Agenda and minutes

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

2.         The Senior Democratic Services Officer will read the following announcement:

”I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the internet (or filmed) and will be capable of repeated viewing (or another use by third parties).

If you are seated in the lower public seating area then 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 then you should move to the upper public gallery.

Could I please also remind Members to activate their microphones before speaking.”

The Senior 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.

(Director of Governance) General advice to people attending the meeting is attached.

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 Committee meetings.

(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 Philip for Councillor Boyce.

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

(a)        Pursuant to the Council’s Member Code of Conduct, Councillor G Mohindra declared an interest in the following item of the agenda, by virtue of being the Chairman of the local Conservative Party for which the Anderson Group, who would be undertaking the construction, was a donor of funds. The Councillor had determined that this interest was not pecuniary and would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·                     EPF/1629/15   Sixteen String Jack, Coppice Row, Theydon Bois.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 5 August 2015.

Resolved:

(1)        That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 August 2015 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report for the demolition of the existing Public House and associated buildings and the erection of eleven residential apartments with parking and communal gardens (DEV-011-2015/16).

The Assistant Director of Governance (Development Management) presented a report for the demolition of the existing Public House and associated buildings and the erection of eleven residential apartments with parking and communal gardens at the site of the Sixteen String Jack in Coppice Row, Theydon Bois.

The Assistant Director informed the Committee that this application was originally considered by Area Plans Sub-Committee East on 14 October 2015, where Members voted to refuse the application contrary to the Officer recommendation. Immediately following the vote, the application was referred to this Committee under the Minority Reference rules in the Constitution, with a recommendation to refuse.

The Assistant Director reported that the site was the former Sixteen String Public House, and included the former garden areas, car park and an attached cottage. The site fronted onto Coppice Row, with a side access to Robin’s Lane; the western boundary was open to the Green Belt. This area of Coppice Row sloped downhill to the main village of Theydon Bois and was a rural lane with narrow pavements. The proposal was to remove the current buildings and clear the site before building 1 one-bedroomed and 10 two-bedroomed apartments with 15 parking spaces on site. The proposed flats would have a varied articulation and a range of materials and ridge heights. It was noted that this was a revised scheme following refusal of planning permission on this site in 2014 for thirteen residential apartments with parking and communal gardens.

In conclusion, Planning Officers felt the revised scheme had overcome the previous reason for refusal and were recommending approval. It was accepted that the scheme would impact upon neighbours, but the revised scheme had greatly reduced any harm from the original scheme. Essex County Council had not raised any Highways concerns, and the revised scheme had increased the amount of parking spaces available on site. It was thought that the development would make a meaningful contribution towards new homes in the District in a desirable location, where the built form was outside of the Metropolitan Green Belt and changes had been made to reduce the impact at this sensitive Green Belt boundary.

The Committee noted the summary of representations received in relation to the application. There had been twelve letters of objection received from residents in Coppice Row, one letter of objection from a resident in Robins Lane and one letter of objection from a resident in Dukes Avenue. A further four letters of objection had been received from the Theydon Bois Action Group, the Theydon Bois & District Rural Preservation Society, the City of London Open Spaces Department and a very strong objection had been received from Theydon Bois Parish Council. The Committee heard from an Objector, the Parish Council and the Applicant’s Agent before proceeding to debate the application.

A local Member for Theydon Bois stated that the existing properties in Coppice Row were detached properties set back from the road, and this development would be out of character with the current street scene. The residents  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report regarding the demolition of existing structures and redevelopment to provide 79 residential units (including 63 affordable housing units), an associated Children’s Day Nursery, new access and roundabout and associated parking and landscaping (DEV-012-2015/16).

The Assistant Director of Governance (Development Management) presented a report for the demolition of existing structures and redevelopment to provide 79 residential units (including 63 affordable housing units), an associated Children’s Day Care Nursery, new access and roundabout, and associated parking and landscaping at Knolly’s Nursery on Pick Hill, Waltham Abbey.

The Assistant Director informed the Committee that this application was originally considered by Area Plans Sub-Committee West on 19 August 2015, where Members voted to approve the application contrary to the Officer’s recommendation. As the application was a major development contrary to Local Plan Policy, it was referred to this Committee for a final decision. It was highlighted that, should permission be granted by the Committee, the application would have to be referred to the National Planning Casework Unit under the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) (Direction) 2009 as it was a departure from the Green Belt policies of the Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

The Assistant Director reported that the site was approximately 3.5 hectares in size and situated in the north-east sector of Waltham Abbey. The site was within the Metropolitan Green Belt and was a greenfield site due to its former use as a nursery. The western side of the site was generally low set and well screened whereas the eastern side rose steeply to the crest of a hill and was open grassland. The proposal consisted of 36 two-bedroom affordable houses, 27 three-bedroom affordable houses, 11 three-bedroom private dwellings, and 5 four-bedroom private dwellings. A Children’s Day Care Nursery would be constructed close to the entrance, along with a new roundabout as part of the new access road. The high level section of the site would remain as open space.

Area Plans Sub-Committee West had concluded that the proposed development would bring much needed housing to Waltham Abbey, and included a significant proportion of affordable housing. It was felt that the site was not excessively unsustainable, with local shopping facilities nearby in Pick Hill. It was also felt that the positive aspects of the scheme, including the provision of the Day Care Nursery and the removal of the existing derelict structures, constituted very special circumstances which outweighed the harm to the Green Belt from the development.

The Director of Governance had maintained that the proposed development was unsustainable and constituted inappropriate development in the Green Belt. The harm to the Green Belt from this development would not be outweighed by the need for housing in the area and the community benefits and facilities proposed, and therefore the original recommendation to refuse planning permission should be maintained.

The Committee noted the summary of representations received in relation to the application, and that some additional representations had been received since the meeting of Area Plans Sub-Committee West on 19 August 2015. A total of 49 letters had been received objecting to the application, including from the Waltham Abbey Residents Association, and 102 letters had been received supporting the application. Waltham Abbey Town Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report for advertisement consent for the erection of 11 free standing gateway signs across 9 sites and 3 visitor hub signs across 3 sites (DEV-013-2015/16).

The Assistant Director of Governance (Development Management) presented a report for advertisement consent for the erection of eleven free standing gateway signs across nine sites and three visitor hub signs across three sites.

The Assistant Director informed the Committee that this application had been referred directly to the Committee for determination, as it affected more than one Area Plans Sub-Committee; in this instance, Sub-Committees East, South and West.

The Assistant Director reported that the proposal was for the erection of fourteen non-illuminated signs consisting of small, medium and large gateway signs and visitor hub signs. Several of these signs were intended to replace existing signage and the aim was to give visitors a sense of arrival to Epping Forest as well as to remind drivers to be aware of the Forest environment. The chosen image was the work of local artist Walter E Spradberry and had been created to advertise the No 56 Bus route through Epping Forest. It was originally published by the Underground Electric Railways Company Limited in 1913. The new signs were part of the “Branching-Out” Project being undertaken by the Conservators of Epping Forest, and funded as part of the Heritage Lottery project. As part of the project, similar planning applications had been made to the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Redbridge and Newham and these had all been granted advertisement consent.

Officers had concluded that, whilst the design might not be universally popular with all residents, the signs had been specifically designed to appropriately advertise the Forest and assist in directing visitors without being harmful to highway safety or the character and appearance of the area. The proposal complied with guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant Local Plan Policies and was therefore recommended for approval.

The Committee noted the Summary of Representations received in respect of the application. Seven letters of objection had been received from Loughton Town Council, Theydon Bois Parish Council, the Epping Society, Theydon Bois Action Group, Theydon Bois & District Rural Preservation Society, Loughton Residents Association and Buckhurst Hill Residents Society. Waltham Abbey Town Council and Epping Town Council had responded but had no objections. The Committee heard from the City of London Corporation, who were speaking on behalf of the applicant  - the Conservators of Epping Forest – before proceeding to debate the application.

A number of Members felt that the proposed signs were garish, out of character with the natural scene of the Forest, and harmful to the local amenity. There was some discussion as to whether the Village Green in Theydon Bois actually constituted a gateway to the Forest, as this was one of the proposed locations. It was suggested that the phrase “Thank you for driving carefully” when leaving the Forest could imply that drivers no longer needed to continue driving carefully. However, it was pointed out by the Chairman that such signs were common across the country when leaving towns and villages.

However, there were Members who liked the signs, felt  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

It was noted that there was no other urgent business for consideration by the Committee.

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.

Confidential Items Commencement

Paragraph 9 of the Council Procedure Rules contained in the Constitution require:

(1)        All business of the Council requiring to be transacted in the presence of the press and public to be completed by 10.00 p.m. at the latest.

(2)        At the time appointed under (1) above, the Chairman shall permit the completion of debate on any item still under consideration, and at his or her discretion, any other remaining business whereupon the Council shall proceed to exclude the public and press.

(3)        Any public business remaining to be dealt with shall be deferred until after the completion of the private part of the meeting, including items submitted for report rather than decision.

Background Papers

Paragraph 8 of the 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 (as defined in Rule 10) and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

Inspection of background papers may be arranged by contacting the officer responsible for the item.

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