Agenda and minutes

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

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Items
No. Item

457.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

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Minutes:

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Fernando and Kaye. It was noted that Councillor Newton was substituting for Councillor Kaye.

458.

Chairman's Announcements

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Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed any members of the public who were watching the meeting on YouTube. The Members and Officers identified themselves on zoom when invited to do so by the Chairman.

 

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 acknowledged the career and contributions of David Snell, Service Manager (Development Management), as he was due to retire after this meeting had concluded. He said that David had started at East Herts Council in 2015 and had started his local government career in Planning at Redditch District Council.

 

The Chairman said that David had then worked for the Skelmersdale New Town Development Corporation before working in the London Boroughs of Barnet and then Enfield before coming to East Herts. The Chairman spoke about the challenges overcome by David during his education which included two degrees and said that David should be an inspiration to any aspiring young planners.

 

The Chairman thanked David for his support and hard work in supporting the planning system at East Herts. He wished him well with his competitive angling and expressed a hope on behalf of Members and Officers that he enjoyed his retirement. The Service Manager (Development Management) said that the Chairman’s remarks were very much appreciated. He said that it had been a pleasure and he wished the Committee well.

459.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any Members' declarations of interest.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Ruffles declared an interest in application 3/20/2285/FUL, on the grounds that he had sat on the board of Hertford Theatre as a Member of East Herts Council.

460.

Minutes - 3 February 2021 pdf icon PDF 102 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on Wednesday 3 February 2021.

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Minutes:

Councillor Beckett proposed and Councillor Buckmaster seconded, a motion that the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2021 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.

 

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2021, be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

461.

3/20/2285/FUL - Retention and refurbishment of the auditorium and back of house facilities, demolition of ancillary and supporting areas, and redevelopment to provide new performance, cinema and ancillary facilities. Provision of cycle parking and ancillary landscaping, public realm improvements and associated works at Hertford Theatre pdf icon PDF 191 KB

Recommended for Approval

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Minutes:

The Head of Planning and Building Control recommended that in respect of application 3/20/2285/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to the completion of an appropriate mechanism to secure the planning obligation, and to the conditions detailed at the end of the report submitted. It was also being recommended that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning and Building Control to finalise the detail of an appropriate mechanism to secure the planning obligation and conditions.

 

The Principal Planning Officer, on behalf of the Head of Planning and Building Control, drew Members’ attention to the late representations document and she referred to amended conditions 3, 5, 6, 19 and 20, which would be carried forward if planning permission was granted.

 

The Principal Planning Officer advised that a late representation had been received from a resident in respect of fire risk and safe evacuation, toilet facilities, studio and theatre arrangements, backstage security and the inclusion of three cinema screens and the lack of car parking.

 

Members were advised that the site was situated north of The Wash and adjacent to the river. The site comprised Hertford Theatre and the area immediately around the building. The site was within the Hertford Conservation Area and was also within flood zones two and three.

 

The Principal Planning Officer said that the Hertford Castle Gardens were located behind the site along with the Hertford Castle motte which was a scheduled ancient monument. Members were advised that there were numerous listed buildings and structures located around and adjacent to the site.

 

The Principal Planning Officer said that the proposals sought to improve and diversify the theatre offer on the site and contribute to the vitality of the town. She summarised the detailed planning proposals for the front and side of the existing theatre building as well the proposals planned to remodel, refurbish and extend the building to expand the capacity of the theatre and introduce three cinema screens plus a studio space and ancillary facilities.

 

Members were advised that the area around the building was to be re landscaped and a walkway was proposed to the side of the building adjacent to the river. The key issues with the application were the principle of the development, design and heritage impact, flood risk management and climate change, biodiversity and natural environment, highway impacts and sustainable transport, environmental quality and neighbour amenity.

 

The Principal Planning Officer said that the proposed development had been designed as a series of five linked elements that wrapped around the front and side of the existing auditorium. She said that an aspiration of the development was to improve the theatre facilities and enhance the visibility of the motte and improve access to the Hertford Castle gardens.

 

Members were advised that the proposed development would have a modern appearance and elements of the design were dictated by the internal functions of the building at ground and first floor level.

 

The Principal Planning Officer said that the proposed extensions would have areas  ...  view the full minutes text for item 461.

462.

3/20/0113/FUL - Creation of a 29 bedroomed hotel with ancillary parking, landscaping and a new vehicle access at Woodlands Lodge, Dunmow Road, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 5QX pdf icon PDF 269 KB

Recommended for Approval

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Planning and Building Control recommended that in respect of application 3/20/0113/FUL, planning permission be granted subject a legal agreement and subject to the conditions detailed at the end of the report submitted. It was also recommended that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning and Building Control to finalise the detail of the legal agreement and conditions.

 

The Service Manager (Development Management), on behalf of the Head of Planning and Building Control, said that this application followed a previous application for a much larger hotel building. Members were advised that this application had been withdrawn following advice from Officers that the scheme was largely unacceptable.

 

Members were advised that this application for a 29 bedroom hotel had therefore followed pre-application advice to the applicant and the application was now considered to be satisfactory and there had been no neighbour representations.

 

The Service Manager explained that the site was surrounded by various non-residential and industrial uses. He said that the proposed transient occupational use of the site was appropriate and tourist accommodation was appropriate here due to the proximity of the site to the motorway network and Stansted Airport.

 

The Service Manager said that an additional condition was recommended that would require the submission of details of water saving devices and mechanisms within the building before the development could proceed. Councillor Stowe commented on whether a condition could be added for ducting to enable more electric vehicle charging points.

 

Councillor Page said that his understand of use class C1 was that it covered both hostels and C1 hotels. Councillor Buckmaster referred to condition 10 and asked whether archaeological discoveries would put the development on hold.

 

The Service Manager said that details regarding future electric charging points could be submitted if requested by Members. Members were advised that a development was rarely held up by archaeological discoveries. The procedure was that whatever was found on site was recorded and then left in situ or very occasionally removed to a museum. Members were advised that any stage 2 archaeological reports were sent to the Historic Environment Section archive at Hertfordshire County Council.

 

The Service Manager advised that it had been held in case law that a hotel was for occupation of not more than 3 months. He said however that there would be nothing to stop a hotel being used for temporary accommodation and this would not be a concern in planning terms.

 

The Solicitor said that he thought perhaps that Councillor Page had been looking at the original version of the use class order which was available on the legislation website. He said that use Class C1 had been changed in 1994 to remove hostels and to make this use Sui Generis. Members were advised that a hostel would be a material change of use for which an application would have to be submitted.

 

Councillor Page commented on a potential condition that any application for a hostel would have to come back to Development Management  ...  view the full minutes text for item 462.

463.

Items for Reporting and Noting pdf icon PDF 34 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; and

 

(D)      Planning Statistics.

464.

Urgent Business

To consider such other business as, in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting, is of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration and is not likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.