Agenda and minutes

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

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2018 were confirmed by the Members present and were then signed by the Chairman.

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies of absence were received from Councillors Bateman, Maddern and Tindall

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 declare their interest at the beginning of the relevant agenda item and it will be noted by the Committee Clerk for inclusion in the minutes.

Councillor Guest asked Members to remember to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary or other Interests at the beginning of the relevant planning application.

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 228209 or by email: Member.support@dacorum.gov.uk

The Development Management Committee will finish at 10.30pm and any unheard applications will be deferred to the next meeting.

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 Management 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.

Please note: If an application is recommended for approval, only objectors can invoke public speaking and then supporters will have the right to reply. Applicants can only invoke speaking rights where the application recommended for refusal.

Councillor Guest reminded the members and the public about the rules regarding public participation.

Councillor Birnie arrived at 19:05 so took no part in the discussion or voting of this item

Intan Keen introduced the report to members and said it had been referred to committee due toContrary views of Parish Council and subject to a Councillor call in

Keith Iles spoke in objection to the application

Parish Councillor Geoff Bryant spoke in objection to the application

Ward Councillor Graham Barrett spoke in objection to the application

Mr Paul Atton spoke in support of the application

Having there been no Proposer or Seconder to grant the application, it was proposed by Councillor Matthews and seconded by Councillor Riddick to overturn the officers recommendation and refuse the application

Vote

For: 5               Against: 0        Abstained: 1

Resolved: That planning permission be REFUSED for the following reasons:

The proposed development by reason of its height, design and density would result in overdevelopment, harming the character and appearance of the street scene and wider area contrary to Policies CS2, CS11 and CS12 of the Dacorum Core Strategy (2013), Proposal H/21 of the Site Allocations Statement (July 2017) and paragraph 127 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Article 35

Planning permission has been refused for the clear reasons set out in this decision notice. The Council acted proactively through positive engagement with the applicant during the pre-application stage and determination process; however the Development Management Committee were of the view that the proposal did not overcome fundamental objections.  As the Council has attempted to find solutions, the requirements of the Framework (paragraph 38) have been met and the Council has acted in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015.

A report was presented to the Members of the Committee, the purpose of the report is to consider the introduction of Article 4 Directions (under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015). The directions would require planning applications to be made in the designated areas for changes of use from office / light industrial / storage and distribution premises to residential use. It would cover selected employment areas in the Borough.    

The recommendation is:

1. That a local consultation be carried out, proposing that the areas referred to in section 6 of this report and shown in Appendix 1 be designated as Article 4 areas, within which permitted development rights for changes of use from B Class employment uses to housing will be withdrawn.

2. That the proposed Article 4 areas be classified as non-immediate directions, which will come into force 12 months from the start of the public consultation.

3. That the public consultation arrangements proposed in section 7 of this report be agreed.

4. That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director, Planning, Development & Regeneration to confirm the Article 4 Directions following analysis of the response to the consultation, subject to the proviso that if substantive objections are received in respect of one or more of the proposed areas then the decision on those areas be referred back to the Committee.

Councillor Birnie proposed to GRANT the application in line with the officers recommendations, Councillor C.Wyatt-Lowe seconded the motion.

Vote

For: 7               Against: 0        Abstained: 0

Resolved: That the motion be GRANTED