Agenda and minutes

The Chair asked Members to note that, prior to appointment at Council on 18 July 2023 in respect of the position of a Deputy Chair of the Planning Committee, in the absence of a Deputy Chair, who normally chaired the Planning Member Working Group, Councillor Asvachin had chaired the meeting of the Group on 12 June 2023.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2023 were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as correct.

No declarations of interest were made by Members.

To consider the report of the Director City Development.

The Assistant Service Lead - Development Management (Major Projects) presented the application for the development comprising change of use to golf driving range including construction of an 8 bay and 2 training bay facility incorporating equipment store and car park.

The Assistant Service Lead - Development Management (Major Projects) reported that the application had been deferred at the previous meeting of this Committee on 25 May 2023 so that changes to the conditions could be carried out. A Member had also asked if amenity could be improved, taking into account the local community’s concerns.

Accordingly, the following revised and new conditions had been agreed with the applicant as set out in the report and detailed as follows:-

·         condition 14 had been added to require a Border Management Plan;

·         condition 21 had been added to prevent the use of herbicides etc.;

·         condition 17 (now 18) had been amended to provide opening hours of 9.30am during the week and 10.00am on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank/Public Holidays;

·         condition 13 has been amended to require biodiversity monitoring.;

·         no further condition has been added with respect to noise, as condition five already required a Noise Impact Assessment to be submitted and approved by the Local Planning Authority, and any necessary mitigation measures to be implemented, as recommended by Environmental Health. Sound proofing can therefore be secured through this condition if it is considered necessary.

As amenity could cover a wide range of issues it had not been possible to pin down improvements in this regard. The issue of whether public access could be allowed on the site, for example when the facility was not in use had been raised again; however, the applicant had stated that this was not possible for safety, security and insurance reasons. Members were reminded that this has no bearing on whether planning permission should be granted or refused.

The original committee report to this Committee on 25 May 2023 was attached as an Appendix which contained an assessment of the salient planning issues that Members were asked to consider when coming to a decision.

In respect of lighting in the car park, Members were reminded that this was controlled by condition 19, so no lighting could be installed unless agreed by the Local Planning Authority. The applicant had confirmed that no lighting was proposed in any case.

Councillor Begley, having given notice under Standing Order No. 44, spoke on the item. She read statements from Gill Barnes and Phil Wright raising the following points:-

Gill Barnes

·         340 residents have objected strongly to this application and the way it has been conducted. A seven-five vote rejecting the case officer’s recommendation was called undecided at the meeting of this Committee on 25 May 2023 and deferred by the Chair. The officers offered the Club an opportunity to improve their plans;

·         the Club have been allowed to submit amendments without any consultation. They did not consult with Natural England as it is mandatory for them to be included in all discussions throughout the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

To consider the report of the Director City Development.

The Principal Project Manager (Development Management) (CMB) presented the application for approval of reserved matters of access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale in relation to outline permission 20/1684/OUT for student accommodation and ancillary amenity facilities, and external alterations and refurbishment of Birks Grange Village Blocks A-E, with associated infrastructure, demolition of existing buildings and landscaping. The application had been deferred at the previous meeting of this Committee on 25 May 2023 so that a site visit could be arranged.

The Principal Project Manager (Development Management) (CMB) spoke to the presentation, highlighting the following matters:-

·         a site visit had been undertaken on 9 June 2023;

·         concerns from residents of the impact on residential amenity and the potential overbearing impact and loss of privacy to neighbouring dwellings arising from proposed Blocks CB, ST and GH;

·         the scheme was displayed via 3d models in the meeting;

·         the additional information sheet clarified planning considerations material to current Reserved Matters application compared with Outline consent already granted;

·         20/1684/OUT approved plans included a Site Location Plan, a Demolition Plan, Land Use Parameters Plan, a Movement and Access Parameter Plan, a Heights Parameter Plan and a Landscape and Biodiversity Parameter Plan;

·         reserved matters comprised layout, scale, appearance and access approved (subject to conditions) under the Outline consent. The appearance of the buildings had been assessed at the reserved matters stage and found acceptable subject to conditions regarding detail of materials. Access had been approved in terms of Highways safety and conditioned at Outline stage in terms of Highways safety and accessibility had been found acceptable at the reserved matters stage. The Landscaping Strategy had been approved and conditioned at Outline stage with further conditions at reserved matters stage;

·         condition 15 specifying maximum gross internal floor area of 49,821sqm;

·         parameter plans showing the limit and extent of development had been approved as follows:-

·         layout, scale, appearance and access approved condition 15 specifying maximum gross internal floor area of 49,821sqm;

·   Layout showing the maximum internal floor area of 49,821square metres in total, building footprints to not exceed areas defined in the Land Use Parameter Plan; the detailed layout of the proposed development falling within the approved parameters, the impact on residential amenity having been assessed in principle at the outline stage and therefore window control zones and height limits were set out on approved plans;

·   a more detailed assessment on residential amenity has been undertaken and found acceptable;

·   the maximum scale had been approved at outline stage with the maximum floor areas conditioned via Land Use Parameters Plan and maximum Gross Internal Area condition;

·   maximum heights were conditioned via the Heights Parameter Plan. As such, provided that the reserved matters scheme did not exceed the approved parameters, then the proposal must be considered acceptable in terms of scale.

The Principal Project Manager (Development Management) (CMB) referred to

Residential Design Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) regarding the loss of privacy and overbearing impact detailing how the development met the criteria set out in the document, in particular in respect of Elmbridge  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

To consider the report of the Director City Development.

The Chair reported that the application for the erection of a fixed ground mounted Solar Photovoltaic array with an expected capacity of no less than 1.07MWp of generating capacity, a transformer substation, cable run, associated access, fencing, biodiversity measures and ancillary works had been DEFERRED at the request of the applicant and would be considered at the July meeting of this Committee.

To consider the report of the Director City Development.

The report of the Director City Development was submitted.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To consider the report of the Director City Development.

The schedule of appeal decisions and appeals lodged was submitted.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.