Agenda item

Mr Apostolos addressed the Committee in opposition to the application.  Mr White spoke for the application.

The Director of Neighbourhood Services recommended that, in respect of application 3/10/1728/FP, planning permission be refused for the reasons now detailed.

Councillor N Wilson, as the local ward Member, urged the Committee to uphold the Officer’s recommendation for refusal.  He referred to two public consultations arranged to address public demand.  Neither meeting had resulted in an assurance in relation to the continuance of the only school in this ward if this school was unable to expand.

Councillor Wilson commented that an application for an 80 bedroom hotel adjacent to a school was inept in planning terms.  He stressed that the application had not addressed local concerns and would result in serious community problems.

Councillor Wilson stated that residents accepted that development would occur on this site.  He commented however, that priority must be given to educational and community need in what was the largest residential ward in Hertford.

Councillor W Ashley sought and was given assurance that Members were satisfied with how Officers had reached their recommendation in relation to the sequential test.  Councillor B M Wrangles stated that this was not a high quality layout and the application was out of keeping with the locality of the surrounding area.

Councillor Wrangles also stated that, in relation to the proposed retail provision, there were already two excellent local shops.  She expressed concerns that the application made insufficient provision for children’s play space and landscaping.  She also referred to the busy nature of Stanstead Road and Ware Road, with both roads suffering from tailbacks during rush hour periods.

Councillor Wrangles commented that Stanstead Road had a weight restriction and a speed limit of 30 mph.  She stated that the hotel was the greatest concern for residents and the application was contrary to policy STC6 of the East Herts Local Plan Second Review April 2007.  She also stated that she would have preferred a section 106 obligation for a residents parking scheme.  She stressed that residents of this ward were against the application and had the support of Mark Prisk MP.  Councillor Wrangles acknowledged that some form of development would occur on this site, however, this application was detrimental to residents and the surrounding area.

The Director stated that any section 106 obligation would have to be reasonable and must meet the appropriate tests for such obligations.  In relation to parking, Members were advised that a section 106 obligation could not seek to solve an existing parking problem.  An obligation could however, seek to address problems if these would be exacerbated by a planning application.

The Committee accepted the recommendation of the Director of Neighbourhood Services that application 3/10/1728/FP be refused planning permission for the reason now detailed.

RESOLVED - that in respect of application 3/10/1728/FP, planning permission be refused for the following reason:

1.           The applicant has failed to prove that there are no sequentially more suitable sites in Hertford or Ware likely to be capable of meeting the same requirements, in respect of the hotel use, as the application is intended to meet. The proposal does not therefore meet the tests of national planning policy in PPS4 and is contrary to Policy STC6 of the adopted East Herts Local Plan Second Review April 2007.