Agenda item

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Area including play equipment bonded rubber mulch safety surfacing, site furniture, 1m high galvanised steel boundary fencing and access pathway from Swinburne Avenue.

RESOLVED:

 

That application 19/01748/FP be DEFERRED planning permission for the following reasons:

 

·                In respect of Condition 4 within the report – CCTV Monitoring - Members requested that they be provided with fuller, in-depth detail and specification with respect to the type of surveillance system proposed, hours of operation and monitoring, positioning and height;

 

·                In respect of Condition 5 within the report – Members requested that they be provided with more detailed information and specification to include the type of lighting proposed, a programme of maintenance and operation, position and height; and

 

·                Paragraph 3.2 within the report - In light of the concerns raised by the Police Crime Prevention Design Advisor, Members felt that they would be in a position to make an informed decision once they had been supplied with and were satisfied with the outcome of information with respect to CCTV and lighting.

Audio Recording – Start of Item - 1 Hour 10 Minutes

 

Area including play equipment, bonded rubber mulch safety surfacing, site furniture, 1 metre high galvanised steel boundary fencing and access pathway from Swinburne Avenue.

 

The Principal Planning Officer updated Members of the Committee as follows:

 

·                That he had circulated conditions within the report to the Crime Prevention Officer.  The Crime Prevention Officer had responded, and advised that the conditions regarding the CCTV Cameras and lighting would help to mitigate concerns and would increase the formal surveillance of the sight.  The officer had also advised that having checked records, no recent incidents had been reported in the proposed designated area.

 

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report in respect of application 19/00950/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

 

Ms Jacqueline McDonald thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to speak in objection to application 19/01748/FP, she explained that she, along with many residents from the Westmill Community were opposed to the proposed play area  and drew the Members attention as follows:

 

·                Locating a children’s play area in the Swinburne Playing Fields behind houses, without visibility from the majority of the Westmill houses had caused concern from both local residents and the Police;

·                Children’s safety and welfare – A children’s play area should be located and remain within the hub of the community to ensure both visibility and accessibility;

·                Owing to the out of sight proposed location of the park there would be a strong chance that it would be subject to antisocial behaviour and vandalism;

·                The proposed CCTV and large floodlights would have a negative visual and atmospheric impact which would be out of character with the natural environment; and

·                On 8 November 2019 a public meeting had been held at Westmill Community Centre whereby a vote had been taken, this had resulted in the large majority having voted against the proposal.

 

The following Members raised points and asked questions:

 

·                Councillor Daniel Allen;

·                Councillor Ruth Brown; and

·                Councillor Michael Weeks.

 

Ms McDonald informed that:

 

·                The playground was being moved as a result of the John Barker Place re-development.

 

In response to points raised, the Principal Planning Officer highlighted that Crime Prevention Design Advisor’s comments within the report were a concern, not an objection to the application.

 

Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb, Member Advocate, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Planning Committee and explained that he had called the item into the Committee in the wider public interest only, and was not making a recommendation.  He further explained that he had taken legal advice but for complete transparency he wished to inform the Members of the Committee that whilst some of his family members had objected to the application, he did not have a Declarable Interest.

 

·                Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb made the following points:

 

·                Settle’s proposals to re-develop John Barker Place had been held up for a number of years, one factor was due to the need to find a suitable replacement location for a play area.

 

·                Settle had worked with the Council on a number of options, but to no avail.

 

·                Most residents would prefer a more centrally located play area, however, taking more time to establish a different location would just cause further delay.

 

·                Objections had been received from residents, particularly from those living adjacent to the suggested location and their opinions should be considered.

 

·                The majority of constituents who had contacted Cllr Stears-Handscomb and Cllr Billing in respect to the application, had been in support.

 

·                Asked The Committee to decide the application on it’s merits.

 

The Chairman thanked Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb for his presentation.

 

Ms Shenaz Virgi, settle, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to speak in support of application 19/01748/FP and reported as follows:

 

·                The reasons that the current play area needed to be relocated;

·                The play area would provide new equipment for all ages, including equipment accessible to wheelchair users;

·                The proposed location on Swinburne playing fields had been suggested by local families as part of a previous consultation which had run in 2017.

·                Public exhibitions, meetings and coffee mornings, had taken place to gather feedback from residents;

·                Lighting and CCTV had been requested as conditions; and

·                CCTV footage would be monitored back to the control centre in Stevenage.

 

The following Members asked questions of Ms Virgi’s presentation:

 

·         Councillor Michael Muir;

·         Councillor Ian Mantle; and

·         Councillor David Levett.

 

In response to questions raised by Members, Ms Virgi provided the following:

 

·                It would be dependent on the terms of the lease agreement as to whether the proposed play area would remain after the first phase of build was completed at John Barker Place; and

·                settle would be responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the play area.

The following Members took part in discussion and debate:

 

·           Councillor David Levett;

·           Councillor Michael Weeks;

·           Councillor Michael Muir;

·           Councillor Daniel Allen;

·           Councillor Ian Mantle; and

·           Councillor Ruth Brown.

 

Points and issues raised:

 

·                Children’s safety

·                Police concerns

·                Remoteness of the play area

·                The decommissioning of the play area

·                CCTV and flood lighting monitoring and specifications

·                Light pollution.

 

In response to questions and issues raised, the Principal Planning Officer stated the following:

 

·                The Crime Prevention Design Advisor gave the assurance that Conditions 4 and 5 would mitigate the concerns with safety;

·                There was a decommissioning condition at Condition 6 within the report;

·                There were already play areas on the edge of settlements i.e. Purwell Meadows.

·                Condition 5 could be brought back to the Committee if required.

·                Drew the Members attention to Condition 6 within the report confirming the requirement for the submission of a decommissioning and removal scheme of the play area should it no longer be required.

 

It was proposed by Councillor David Levett and seconded by Councillor Ruth Brown to defer planning permission and

 

RESOLVED:

 

That application 19/01748/FP be DEFERRED planning permission for the following reasons:

 

·                In respect of Condition 4 within the report – CCTV Monitoring - Members requested that they be provided with fuller, in-depth detail and specification with respect to the type of surveillance system proposed, hours of operation and monitoring, positioning and height;

 

·                In respect of Condition 5 within the report – Members requested that they be provided with more detailed information and specification to include the type of lighting proposed, a programme of maintenance and operation, position and height; and

 

·                Paragraph 3.2 within the report - In light of the concerns raised by the Police Crime Prevention Design Advisor, Members felt that they would be in a position to make an informed decision once they had been supplied with and were satisfied with the outcome of information with respect to CCTV and lighting.