EPPING FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL

COMMITTEE MINUTES


Committee:
Ongar Park and Blunts Farm Golf Courses -
Ad Hoc Special

Date:
28 May 2003

Place:
Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Epping
Time:
4.00 p.m. - 5.10 p.m.

Members
Present:
Councillors M Woollard (Chairman), L Martin, R Morgan, R Newland,
D Stallan

Other
Councillors:
Mrs A Grigg

Apologies:
Councillors Mrs J Davis, Mrs C Pond

Officers
Present:

Also
Present by
Invitation:
J Preston, I White, C Neilan (Planning Services), C Robinson, P Messum
(Environmental Services), G Lunnun (Policy Unit)

C Thompson - Clerk of Moreton, Bobbingworth and The Lavers Parish Council

1. MINUTES

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 1 April 2003 be taken as
read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

No declarations of interest were made in accordance with the Council's Code of
Conduct for Councillors.

3. GOLF COURSE - ONGAR PARK (Minute 8 - 1.4.03)

(a) Permanent Access

The Head of Planning Services reported that copies of the plan showing a
revised scheme for access to the site had been sent to members of the
Committee and relevant local councils together with a request that comments be
forwarded to the County Council by not later than 13 June 2003. He advised
that the County Council's consultants undertaking the safety audit had already
been asked to take account of the access to the nearby farm shop before
approving the permanent access to the golf course.

RESOLVED:

(1) That, having regard to the requirement to turn left only out of the site,
the County Council be asked to require that the central reservation be
extended to prevent a right turn;

(2) That members submit any further views regarding access direct to the
County Council by not later than 13 June 2003;

(b) Section 106 Agreement

The Committee noted that the developers anticipated that all earthworks and
grading would be finished by September 2003. If the weather was favourable
in the autumn, they also hoped to complete seeding, otherwise it would be
carried out in the spring of 2004. As the soil importation and internal
movement of soil would only last for another four or five months, the
developers had questioned whether a Section 106 Agreement could be
concluded satisfactorily within this time period. Members were also advised
that the Solicitor to the Council had questioned the pursuit of a legal
agreement given that planning permission had been granted and significantly
implemented without any requirement for such an agreement. The
Committee was also informed that, if the developer entered into an
agreement requiring a reduction in the number of daily journeys to and from
the site, the timetable of completion of works would be affected resulting in
soil movements probably continuing until spring 2004. The Head of Planning
Services advised that it was understood the site managers advised hauliers
on a daily basis to access the site from the west via the M11 and A414 and
from the east via the A414.

The Committee considered the pursuit of a legal agreement having regard to
the advice from officers. Members also discussed other steps which could be
taken with a view to encouraging hauliers to use the recommended routes.
Attention was drawn to a letter dated 23 May 2003 from the architects for the
golf course stating that there would not be any materials imported to the site
which would be surplus to that required to achieve the agreed and approved
general site grading. Officers reported that the level of imported material
already on site was anticipated to be sufficient to achieve the approved site
grading.

RESOLVED:

(1) That further consideration be given to a Section 106 Agreement
restricting HGV movements; and

(2) That the officers discuss with the developers the erection on agreed
routes of appropriate signs directing hauliers to and from the site;

(c) Supplementary Information

The Head of Planning Services reminded members that at the last meeting of
the Committee approval had been given to the supplementary information to
be required in respect of future applications involving soil movement and
importation. He advised that, since the last meeting, that further
consideration had been given to this document and a revised version
including additional requirements was tabled for consideration.

The Head of Planning Services reported that at a recent meeting of the Essex
Development Control Forum, there had been a discussion regarding
proposals involving changes in ground levels. Officers were being advised to
ask applicants how the proposed land form was to be achieved and if the
response was that no material was to be brought onto the site an appropriate
condition had been suggested. Another condition had also been suggested
where it was apparent that no waste was to be brought onto a site. Where
material was to be brought onto a site, the need to ascertain how much, what
kind, over what period and what routes would be used to transport the
material were relevant considerations and would be covered by the proposed
supplementary information pro forma being discussed by the Committee. It
would also be necessary to have discussions with County Council officers in
order to determine whether the proposals amounted to a "county matter"
requiring the direct involvement of the County Council.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the revised wording for the supplementary information to be
required in respect of future applications involving soil movement and
importation as set out in the Appendix to these minutes be approved;

(2) That a draft of the proposed form for completion by applicants be
submitted for consideration by the Committee at its next meeting; and

(3) That the recommendations of the Essex Development Control Forum
concerning the use of conditions to prevent the importation of any material or
any waste material onto sites be approved and that suitable questions
reflecting the need for these conditions be included in the form for completion
by applicants.

4. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

RESOLVED:

That a further meeting be held on 24 July at 4.00 p.m.

5. BLUNTS FARM - GOLF COURSE

The Committee was advised that a meeting had been held between representatives
of the applicant and the Planning Services case officer but little progress
had been made in relation to the development of this site.

RESOLVED:

That a progress report be submitted to the next meeting in relation to the
development of this site.

6. CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE

The Chairman advised that following discussions between Group Leaders it was
proposed that Councillor Stallan would be appointed Chairman of the Committee
prior to the next meeting.

CHAIRMAN
41
Ongar Park and Blunts Farm Golf Courses - 28 May 2003
Ad Hoc Special