Agenda and minutes

Venue: Please note that this meeting will be held virtually on Zoom

Contact: Peter Mannings  Tel: (01279) 502174 Email:  peter.mannings@eastherts.gov.uk

Link: To access directions to the YouTube livestream for this meeting click here

Media

Items
No. Item

136.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Andrews and Crystall.  It was noted that Councillor Bull was substituting for Councillor Andrews.

 

137.

Chairman's Announcements

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Members and the Public to the meeting and detailed the categories of attendee that were present on Zoom.  He introduced each Member and Officer in attendance at the meeting.

 

The Chairman said that the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 came into force on Saturday 4 April 2020 to enable councils to hold remote committee meetings during the Covid-19 pandemic period. This was to ensure local authorities could conduct business during this current public health emergency.  This meeting of the Development Management Committee was being held remotely under these regulations, via the Zoom application and was being recorded and live streamed on YouTube.

 

The Chairman said that Councillor Jones had stepped down from the Committee and had been a valuable and long standing colleague on the Committee.  He paid tribute to the diligence of Councillor Jones and extended his gratitude to Councillor Jones for his service on the Committee.

 

138.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any Members' declarations of interest.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

 

139.

Minutes - 25 June 2020 pdf icon PDF 169 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on Wednesday 25 June 2020.

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Minutes:

Councillor Ruffles proposed, and Councillor Beckett seconded, a motion that the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2020 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, this motion was declared CARRIED.  Councillor Bull abstained from voting as he was not present at the meeting on 25 June 2020.

 

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2020, be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

140.

3/19/2211/FUL - Part conversion and part demolition of existing buildings. Provision of mixed use development for B1 Use (business) and retention of existing agricultural buildings. Erection of 26 dwellings, 10 to be affordable housing. Works to include access, landscaping, engineering and associated works. Provision of car parking spaces and cycle spaces at Land at Home Farm, Munden Road, Dane End pdf icon PDF 218 KB

Recommended for Approval, subject to a legal agreement and conditions

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Planning and Building Control recommended that in respect of application 3/19/2211/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report now submitted.

 

The Service Manager (Development Management), on behalf of the Head of Planning and Building Control, said that this application had been substantially amended since the original submission in 2019. The layout had changed and there had been a reduction in the number of dwellings from 38 to 26. He said that the reduction in the number of dwellings was important when considering whether the scale of development was sustainable in this location.

 

The Service Manager said that the site was outside the Datchworth village boundary and policy GBR2 was therefore the main policy consideration for a development in a rural area. He said that although many representations had referred to policy Vill2, this was only relevant regarding the sustainability of the location in respect of village facilities.

 

Members were advised that Officers had worked with the applicant to achieve a scale of development that was appropriate in this location. The Service Manager said that this was a brownfield site that already accommodated a number of existing established commercial uses, which were not subject to any planning control.

 

The Committee was advised that the general environmental quality of the site could not be regarded as good. The Service Manager said that GBR2 permitted the development of brownfield sites and District Plan strategic policy DPS2 directed development to sustainable brownfield sites.

 

The Service Manager said that the application proposed 40% affordable housing and a potentially high standard of internal sustainability, subject to conditions. He stated that good quality employment space was proposed to support the rural economy and this was a policy consideration.

 

Members were advised that the figures at paragraph 9.2 were incorrect as regards planning obligations. The County Council secondary education figure was now £305,748 and the libraries figure was now £4,526. The youth figure was correctly detailed in the report as £1,118.

 

The Service Manager said that the application did not need to provide a viability review as the scheme did propose 40% affordable housing. Officers had made a judgement as to what was reasonable in terms of contributions based upon the regulations. Members were reminded that specific projects had to be identified for Section 106 contributions to pass the tests and no projects had been identified regarding the proposed development.

 

The Committee was advised that 8 objections had been received along with 1 representation in support plus 1 neutral representation. The Service Manager said that the window to window distance of 35 metres was considered to be sufficient to address the issue of overlooking.  He stated that the wall on the southern boundary was to be retained and no works were proposed to it. 

 

Members should be aware that there was no gas supply to this site and the Service Manager said that this was significant in terms of the sustainability of the application. He said that condition  ...  view the full minutes text for item 140.

141.

Items for Reporting and Noting pdf icon PDF 23 KB

(A)  Appeals against refusal of Planning Permission/ non?determination.

 

(B)  Planning Appeals Lodged.

 

(C)      Planning Appeals: Inquiry and Informal Hearing Dates.

 

(D)     Planning Statistics.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED – that the following reports be noted:

 

(A)   Appeals against refusal of planning permission / non-determination;

 

(B)       Planning Appeals lodged;

 

(C)       Planning Appeals: Inquiry and Informal Hearing Dates

 

(D)      Planning Statistics.