Agenda item

Recommended for Approval.

Hannah Spendley addressed the Committee in objection to the application.  Kevin Brush spoke for the application.

The Director of Neighbourhood Services recommended that, subject to the applicant or successor in title entering into a legal agreement pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, in respect of application 3/13/1273/FP, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report now submitted.

Councillor P Ruffles, as a local Member, addressed the Committee against the application.  He stated that he found it difficult to reconcile the comments of the supporting speaker with the plans submitted with this application.  He commented that his view of the impact of the application did not coincide with the views of the applicant.

Councillor Ruffles fully acknowledged the need for new homes.  He stated however, that this application represented the most environmentally damaging proposal to impact on Hertford Sele ward in decades.  He referred to the benefits of the green space and stated that its loss was a trampling of the quality of life of the residents of Hutton Close.

Councillor Ruffles stated that many Riversmead Housing Association tenants would also suffer a reduced outlook and quality of life due to this application.  He commented that the application for interlocking blocks of residential development would result in the loss of the only green space in the area.

Councillor Ruffles urged Members not to dismiss the comments of the Council’s Landscape Officer.  He referred to highways concerns as regards pedestrians in the Tudor Way and Hutton Close area as they would have to observe traffic movements from 6 locations when finding a safe moment to cross the road.  Members were urged to refuse the application.

Councillor G Jones stated that the applicant had gone too far with this proposal and due to the loss of amenity green space he could not support this application.  The Director stressed that there would still be a significant degree of amenity space if this application was approved as there were few locations with such a generous green space provision.

The Director stressed that any proposals in the emerging District Plan should not be assigned significant weight as the Plan was still out for consultation and the content of the document might well change and Members should focus solely on current planning policies.

The Director advised that there was a funding constraint regarding this site in that if the units were not secured, then the funding available via the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) would be redirected elsewhere.  Members were reminded that the proposals included an affordable housing provision of 100%.

Councillor D Andrews referred to the significantly reduced space that would be available for the residents of the proposed development.  He stated that the application was not one that he could wholeheartedly support.

Councillor S Bull proposed and Councillor N Symonds seconded, a motion that application 3/13/1273/FP be refused on the grounds that the element of the development located on the current amenity space between Hutton Close and Welwyn Road would result in the loss of open green space and have an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance of the street scene and surrounding area and was therefore, contrary to policies ENV1 and HSG7 of the East Herts Local Plan Second Review April 2007 and the National Planning Policy Framework.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, this motion was declared CARRIED.  The Committee rejected the recommendation of the Director of Neighbourhood Services as now submitted.

RESOLVED – that, in respect of application 3/13/1273/FP, planning permission be refused for the following reasons:

1.           The element of the development located on the current amenity space between Hutton Close and Welwyn Road will result in the loss of open green space and have an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance of the street scene and surrounding area, by reason of it’s amount, layout and siting.  The creation of a new access onto Welwyn Road will result in additional harm to the character and appearance of the area.  The proposal is thereby contrary to policies ENV1 and HSG7 of the East Herts Local plan Second Review April 2007 and the National Planning Policy Framework.

Summary of Reasons for Decision

In accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2012 (as amended).  East Herts Council has considered, in a positive and proactive manner, whether the planning objections to this proposal could be satisfactorily resolved within the statutory period for determining the application. However, for the reasons set out in this decision notice, the proposal is not considered to achieve an acceptable and sustainable development in accordance with the Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.