the application:

·                          Andrew Tait QC (on behalf of Countryside Properties)

In respect of application 3/13/1501/OP, the Director of Neighbourhood Services recommended that:

(A)        in consultation with the Chairman of the Development Management Committee and the Head of Planning and Building Control, the Head of Democratic and Legal Services completes a Section 106 Agreement in accordance with the heads of terms as set out in Essential Reference Paper ‘A’ of the report submitted;.

(B)        in consultation with the Chairman of the Development Management Committee, the Executive Member for Community Safety and Environment, any two Members who represent Bishop’s Stortford wards and who are Members of this Committee and the Head of Democratic and Legal Services, the Head of Planning and Building Control be authorised to make amendments to the heads of terms, the scale of financial contributions to be assigned to the various service areas referred to in the heads of terms and the service areas to which financial contributions should be assigned and the Head of Democratic and Legal Services be authorised to complete a Section 106 Agreement as may be amended, in all cases to ensure a satisfactory development;

(C)        upon completion of the Section 106 Agreement as authorised, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted; and

(D)        in consultation with the Chairman of the Development Management Committee, the Head of Planning and Building Control be authorised, in advance of the issuing of the planning permission, to add or remove conditions and directives and make such changes to the wording of them as may be necessary, to ensure clarity and enforceability, and to ensure a satisfactory development.

The Director advised that this was a hybrid outline application in that the applicant was also asking for full permission for phase one of the proposed development.  The site was known as Area of Special Restraint (ASR) 5 and had been identified for residential development along with ASRs 1–4 in 2007.

The Director detailed the planning policy position in that a decision had been reached in 2008 that the ASR sites would be brought forward for development as part of the ongoing district planning process.  Members were reminded of the referendum due to be held in respect of the Bishop’s Stortford Silverleys and Meads Neighbourhood Plan.

Members were advised that the application had been revised down from 450 dwellings to 329 to free up land for a 1 form of entry (1FE) primary school.  The Director stated that full details of the proposed phasing for this application were detailed in the report.  He referred Members to the additional representations summary and further revised details in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 585.