Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Conversion of Node Court to 8 no. dwellings. Conversion of Midden building to residential and the erection of 6 no. terraced dwelling-houses as development to facilitate the restoration of Node Court together with associated car parking, landscaping, boundary treatment and ancillary works (Amended Plans received 30 August 2024).

RESOLVED: That Application 23/00407/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the resolution of negotiation of a S106 or legal agreement which secures the heritage benefits, which will be negotiated post-resolution; and Conditions and Informative as set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager, with added condition as may be required in association with the S106 or legal agreement, and the following additional Condition 25, as follows:

‘Condition 25:

Prior to Occupation, vehicle to vehicle visibility splays of 2.4 metres by 25 metres to the both directions shall be provided and permanently maintained. Within which, there shall be no obstruction to visibility between 600 mm and 2.0 metres above the carriageway level. These measurements shall be taken from the intersection of the centre line of the permitted access with the edge of the carriageway of the highway respectively into the application site and from the intersection point along the edge of the carriageway.

Reason: To ensure construction of a satisfactory development and in the interests of highway safety in accordance with Policy 5 of Hertfordshire’s Local Transport Plan (adopted 2018).’

Audio recording – 31 minutes 6 seconds

The Chair advised Members that the reports for Applications 23/00407/FP and 23/00408/LBC would be presented together.

The Senior Planning Officer informed Members that a representation had been received from a neighbour of the site and advised that:

·             Their main concern with the proposed development was the state of Drivers End Lane.

·             They described the road as difficult to navigate with few passing places, having no pathway for pedestrians and being frequently flooded.

·             They were looking forward to seeing Node Court restored, but before this could happen, the vehicle site access would have to be improved. 

The Senior Planning Officer then presented the reports in respect of Applications 23/00407/FP and 23/00408/LBC supported by a visual presentation consisting of plans and photographs.

The following Members asked questions:

·             Councillor Jon Clayden

·             Councillor Louise Peace

·             Councillor Tom Tyson

·             Councillor Ruth Brown

·             Councillor Val Bryant

·             Councillor Elizabeth Dennis

·             Councillor Ian Mantle

In response to questions, the Senior Planning Officer advised that:

·             No alternative proposals had been put forward for the use of the site.

·             The terraced houses would cause harm to the listed building in its setting, therefore they were undersized and uncompliant with policy to limit the damage.  

·             Highways had not provided any conditions for the application.

·             Where the site was previously used for commercial purposes, traffic was concentrated at certain times, whereas traffic would be spread throughout the day if the site was to be used residentially as proposed.

·             S106 contributions from the developer would be waived in exchange for the district gaining a listed building.

·             The width of Drivers End Lane was unknown.

·             There was no information on the volume or type of construction vehicles that would be deployed during the construction phase of the development.

·             Drivers End Lane had several residencies along it.

·             Whether the apartments would be sold on a freehold or leasehold basis would not be for the Council to decide as it was outside their remit.

In response to questions, the Principle Planning Officer advised that:

·             Highways had not wished to attend the meeting and had not provided conditions for the application, however, they recommended that the visibility splay condition in the addendum should be implemented.

·             If the Council decided to enforce a condition on the application for the developer to provide a construction traffic management plan, this would need approval from Highways. However, they had objected to the application in principle and would be unlikely to agree this which could cause problems for the developer going forward.

·             The objection from Highways was based on the visibility splays and the site location which they deemed to be unsustainable as it was car dependent.

·             An objection to construction traffic resulting from the application had not been raised by Highways, but unless they recommended a condition on traffic management, they would be unlikely to support it. 

·             Highways agreed that vehicle movement on Driver End Lane would be greater if the site was used commercially rather than residentially as proposed.   

Councillor Martin Prescott proposed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 163