Agenda item

Recommended for Approval.

Keith Barnes, Linda Thomas and Jill Macklin addressed the Committee against the application.

The Director of Neighbourhood Services recommended that, in respect of application 3/12/1860/FP, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report now submitted.

Councillor N Symonds, as the local ward Member, referred to the resolution from Bishop’s Stortford Town Council against this application.  She referred to the sound condition of the existing garages on the site.  She also commented that, due to the existing parking problems at Firlands, refuse and emergency vehicles already experienced difficulties gaining access to this road.

Councillor Symonds emphasised that the application was out of keeping with the existing street scene and the Landscape and Conservation Officers had both recommended that the application should be refused.

Councillor A Burlton referred to the objections to the application from Bishop’s Stortford Town Council and the Landscape and Conservation Officers.  He referred to the parking problems in the vicinity of the site and stated that this application would exacerbate this problem for residents.  He also stated the application should be refused.

Councillor P Moore stated that she was prepared to support this application for two new houses in this location.  Councillor G Jones stated that the application would result in a loss of 15 car parking spaces in the form of garages and another 5 spaces would be lost in the form of on–street parking.  He commented that this was unacceptable and the application should be refused.

Councillor M Newman referred to the logic behind the third condition detailed in the report.  He stated this was to ensure that the number of vehicles that would be displaced onto the public highway was kept to a minimum in the interests of highway safety.

The Director advised that Officers had recommended approval on the basis that it continued to be an aspiration of the Authority to secure the provision of affordable housing in East Herts.  The Director emphasised that unfortunately the parking problems that had been referred to were not uncommon in many areas across the District.  

The Director advised that only part of the site was within the conservation area of Bishop’s Stortford.  Members were advised that the parking surveys had indicated there was some capacity for additional on–street parking during the daytime and evenings. 

The Director stressed that the reprovision of the garages ensured there would be no net loss of garage parking provision and Officers felt able to support this application.  Members must now consider whether their concerns over the impact of the proposals in relation to parking provision were so significant as to justify a refusal of planning permission.

The Director advised that the Landscape Officer had not objected to the application on the basis of a loss of trees.  The Officer had been more concerned in respect of frontage treatment and the retention of grass verges.

Councillor G Jones proposed and Councillor A Burlton seconded, a motion that application 3/12/1860/FP be refused on the grounds that the proposed development was contrary to policy ENV1 of the East Herts Local Plan Second Review April 2007 and the National Planning Policy Framework in respect of the loss of existing parking provision, which would increase the demand for on-street parking in an area where there was already significant demand and limited capacity.  The application would therefore be harmful to the amenities of existing residents.

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 3/12/1860/FP, planning permission be refused for the following reasons:

1.           The proposed development would result in the loss of existing parking provision and thereby increase the demand for on-street parking in an area where there is already significant demand and limited capacity.  As a result the proposal would be harmful to the amenities of existing residents, contrary to policy ENV1 of the East Herts Local Plan Second Review April 2007 and the National Planning Policy Framework.

Summary of Reasons of Decision

In accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) (Amendment No. 2) Order 2012, 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.