Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in respect of any item of business to be considered at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made by Councillors regarding items on the agenda.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Planning Committee held on the 14 December 2017 (attached) and authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Planning Committee held on 14 December 2017 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

Installation of additional concrete multi-use skate facility.

Description

Installation of additional concrete multi-use skate facility.

Decision

Planning permission is PERMITTED, subject to the following conditions:

Conditions:

(1)            The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

Reason: To comply with Section 91(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by Section 51 (1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2005

(2)            The development hereby permitted shall be constructed entirely of the materials as detailed on the schedule of materials on the planning application form.  

Reason: To secure a satisfactory appearance in the interests of the visual amenities and character of the locality in accordance with Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy 2007 and Policies DM9 and DM10 of the Development Management Policies Document 2015

(3)            No development shall take place until full details, of both hard and soft landscape proposals, including a schedule of landscape maintenance for a minimum period of 5 years, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The approved landscape scheme (with the exception of planting, seeding and turfing) shall be implemented within 2 months of the completion of the development hereby approved and thereafter retained.

Reason: To ensure the provision, establishment and maintenance of an appropriate landscape scheme in the interests of the visual amenities of the locality in accordance with Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy (2007) and Policies DM4, DM5 and DM9 of the Development Management Policies 2015.

(4)            The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved documents: 

Drawing Gravity Long Grove Description and Gravity Long Grove Dimensions.

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning as required by Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy 2007.

Informative:

(1)            The Council confirms that in assessing this planning application it has worked with the applicant in a positive and proactive way, in line with the requirements of paragraph 186-187 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012.

Note:  The site is located in Court Ward not Ruxley Ward as stated in the agenda

Erection of a replacement shop, extension to car park, extension to outside plant sales area, use of ,part of an existing glasshouse for a tearoom/lecture room, and engineering and landscaping works in association with the proposed development (as amended).

Description

Erection of a replacement shop, extension to car park, extension to outside plant sales area, use of part of an existing glasshouse for a tearoom/lecture room, and engineering and landscaping works in association with the proposed development (as amended).

Decision

Planning permission is PERMITTED, subject to the following conditions:

Conditions:

(1)            The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

Reason: To comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by Section 51 (1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

(2)            The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans and documents: MSC1654-04G, MSC1654-08E, MSC1654-09A, MSC1654-07B.

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and to ensure that the development is carried out in accordance with the approved plans to comply with Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy (2007). 

(3)            The development hereby permitted shall be constructed entirely of the materials as detailed on the schedule of materials on the planning application form and as shown on MSC1654-08E.

Reason: To secure a satisfactory appearance in the interests of the visual amenities and character of the locality in accordance with Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy (2007) and Policies DM9 and DM10 of the Development Management Policies 2015.

(4)            The development hereby approved shall not be first opened for trading unless and until the proposed vehicular modified access to Reigate Road has been constructed and provided with visibility zones in accordance with a scheme to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and thereafter the visibility zones shall be kept permanently clear of any obstruction over 1.05m high.

Reason: To ensure that the development does not prejudice highway safety or cause inconvenience to other highway users in accordance with Policy CS16 of the Core Strategy (2007) and Policy DM35 of the Development Management Policies 2015.

(5)            No development shall take place until a strategy of surface water drainage for the site using a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The approved development shall be implemented in accordance with the approved strategy prior to the first use of the building and thereafter retained in that condition.

Reason: To ensure that the principles of sustainable drainage are incorporated into the development and to reduce the impact of flooding in accordance with Policy CS6 of the Epsom and Ewell Core Strategy (2007) and Policy DM19 of the Development Management Policies 2015.

(6)            No area of the development hereby permitted shall be used for the retail sale of goods except for the proposed building (shop), existing building 3.2 and the open sales area identified on Drawing No MSC1654-04G and those areas shall only be permitted to sell such goods in accordance with conditions 7, 8 and 9.

Reason: In order to safeguard the amenities of the occupiers of neighbouring properties and to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

Change of use of offices at first and second floors to create 2 new residential units (amended description).

Description

Change of use of offices at first and second floors to create 2 new residential units (amended description).

Decision

Planning permission is PERMITTED subject to the following conditions:

Conditions:

(1)            The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

Reason: To comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by Section 51 (1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

(2)            The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following submitted plans and documents:

Location Plan

04A

05

06

Design and Access statement – Revision A

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning as required by Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy 2007.

(3)            The residential units hereby approved shall not be occupied until they have achieved a water efficiency standard using not more than 110 litres per person per day maximum indoor water consumption.

Reason:  To ensure that the development is sustainable and makes efficient use of water to comply with Policy DM12 of the Development Management Policies (2015).

(4)            Prior to the commencement of the development, details of sustainability measures shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.  These details shall demonstrate how the development would be efficient in the use of energy, water and materials including means of providing the energy requirements of the development from renewable technologies.  The development shall be carried out in strict accordance with the approved details prior to the first occupation of the building, shall be maintained as such thereafter and no change shall take place without the prior written consent of the local planning authority.

Reason: To ensure that measures to make the development sustainable and

efficient in the use of energy, water and materials are included in the development in accordance with Policy CS6 of the Core Strategy (2007).

Informatives:

(1)            The Council confirms that in assessing this planning application it has worked with the applicant in a positive and proactive way, in line with the requirements of paragraph 186-187 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012

(2)            Works related to the construction of the development hereby permitted, including works of demolition or preparation prior to building operations shall not take place other than between the hours of 08.00 to 18.00 hours Mondays to Fridays; 08.00 to 13.00 hours Saturdays; with no work on Saturday afternoons (after 13.00 hours), Sundays, Bank Holidays or Public Holidays.

(3)            The water efficiency standard required under condition 3 has been adopted by the local planning authority through the Development Management Policies 2015.  This standard is the ‘optional requirement’ detailed in Building Regulations 2010, Part G Approved Document (AD) Buildings Regulations (2015), at Appendix A paragraph A1. 

The applicant is advised that this standard can be achieved through either:

·                 using the ‘fittings approach’ where water fittings are installed as per the table at 2.1 in the AD or

·                 using the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

Members are asked to put forward any applications which it is considered warrant a site visit.

The Committee reviewed and considered site visits and decided that a visit should be held at the appropriate time in connection with the following applications:

·                 Chalk Lane Hotel, Chalk Lane, Epsom KT18 7BB – 17/01275/FUL

·                 346 Chessington Road, West Ewell, KT19 9EG – 17/01274/FUL

·                 Langley Vale Memorial Woodland Site, Headley Road, Langley Vale, Epsom – 17/01450/FUL

The Planning Improvement Action Plan adopted at the 13 November meeting of the Planning Committee contains a number of actions that involve changes to the practices and procedures around the consideration and determination of planning applications.  This report seeks the adoption of a new range of procedures that directly relate to the work of the Planning Committee.  These take account of comments and recommendations in the Planning Peer Challenge report – October 2017 and of changes in the law and the latest advice on best practice from the Local Government Association and the Planning Advisory Service.

The Planning Improvement Action Plan was agreed by the Planning Committee at a special meeting on 13 November 2017.  The plan contained a number of actions to implement changes to the practices and procedures relating to the consideration and determination of planning applications.  The Committee were asked to consider updated versions of the Code of Conduct and Delegation Scheme that had been compiled taking into account comments and recommendations from the Planning Peer Challenge report, changes in the law and best practice from the Local Government Association and the Planning Advisory Service.

The Head of Place Development emphasized the importance of Member engagement with the planning process and highlighted the purpose of the changes was to facilitate the sharing of information with members, particularly for major applications in the pre-app stage. 

The Committee discussed the relevance and appropriateness of the proposed 28 day deadline for call-ins, and whilst it was acknowledged that the new procedure was more restrictive than at present, it was felt that 28 days was an adequate period of time in view of the 21 days allowed for public consultation, and in addition it would facilitate the development of a more efficient committee process. 

On the subject of predetermination, predisposition and bias it was stressed that as an essential part of their role members would always be encouraged to fully engage with residents and listen to their concerns on planning applications. However in order to protect themselves and the Council from misunderstandings that could result in costly legal action, the protocol should be viewed as a framework to assist members in avoiding situations where their opinions or involvement could be interpreted as pre-determining an application.

The protocol for public speaking was discussed and it was agreed that aspects of the procedure needed further consideration, as recommended in paragraph 4 of the report.   It was noted that in the interim officers will ensure that applicants are made aware that should an application go to Committee there was a possibility that an objector could request to speak on the evening of the Committee.

Having considered and discussed the report, the following amendments were agreed: