Agenda and minutes

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 23 April 2018

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 April 2018 were approved and signed by the Chair as correct.

Councillor Denham declared a personal interest in respect of Min. No. 135 and left the meeting during consideration of this matter.

To consider the report of the City Development Manager.

The Project Manager (Planning) (GM) presented the application for the construction of student accommodation including the creation of access and associated infrastructure.

Members were circulated with an update sheet.

Councillor Owen, having given notice under Standing Order No. 44, spoke on the item. He raised the following points:-

• not many Members attended the site inspection on 21 November;
• will focus on highway issues, Councillor Mitchell to address other matters of concern;
• unlike other applications for purpose built student accommodation, road safety for both the general public and students is a major feature and a highway officer should ideally be in attendance;
• Glenthorne Road is the only, rather than the major, access point to the site;
• because of the potential for clashes between vehicles and vehicles and pedestrians, the applicant in the early stages of the application proposed the provision of an adjustable bollard at the entrance to the road but this was rejected by residents;
• no confidence in the figures provided in the report as many of the statistics provided are contradictory. The validity of the transport data is therefore questioned;
• it is a narrow road with a bend at the narrowest point with great risks of collision between vehicles and between pedestrians and vehicles;
• Glenthorne Road is a pedestrian route and its use by students will increase by some 500 on the completion of both this development and that of the Moberley block;
• students may not bring cars but their lifestyle through ordering takeaways, use of supermarket deliveries and hiring taxis to and from the city centre will greatly increase traffic flow. Taxi use in particular will be significant in light of the reduction of the H bus service. All these elements will increase traffic congestion in the city and increase air pollution;
• students will also use Glenthorne Road to access the supermarket and go to bus stop on Cowley Bridge Road;
• Glenthorne Road is a private road and not the responsibility of the County Council as Highway Authority;
• vehicles often meet on Glenthorne Road leading to the lower vehicle reversing back onto Lower Argyll Road which is a dangerous manoeuvre;
• the report makes no reference to previous planning applications which were refused. In 1989, the County Highways officer commented that an application for a ten dwelling development was unsuitable because of the increased use of the turning point and the Cowley Bridge Road and Glenthorne Road junction. In 2004, in respect of a single dwelling, the highways officer commented that the carriageway was too narrow with no pedestrian footway and that any additional vehicular use was a cause for concern;
• the Duryard Trust letter refers to the absence of any reference to road ownership in the report nor to the problems of vehicles reversing back down the road;
• on 7 March an ambulance was hindered from reaching a critically ill resident of the Dennyshill Care Home because its path was blocked by an oncoming car and was unable to reach the individual in time;
• this is the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 133.

The Principal Project Manager (Development) (MD) presented the application for the change of use of premises from office (Use Class B1) to NHS Depression and Anxiety Service (DAS) (Use Class D1).

The Chair read out the comments of Mr Ridgers, an objector who had to leave the meeting before this item was considered.

·         note that seven parking spaces have been allocated for patients to service seven treatment surgeries. At any one time there would be two patients for every one parking spot. A patient who is in treatment and another one arriving for their appointment looking to park. This would result in an additional seven drivers looking to park. Finding a parking space on this Office Park is highly stressful, as there is no free parking spaces within a ½ -1 mile radius.   This would place un-necessary stress on individuals with mental health and anxiety issues;

·         adjacent to the site is the Clare Milne Centre for children with learning difficulties who use the roadways for exercising, as the children and their carers go on their regular daily walks around the centre. There are no footpaths and the children walk in the middle of the roads. Due to the severe nature of the mental and physical disabilities of the children drivers have to regularly stop to a halt for the children to be moved to the side of the road.  Regular users can be prepared but there is a likely accident potential with drivers who are un-aware of the children and their issues; and

·         the original plan for the site was an office park – the infrastructure was not designed for continual daily traffic looking to access and park for short periods. Urge Members to conduct a site tour and assess the issues.

Mr Wilkins spoke in support of the application. He raised the following points:-

·         the Depression and Anxiety Service in Devon was established in 2009. Thousands of clinicians were trained as part of a national programme. In Devon, it is delivered within the local communities and it contributes to the overall wellbeing of the population;

·         offers a completely free NHS service, staffed by highly trained and accredited clinicians. It will be one of the few self-referral mental health services around that will be easy to access, negating the need for people to see a GP;

·         have received over 130,000 referrals since inception in 2009 and currently receive well over 20,000 referrals a year. It is believed that only between 15% and 19% of the population struggling with these conditions are being helped and over 80% of people do not get help;

·         the NHS has a five year plan to significantly increase the number of people able to access such services, with Devon aiming to treat a further 10,000 people a year by 2021;

·         a move to Elizabeth House for the East and Mid Devon team is a critical to enable expansion. A clinical base at Elizabeth House will be highly accessible for people in East Exeter and East  ...  view the full minutes text for item 134.

Councillor Denham declared a personal interest and left the meeting during consideration of this item.

The City Development Manager presented the application for the construction of single-storey cafe and community hub building; replacement of BMX track in alternative location in park.

Mr Hunt spoke in support of the application. He raised the following points:-

·         speaking as the Chair of Trustees for Park Life Heavitree, a grass roots, community led charity working in and around Heavitree Pleasure Grounds since 2011 with over 40 active volunteers helping to reduce social isolation, improve community cohesion, provide opportunities for people to get active and to create a more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable community;

·         long term aim is to expand the services and activities through a facility in the park. This will be a café with indoor and outdoor seating and a community hall space for hire;

·         the building will help to reduce loneliness in the area. A recent report states that in Heavitee there is a high risk of being lonely. Having a place to gather, meet and take part in social events will bring people out of their homes and into a warm, dry, friendly place in a green space. It will improve health and wellbeing and provide a well-designed space that can be hired to encourage people to get active all year round. At the moment activities like Heavitree Fit Club are seasonal as classes move indoors in winter but out of Heavitree;

·         it will create a community led not for profit business offering employment, training, volunteer and work experience opportunities;

·         a fully costed business plan shows that the facility will work and put money back into the park and the community;

·         it will be be a focus and a ‘shop-front’ for Park Life’s activities/engagement and act as a community hub for other groups;

·         people will be encouraged to use sustainable transport, particularly walking and cycling;

·         the current BMX mud humps will be relocated to a site near the skate park;

·         the operational management plan, to be submitted as a pre commencement condition, will ensure that there is no detriment to immediate neighbours in terms of opening times, noise and lighting.

He responded as follows to Members’ queries:-

·         the provision of solar panels and rainwater harvesting are not included in the plans at this stage but their potential will be investigated;

·         support for sustainable transport is acknowledged and secure cycle parking will be provided;

·         as an alcohol licence is not being sought at this stage for the cafe, anyone consuming alcohol either within or immediately outside the premises, will be asked to leave; and

·         it was considered that concerns expressed regarding the loss of open space were addressed through enhancing the overall provision, the BMX facility being very basic and no more than mud overlaying a former play area which had a concrete base.

Members noted that, whilst the hall would be open from 8:00am to 10:00pm, the opening times for the café also extended on some evenings  ...  view the full minutes text for item 135.

To consider the report of the City Development Manager.

The Project Manager (Planning) (GM) presented the application for the reconstruction of a dwelling along with a two storey rear extension and front porch.

Members were circulated with an update sheet.

The recommendation was for approval, subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

RESOLVED that planning permission for the reconstruction of a dwelling along with a two storey rear extension and front porchbe APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-

(1)        C05 - Time Limit – Commencement

(2)        The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out otherwise than in strict accordance with the submitted details received by the Local Planning Authority on 25 April 2016 (dwg. no(s). AP(0)51 Rev.A) and on 1 July 2016 (dwg. no. AP(0)49 Rev.A), as modified by other conditions of this consent.

Reason: In order to ensure compliance with the approved drawings.

(3)        C75 - Construction/demolition hours

(4)        Pre-commencement condition: A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) shall be submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the commencement of development on site and adhered to during the construction period. This should include details of monitoring and mitigation measures to control the environmental impact of the development during the construction and demolition phases, including site traffic and traffic routing, the effects of piling, and emissions of noise and dust. The CEMP should contain a procedure for handling and investigating complaints as well as provision for regular meetings with appropriate representatives from the Local Authorities during the development works, in order to discuss forthcoming work and its environmental impact.

Reason for pre-commencement condition: In the interest of the environment of the site and surrounding areas. This information is required before development commences to ensure that the impacts of the development works are properly considered and addressed at the earliest possible stage.

To consider the report of the City Development Manager.

The report of the City Development Manager was submitted.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To consider the report of the City Development Manager.

The schedule of appeal decisions and appeals lodged was submitted.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The report of the Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support was submitted.

RESOLVED that the circulated rota of site inspection be approved, subject to any changes during the course of the year.

To advise that the next Site Inspection Party will be held on Tuesday 12 June 2018 at 9.30 a.m.  The Councillors attending to be advised.

RESOLVED that the next Site Inspection Party will be held on Tuesday 12 June at 9.30 a.m. The Councillors attending are Edwards, Mrs Henson and Prowse.