Agenda and minutes

This meeting is to be webcast and the Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this hybrid meeting will be broadcast live to the internet (or filmed) and will be capable of repeated viewing (or other such use by third parties). Therefore by participating in this 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 any public speakers on Zoom do not wish to have their image captured they should ensure that their video setting throughout the meeting is turned off and set to audio only.

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

On behalf of the Chairman, the Team Manager for Democratic & Electoral Services, G Woodhall, reminded everyone present that the 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. 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 was advised that the following substitute members had been appointed for the meeting:

(a)        Councillor I Allgood for Councillor R Baldwin.

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

No declarations of interest were made by members of the Committee, pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 April 2022 (previously circulated) and the revised minutes from the meeting of the Committee held on 26 January 2022 (attached).

Cllr S Heap welcomed the revisions that had been made to the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2022 but felt that they still did not go far enough to reflect the situation with the planning application for 48 Russell Road in Buckhurst Hill. Cllr S Heap still felt that the drawings which had been presented to the Committee illustrating the relationship between the application site and neighbouring properties were incorrect. Although the decision made by the Committee that evening had been upheld at Judicial Review, as this was based upon incorrect drawings the developer would not be able to comply with them when construction began. Cllr S Heap felt that the situation was chaotic, and this was not quite conveyed in the revised minutes but would not request further revisions to be made.

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 January 2022 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record; and

(2)          That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 April 2022 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Any member who wishes a site visit to be undertaken for any of the applications listed in this agenda should seek agreement from at least one other member of the Committee and then inform both Planning and Democratic Services prior to the day of the meeting.

There were no site visits requested for any of the applications under consideration at the meeting.

(Service Manager – Development Management) A Planning Policy Briefing Note, dated October 2021, 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 and the Main Modifications to the LPSV published for consultation between 15 July and 23 September 2021.

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:

https://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Planning-Policy-Briefing-Note-06-October-2021-accessible.pdf

The Committee was reminded that a briefing note had been prepared to ensure that a consistent approach was taken to the provision of planning policy advice, following the publication of the Epping Forest District Local Plan Submission Version (LPSV) on 18 December 2017 and the Main Modifications to the LPSV which had been published for consultation on 15 July 2021. 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 – Development Management) To consider the attached report for the erection of one residential building, accommodating 8 flats with associated parking spaces and landscaping.

The Service Manager for Development Management, A Marx, presented a report for the erection of one residential building accommodating eight flats with associated parking spaces and landscaping. This application had been considered by Area Planning Sub-Committee South at its meeting on 8 June 2022 with an Officer recommendation to grant permission. The Sub-Committee deferred the application to this Committee with a recommendation to refuse permission, as they felt the scheme was incongruous, of poor design due to its bulk and overbearing impact, and out of character with the street scene at this location. If the Committee was minded to grant planning permission, Planning Officers were proposing two additional planning conditions pertaining to the provision of a Residual Travel Information Pack to each dwelling within the development, and the installation of all photovoltaic panels prior to first occupation of the residential units.

A Marx stated that the application site had previously contained Council-owned single-storey garage blocks, which had been removed, and backed on to the Central Line on the London Underground. The existing properties on Chequers Road were a mixture of semi-detached and terraced dwellings. The site was not within the Metropolitan Green Belt or a Conservation Area. The building would be roughly rectangular in shape with four flats at first floor level and four flats at second floor level, plus undercroft parking with space for six cars, eight bicycles, store and bin storage. Each flat would have a balcony, and there was a communal garden to the rear of the building. Planning Officers were of the opinion that the application was a modern scheme that would have a positive impact on the existing street scene.

The Committee noted the summary of representations that had been received in relation to this application, and heard from the Applicant’s Agent before proceeding to debate the application.

A Marx clarified the following points during the discussion:

·       There would be a total of six parking spaces for use by the residents of the eight flats;

·       The parking spaces would be allocated such that the one-bedroom flats would share spaces while the two-bedroom flats would be allocated a space each;

·       The Council’s policy was that if the development was within a certain distance of an Underground Station then less parking spaces could be provided;

·       The proposed building would be less than one metre higher than the adjacent buildings;

·       The balconies would have privacy screens and there would be no impact on the neighbouring properties in respect of overlooking;

·       The Council’s policy did not require lifts to be installed, just that some of the units should be accessible – which the ground floor units would be;

·       Planning Officers were unaware of the reasons as to why this scheme had been submitted to replace the scheme previously granted permission in 2015;

·       Development of the scheme granted permission in 2015 had commenced but not been completed.

Cllr C C Pond proposed a further two additional conditions: for the submission of a Construction Method Statement for the scheme to minimise  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

(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 from the meeting.