Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: That application 19/01106/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the reasons and conditions outlined in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager and the following additional conditions:

“Condition 25

Prior to any demolition and construction works full details of a Demolition and Construction Management Plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme.

Reason: In order to ensure that adequate measures are adopted to control nuisance during works associated with the development from the spread of pollution, notably dust and fine particulate matter.

Condition 26

Prior to the occupation of the development a Landscape and Ecology Management Plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Plan.

Reason: In the interests of nature conservation     

Condition 27

Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 as amended no development as set out in Class E of Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Order, (or any subsequent Statutory Instrument which revokes, amends and/or replaces those provisions) shall be carried out without first obtaining a specific planning permission from the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: Given the nature of this development, the Local Planning Authority considers that development which would normally be "permitted development" should be retained within planning control in the interests of the character and amenities of the area.”

Audio recording – 123 minutes 13 seconds

The Development and Conservation Manager advised Members that Matthew Armstrong Highways Area Manager (North & East) from Herts County Council was available via Zoom to answer questions and provided the following updates:

·         Comments had been received from Ickleford Parish Council.

·         Further comments had been received from the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.

·         Highways had clarified that on carriageway bus stops were safer than off carriageway, given the priority of buses.

·         There would be funds allocated to make a biodiversity net gain off site.

·         Some of the Section 106 funds had been changed, following the net reduction of one house in the proposals.

·         Due to the site being situated on currently allocated Green Belt land, this application would need to be referred to the Secretary of State if approved.

The Development and Conservation Manager presented the report in respect of application 19/01106/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

The following Members asked questions:

·         Councillor David Levett

·         Councillor Nigel Mason

In response to questions, the Development and Conservation Manager advised:

·         The applicant was Cala Homes.

·         For affordable rental properties, this would equate to 80% of the market value rent and 40% of this development would be in that category.

The Chair invited Ms Jill Saunders and Mr Phillip Crowe to speak against the application.

Ms Saunders thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation, including:

·         Objections from local residents had been set out in writing and a challenge to the legality of the site selection had been made and was awaiting a response from the Planning Inspector.

·         The review which downgraded the relevance of the site to the green belt failed to offer justification or rationale for doing so.

·         A strategic master plan was required for Ickleford due to the number of proposed developments.

·         If the proposals are approved then, as a minimum, the conditions in the report need to be enforced.

·         Full protection, with additional planting, of trees should be included within the proposals.

·         It was good to see the inclusion of a light controlled crossing over the busy road in the proposals and requested the footpath be extended.

Mr Crowe thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation, including:

·         Ickleford Parish Council has continued to object to the plans, which will be built on green belt land and will be built before the return of the Local Plan from the Inspector.

·         Requested that all sewage will flow south towards Hitchin, not north into the older sewers which were already under strain.

·         Given the new national plans to protect chalk streams, it was not suitable to propose that all surface water will run into the River Oughton.

·         The siting of the pelican crossing proposed should be moved south, alongside the new bus stop, which would be of more use to residents and children using the bus stop.

In response to a point of clarification from Councillor Alistair  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9