Agenda and minutes

To note the following appointments made at the Annual Meeting of the Council:-

Planning Committee

Chair:             Councillor Taylor

Vice-Chair:    Councillor Lewis

Planning Policy Sub-Committee

Chair:             Councillor Taylor

Vice-Chair:    Councillor Lewis

Members:      Councillors Dee, McLellan and Smith

The following appointments made at the Annual Meeting of the Council were noted:-

Planning Committee

Chair:             Councillor Taylor

Vice-Chair:    Councillor Lewis

Planning Policy Sub-Committee

Chair:             Councillor Taylor

Vice-Chair:    Councillor Lewis

Members:      Councillors Dee, McLellan and Smith

No declarations were made on this occasion.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 12 May 2015.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 May 2015 were confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Application for determination.

Contact: Development Control Tel: (01452) 396783

The Principal Planning Officer presented her report which detailed a reserved matters application for the erection of 131 one, two, three and four bedroom dwellings, including apartments and houses, with vehicular access, drainage and associated works on area 4B1 on Framework Plan 4, Kingsway.

She referred Members to the late material and she advised that Officers had been working with the Applicant to achieve significant changes to the road layout of the development.

She illustrated the proposed parking provision and advised that double yellow lines would be necessary to prevent obstruction. She considered that the Applicant had endeavoured to ensure that convenient parking was located on or near to dwellings. She recommended that in the event the Committee approve the application, the Development Control Manager be authorised to approve the detailed wording of appropriate conditions.

Ben Draper, for the applicants, addressed the Committee in support of the application.

Mr Draper advised that the application had been the subject of many discussions with Officers prior to May when the applicant had requested that the application be deferred.

He noted that there had been no objections from the public and the proposal was in accordance with the development plan in terms of density, affordable housing and tenure of properties.

He believed that the application before the Committee represented the best that could be achieved for the site. He was conscious of overspill parking from previous phases of the overall development and noted that the current proposal would provide 298 car parking spaces for 131 dwellings compared to the 204 spaces provided for 120 dwellings in the previous phase.

He noted that the Local Highways Authority had accepted the proposal and that it had addressed the concerns expressed by Officers regarding affordable housing. He pointed out that a footpath had been proposed through the centre of the development and pedestrian refuges had been included on two corners of the access road to the north.

Significant Section 106 infrastructure contributions were planned together with 30 per cent affordable housing. He believed that the lack of objection supported his firm belief that the application represented the best possible solution.

Councillor Hobbs expressed concerns regarding the shared space approach and the ability of refuse vehicles and other large vehicles to navigate around the development if there was displaced parking. He called for a two hour restriction to be imposed on the visitor car parking spaces to prevent abuse of those spaces by residents.

Councillor McLellan believed that the application represented a realistic approach but he still had concerns regarding visitor parking. He welcomed the   proposed restrictions of converting garages to living space.

The Principal Planning Officer advised that these issues had been considered in great detail. The shared surface would keep vehicle speeds low. She advised that layouts like this included details of vehicle tracking movements and these had been checked by Highways Officers. She noted that any restriction on visitor parking spaces would prevent use of those spaces by residents.

Councillor Hobbs believed that there  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Application for determination.

Contact: Development Control Tel: (01452) 396783

The Development Control Manager presented the report which detailed an application for a two storey side and rear extension together with change of use of side piece of land from open space to domestic cartilage and repositioning of garden wall at 34, Brookthorpe Close.

He advised Members that the report had been presented to Members in accordance with the Constitution as part of the site was in the ownership of the Council and objections had been received.

RESOLVED that consent be granted subject to the conditions in the report.

Application for determination.

Contact: Development Control Tel: (01452) 396783

The Principal Planning Assistant presented her report which detailed an application for the erection of one building with Use Class B1/B8 and ancillary A1 use, associated loading yard, car parking and landscaping at The Aquarius Centre, Edison Close. She advised that the Environment Agency had verbally confirmed that it had no objection to the application subject to the inclusion of the standard land contamination condition as recommended.

Councillor Hobbs believed that the Council should be insisting on the installation of solar panels in applications such as this. He was advised that roof lights were included but there was no Local Plan policy to require solar panels at the present time.

RESOLVED that consent be granted subject to the conditions in the report.

To receive the report of the Senior Planning Compliance Officer detailing the level and nature of enforcement activity undertaken by the Planning Enforcement team between January and March 2015 together with an update on formal action being taken against more serious planning breaches and the results of legal actions undertaken.

The Enforcement Officer presented the report which detailed the level and nature of enforcement activity undertaken by the Planning Enforcement Team between January and March 2015 together with an update on formal action being taken against the more serious planning breaches and the results of legal actions undertaken.

He displayed a number of photographs including:-

Unauthorised satellite dish on Listed Building, Priory Place

Untidy garden, cleared by direct action

Unauthorised car sales on Scheduled Ancient Monument, Worcester Street

Unauthorised works to shop front, Eastgate Street

Unauthorised banner on shop front, London Road

Councillor Hilton requested further information in respect of 55, Worcester Street, 35, London Road, and 162-7, Barton Street.

The Development Control Manager assured Councillor Hilton that enforcement action was not constrained by finances. The Council would not hesitate to prosecute where appropriate and could request the Court to impose costs. Where direct action was undertaken the costs could be recovered or a charge placed on the property and a budget existed for such action.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To receive the report of the Senior Planning Compliance Officer detailing new Section 106 Agreements entered into, contributions received and any other benefits realised as a result of Section 106 Agreements in the 2014/15 financial year.

The Enforcement Officer presented the report which identified new Section 106 Agreements entered into, contributions received and other benefits realised as a result of such agreements in the 2014/15 financial year.

Councillor McLellan welcomed the receipts and was advised that Officers determined how to spend the monies received. He was advised that Ward Members were not consulted at the present time and the Enforcement Officer undertook to make enquiries.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To consider a schedule of applications determined under delegated powers during the month of March 2015.

Consideration was given to a schedule of applications determined under delegated powers during the month of March 2015.

RESOLVED that the schedule be noted.

Tuesday, 7 July 2015 at 6.00pm.

Tuesday, 7 July 2015 at 6.00pm.