Agenda and minutes

TheChairmanwelcomed allpresentandtookthe Committeethrough somegeneral

housekeepingissues.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor N Skeens.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 15 September 2021, (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED by assent that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 15 September 2021 be approved and confirmed.

To disclose the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, other Pecuniary Interests or Non-Pecuniary Interests relating to items of business on the agenda having regard to paragraphs 6-8 inclusive of the Code of Conduct for Members.

(Members are reminded that they are also required to disclose any such interests as soon as they become aware should the need arise throughout the meeting).

Councillor W Stamp declared a non-pecuniary interest as member of Essex County Council a consultee on the planning applications.

Councillor R P F Dewick declared a non-pecuniary interest on Agenda Item 7 as the applicant was an occasional customer. Whilst he felt it was non-pecuniary he said he would leave the Chamber for this item of business.

To consider the report of the Director of Service Delivery (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

Following the Officer’s presentation and verbal update including additional conditions recommended following the receipt of a consultation response from Essex County Council’s Highways Authority (ECC), the Agent, Ms Kate Jennings, addressed the Committee. The Chairman then opened the debate.

Councillor Fluker commenced by thanking Officers for listening to residents’ concerns. He said that temporary permission was a good option as it gave all parties concerned the opportunity to understand shared needs. He proposed that the application be approved in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation, together with an adjustment to timings in condition 6 from 11am-11:30pm to 11am-11:00pm. This was seconded by Councillor Beale.

Councillor Boyce, addressing condition 1, asked if the physical changes proposed to the buildings would also need to be returned to their present condition. The Specialist: Development Management recommended that the emphasis of condition 1 be on the change of use back to residential and that the physical changes proposed to the existing buildings could remain beyond the two year temporary permission period. Councillor Boyce said he was content with that subject to Ward Members agreement. This was seconded.

There being no further discussion the Chairman put the proposal to approve the application in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation, with amendments to conditions 1 and 6. Upon a vote being taken the application was approved.

RESOLVED that the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1                 The use of the site hereby permitted shall be discontinued and returned to its current use as a single dwellinghouse, and the marquee and WC facilities shall be permanently removed from the site, all within two years of the date of this planning permission.

2          The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans and documents:

·        Site layout plan 15.09.2021

·        Location plan 22.09.2021

·        Proposed ceremony room floor plan

·        Marquee images

·        Details of mobile WCs

·        Existing floor and roof plan – 03rev.E

·        Existing sections – 04rev.E

·        Existing elevations – 05rev.E

·        Proposed floor plans – 06rev.E

·        Proposed sections – 07rev.E

·        Proposed elevations – 08rev.E

·        Proposed car park access and layout – 2167/01

3            Prior to the first use of the ‘bridal suite’ hereby permitted, details of the foul drainage scheme to serve this element of the development shall be submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority. The agreed scheme shall be implemented prior to the first occupation of the ‘bridal suite’ and retained as approved thereafter.

4  ...  view the full minutes text for item 330.

To consider the report of the Director of Service Delivery (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

A Members’ Update had been circulated prior to the meeting that noted Essex County Council’s Highways Authority (ECC) had no objections and four of their recommended conditions would be imposed. It also detailed further consultations and representations received and noted that the Lead Local Flood Authority now considered the proposalto be acceptable in terms ofdrainage. It had recommendedfour conditionswhich were considered to meet the sixtests which will be imposed.

Following the Officer’s presentation an Objector, Mr Paul Burgess, a representative from Althorne Parish Council, Councillor Terry Inkpen and the Agent, Stewart Rowe, addressed the Committee. At this point both Councillor Mrs P A Channer and MW Helm declared a non-pecuniary interest as trustees of a local Alms-house.

The Chairman then called on Councillor Morris to speak. In response to a point of order it was clarified that Councillor Morris had approached the Chairman in advance of the meeting requesting to speak and she had used her discretion as Chairman to allow him to speak as an ‘in attendance’ member (Rule 19).  Given Councillor Morris’s opening remarks Councillor Channer said she wished it recorded in the minutes that she found his comments totally offensive and unacceptable.

The Chairman then invoked the Chairman protocol for managing member behaviour in meetings and the business of the meeting resumed with a debate on the proposal.

Councillor Boyce commenced by saying that the application had no merit and was not suitable for affordable housing due to the unsustainable location, the lack of public transport and the historic sewer surcharge issues. Councillor Bassenger concurred with this and raised further concerns regarding the adverse impact on the character of the area, poor design, the unsustainable location, lack of economic benefit and the low impact a small development of this nature would have on the Five Year Housing Land Supply (5YHLS). He proposed that the application be refused.

The Lead Specialist Place then addressed the reasons for refusal and advised the Committee which reasons were tenable, reminding Members that the decision was within their gift. Councillor Bassenger revised his reasons for refusal to:- the adverse impact on the character of the area; poor design and the unstainable location. This was seconded by Councillor Stamp.

Further debate took place around the need to provide affordable housing for young people in the area, the adverse impact of the development, no amenities, no public transport links and the potential to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 331.

To consider the report of the Director of Service Delivery (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

A Members’ Update had been circulated prior to the meeting that detailed further consultation and representation responses together with a revised condition 7 and an Informative dealing with Public Right of Way.

Following the Officer’s presentation, the Chairman opened the debate. Councillor Boyce, having called in the application, said that he was content all issues had been resolved. Councillor Fluker proposed that the application be approved in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation. This was seconded by Councillor Helm.

The Chairman put the proposal to approve the application to the Committee and it was agreed by assent.

RESOLVED that the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1                 The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of

three years from the date of this permission.

2                 The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the

following approved plans and documents: Location Plan, Block Plan, Existing Site Plan, Floor Plans & Elevation, Proposed Site Plan

3                 The materials used in the construction of the development hereby approved

shall be as set out within the application form/plans hereby approved.

4                 No floodlighting or other external forms of illumination of the site shall be undertaken without the express consent of the local planning authority.

5.               The details of the internal illumination of the building shall be as set out in the email dated 13September 2021 from Melanie Bingham-Wallis and shall be retained as such thereafter.

6          No development works above ground level shall occur until details of the

surface water drainage scheme to serve the development shall be submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority. The agreed scheme shall be implemented prior to the first occupation of the development. The scheme shall ensure that for a minimum:

1)     The development should be able to manage water on site for 1 in 100 year events plus 40% climate change allowance.

2)     Run-off from a greenfield site for all storm events that have a 100% chance of occurring each year (1 in 1 year event) inclusive of climate change should be no higher than 10/ls and no lower than 1/ls. The rate should be restricted to the 1 in 1 greenfield rate or equivalent greenfield rates with long term storage (minimum rate 1l/s) or 50% betterment of existing run off rates on brownfield sites (provided this does not result in a runoff rate less than greenfield) or 50% betterment of existing run off rates on brownfield sites (provided this does not result in a runoff rate less than greenfield)

You are advised that in order  ...  view the full minutes text for item 332.