Agenda and minutes

To note any substitution of Members made in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19-22.

The following substitutions of Committee Members had been made in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19-22:

Councillor G.Hayes for Councillor P.Shah.

Councillor C.Gillet for Councillor I.Dean.     

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors I.Dean and P.Shah.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2017 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on the Agenda.

Councillor and P. Zukowskyj declared a non-pecuniary interest in items on the agenda as appropriate by virtue of being a member of Hertfordshire County Council.

Councillor S. Boulton declared a non-pecuniary interest in items on the agenda as appropriate by virtue of being a Member of Hertfordshire County Council; a Member of North Mymms Parish Council and was related to Councillor Mrs J.Boulton of North Mymms Parish Council who was registered to speak against application garages and workshop at Green Close, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, AL9 7ST - 6/2017/0048/FULL - erection of a two storey dwelling and associated landscaping following the demolition of existing garages/workshop (retrospective).

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance).

The report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out the application seeking planning permission for the change of use of the ground floor (A2) professional services/first floor flat (C3) to form a single residential 3-bedroom dwelling (C3) including internal and external alterations.

Officers advised that a late representation from the Hertfordshire Highways had been received and circulated.

Mr M.Bishop (Applicant) spoke in support of the application.

Mr Ian Skidmore (Objector) spoke against the application.

Councillor T.Kingsbury spoke against the application.

During the discussion which ensued, the following material points were raised by Members.

•      The proposed change of use to form a single residential dwelling would impact on the vitality and viability of the village centre. 

•      The balance between commercial and residential use in the village centre would be significantly harmed.

•      There was a lack of amenity space around the property.

•      The proposed parking would be contrary to the Council’s adopted Parking Standards.

•      The proposed change of use into a three bedroom residence would adversely impact on the parking problems currently experienced in the village centre. 

•      The requirements of residential and visitors parking would be very different.

•      The ownership of the piece of land between the 9-11 Church Street and Holly Hall Court should be ascertained to ensure that this land was not adopted into the curtilage of the property under consideration.

Some Members expressed the following views.

•      There would be less demand for parking due to the reduction of footfall in the village centre and customers requiring a parking space.

•      There was confidence in the Officer’s report regarding the impact on the vitality and viability of the village centre as this had been taken into account and was considered to be negligible.

The Chairman advised the Committee that under permitted development rights the current owners were entitled to make a change of use application.

It was then moved by Councillor J.Beckerman and seconded by Councillor N.Pace that planning permission be agreed.

RESOLVED:

(12 voting for, 3 against)

That planning permission be approved for application 6/2017/0548/FULL subject to the conditions set out in the report.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance).

The report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out the application which sought permission for the erection of a two storey dwelling and associated landscaping following the demolition of existing garages/workshop (retrospective).

Officers advised that a late representation had been circulated to Members which reported that the drawing number for the proposed plans and elevations was incorrect.  It should be drawing number: 15 Revision E, dated: 17 May 2017.  Also, under para 4.1, the application proposal was ‘Formation of two storey dwellinghouse with garage and associated landscaping following demolition of existing garages, workshop and greenhouse’.

Mr David Morgan (Agent) spoke in support of the application.

Ms Rowswell (Objector) spoke against the application.

North Mymms Parish Councillor Mrs J.Boulton spoke against the application.

During the discussion which ensued, the following material points were raised by Members.

•        The proposed application would result in an overdevelopment of the site.

•        The size of the garden was considered to be out of character with the surrounding properties.

•        The proposed development would be inappropriate due to size and scale of the plot.

It was then moved by Councillor J.Beckerman and seconded by Councillor A.Chesterman that planning permission be agreed.

RESOLVED:

(8 voting for and 7 against)

That planning permission be approved for application 6/2017/0048/FULL subject to the conditions set out in the report.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance).

The report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out the application which sought planning permission for the erection of a first floor side extension above part of the flat roofed garage.  The proposed extension would be set back from the front elevation by approximately 1.6 metres and set in from the side boundary by approximately 2.4 metres.  The roof would continue the ridge height of the existing dwelling.

The proposed extension would be finished in soft red facing brickwork laid in Flemish bond and reclaimed red clay pan tiles to match the existing dwelling. The proposed fenestration detailing would match the existing dwelling.

Officers, with regard to late representation made the following statement.

‘Members would have received a copy of a letter from the applicants supporting their proposal for the extension.

Planning permission was recently granted for a single storey flat roofed extension incorporating a basement on the side of this end of terrace house.  The extension has not yet been built.

This application proposes to construct a first floor extension above part of the approved extension to create a further bedroom with external dimensions measuring 3m wide by 3.7m deep.

The extension is designed to match the appearance of the dwelling in terms of materials, window style and size.

The extension generally accords with the Council’s guidance with regards to the design of extensions except that where there is a strong characteristic of wider spacing between homes (particularly at first floor level) and where there are open views across single storey built form as is the case in a number of Welwyn Garden City streets then proposals that even partly fill the first floor space with extensions need to be examined very carefully.

In this case the house is the first in Longcroft Lane and has a wider than usual distance to the side boundary with Church Road.  Adjacent to the boundary there is also a car park and so in visual terms there is a considerable and spacious gap adjacent to the house and so on balance it is felt that the very particular circumstances of this plot would make this relatively modest proposal acceptable without setting a precedent that could be easily repeated elsewhere in the street.

The recommendation therefore remains to permit subject to the conditions set out in the report.’

Site Description

The application site was located on a corner plot at the northern end of Longcroft Lane on the edge of the Town Centre.  Longcroft Lane was residential in character and featured properties of similar style, appearance and architectural detailing.

The site comprised of a two storey end of terrace property constructed of traditional red brick with a clay pantile roof.  It was set back from the highway with grass and hardstanding to the front.

Reason for Committee Consideration

This application is presented to the Development Management Committee because Councillor Cowan has objected to the application on the grounds that coupled with previous extensions this “would result in overdevelopment and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance).

The report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) detailed recent appeal decisions for the period 4 May to 2 June 2017.

RESOLVED:

That the appeal decisions during the period set out in the report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) be noted.

Report of the Executive Director (PublicProtection,Planning and Governance).

The report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provided Members with a summary of planning applications that might be presented to Committee over the next one or two months.  If the call-in or application was withdrawn, the item would not be presented.

RESOLVED:

That future planning applications which might be considered by the Committee be noted.