Agenda and minutes

1.         This meeting is to be webcast;

2.         Members are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking; and

3.         the Chairman 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 such third parties).

If you are seated in the 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 speak the webcasting officer.”

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 24 January 2018.

That the minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 24 January 2018 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as the correct record, subject to minute item 49, third bullet point having mistakenly referred to Councillor A Beales as “he” and not she.

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

(a)       Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillors A Lion, B Sandler, J Knapman, D Sunger and K Chana declared a pecuniary interest in the following item of the agenda by virtue of being Chigwell Parish Councillors. The Councillors had determined that their interest were pecuniary and that they would leave the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·           EPF/2662/17 – Chigwell Library, Victory Hall, Chigwell Parish Offices, Chigwell Members Club, Hainault Road, Chigwell.

(b)       Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillor A Patel declared a non-pecuniary interest in the following item of the agenda by virtue of being related to the neighbour of the application site. The Councillor had determined that his interest was non-pecuniary but he would leave the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·         EPF/1893/17 – 60 Traps Hill, Loughton.

(c)       Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillors K Chana and D Sunger declared a non-pecuniary interest in the following item of the agenda by virtue of knowing the objector. The Councillors had determined that their interests were non-pecuniary and that they would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·         EPF/2863/17 – 20 Tomswood Road, Chigwell.

(d)       Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillor G Mohindra declared a personal but non-pecuniary interest in the following items of the agenda. The Councillor had determined that his interest was non-pecuniary and that he would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·         EPF/1893/17 – 60 Traps Hill, Loughton.

·         EPF/2863/17 – 20 Tomswood Road, Chigwell.

(e)       Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillor G Mohindra declared a non-pecuniary interest in the following items of the agenda by virtue of being an Essex County Councillor for that area and the application referring to an Essex Library. The Councillor had determined that his interest was non-pecuniary and that he would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·         EPF/2662/17 – Chigwell Library, Victory Hall, Chigwell Parish Offices, Chigwell Members Club, Hainault Road, Chigwell.

(f)        Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillor G Mohindra declared a non-pecuniary interest in the following items of the agenda by virtue of being a Cabinet member for Finance and that the District Council was the Landlord of this property. The Councillor had determined that his interest was non-pecuniary and that he would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·         EPF/3059/17 – Sir Winston Churchill (now Landmark House).

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.

1)            Councillor J Knapman noting the declaration made by the Chigwell Councillors after having been advised by officers that they may have a financial interest in the Parish Council in application EPF/2662/17, Chigwell Parish Offices; although it was not a personal financial interest for the Councillors. He proposed that this item be deferred to the District Development Management Committee because he did not think it fair that every Chigwell Parish Councillor would have to leave. Also because they knew that the application would be coming here they did not deal with this at all at Parish Level and therefore did not make a submission to go into the report. It was also noted that councillors have not had time to ask for a dispensation from the monitoring officer. Given this, it would be better for a wider District planning Committee to decide the matter.

Councillor Chambers seconded the proposal and it was put to the vote.

AGREED: that EPF/2662/17 – Chigwell Library, Victory Hall, Chigwell Parish Offices, Chigwell Members Club, Hainault Road, Chigwell be referred to the District Development Management Committee.

2)            Councillor S Heap spoke in relation to 49 Manor Road, an application that was discussed in January 2017. He noted that the enforcement promised on this site had not happened as there had been no appeal and the officer had decided that there should be no enforcement because of this and partly because it did not say in the refusal that enforcement should take place. The outcome here was that a resident had not been treated fairly and that a decision of this Sub-Committee had not been actioned by officers who thought otherwise. This needed to be addressed.

The Chairman suggested that a report on this be bought back to the next meeting detailing action taken and reasons for them.

The Planning Officer advised the committee that were now a number of applications relating to this property and suggested that all the applications that needed to come to this Sub-Committee should come together along with a report on the situation so they would be dealing with the whole thing at the same time. However, because of the timescales involved it would be more likely to go to the April Sub-Committee and not the March one.

Councillor Heap also requested a site visit and this was agreed by the Sub-Committee if this was possible.

AGREED:

(1)  That all current applications to do with 49 Manor Road and an explanatory report be brought to the April meeting of this Sub-Committee; and

(2)  That a site visit be arranged.

3)            The Chairman noted that a letter had been sent to officers querying the ability of the Loughton Residents Association (LRA) to assess an application due to the fact that they had already put in an objection to that application (EPF/1893/17).

The Chairman then read out the following statement made by the LRA in answer to this question:

“There is a longstanding protocol between EFDC and the Loughton Residents Association. The LRA  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

(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 – 11 be determined as set out in the attached schedule to these minutes.