Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Epsom Town Hall

Contact: Democratic Services, tel: 01372 732121  email:  democraticservices@epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

37.

Election of a Vice-Chair

Minutes:

In the absence of the Vice-Chair, Councillor Humphrey Reynolds was elected as Vice-Chair for the evening with the agreement of the Committee.

38.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Minutes:

In the interests of openness and transparency the following declarations were made:

South Hatch Stables Burgh Heath Road Epsom KT17 4LX

Councillor Jan Mason, Other Interest: Declared she was a member of Epsom & Walton Downs Conservators and a representative for the Training Grounds Management Board (TGMB).  She did not take part in any of the deliberations or vote.

 

South Hatch Stables Burgh Heath Road Epsom KT17 4LX

Councillor Neil Dallen, Other Interest: Declared he was a member of the Civic Society and the Training Grounds Management Board (TGMB).

 

South Hatch Stables Burgh Heath Road Epsom KT17 4LX

Councillor Nigel Collin, Other Interest: Declared that he did not participate in the determination or vote when it was determined at Planning Committee on 17 September, and the same circumstances prevailed.  Therefore he withdrew from this item..

 

South Hatch Stables Burgh Heath Road Epsom KT17 4LX

Councillor Steven McCormick, Other Interest: Declared he was a member of  the Epsom

Civic Society, Epsom & Ewell Tree Advisory Board, Woodcote (Epsom) Residents

Society, Epsom & Walton Downs Conservators. He is known to the applicant and other

trainers in the area and supports the Retraining of Racehorses (ROR) charity.

Councillor Steven McCormick confirmed that he was not pre-disposed or predetermined

and retained an open mind.

 

The Lodge, West Street, KT17 1XU

Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Other Interest: Declared he was a member of the 'Friends of Gibraltar Recreation Ground' situated adjacent to the site location.

 

The Lodge, West Street, KT17 1XU

Councillor David Reeve, Other Interest: Declared that he was known to the objector of the application.

 

The Lodge, West Street, KT17 1XU

Councillor Humphrey Reynolds, Other Interest: Declared that he was a Ward Councillor representing Ewell Ward in which the application was located.

 

39.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 284 KB

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Meetings of the Planning Committee held on the 5 and 17 September (attached) and authorise the Chairman to sign them.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meetings of the Planning Committee held on 5 and 17 September were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

40.

Order of Meeting

Minutes:

With the agreement of the Committee the order of the meeting was changed as follows:  Item 8, item 7 followed by items 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9.

41.

South Hatch Stables Burgh Heath Road Epsom KT17 4LX pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Demolition of the existing Racehorse Training Establishment (RTE) and the erection of a new RTE comprising of a main yard stable complex of 40 boxes, a secondary stable block of 20 boxes, an isolation yard, a trainer and assistant trainers house, stable staff accommodation, horse walkers, muck pits, a therapy barn, trotting ring and outdoor school, a lunge ring, turnout paddocks and a machinery store and storage barn and enabling residential development comprising 46 apartments. [Description amended to reflect reduction in 1 apartment (47 to 46)

 

Minutes:

Description

Demolition of the existing Racehorse Training Establishment (RTE) and the erection of a new RTE comprising of a main yard stable complex of 40 boxes, a secondary stable block of 20 boxes, an isolation yard, a trainer and assistant trainers house, stable staff accommodation, horse walkers, muck pits, a therapy barn, trotting ring and outdoor school, a lunge ring, turnout paddocks and a machinery store and storage barn and enabling residential development comprising 46 apartments. [Description amended to reflect reduction in 1 apartment (47 to 46)

Recommendation

At Planning Committee on 17 September Members resolved to grant conditional permission and refer to the Secretary of State (SoS) for determination and subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement, for the redevelopment of the South Hatch Stables site.

The Committee was advised that the Secretary of State (SoS) was seeking an extension beyond the prescribed 21 days to make a decision on the referral.  In response the Local Planning Authority agreed not to issue planning permission until the SoS had determined the matter.  The length of the extension was not known but it was anticipated that it would extend beyond the date for the General Election i.e. 12 December.

The Committee was apprised on the drafting of the legal agreement, and was advised that the S106 had been updated to secure the following:

·                 Reptile translocation site and Management Plan

·                 Delivery of the enabling housing development in accordance with the approved phasing plan

·                 Securing the trainer and stable hand accommodation in perpetuity

·                 Community mini bus

·                 Travel Plan with monitoring fee

·                 A mechanism to review the viability of the development if Phase 4 of the residential scheme has not reached slab level within two years of consent being granted.

·                 A “claw back” clause to ensure that the Council is paid the equivalent value of the cost of the affordable housing provision, if the applicant/ owner sold the stables in part or as a whole, within a 15 year period from completion of the enabling residential development.

As the original deadline to complete the Section 106 agreement had passed the Committee agreed to delegate to the Head of Planning the determination of the application to be signed three months from the date of the final determination by the SoS.  It was noted that should the matter be called in the application would be considered at a public enquiry. 

42.

29 Fulford Road, West Ewell, Surrey, KT19 9QZ - 19/00890/CLP pdf icon PDF 109 KB

Single storey rear extension (Application for a certificate of Lawfulness for a Proposed Development)

Minutes:

Description

Single storey rear extension (Application for a certificate of Lawfulness for a Proposed Development).

Recommendation

This application was brought before Committee as the property is owned by a member of the Council staff. 

The proposed development was considered Permitted Development under Schedule 2, Part 1, Classes A and C of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended).  Therefore Officers were satisfied that the appropriate legal tests had been met.

Decision

To Grant a Lawful Development Certificate

Informatives:

(1)            The proposed development is considered Permitted Development, under Schedule 2, Part 1, Classes A and C of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) subject to the following conditions

Class A (The enlargement, improvement or other alteration of a dwellinghouse.)

Development is permitted by Class A subject to the following conditions—

(a)      the materials used in any exterior work (other than materials used in the construction of a conservatory) must be of a similar appearance to those used in the construction of the exterior of the existing dwellinghouse;

(b)any upper-floor window located in a wall or roof slope forming a side elevation of the dwellinghouse must be—

(i)       obscure-glazed, and

(ii)      non-opening unless the parts of the window which can be opened are more than 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which the window is installed; and

(c) where the enlarged part of the dwellinghouse has more than a single storey, or forms an upper storey on an existing enlargement of the original dwellinghouse, the roof pitch of the enlarged part must, so far as practicable, be the same as the roof pitch of the original dwellinghouse.

Class C (other alterations to the roof of a dwellinghouse)

Development is permitted by Class C subject to the condition that any window located on a roof slope forming a side elevation of the dwellinghouse must be—

(a) obscure-glazed; and

(b) non-opening unless the parts of the window which can be opened are more than 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which the window is installed..

(2)            The decision relates to the following drawings:

Site Location Plan

TD001 - Existing Plans - June 2018

TD002 - Proposed Floor Plan - June 2018

TD003 - Proposed Elevations - June 2018.

(3)            Please note that this is only permitted development if the proposed roof lights protrude no more than 0.15m beyond the plane of the slope of the original roof when measured from the perpendicular with the external surface of the original roof.

(4)            All external fascias, materials, treatments and finishes of the proposed new work shall match existing house and those listed in the submitted approved plans to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority.

(5)            Your attention is drawn to the need to comply with the relevant provisions of the Building Regulations, the Building Acts and other related legislation. These cover such works as  - the demolition  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

43.

Horton Park Golf And Country Club, Hook Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 8QG pdf icon PDF 84 KB

Replacement driving range fence

Minutes:

Description

Replacement driving range fence

Recommendation

This application was brought before the Committee as the site falls within land owned by the Council.

Officers reported that there were no material, visual or amenity concerns arising from the proposal and the applicant submitted the following justification in support of the application:

·                 Over the past twenty years golf club technology had continually increased the distance a golf ball could be hit and there was potential for them to fly over the current netting

·                 The increase in height of the netting would increase safety standards on the range for customers and staff

The Committee discussed the impact on the openness of the Green belt and the visual amenity and it was agreed that planning permission be granted.

Decision

Planning permission is PERMITTED subject to the following conditions:

Conditions:

(1)            The development hereby permitted shall be commenced within 3 years from the date of this decision.

Reason: In order to comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990. (As amended)

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

Proposed elevations:  Drawing 16042 101

Proposed layout:    Drawing DW15031703

Lighting Column:  Drawing DW27011101 Rev1

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

(3)            Prior to the commencement of development, details and samples of the netting to be used for the development shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.  The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

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.

Informative:

(1)            In dealing with the application the Council has implemented the requirement in the National Planning Policy Framework to work with the applicant in a positive and proactive way. We have made available detailed advice in the form or our statutory policies in the Core Strategy, Supplementary Planning Documents, Planning Briefs and other informal written guidance, as well as offering a full pre-application advice service, in order to ensure that the applicant has been given every opportunity to submit an application which is likely to be considered favourably.

 

44.

The Royal Automobile Country Club (RAC), Old Barn Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 7EW pdf icon PDF 145 KB

Variation of Condition 2 (drawings) of Planning ref: 18/00645/FUL, dated 14.11.2018, to amend the engineering design of the Reservoir

Minutes:

Description

Variation of Condition 2 (drawings) of planning ref: 18/00645/FUL dated 14 November 2018, to amend the engineering design of the Reservoir.

Recommendation

Following the granting of planning permission in November 2018, work had commenced on site, however during the course of survey works and engineering checks it was established that engineering adjustments to the form of the reservoir were required.

The application sought technical design changes to the reservoir only which would not impact the capacity of the reservoir (6 million gallons), maintenance area, access to the site or the power line constraints.

Officers had assessed the application against planning policy and it was not considered to adversely impact the Green Belt or the ecological and biodiversity potential of the site.

Decision

Planning permission is PERMITTED as per the original conditions detailed below with the only change being to the approved drawings as set out in Condition No.2.

Conditions:

(1)            The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of 14 November 2018.

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. The development hereby

(2)            The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in strict accordance with the approved drawings:

RAC_SLP_09_05.18 – Site Location Plan – dated 31.05.18

MWE_RAC_PPS_25_08.19 – Planning Phase Sections – dated 15.08.19

MWE_RAC_PPP_24_08.19 – Planning Phase Plan – dated 15.08.19

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 shall be carried out in accordance with the details of the pump house, approved under application ref: 19/00086/COND, granted 15 May 2019

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 shall be carried out and retained in accordance with the details of the fence(s), approved under ref: 19/00086/COND, granted 15 May 2019

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.

(5)            The reservoir land forming and development, shall be carried out in strict accordance with the agreed recommendations for Tree Work and Tree Protection as detailed in the Arboricultural Assessment produced by SJA dated July 2018 reference SJA air 18095-01C

Reason: To protect the trees on site which are to be retained in the interests of the visual amenities of the locality in accordance with Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy (2007) and Policies DM5 and DM9 of the Development Management Policies 2015.

(6)            The development shall be carried out in accordance with the agreed details of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

45.

Development Site At Garages, Ormonde Avenue, Epsom, Surrey pdf icon PDF 127 KB

Erection of three no. two-bedroom dwellings

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Description

Erection of three no. two-bedroom dwellings

Recommendation

The Committee received an application which proposed a terrace of three dwellings and the provision of six car parking spaces, exceeding local planning policy standards. 

Officers confirmed that the application for three units was below the threshold for stipulating affordable housing as part of the scheme. It was noted however that the applicant was a registered social landlord and their intention was for the dwellings to be provided as affordable dwelling for rent, as part of their housing estate.

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:

EX01 – Existing Location Plan and Block Plan for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

EX02 – Existing Site Survey Plan for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

EX03 – Existing Site Sections & Elevations for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

PL01 – Proposed Location Plan and Block Plan for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

PL02 – Proposed Site Plan With Vehicle Tracking, Previous Planning Scheme & Dimensions for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

PL03 – Proposed Site Plan, Ground Floor Plan, First Floor Plan & Roof Plan for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

PL04 – Proposed Elevations for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

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 the following drawings:

 

PL01 – Proposed Location Plan and Block Plan for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

PL02 – Proposed Site Plan With Vehicle Tracking, Previous Planning Scheme & Dimensions for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

PL03 – Proposed Site Plan, Ground Floor Plan, First Floor Plan & Roof Plan for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

PL04 – Proposed Elevations for Planning Submission – dated Mar 2019

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)            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.

Reason: In order to safeguard the amenities of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

46.

The Lodge, West Street, KT17 1XU pdf icon PDF 188 KB

Demolition of existing detached house and construction of two houses and four flats

Minutes:

Description

Demolition of existing detached house and construction of Two houses and Four flats.

Note:  The website link on the agenda was incorrect and should be replaced with the following link:

 

http://eplanning.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=PTRJ3MGYFHF00

Recommendation

The Committee received a report seeking to build two houses and four flats with direct access to Ewell Village and, bounded by Gibraltar Recreation ground to the north west of the site.  The development would accommodate two parking spaces on the site and it was proposed that the parking demand for an additional six spaces would be accommodated using off street parking. 

The report outlined paragraphs 7 and 8 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Members were encouraged to view the proposed development in terms of sustainable development i.e. in terms of economic, social and environmental impact.  The Objectively Assessed Housing Need (OAHN) that required the Borough to build 695 dwellings per year was also emphasized and the Council’s commitment to maximising the five year land supply.

It was confirmed that the proposed development did not include sufficient spaces to meet the Council’s minimum parking standards and Members discussed the potential impact on surrounding streets and Gibraltar Recreation ground car park which was intended for residents who used the facilities in the park.  It was noted that the applicant had provided a transport statement and Surrey County Council (SCC) Highways had not raised any objections. 

It was acknowledged that the proposed development would maximise the density of the site.  Members deliberated the balance between potential less than significant harm to the character of a conservation area and the benefits associated with the provision of an additional five dwellings. 

Decision

Planning permission is REFUSED for the followings reasons:

(1)            The design of the development by reason of its scale, massing, bulk and detail would fail to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Ewell Village Conservation Area, resulting in less than substantial harm to the designated heritage asset.  The development does not achieve public benefits that outweigh the harm and adverse impacts of the scheme when assessed against the policies in the National Planning Policy framework taken as a whole.  The proposal is contrary to the NPPF, policies DM8, DM9, and DM10 of the Development Management Policies Document 2015 and CS5 of the Core Strategy 2007.

(2)            The proposed development would not meet the parking standards as set out in DM37 of the Development Management Policies Document 2015 resulting in harm to the surrounding area in terms of streetscene and availability of on street parking, and failing to comply with CS16 of the Core Strategy 2007.

The Committee noted verbal representations from an objector and the agent for the application.  Letters of representation had been published on the Council’s website and were available to the public and members of the Committee in advance of the meeting.

47.

Monthly Report Planning Appeals Decisions pdf icon PDF 63 KB

The Committee is asked to note five appeal decisions from 20 August to 16 October 2019 and the number of dwellings for which planning permission has been granted up to September 2019

Minutes:

The Committee noted five appeal decision from 20 August to 16 October 2019 and the number of dwelling for which planning permission had been granted up to September 2019.