Agenda and minutes

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

2.         The Chief Executive 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 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 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.

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

It was noted that no substitutes had been appointed to the meeting.

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

(a)       Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, the following Councillors declared personal interests in agenda item 7 (planning application at Council Depot Site and Adjacent Land ) as shown.

Councillors Cochrane, Hart, Finn, Leonard, Markham – Members of the LRA Group who had responded to the planning consultations.

Councillors Angold-Stephens, Pond and Wixley - Members of the LRA Group and as members of Loughton Town Council who had responded to the planning consultations.

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.

It was noted that there were no further items of business for the meeting.

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

The Committee considered an outline planning application for the construction of a retail park, associated landscaping, car parking, ground works, retaining wall structures and proposals for the access to the site off Langston Road, Loughton.

The application indicated a layout plan of two blocks of units containing eleven retail units aimed at A1 (comparison retailers) use with up to 1000m2 gross internal floor area for A3 use. A planning policy statement submitted also confirmed that no more than 1000m2 of the gross internal floor area would be used for A1 food retail.

The application also set out indicative car parking at the front of the development together with proposals for two access points off Langston Road to provide and entrance to the car park and for a service/delivery access road. The members of the Committee had previously attended a visit to the site concerned.

The Committee also received a presentation of the proposed off-site highways works which sought to mitigate the impact of the additional traffic generated by the proposed retail park. The works had been developed following consultation with County Highways who had now approved the scheme from a highways perspective.

It was proposed that, as part of any permission, an agreement completed to secure these highway works; pedestrian improvements; street lighting, a contribution to the costs of associated Traffic Regulation Orders; a travel plan for the site; a £40,000 contribution towards the Broadway Parking Review and to limit net retail sales floor space/A1 Food Retail/ A3 use within the development. The planning officer also asked for members to agree that tree replacement condition (12) include provision for ‘compensatory’ tree replacement of lost highways trees.

The Committee heard representations made by an objector, the Loughton Town Council and the applicant.

The Committee made observations on the following:

(i)         It was requested that further investigations be made with transport operators in an effort to extend bus services into Langston Road as the existing bus stop in Rectory Lane was a distance from the proposed site. Officers commented that this could be taken into account in the formulation of the travel plan for the site.

(ii)        Whether it was possible to extend cycle ways to the site and to complete works on Rectory Lane which had been secured under a previous Section 106 agreement. It was agreed that cycle ways could be considered further at detailed design stages.

(iii)       Members were concerned that the site entrances were the only matter not reserved and that traffic management of the car park was important to avoid congestion. The Committee asked for a traffic management plan be included in any agreed conditions.

(iv)       Members noted the retail viability assessment had taken account of smaller local shopping parades, the effect on which had been estimated at between – 0.6% to – 1.4%.;

(v)        That the proposed retail park would mean the creation of approximately 200 jobs in an area of regeneration.

(vi)       That further work was required to ensure effective lighting and pedestrian  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.