Agenda and minutes

In the absence of the Vice-Chairman, who had tendered his apologies, the Chairman requested nominations for the role of Vice-Chairman.

            RESOLVED:

That Councillor A Lion be elected Vice-Chairman for the duration of the meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 1 February 2017.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2017 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

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

(a)          Pursuant to the Council’s member Code of Conduct, Councillor G Mohindra declared a non pecuniary interest in the following item by virtue of being the Chairman of the local Conservative Party and the applicant being a member of the local Conservative Party. The Councillor advised that he would remain in the meeting for the duration of the discussion and voting thereon:

·         EPF/2598/16 – 140-142 manor Road, Chigwell, IG7 5PR

(b)          Pursuant to the Council’s member Code of Conduct, Councillor G Mohindra declared a non pecuniary interest in the following item by virtue of living near the application. The Councillor advised that he would remain in the meeting for the duration of the discussion and voting thereon:

·         EPF/3091/16 – 88 Hainault Road, Loughton, IG10 5DH

Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, 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.

(a)          The Chairman introduced the recently elected Councillor for Chigwell Village, Councillor Darshan Sunger who would be observing the meeting tonight.

(b)          The Chairman also noted that agenda item 8(4) EPF/2778/16 Old Farm, Green Lane, Chigwell had been withdrawn from the agenda pending further information on flooding in that area.

(Director of Governance)  To consider the attached report.

The meeting considered a report on the refusal criteria for EPF/1741/16 (113 Church Hill, Loughton) agreed at their meeting held on 1 February 2017. The sub-committee resolved to refuse the planning permission for three reasons.  Following the meeting, officers sought the informal advice of the Highway Authority on the strength of the case the council could make on two of the reasons for refusal. The advice received was that no reasonable case could be made in respect of those reasons.

In view of this advice the meeting agreed to alter their reasons for refusal as reasons 2 and 3 could not be defended and that a revised decision to withhold permission for reason 1 alone be issued along with an amended way forward.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That, as a result of advice received from the Highway Authority, the highway-related reasons for the refusal of planning application EPF/1741/16 (Reasons 2 and 3) as determined by the Sub-Committee on 1 February 2017, be rescinded;

(2)       That, pursuant to (1) above, a revised decision notice reflecting the refusal of planning permission for the following reason only, be issued:

‘The quantum of development proposed, together with appropriate off-street car parking and private amenity space provision, is likely to require a three-storey building.  A building of that height would be unlikely to relate well to the neighbouring house at 111 Church Hill and would be likely to appear over-dominant in the street scene.  As a consequence, the proposal is very unlikely to respect the character and appearance of the locality, contrary to Local Plan and Alterations policies CP2(iv), CP3(v), CP7, and DBE1(i), which are consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework’.

(3)       That, as a result of the revision of the reasons for the refusal of planning application EPF/1741/16 as set out in Recommendations (1) and (2) above, the suggested way forward on the application be as follows:

‘Members considered that an alternative proposal for a less intensive development that could demonstrably be contained within a two-storey building,would be likely to address the objections raised’.

(Director of Governance)  To consider planning applications as set out in the attached schedule

Background Papers:  (i)  Applications for determination – applications listed on the schedule, letters of representation received regarding the applications which are summarised on the schedule.  (ii)  Enforcement of Planning Control – the reports of officers inspecting the properties listed on the schedule in respect of which consideration is to be given to the enforcement of planning control.

The Sub-Committee considered a schedule of applications for planning permission.

            RESOLVED:

            That the planning applications numbered 1 – 10 be determined as set out in the attached schedule to these minutes.

Exclusion: To consider whether, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that they will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or are confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, which came into effect on 1 March 2006, requires the Council to consider whether maintaining the exemption listed above outweighs the potential public interest in disclosing the information. Any member who considers that this test should be applied to any currently exempted matter on this agenda should contact the proper officer at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Background Papers:  Article 17 - Access to Information, Procedure Rules of the Constitution define background papers as being documents relating to the subject matter of the report which in the Proper Officer's opinion:

(a)        disclose any facts or matters on which the report or an important part of the report is based;  and

(b)        have been relied on to a material extent in preparing the report and does not include published works or those which disclose exempt or confidential information and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

The Council will make available for public inspection for four years after the date of the meeting one copy of each of the documents on the list of background papers.

The Sub-Committee noted that there was no business which necessitated the exclusion of the public and press.