Agenda and minutes

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

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 August were confirmed by the Members present.

Hard-copy minutes will be signed by the Chair when restrictions are lifted

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Oguchi.  Further apologies were offered at the meeting on behalf of Councillor Uttley who is currently unwell.  The committee wishes Cllr Uttley a speedy recovery.

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 advised that no members of public have registered to speak at this meeting and reminded any members of the public viewing the meeting about the rules of doing so.

The Case Officer, Robert Freeman, introduced the report to Members and said that the application had been referred to the Committee because the Borough Council is the landowner.

It was proposed by Councillor Maddern and seconded by Councillor Beauchamp to DELEGATE the application with a view to APPROVAL subject to the completion of a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

Vote:

For:  11                       Against: 0                    Abstained: 0

Resolved: That planning permission be DELEGATED with a view to APPROVAL and that the proposals be REFERRED to the MINISTRY OF HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENT as a Departure to the Development Plan in accordance with Town

and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009.

The Case Officer, Nigel Gibbs, introduced the report to Members and said that the application had been referred to the Committee as it was called in by Cllr Riddick if the recommendation was to grant planning permission.

Cllr Riddick confirmed that although he called this application in, he is coming to it with an open mind.

It was proposed by Councillor Colette Wyatt Lowe and seconded by Councillor Tindall that the application be DELEGATED with a view to APPROVAL subject to the completion of a legal agreement under Section106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (As amended).

Vote:

For:  2             Against: 7                    Abstained: 2

It was proposed by Councillor Maddern and seconded by Councillor Riddick to REFUSE the application on the grounds of overdevelopment and the subsequent harm to the existing character of the area. 

Vote:

For:  8             Against: 2                    Abstained: 1

Resolved: That planning permission be REFUSED as the site is located within a residential area characterised by large modern detached dwellings, finished in similar materials, set a similar distance back from the road with relatively open frontages. Overall, the area has a spacious, residential and relatively open character and appearance. The proposal would appear as a cramped overdevelopment and conflict with prevailing pattern of development eroding the open spacious quality of the area and failing to integrate with the existing streetscape character. It would be conflict with the design expectations of Policies CS 11 and CS12 of the Dacorum Core Strategy (2013), including criteria (a) of Policy CS11 and criteria (c), (g) (i) and (iii) of Policy CS12.

To consider passing a resolution in the following terms:

That, under s.100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 Schedule 12A Part 1 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 the public be excluded during the items in Part 2 of the Agenda for this meeting, because it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that, if members of the public were present during those items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information which is confidential.

Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, Part 1, paragraph 7a.

The Chair announced that the business of the Development Management Committee was now concluded and advised attendees that the final item listed on the agenda is a briefing for Members and not Part 2 business.

The Chair thanked everyone for their time and confirmed the meeting closed.