Agenda and draft minutes

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting (these are circulated separately)

The minutes of the meeting of 9 July were agreed by Members and signed by the Vice Chairman.

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Conway and Maddern.

To receive any declarations of interest

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a personal interest in a matter who attends

a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered -

(i)            must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest

becomes apparent and, if the interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest, or a personal
interest which is also prejudicial

(ii)           may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter (and must withdraw

to the public seating area) unless they have been granted a dispensation.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Members’ Register of Interests, or is not the subject of a pending notification, must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal and prejudicial interests are defined in Part 2 of the Code of Conduct For Members

[If a member is in any doubt as to whether they have an interest which should be declared they

should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer before the start of the meeting]

It is requested that Members complete the pink interest sheet which will be made available at the meeting and then hand this to the Committee Clerk at the meeting

There were no declarations of interest.

An opportunity for members of the public to make statements or ask questions in accordance with the rules as to public participation.

You need to inform the council in advance if you wish to speak by contacting Member Support on Tel: 01442 228221 or by email: Member.support@dacorum.gov.uk

There are limits on how much of each meeting can be taken up with people having their say and how long each person can speak for.  The permitted times are specified in the table above and are allocated for each of the following on a 'first come, first served basis':

·         Town/Parish Council and Neighbourhood Associations;

·         Objectors to an application;

·         Supporters of the application.

Every person must, when invited to do so, address their statement or question to the Chairman of the Committee.

Every person must after making a statement or asking a question take their seat to listen to the reply or if they wish join the public for the rest of the meeting or leave the meeting.

The questioner may not ask the same or a similar question within a six month period except for the following circumstances:

(a)       deferred planning applications which have foregone a significant or material change since originally being considered

(b)       resubmitted planning applications which have foregone a significant or material change

(c)       any issues which are resubmitted to Committee in view of further facts or information to be considered.

At a meeting of the Development Control Committee, a person, or their representative, may speak on a particular planning application, provided that it is on the agenda to be considered at the meeting.

There was none.

The Committee considered applications for planning permission as set out below and reached the decisions therein.

Joan Reid introduced the report for retrospective planning permission .

John Crawley (agent) and Nick Rowe (architect) advised that they were supporting the application and would answer any questions that the committee had.

Discussion took place with questions raised regarding the soil pipes.

It was proposed by Councillor Whitman and seconded by Councillor Tindall to grant the application in line with the Officer’s recommendations.

Voting:

8 For, 1 Against and 2 Abstentions;

whereupon it was:

Resolved:

The planning permission be granted, in line with the Officer’s recommendations with additional condition:

Details of the Soil Vent Pipes should be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity, in accordance with Policy CS 21 of the Core Strategy.

Joan Reid introduced the report for retrospective planning permission

John Crawley (agent) and Nick Rowe (architect) advised that they were supporting the application and would answer any questions that the committee had.

It was proposed by Councillor Tindalland seconded by Councillor Whitman to grant the   application in line with the officer’s recommendation.

Voting:

6 For, 2 Against and 3 abstentions;

whereupon it was:

Resolved:

The planning permission be granted, in line with the Officer’s recommendations.

Joan Reid introduced the report for retrospective planning permission .

John Crawley (agent) and Nick Rowe (architect) advised that they were supporting the application and would answer any questions that the committee had.

The Committee discussed the application in some depth, noting that there had either been extreme incompetence or a complete disregard for development regulations on behalf of the planners.

Nick Rowe advised that the original applications had been drawn up by a different architect, who had used the entire site in the initial application, rather than breaking it down and that this

had caused the misunderstanding regarding permitted planning rights.

It was proposed by Councillor Whitman and seconded by Councillor Ritchieto grant the   application in line with the officer’s recommendation.

Voting:

6 For, 4 Against and 1 Abstention, the Chairman exercised his right to vote and voted in favour;

Whereupon it was:

Resolved:

The planning permission be granted, in line with the Officer’s recommendations.

Myles Jarvis introduced the report.

Amy Peck, agent spoke in support of the application.

It was proposed by Councillor Wyatt-Lowe and seconded by Councillor Matthews to grant the application in line with the officer’s recommendations

Voting:

For - Unanimous;

whereupon it was:

Resolved:

That planning permission be granted, in line with the Officer’s recommendation with removed and reworded conditions:

Reworded condition 6:

“Other than the demolition of Blocks K and L, the following additional details of both hard and soft landscape works shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority prior to the commencement of development.  These details shall include:

• means of enclosure; 
• details of cultivation and other operations associated with plant and grass establishment
• minor artefacts and structures (e.g. furniture, refuse or other storage units, signs, lighting etc);
• proposed and existing functional services above and below ground (e.g. drainage, power, communications cables, pipelines etc, indicating lines, manholes, supports etc);

The other items will be carried out in accordance with the approved plans. The approved landscape works shall be carried out within the first planting season following the completion of the development permitted.

Once approved the scheme be implemented fully in accordance with the approved plans and details unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.”

Reworded Condition 7:

“Notwithstanding the details submitted for the temporary car park and prior to occupation of the site, full details of both hard and soft landscape works shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.  These details shall include:

• hard surfacing materials - indicated on the landscape plan - detailed manufactures spec and samples to be provided)
• natural vegetation and planting (including cultivation and other operations associated with plant and grass establishment); schedules of plants, noting species, plant sizes and proposed numbers/densities where appropriate - none proposed (existing trees retained)
• full details including elevational details of cycle parking - To be provided
• full details including elevation details of refuse storage - see drawing DT(90)01
• proposed finished levels or contours - To be provided
• any other minor details - (assume none)

The approved landscape works shall be carried out within the first planting season following development.”

Councillor Tindall declared that he was aware of this application so would abstain from taking part.

Martin Stickley introduced the report and advised that it was before the committee as it had been called in by Councilor Adshead due to it being over bearing and causing a loss of light..

Susan Hills, neighbour, spoke in objection to the application.

Ward Councillor Graham Adshead spoke in objection to the application.

It was proposed by Councillor Sutton and seconded by Councillor Fisher  to grant the application in line with the officers recommendations:

Voting:

6 For, 0 Against and 4 Abstentions;

whereupon it was:

Resolved:

The planning permission be granted, in line with the Officer’s recommendations

Joan Reid introduced the report.

Christopher Higenbottom (architect) and David Campbell (applicant) spoke in support of the application, advising that they had not seen sight of the Addendum and neighbour complaints.

James Stevenson (neighbour) spoke in objection to the application.

The application was debated at length by the Committee.

It was proposed by Councillor Guestand seconded by Councillor Wyatt-Lowe  to defer  the application:

Voting:

For Unanimous;

whereupon it was:

Resolved:

Application DEFERRED to enable the applicants to consider the contents of the Addendum to the Committee report and for the Conservation Officer to comment upon the revised scheme. 

Joan Reid introduced the report advising that Bovingdon Parish Council had supported the application, but that it was the Officer’s recommendation to refuse the application.

Raymond Brain (applicant) spoke in support of the application.

It was proposed by Councillor Fisher and seconded by Councillor Clarke to refuse the application in line with the Officer’s recommendations.

Voting:

2 For, 7 Against and 2 Abstentions;

whereupon it was:

Resolved:

Officer’s recommendation overturned – application GRANTED, and authority be delegated to the Group Leader, Development Management and Planning to attach appropriate conditions to that approval.

Myles Joyce introduced the report.

It was proposed by Councillor Clarke and seconded by Councillor Sutton to agree the application in line with the officer’s recommendations:

Voting:

9 For, 1 Against and 1 Abstention;

Whereupon it was:

Resolved:

The planning permission be granted, in line with the Officer’s recommendations.

Myles Joyce introduced the report.

It was proposed by Councillor Whitman and Seconded by Councillor Matthews to agree the application in line with the officer’s recommendations:

Voting:

For Unanimous;

whereupon it was:

Resolved:

The planning permission be granted, in line with the Officer’s recommendations.

Noted the following reports:

1.    Appeals Lodged

2.    Appeals Allowed

3.    Appeals Dismissed

4.    Decisions on Appeals