Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Councillor Beckett.  It was noted that Councillor Dumont was substituting for Councillor Beckett.

The Chairman welcomed Members and the Public to the meeting and introduced the Members and Officers who were present on Zoom.

At the invitation of the Chairman, the Head of Planning and Building Control referred to recent Member concern regarding the lack of pooled developer contributions towards healthcare provision.  She said that Members had been particular concerned about pooled contributions towards acute care, mental health and community care.

Members were reminded that it had not been possible to secure contributions without the appropriate justification.  Officers had been investigating what could be done to improve the levels of provision by writing to contacts at the East and North Herts Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

The Committee was advised that a positive response had been received from the CCG in respect of working towards improving overall provision.  The Leader had also raised this issue with the East of England Local Government Association (LGA) and the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Planning Partnership.

The Head of Planning and Building Control said that, as regards the Committee’ s decision to approve the planning application on Land to the East Herts of Stevenage in February 2020, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government had decided not to call in this application for a decision.  Members were advised that the decision of the Secretary of State not to call in the application was very good news.  The Chairman said it was very pleasing to know that the approach of Officers in dealing with this application had been judged to be sound.

To receive any Members' declarations of interest.

None.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on Wednesday 29 April 2020.

Councillor Huggins proposed and Councillor Buckmaster seconded, a motion that the Minutes of the meeting held on 29 April 2020 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment:

Minute 394 – delete in last sentence, 12^th paragraph – ‘weigh’.

Replace with ‘…outweigh’.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, this motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the meeting held on 29 April 2020, be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment:

Minute 394 – delete in last sentence, 12^th paragraph – ‘weigh’.

Replace with ‘…outweigh’.

Recommended for Approval.

The Head of Planning and Building Control recommended that in respect of application 3/19/0226/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report now submitted.

The Principal Planning Officer, on behalf of the Head of Planning and Building Control, detailed a number of points that she intended to clarify for Members including the matter of a contribution towards sustainable transport in the form of a cycle route along Parsonage Lane.

Members were advised that the application had been amended at the request of Officers and the proposed development was now for the demolition of an existing dwelling and the erection of 9 terraced dwellings to the rear and 1 detached dwelling to the front of the site.  The detached dwelling would replace the demolished dwelling resulting in 9 new dwellings on this site.

The Principal Planning Officer referred to the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations and the tests that had to be met before contributions could be requested by a Council.  She said that the tests were whether the application was acceptable in planning terms, whether the CIL or Section 106 contributions were directly related to the development and whether the contributions were related in scale and kind to the development.

Members were advised that these tests had not been met and there were therefore no Section 106 contributions included in the recommendation.  The Officer said that the local validation list adopted in March 2019 stipulated that a sustainability appraisal was required for all planning applications.

The Principal Planning Officer said that this scheme was submitted before the local validation list had been adopted and the delay had been due to Officers working with the applicant to resolve issues that had arisen as the application was being assessed by the Authority.

The Principal Planning Officer said that a number of sustainability measures were proposed including sustainable drainage, permeable paving and water butts on the site.  Members were advised that these and other measures were proposed in addition to the building regulations requirements for sustainability.

The Principal Planning Officer detailed the location of the site and summarised the nature of the nearby dwellings and their relationship to the proposed development.  She also referred to landscaping and detailed the location of an electricity substation that adjoined the site.  A noise assessment had been submitted with the scheme and a proposed condition had been included in the report.

Members were advised that the noise assessment had suggested an increase in the boundary fence to 3 metres in order to overcome an issues with noise for the nearest adjoining property.  It was worth noting that this property had no windows that faced the electricity substation.

The Officer detailed the access way and the proposed footpath from Dunmow Road.  She also summarised the proposed layout and appearance of the proposed dwellings.  Members were shown the site line visibility splays and were advised that, following a lot of work with Hertfordshire Highways, Officers were now satisfied with the proposals  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

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

(B)  Planning Appeals Lodged.

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

(D)     Planning Statistics.

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.