Agenda and draft minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and went through some general housekeeping arrangements for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M G Bassenger, D O Bown, J R Burrell-Cook, M F L Durham, L J Haywood, J C Hughes, K Jennings, K M H Lagan, R H Siddall, S White??and L L Wiffen .

To disclose the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registrable interests and Non-Registrable Interests relating to items of business on the agenda having regard to paragraph 9 and Appendix B 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 A S Fluker declared that they owned a property on Keelings road approximately 100 metres from application 25/01022/FULM – Land East of Bridge Wick Lane site.

To consider the report of the Director of Place, Planning and Growth, (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

Prior to his presentation of the application, the Head of Development Management provided a verbal update in respect of Section 7, Consultations and Representations Received, of the report and asked that Members note the following:

·                 The Officer response to the NATS (National Air Traffic Services) consultation, detailed on page 70 of the agenda pack, should be disregarded. The objection from NATS as detailed remained at this time.

·                 Essex County Council Place Services Ecology had submitted a holding objection; however, following the submission of further information by the applicant, they were satisfied with the mitigation measures in respect of migratory bats and protected species badgers. With regard to biodiversity net gain, Place Services Ecology commented that their concerns related to further assessment of the river and channel conditions in providing the pre-development baseline. They have now stated that with the right data this could be discharged, however the Officer advised that, to date, this had not been resolved.

Following this the Officer presented the application.

The Chairperson opened the discussion to Members and Councillor S J N Morgan then proposed that they accept the Officers’ recommendation to refuse. This was duly seconded.

Further discussion ensued with Councillor A S Fluker raising issues with the access route proposed for the site. He stated that the current plan would cause harm to residents, businesses and tourists who used them, creating traffic pressures and safety issues that had not been mitigated in the plan. The Director of Place, Planning and Growth responded by reiterating the position of Essex County Council’s Highway Authority, as set out in the report, and the potential outcomes of including this as a reason for refusal.

Councillor Fluker then proposed that an amendment be made to the reasons for refusal to include highway reasons. This was duly seconded. Following this, some Councillors expressed their support for the proposed amendment.

Councillor T Fittock then stated that in reference to Natural England’s objection concerning Habitat Assessments, the refusal should reflect that it was not about weighing harms and benefits, but was about meeting the test beyond reasonable scientific doubt and, as such, the application could not be approved.

In response to some of the discussion, the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.