Agenda and minutes

Councillor S. Chambers declared an interest in agenda item 5 (The Docks and Gloucester Quays 24/00508/FUL) as a director of GDECL. She took no part in the discussion or the voting on the item.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 3^rd September 2024.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday, 3^rd September were confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Please note that any late material in respect of the applications detailed below will be published as a supplement on the Council’s website in the late afternoon of the day before the meeting. Additional late material will be uploaded as a supplement on the Council’s website on the day of the meeting, should further relevant representations be received thereafter.

Late Material had been circulated in relation to agenda item 5 (Gloucester Docks  and Quays - 24/00508/FUL) and 6 (S106 Bi-Annual Update).

Application for Determination:

Temporary use of land at Orchard Square, Llanthony Road, High Orchard Street, Merchants Road, Victoria Dock and Mariners Square for the siting of an Ice Rink, Christmas Market and associated development. Proposal includes the erection of temporary buildings and plant. Permission sought for the Christmas and New Year periods 2024/25 to 2028/29 from 28 October until 18 January annually.

Officer Report

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report detailing an application for the Temporary use of land at Orchard Square, Llanthony Road, High Orchard Street, Merchants Road, Victoria Dock and Mariners Square for the siting of an Ice Rink, Christmas Market and associated development. Proposal includes the erection of temporary buildings and plant. Permission sought for the Christmas and New Year periods 2024/25 to 2028/29 from 28 October until 18 January annually.

Public Speeches

An agent representing the applicant addressed the committee in the favour of the application.

He said that the application should be granted on the following grounds:

·       The Christmas Market and Ice Rink had been approved in previous years and had been a success.

·       Officers were supportive of the scheme.

·    The 5 year period sought reflected the certainty needed for investment by the applicant. 

·       The Ice Rink and Market had a positive impact on the local economy of both the Quays and Gloucester as a whole.

·       The applicant had worked with stakeholders to minimise disruption.

·       Generators for the ice rink would be placed in 2.4m of acoustic screening.

·       The proposals had been refined over the years including covering the ice rink, enclosing the generator and the times of the market.

·       The had been no noise complaints in 3 years.

·      The application respected the amenity of residents whilst balancing commercial interest.

·       More than 350 residents have been notified and only one letter had been received opposing it.

·       A local resident wanted to comment on the benefit the scheme had brought to Gloucester in years past.

·       No statutory consultee raised an objection.

Members’ Questions

The Principal Planning Officer responded to members’ questions concerning whether the land would still have permission for an ice rink and market if the applicant decided not to use the land in the future, the cover over the ice rink, the noise emanating from the site, who would run the event, concerns about the use of fossil fuels instead of batteries for the generator, how much the event brought financially to the City of Gloucester, wheelchair access improvements by the Council, whether there would be smoking areas, whether the application could be changed to 3 instead of 5 years’ of permission, articulated vehicular access, why condition 14 of the previous permission relating to transport (October 2019) was not included in the recommendation with the same wording, restrictive covenants, the Party Wall Act, whether there was a requirement for a bandstand, and whether the event would go on for longer than previous years as follows:

• The planning permission applied to the land. Therefore, if a different operator took over, as long as they complied with the planning conditions, they would be able to operate an ice rink and market.
• The expectation is that the cover would remain on the ice rink at all times.
• In the previous iteration of the application, a noise assessment was conducted, which modelled the use of a greater number of generators. The solution was to enclose the generator in an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

Purpose of Report

The report seeks to provide an overview to the Planning Committee on the monitoring of Section 106.

Officer Report

The Economy Growth Officer presented the report. The purpose of which was to provide an overview to the Planning Committee on the monitoring of Section 106.

Members’ Questions

Councillor S. Chambers thanked the officer for the report. She noted that one of the S106 agreements required further investigation was in her ward and asked what investigation was required. In response, the Economic Growth Officer stated that it related specifically to a Parks and Open Spaces allocation would follow up on this query and get back to Councillor S. Chambers once a pathway forward had been agreed upon with OneLegal.

In response to an additional question about a discrepancy in figures for an S106 agreement, the Economic Growth Officer explained that she had amalgamated the sums, but if the Committee wished, future updates would include a more detailed breakdown. Councillor S. Chambers noted that this would be helpful. 

In response to a query by Councillor S. Chambers regarding how the Council ensured that an applicant provided affordable homes for a site, the Economic Growth Officer noted that a few options had been considered to follow up on triggers for releasing S106 funds and would be trialled. She added that she would report back to the member and then to the Planning Committee.

The Vice-Chair asked for a further breakdown of the S106 for the Former Gloucester Academy at Estcourt Close. The Economic Growth Officer stated that she would provide this.

In response to a query by Councillor A. Chambers about whether the POS total remaining was £2,991,823.76, the Economic Growth Officer clarified that there was an amendment to this figure in the late material, and the correct amount was £2,981,187.58. He further asked if the money for parks would be available for use in wards. The Economic Growth Officer responded that this would depend on the S106 agreement, as some funds were allocated to specific sites.

In response to a concern that money might end up back with a developer if the S106 funding was not spent, the Economic Growth Officer noted that the column indicating risk showed no risk of this happening for any current S106 agreements, apart from one historic case, which amounted to £7,501.32 (or roughly £7,500). She added that she had spoken to OneLegal about this and hoped to have a resolution before the next Committee meeting.

The Vice-Chair noted that it was a very useful document.

Councillor Jones noted that the report stated a further 87 affordable homes ‘may’ be delivered at the Great Western Site and asked if there was any further information on this. The Economic Growth Officer responded that she would provide an update in future discussions, but she believed that there were ongoing conversations between the developer and the Council.

In response to a question from Councillor Marshall regarding the former Colwell School, the Economic Growth Officer said that she would contact the Housing Team for information and provide Councillor Marshall with a response.

Councillor Lewis thanked the Economic Growth  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

To consider a schedule of applications determined under delegated powers during the month of September 2024.

RESOLVED that the delegated decisions of September 2024 were noted.

Tuesday 5^th November 2024.

Tuesday, 5^th November 2024.