Agenda and minutes

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

2.         The Director of Governance will read the following announcement:

“This meeting will be webcast live to the Internet and will be archived for later viewing. Copies of recordings may be made available on request.

By entering the chamber’s lower seating area you are consenting to becoming part of the webcast.

If you wish to avoid being filmed you should move to the public gallery or speak to the webcasting officer”

The Democratic Services Officer reminded everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the Internet, and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

The Chairman welcomed members of the public to the meeting and outlined the procedures and arrangements adopted by the Council to enable persons to address the Committee, in relation to the determination of applications for planning permission. The Committee noted the advice provided for the public and speakers in attendance at Council Planning meetings.

(Director of Governance) To be announced at the meeting.

In the absence of the Vice-Chairman, who had tended his apologies, the Chairman requested nominations for a Vice-Chairman for the duration of the meeting.

Resolved:

(1)        That Councillor J Hart be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the duration of the meeting.

(Director of Governance) To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Committee noted the following substitutions for this meeting:

(i)         Councillor A Mitchell for Councillor Y Knight; and

(ii)        Councillor G Shiell for Councillor B Rolfe.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 3 December 2014.

Resolved:

(1)        That the minutes of the meeting held on 3 December 2014, previously circulated, be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:

            (a)        amending the decision for minute 33 (Tottenham Hotspur Training Ground, Luxborough Lane, Chigwell) to state that the financial contribution of     £50,000 for a mini-bus service across Chigwell should be made to Chigwell      Parish Council.

(Director of Governance) To declare interests in any item on this agenda.

(a)        Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillors A Boyce, H Brady, J Hart, S Jones, C C Pond and B Sandler declared a personal interest in the following item of the agenda by virtue of the applicant being a fellow Member of the Council. The Councillors had determined that their interest was not pecuniary and would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·                     EPF/2853/14   Pine Lodge Riding Centre, Lippitts Hill, Waltham Abbey.

(b)        Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillor H Brady declared a further personal interest in the following item of the agenda by virtue of having worked for one hour a week at the Riding School 20 years ago. The Councillor had determined that her interest was not pecuniary and would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·                     EPF/2853/14   Pine Lodge Riding Centre, Lippitts Hill, Waltham Abbey.

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report in connection with the proposed demolition of an existing garden centre/commercial buildings and the erection of 43 dwellings with associated parking and landscaping, at Chimes Garden Centre, Old Nazeing Road, Nazeing.

(Director of Communities) To consider the attached supplementary report regarding the proposed Section 106 agreement for this application.

The Principal Planning Officer presented a report on the proposed demolition of an existing garden centre/commercial buildings and the erection of 43 dwellings with associated parking and landscaping, at Chimes Garden Centre in Old Nazeing Road, Nazeing.

The Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that the application site was approximately 2.5 hectares in area, and was located to the south of the residential area comprising Riverside Avenue and Great Meadow. The northern boundary of the site was flanked by gardens of residential properties; the western boundary was formed by the River Lee Navigation; and there was open land to the south and east. The site was wholly within the Metropolitan Green Belt and the Lea Valley Regional Park, but was not a conservation area.

The Principal Planning Officer stated that the proposal was to remove all the existing buildings and hard standing from the site, and to redevelop the site with 43 two-storey and two-and-a-half-storey detached and semi-detached properties in a simple layout around a central estate road accessed via Old Nazeing Road. The plans indicated the building of 2 3-bed, 22 4-bed, 9 5-bed, 9 6-bed and 1 8-bed properties on the site.

The Principal Planning Officer reported that the main issue to consider was that the site lay wholly within the Metropolitan Green Belt. As the site had been previously developed, the main consideration was whether the development would have a greater impact upon the openness of the Green Belt. There were also housing issues to consider, including the lack of a Five-Year Supply of Housing document as part of the Council’s Local Plan, the lack of affordable housing proposed for the site and the purchase of the former Total Garage site in Nazeing from the Parish Council to provide low cost housing at this site as planning permission had already been granted for 6 properties to be built there. Other issues included potential flood risk as most of the site was within a Flood Zone 2 and the remainder of the site was within a Flood Zone 3; contamination, as more than half of the site was a landfill site; layout and design; the impact on neighbouring amenity; the recording and investigation of any archaeological deposits; the results of the ecological studies performed at the site; highways and parking issues, including the proposed access to the site and parking within the site; a contribution towards the costs of increased education provision in the area; the impact on the Lee Valley Regional Park; and the sustainability of development at the proposed site.

The Principal Planning Officer presented the conclusions reached by Planning Officers. It was acknowledged that the application had some merit, including the provision of quality, attractive housing close to Nazeing and the resolution of the ongoing enforcement issues concerning the site, and the provision of a further six affordable dwellings on the former Total Garage site in the centre of Nazeing. However, the development would have a significant adverse impact on the openness and character of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report in connection with the proposed demolition of existing buildings, improvements to existing vehicular access, erection of five detached houses, associated garages and boundary fences and landscaping, at Pine Lodge Riding Centre, Lippitts Hill, Waltham Abbey.

The Principal Planning Officer presented a report on the planning application, EPF/2853/14, at Pine Lodge Riding Centre, Lippitts Hill in Waltham Abbey. The application was before the Committee as the applicant was a serving District Councillor for Waltham Abbey High Beech.

The Principal Planning Officer stated that the application site was located on the south-west side of Lippitts Hill, and was currently a riding centre with stabling and an arena. The residential properties of Springfield Farmhouse (itself a Grade II Listed Building) were to the east of the site, as was Pine Lodge itself which was in the ownership of the applicant. There were other equestrian facilities to the south-west and north of the site, which had a long history of stable and equestrian use. The application proposed the removal of all the existing buildings and the construction of five detached houses with associated garages, arranged around a central courtyard. Access would be via an existing access track to the east of the main access to the Farmhouse and Pine Lodge.

The Principal Planning Officer highlighted the main issues to be considered for the application. These were whether the development was appropriate in the Green Belt, the design of the development, the impact on the setting of the Listed Building (Springfield Farmhouse) and on residential amenity, parking and highway safety, sustainability and land drainage matters. After considering all these issues, Officers had concluded that the proposed development was in accordance with the adopted policies of the Local Plan and Alterations, and the National Planning Policy Framework, and was therefore recommended for approval.

The Committee noted the summary of representations, which included two letters of support, three letters opposing the development, and two letters offering no objection. In addition, representations had been received from the County Conservation Officer, who felt that the proposed development would not have a detrimental impact upon the Listed Building nearby, and the County Highways Officer, who indicated the proposed development would generate significantly less vehicle movements and would reduce the movement of larger vehicles to the site for the benefit of all highway users. The Principal Planning Officer informed the Committee of the receipt of a late representation, which supported the proposed development but suggested the wording of condition 11 be revised to strengthen the future use of the remaining stables and outbuildings for non-commercial purposes.

The Committee heard from an objector, who was the former owner of the site and had sold it to the applicant, and the applicant’s agent before proceeding to debate the application.

A local Member for Loughton Broadway was pleased with the design of the proposed dwellings, although there were one or two street scene issues and concerns expressed about the remaining farm buildings being converted to homes in the future. The Member suggested that the removal of permitted development rights would be appropriate for the proposed dwellings at this site, and that an archaeological survey of the site should be undertaken prior to the commencement of any construction works.

The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

The Committee noted that there was no other urgent business for consideration.