Agenda item

a) 3/13/0333/FP – Recommended for Approval.

b) 3/13/0334/LC – Recommended for Approval.

Mr Trevor Dodkins spoke for the application.

The Director of Neighbourhood Services recommended that, subject to the applicant entering into a legal obligation pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, in respect of application 3/13/0333/FP, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report now submitted.

The Director of Neighbourhood Services also recommended that, in respect of application 3/13/0334/LC, conservation area consent be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report now submitted.

The Chairman read out the contents of an email from Councillor J Wing who strongly opposed the application.  

The Director referred to the additional representations which had been received to the application, including a list of additional conditions required by the Environment Agency.  He added that an amended layout plan had also been submitted.

Councillor M Alexander referred to the loss of employment and employment land in Ware and the surrounding area.  He stressed the need for the District to have local employment and stated that the Roebuck Hotel had been a very popular venue many years ago. 

Councillor Alexander reminded Members that the owner of Fanhams Hotel had recently put in an application for 50 additional rooms.  He queried what the owners were doing to ensure that the hotel was viable.  He stated that there was no affordable housing within the proposal and queried the rationale of putting a five bedroomed house next to a fire station.  He urged Members not to agree to the loss of employment land.

Councillor D Andrews stated that the Roebuck Hotel had a lot of potential and that Ware did not need more houses.  This view was supported by Councillor S Bull who referred to the hotel’s previous use as a conference centre.  He suggested that the hotel was being allowed to be run down and this was having a negative impact on the community.  Councillor S Bull commented that the hotel was in a good position for further development and improvement.

Councillor E Bedford referred to the hotel’s earlier success and that poor management of the bar showed that the place was being allowed to run down.  Councillor K Crofton referred to the need to retain business in the town and the removal of the hotel would be a tragedy.

The Director urged Members to be cautious in their deliberations and reminded them that their decisions must be made solely on planning issues.  Policies around loss of sites which generated employment would be appropriate considerations. 

Councillor P Moore stated that a hotel was needed in Ware and that these were not nostalgic considerations.  She added that money had not been invested in the hotel.

Councillor M Newman recognised the attraction of the hotel and stressed the need to find other business opportunities which might generate employment in the area. 

Councillor M Alexander proposed and Councillor D Andrews seconded, a motion that applications 3/13/0333/FP and 3/13/0334/LC be refused on the grounds that this would result in the loss of employment land and be detrimental to the conservation area.

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

The Committee rejected the recommendations of the Director of Neighbourhood Services as now submitted.

RESOLVED – that (A) in respect of application 3/13/0333/FP, planning permission be refused for the following reason:

1.           The current hotel use of the site provides valuable local employment and the council is not satisfied that the continued use of the site for a hotel or for other employment generating uses has been fully explored without success.  The loss of the site would be detrimental to the economic wellbeing of the town, contrary to policy EDE2 of the East Herts Local Plan Second Review April 2007 and the National Planning Policy Framework.

(B)   in respect of application 3/13/0334/LC, conservation area consent be refused for the following reason:

1.           In the absence of an approved scheme for the redevelopment of the site, the loss of the existing building would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the Ware Conservation Area, contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework.