Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are requested to ensure that they are familiar with the attached summary of the Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol. The full Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol has been published and is available here: https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/home/council-and-democracy/council-and-committee-meetings.

The Chair welcomed everyone to this virtual Planning Control Committee meeting that was being conducted with Members and Officers at various locations, communicating via audio/video and online. There was also the opportunity for the public and press to listen to and view proceedings.

The Chair invited the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer to explain how proceedings would work and to confirm that Members and Officers were in attendance.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer undertook a roll call to ensure that all Members, Officers and registered speakers could hear and be heard and gave advice regarding the following:

The meeting was being streamed live onto YouTube and recorded via Zoom.

Extracts from the Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol were included with the agenda and the full version was available on the Council’s website which included information regarding:

·                Live Streaming;

·                Noise Interference;

·                Rules of Debate and

·                Voting

Members were requested to ensure that they were familiar with the Protocol.

The Chair of the Planning Control Committee, Councillor Ruth Brown started the meeting proper.

Audio recording 6 seconds

The Chair welcomed everyone to this virtual Planning Control Committee meeting that was being conducted with Members and Officers at various locations, communicating via audio/video and online. There was also the opportunity for the public and press to listen to and view proceedings.

The Chair invited the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer to explain how proceedings would work and to confirm that Members and Officers were in attendance.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer undertook a roll call to ensure that all Members, Officers and registered speakers could hear and be heard and gave advice regarding the following:

The meeting was being streamed live onto YouTube and recorded via Zoom.

Extracts from the Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol were included with the agenda and the full version was available on the Council’s website which included information regarding:

·                Live Streaming;

·                Noise Interference;

·                Rules of Debate; and

·                Voting.

Members were requested to ensure that they were familiar with the Protocol.

The Chair of the Planning Control Committee, Councillor Ruth Brown started the meeting proper.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ian Moody, Tom Tyson and Mike Hughson.

Having given due notice Councillor Sam Collins advised that he would be substituting for Councillor Tom Tyson and Councillor Michael Muir advised that he would be substituting for Councillor Ian Moody.

Audio recording 3 minutes 3 seconds

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ian Moody, Mike Hughson and Tom Tyson.

Having given due notice, Councillor Michael Muir advised that he would be substituting for Councillor Ian Moody and Councillor Sam Collins advised that he would be substituting for Councillor Tom Tyson.

Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.

There was no other business notified.

Audio recording 3 minutes 40 seconds

There was no other business notified.

Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda.  Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.

(1)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council policy, this meeting was being audio recorded as well as filmed. The audio recording would be available to view on Mod.gov and the film recording via the NHDC YouTube channel.

(2)       Members were reminded to make declarations of interest before an item, the detailed reminder about this and speaking rights was set out under Chair’s Announcements on the agenda.

(3)       To clarify matters for the registered speakers the Chair advised that members of the public had 5 minutes for each group of speakers i.e. 5 minutes for objectors and 5 minutes for supporters. This 5 minute time limit also applied to Member Advocates.

A warning would be given at 4 ½ minutes and speakers would be asked to cease at 5 minutes.

Audio recording 3 minutes 45 seconds

(1)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be audio recorded as well as filmed. The audio recording would be available to be viewed on Mod.Gov and the film recording would be available via the NHDC YouTube channel;

(2)       The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question;

(3)          The Chair welcomed the registered speakers to the meeting and explained that objectors, supporters and Member Advocates would each have five minutes per group to speak on each item and would be alerted at 4 ½ minutes and further when their time was up.

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.

The Chair confirmed that the registered speakers and Member Advocate were in attendance.

Audio recording 4 minutes 57 seconds

The registered speakers had been confirmed as present during the roll call.

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Residential development of 167 dwellings (Use Class C3) and associated works including formal open space, internal road network, landscape enhancement and creation of accesses from Heath Lane and St Albans Road; and the demolition of 66 St Albans Road (as amended by drawings received 1st and 6th November 2018, 17th and 18th December 2018 and 3rd April 2019).

This item had been withdrawn from the agenda.

Audio recording 5 minutes 6 seconds

Residential development of 167 dwellings (Use Class C3) and associated works including formal open space, internal road network, landscape enhancement and creation of accesses from Heath Lane and St Albans Road; and the demolition of 66 St Albans Road (as amended by drawings received 1^st and 6^th November 2018, 17^th and 18^th December 2018 and 3^rd April 2019).

The Chair advised that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda.

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Erection of 24 dwellings including creation of vehicular access off Ashwell Street, footpath link to Lucas Lane, associated public open space and landscaping (as amended by plans received 17.08.20).

RESOLVED: That application 20/00126/FP be REFUSED planning permission for the reasons set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager.

Audio recording 5 minutes 17 seconds

Erection of 24 dwellings including creation of vehicular access off Ashwell Street, footpath link to Lucas Lane, associated public open space and landscaping (as amended by plans received 17.08.20).

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report in respect of application 20/00126/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans and provided the Committee with the following updates:

·                Paragraph 4.3.26 under “Recommendation” the first sentence should be deleted as it was included in error;

·                Paragraph 4.3.85 all the pound signs had changed to the letter ‘J’ in error when the report was published;

·                The Growth and Infrastructure Team, Hertfordshire County Council had requested that the indexation was clearly stated for the library service, youth service and secondary school education provision.  This would be PUBSEC 175. 

·                There was an error in paragraph 3.23 and in fact fire hydrants were requested as per the consultation response from Hertfordshire County Council, Growth and Infrastructure Team;

·                A representation had been received from Bygrave Parish Council since the report was published which highlighted concerns about construction traffic. Should Members be minded to grant permission these concerns could be dealt with by a condition requiring a traffic management plan;

·                The Environment Agency had been reconsulted in light of the concerns raised by local residents with regard to surface water flooding. They had provided advice which was received after the Committee report was published. Should Members be minded to grant planning permission this issue this could be dealt with by condition.

Mr Graham Lee, Chair of Ashwell Parish Council, thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee in objection to application 20/00126/FP.

Mr Lee gave a verbal presentation including:

·                Ashwell Parish Council supported the recommendation of the Planning Officer to refuse planning approval for the development, for the reasons stated in her report;

·                Ashwell Parish Council had submitted objections to the application previously as detailed in the Planning Officer’s report at paragraph 3.24;

·                In addition to the previous objections made, the Parish Council wished to raise the safety of the proposed vehicular access via Ashwell Street and Kingsland Way and the safety of non-motorised users of Ashwell Street;

·                Ashwell Parish Council considered that the concept and location of the application conflicted with a number of local and national planning policies.

Councillor Tom Tyson, Member Advocate, thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee, including:

·                He was speaking in objection to the application and in support of the Planning Officer’s recommendation to refuse planning permission for the development;

·                On the whole, neighbours’ comments (paragraph 3.25) had been taken in consideration;

·                There was an ongoing issue of drainage and sewerage problems thought to be due to a full sewer which might be compounded by new development;

·                Open spaces and the rural character of Ashwell were being gradually eroded;

·                116 new homes had been built in Ashwell over the last 9 years;

·                This development was unacceptable and would detract from the rural character of Ashwell.

Mr Sav Patel, speaking  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

RESOLVED: That the report entitled Planning Appeals be noted.

The Development and Conservation Manager presented the report entitled Planning Appeals which was noted.

The Development and Conservation Manager advised Members that a recording of the training for Members delivered by the Planning Advisory Service would be made available on the Council’s learning platform for all Members.

The Planning Advisory Service had agreed to deliver further training for Parish Councils in the new year.

RESOLVED: That the report entitled Planning Appeals be noted.