Agenda and minutes

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

2.         The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of repeated viewing and copies of the recording could be made available for those that request it.

If you are seated in the lower 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 move to the upper public gallery”

The Chairman made a short address to remind all present that the meeting would be broadcast on 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 agreed by the Council, to enable persons to address the Sub-Committee in relation to the determination of applications for planning permission.

Under the terms of reference for the Licensing Committee each Sub-Committee is required to elect a Chairman on an ad hoc basis for the duration of the meeting.

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

Resolved:

(1)        That Councillor E Webster be elected Vice-Chairman for the duration of the meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Sub-Committee held on [Day Month Year] as a correct record (attached).

Resolved:

(1)        That the minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 7 November 2012 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

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

(a)        Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillor J Wyatt declared a personal interest in the following item of the agenda, by virtue of living in the same street as the application. The Councillor had determined that his interest was non-pecuniary and would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon:

·                     EPF/1564/12   Knollys Nursery Pick Hill, Waltham Abbey.

(b)        Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillors M Sartin and E Webster declared a personal interest in the following items of the agenda, by virtue of being members of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. The Councillors had determined that their interest was non-pecuniary and would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the applications and voting thereon:

·                     EPF/1819/12   Leaside Nursery, Nursery Road, Nazeing; and

·                     Development Consent Order – National Grid North London Reinforcement Project.

The Principal Planning Officer informed the Sub-Committee that the Government had introduced a legal requirement for all decision notices from 1 December 2012, as part of the National Planning Policy Framework, to state how the Council had worked with the Applicant in a “positive and proactive manner.” For cases where the Officer’s recommendation was agreed, then a standard statement would be placed on the Decision Notice. In cases where the Officer’s recommendation was overturned, then the Sub-Committee would be obliged to indicate if there was a way forward for a scheme on the site and what the Applicant should do to overcome a refusal.

Resolved:

(1)        That the introduction of a “Statement of Positive and Proactive Planning” for Decision Notices from 1 December 2012 be noted.

(Director of Planning and Economic Development)  To consider the planning applications 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:

(1)        That planning applications numbered 1 – 6 be determined as set out in the annex to these minutes.

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.

Resolved:

(1)        That in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, together with paragraphs (6) and (24) of the Council Procedure Rules, the Chairman had permitted the following item of urgent business to be considered following the publication of the agenda:

(a)        Development Consent Order – National Grid North London Reinforcement Project.

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

The Principal Planning Officer presented a report concerning the application for a Development Consent Order for the National Grid North London Reinforcement Project.

The Principal Planning Officer reminded the Sub-Committee that it had previously considered this issue at its meeting held on 7 November 2012, and that the Development Consent Order was for the upgrading of a 275kV power line between the Waltham Cross and Tottenham substations to operate at 400kV. As the project was defined as a “Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project”, it would be determined by the Secretary of State rather than the local planning authority. The Sub-Committee had previously come to the following resolution:

“That on consideration of the Officer’s response to the Development Consent Order, the Director of Planning and Economic Development be authorised to submit a response of No Objection but express (forcefully) disappointment that part of what appears to be redundant hard surfaced area in the decommissioned existing substation area is remaining when there is an opportunity here to provide planting and thereby reduce the overall footprint of the proposed substation area and ask thatthe Environmental Impact Assessment consider the possible contamination of the area.”

The Principal Planning Officer reported that this had elicited a response from National Grid, which stated that the second existing power line running from Waltham Cross to Tottenham would be retained for transmitting power, although it would not be uprated, and that consequently the current hard standing area was to be retained as operational land by National Grid. In addition, National Grid would provide £85,000 to fund local nature conservation projects within 1 kilometre of the proposed working area of the development, as well as a number of other landscaping initiatives to compensate for the impact of the new development to be agreed with the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

The Principal Planning Officer concluded that as there was now a justification for retaining the current hard standing and some of its equipment to continue to transmit power down the existing line, this should no longer be a concern and required to be broken up and planted, subject to the details of any landscaping here being agreed by the Council as well as the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. The recommendation now was for the “no objection” to be reiterated, together with the previous suggested confirmation that the environmental impact assessment should still consider the possible contamination in the area.

The Chairman added that the Assistant Director of Planning & Economic Development (Development Control) had agreed to share the Sub-Committee’s environmental concerns with the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority as well.

Resolved:

(1)        That the justification, as set out in the National Grid’s letter of 19 December 2012, for retaining the hard standing area currently occupied by the existing Waltham Cross substation, as part of the application for a Development Consent Order for the proposed North London Reinforcement Project be accepted; and

(2)        That, on consideration of the Officer’s response to the Development Consent Order, the Director of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

(Director of Planning and Economic Development) Schedules of planning applications determined by the Head of Planning and Economic Development under delegated powers since the last meeting of a Plans Subcommittee may be inspected in the Members’ Room or at the Planning and Economic Development Information Desk at the Civic Offices, Epping.

The Sub-Committee noted that details of planning applications determined by the Director of Planning & Economic Development under delegated authority since the last meeting had been circulated to all members and were available for inspection at the Civic Offices.