Agenda and minutes

1.         This meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking.

2.         The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of repeated viewing and copies of the recording could be made available for those that request it.

If you are seated in the lower public seating area it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in the possibility that your image will become part of the broadcast.

This may infringe your human and data protection rights and if you wish to avoid this you should move to the upper public gallery”

The Chairman made a short address to remind all present that the meeting would be broadcast on the Internet, and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 2 December 2008 (attached).

Resolved:

That the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 12 December 2008 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

It was noted that Councillor J M Whitehouse was substituting for Councillor A Haigh for this meeting.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive) To declare interests in any item on this agenda.

Pursuant to the Councils Code of Member Conduct, Councillors C Pond and J Markham declared a personal interest in agenda item 8 (Advertisement application EPF/2432/08 - Installation of sponsorship information signage at 15 locations in the District) by virtue of being members of the LRA and Loughton Town Council and, in the case of Councillor Mrs Pond, acquainted with an objector. Both members of the Committee stayed in the meeting and took part in the debate on those items.

(Director of Planning and Economic Development) To consider the attached report.

The Committee noted that in July 1998, Council had granted permission for the redevelopment of the former radio station at North Weald Bassett including a Section 106 Agreement  providing the payment of £100,000 to this Council for (a) £30,000 to be used for the future management and maintenance of the Essex Redoubt (a Scheduled Monument) in accordance with a management strategy that the Council was previously to have approved; and (b) £70,000 for the laying out and future maintenance of a pocket park and car park.

The money for the Redoubt had been retained by this Council. The Peer Group and English Heritage had tried to identify the best way to use the money in the longer-term interests of the Redoubt and had asked that the remaining Section 106 monies be used to prepare a Conservation Management Plan for the Redoubt.

Officers had presented a report to the Committee on 5 February 2008 proposing that £20,000 of the Section 106 monies should be used for preparation of the Management Plan, provided it was matched by a similar sum from the Peer Group. At that time, the Committee concluded that, rather than spending part of the retained sum on the preparation of such a plan, it would be better spent on enhancements to the site, and that officers should consider how the Management Plan might be prepared without recourse to the retained monies.

The Peer Group had now requested the return of the retained monies so that it could be spent on the management and maintenance of the Redoubt. The Committee considered the request in light of officer advice and concluded that as, in this case the Council could not spend the contribution itself, and the owner retained the maintenance and security responsibilities, it was appropriate for the Council to return the contribution, given the period of time which had elapsed since the original permission was granted.

Resolved:

(1)        That the negotiations with the Peer Group regarding the future of The Redoubt on the basis of the following options be noted:

(a)        utilising £20,000 of Section 106 funds to develop a management plan for the site;

(b)        returning £30,000 of section 106 agreement funds to Peer Group;

(2)        That it be noted that the Peer Group favour option 1(b) above;

(3)        That the outstanding Section 106 sum of £30,000 be returned to the Peer Group; and

(4)        That the company be reminded of its responsibilities for the security of, safety and maintenance of the Redoubt under the Section 106 Agreement.

(Director of Planning and Economic Development) To consider the attached report.

The Committee considered an application for sponsored advertisement signs at 15 locations in the district including roundabouts and highway verges. The Committee’s attention was drawn to 3 letters of representation from Loughton Town Council, Ongar Town Council and a resident in Englands Lane, Loughton.

The Committee considered each location separately having taken representations at the meeting. It was considered that some of the locations were appropriate for signs and should be granted but some were inappropriate to their proposed setting.

Resolved:

(1)        That Advertisement Consent for the signage at the following locations be granted:

Signs at locations at 2, 3, 6, 9 10, 11

Location 2.      Roundabout: Honey Lane South of M25.  3 signs type A.

Location 3.      Roundabout: Honey Lane north of M25. 4 signs type A.

Location 6.      Roundabout: Abbeyview/Highbridge Street. 4 signs type A.

Location 9.      Roundabout: The Talbot/A414. 4 signs type A.

Location 10.    Roundabout: Four Wantz/A414. 4 signs type A.

Location 11.    Roundabout: London Road A113/A1112. 3 signs type B.

Subject to the following condition:

Before the signs hereby approved are placed on the roundabouts, details of landscaping enhancement of the roundabout shall be submitted to, and agreed in writing by, the Local Planning Authority.  The details as agreed shall be carried out within 2 months of the erection of the signs, in respect of each roundabout.

Reason:  In the interest of visual amenity.

(2)        That Advertisement Consent for the signage at the following locations be refused for the reasons listed:

Signs at locations at 4, 5, 7, 15

Location 4.      Roundabout: Sewardstone Road/A121. 4 Signs type A.

Location 5.      Roundabout: Lower Island Way/A121. 4 signs type A.

Location 7.      Roundabout: Abbeyview/Crooked Mile. 4 Signs type A.

Location 15.    Central Reservation: Chigwell Lane, opposite exit from M11. 2-4 signs type B.

Reason for Refusal:

The proposed signage, given its location, is likely to be a distraction to drivers, that may result in early braking that could result in harm to highway safety, contrary to policies DBE13 and ST4 of the Adopted Local Plan and Alterations.

Signs at locations at 1, 8

Location 1.      Roundabout: Epping New Road/Earls Path. 2 signs type B.

Location 8.      Roundabout: Epping New Road/Woodridden Hill. 5 signs type A.

Reason for Refusal:

The proposed adverts would fail to protect or enhance the historic nature and unique character of Epping Forest and therefore will be contrary to policy HC5 of the Adopted Local Plan and Alterations.

Signs at locations at 12, 13, 14

Location 12.    Roundabout: Ongar Road, Stapleford Aerodrome. 3 Signs type A.

Location 13.    Roundabout: Rayley Lane North/ A414. 3 signs type A.

Location 14.    Roundabout: Rayley Lane South/Vicarage Lane. 3 signs type A.

Reason for Refusal:

The proposed signs would be harmful to the rural landscape and surrounding countryside, contrary to policies LL2 of the Adopted Local Plan and Alterations.

Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, together with paragraphs 6 and 25 of the Council Procedure Rules contained in the Constitution requires that the permission of the Chairman be obtained, after prior notice to the Chief Executive, before urgent business not specified in the agenda (including a supplementary agenda of which the statutory period of notice has been given) may be transacted.

In accordance with Operational Standing Order 6 (non-executive bodies), any item raised by a non-member shall require the support of a member of the Committee concerned and the Chairman of that Committee.  Two weeks' notice of non-urgent items is required.

There was no further business to be transacted at the meeting.