Agenda and minutes

This virtual meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded of the need to unmute before speaking.

The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this virtual meeting will be broadcast live to the internet (or filmed) and will be capable of repeated viewing (or another such use by third parties). Therefore by participating in this virtual meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes. If members of the public do not wish to have their image captured they should ensure that their video setting throughout the virtual meeting is turned off and set to audio only.

Please also be aware that if technical difficulties interrupt the meeting that cannot be overcome, we may need to adjourn the meeting.”

On behalf of the Chairman, the Team Manager for Democratic & Electoral Services reminded everyone present that the virtual meeting would be broadcast live to the internet and would be capable of repeated viewing, which could infringe their human and data protection rights.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) General advice for those persons attending the meeting of the Committee is attached as an Appendix to this agenda.

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 meetings of the Council’s planning committees.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Committee noted that no substitute members had been appointed for the meeting.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) To declare interests in any item on the agenda.

The following interests were declared by members of the Committee pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct:

(a)        Councillor D Dorrell declared a personal interest in item 8 (Planning Application EPF/2503/19 – Land to the North of Dowding Way, Waltham Abbey) of the agenda for the meeting, by virtue of having received a notification letter for the application. The Councillor had determined that his interest was not pecuniary and indicated that he would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon.

(b)        Councillor H Kane declared a personal interest in item 8 (Planning Application EPF/2503/19 – Land to the North of Dowding Way, Waltham Abbey) of the agenda for the meeting, by virtue of being a District Councillor for Waltham Abbey but the application site was not in her ward. The Councillor had determined that her interest was not pecuniary and indicated that she would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon.

(c)        Councillor J M Whitehouse declared a personal interest in item 8 (Planning Application EPF/2503/19 – Land to the North of Dowding Way, Waltham Abbey) of the agenda for the meeting, by virtue of being a member of the Epping Forest Heritage Trust. The Councillor had determined that his interest was not pecuniary and indicated that he would remain in the meeting for the consideration of the application and voting thereon.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 November 2020 (attached).

Resolved:

(1)          That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 November 2020 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(Service Manager – Development Management) A Planning Policy Briefing Note (March 2018) has been produced by the Planning Policy Team to ensure that a consistent approach is taken to the provision of planning policy advice for the District, particularly in relation to the Epping Forest District Local Plan Submission Version, which was published on 18 December 2017.

The primary purpose of the Planning Policy Briefing Note is to inform the development management process and to provide assistance for Development Management Officers, Councillors, applicants and planning agents. The Planning Policy Briefing Note is available at:

http://www.efdclocalplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Planning-Policy-Briefing-Note_Mar-2018.pdf

The Committee noted that a briefing note had been prepared to ensure a consistent approach was taken to the provision of planning policy advice, following the publication of the Epping Forest District Local Plan Submission Version on 18 December 2017. Members were advised that the primary purpose of the briefing note was to inform development management activities and to provide assistance for councillors, officers, applicants, planning agents and other persons involved in the development management process.

Resolved:

(1)          That the Planning Policy Briefing Note for the Epping Forest District Local Plan Submission Version, be noted.

(Service Manager – Planning Policy & Implementation) To consider the attached report for the erection of 1 new building for use as a warehouse (Use Class B8) with ancillary accommodation & photo studio (sui generis) with gatehouse, sprinkler tanks and pumphouse, substation, fuel island, vehicle wash, attenuation ponds and associated works; 1 new multi-storey car park with associated bridge link, along with access and servicing arrangements, landscaping and external amenity areas, roof-mounted photovoltaic array; creation of signalised junction to A121 and shared foot and cycle links including a connection to the Public Right of Way network.

The Committee considered a report for a planning application on land to the north of Dowding Way in Waltham Abbey, to erect one new building for use as a warehouse with ancillary accommodation and a photo studio with gatehouse, sprinkler tanks and pumphouse, substation, fuel island, vehicle wash, attenuation ponds and associated works; one new multi-storey car park with associated bridge link, along with access and servicing arrangements, landscaping and external amenity areas, and a roof-mounted photovoltaic array; the creation of a signalised junction to the A121 and shared foot and cycle links including a connection to the public Right of Way network.

The Committee noted that the application site was an undeveloped green field area directly to the north of the A121 (Dowding Way) and to the south of the M25 motorway. It was located within the Metropolitan Green Belt and had an open rural character. There were a number of trees on both the northern and southern boundaries but the site was visible from both the motorway and Dowding Way. To the west of the site was a housing estate with the nearest dwelling 360m away, as well as a supermarket distribution centre which was operated 24 hours a day. The town centre of Waltham Abbey was located approximately 1.25km to the north-west of the site. A public Right of Way ran from north to south approximately 350m from the site, and junction 26 of the M25 motorway was approximately 700m from the eastern boundary which offered both east and west bound entry onto the orbital motorway.

Planning Officers presented the details of the application to the Committee, including the policy position, representations from consultees and set out the material planning considerations to be taken into account when determining the application.

Planning Officers had concluded that very special circumstances existed in this case which clearly outweighed the identified harms to the Green Belt set out in the report. The proposed development had demonstrated its compliance with the proposed allocation in the emerging Local Plan, which was at a very advanced stage in its production and carried significant weight in accordance with paragraph 47 of the National Planning Policy Framework. When adopted, this site would be released from the Metropolitan Green Belt. This, coupled with the identified significant economic benefits that the development would bring to the local area amounted to the very special circumstances required to outweigh the identified harms to the Green Belt.

Planning Officers had also concluded that the application had demonstrated its compliance with the requirements of the emerging Local Plan, the adopted Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. It was therefore recommended that planning permission be granted for this application, subject to the satisfactory completion of an air quality assessment for the introduction of a right turn ban from Honey Lane East into Forest Side, the adoption of an Air Pollution Mitigation Strategy, suitable planning conditions and the satisfactory completion of a Section 106 agreement within four months of permission being granted.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) 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.

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

Exclusion

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) 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

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) Article 17 (Access to Information) of the Constitution defines 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 one copy of each of the documents on the list of background papers for four years after the date of the meeting. Inspection of background papers can be arranged by contacting either the Responsible Officer or the Democratic Services Officer for the particular item.

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