Agenda for Development Management Committee on Thursday 18th July 2019, 7.30 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 6AE

Contact: Graham Seal 

Items
No. Item

20.

MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2019 (previously circulated).

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

21.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS

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

Minutes:

Councillor S.Boulton declared non-pecuniary interests in items on the Agenda as appropriate by virtue of being a Member of Hertfordshire County Council and in item 8 – Stanborough Park, North Stanborough Park, Stanborough Road by virtue of being a Member of the Cabinet which had discussed the proposal. Due to the potential for perception of bias, Councillor Boulton confirmed that he would withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item and not take part in the debate or vote.

 

Councillor S.Elam declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 8 on the Agenda – Stanborough Park, North Stanborough Park, Stanborough Road by virtue of being a Member of the Council’s Splashlands Procurement Project Board. Due to the potential for perception of bias, Councillor Elam confirmed that she would withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item and not take part in the debate or vote.

22.

LAND AT WATERBEACH, BERICOT WAY AND SHACKLETON WAY, WELWYN GARDEN CITY, AL7 2PT - 6/2019/0564/RM - APPLICATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF RESERVED MATTERS (APPEARANCE, LANDSCAPING, LAYOUT, SCALE) INCLUDING, DETAILS OF: CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, REFUSE/WASTE STRATEGY, FIRE SAFETY STRATEGY, ON-STREET LIGHTING STRATEGY, CAR AND CYCLE LAYOUT, INCORPORATING ELECTRIC CHARGING VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS AND VISIBILITY SPLAYS; FOR THE ERECTION OF 21 DWELLINGS AS APPROVED AT OUTLINE PLANNING PERMISSION 6/2017/2202/OUTLINE DATED 04/01/2018 pdf icon PDF 630 KB

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

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the application for the approval of reserved matters (appearance, landscaping, layout, scale) including, details of construction management, refuse/waste strategy, fire safety strategy, on street lighting strategy, car and cycle layout, incorporating electric charging vehicle charging points and visibility splays, for the erection of 21 dwellings.

 

The application site was located within the heart of Panshanger Ward approximately two miles to the east of the centre of Welwyn Garden City and was roughly a rectangular piece of undeveloped land of approximately 0.70ha. This site was part of a larger piece of land, immediately to the south-west of the application site which had been re-developed for a 75 bed care home.

 

The application site might be described as an island site bounded on three sides by roads, which comprised Bericot Way to the west, Shackleton Way to the east and Waterbeach to the north, with the care home development immediately to the south. The site consisted of an undeveloped greenfield site which was laid to grass and was relatively flat. It was surrounded by a grass bund with a number of trees and vegetation on or next to it, which formed a soft boundary between the site and the adjacent houses and highway.

 

This application was presented to the Committee because Councillor T.Mitchinson had called it in on the grounds of:

 

“I have been contacted by various people living nearby with regards the design and especially the placing of the affordable homes directly next to existing properties. There is also no mention of an entrance onto the main road (Bericot way) rather than off Waterbeach. Something I originally asked to be considered. I need to ensure people’s views are represented; they already feel they are being ridden roughshod over with two of the strategic sites being in that part of WGC. They claim the ‘consultation’ by developers was cursory and aimed at disguising the final layout.”

 

H.Howe spoke for the application saying that the vehicular access had already been approved and there had been a significant amount of review and consultation. The proposal would complement the existing pattern of development, would not cause an adverse impact and deliver much needed new homes in this sustainable location. Additional landscaping was proposed and no objections had been received from statutory consultees.

 

S.Surendran had submitted a letter and photographs on behalf of a group of local residents and spoke against the application asking for it to be deferred on the grounds that, whilst they were not opposed to it in principle, there were flaws/ omissions/ errors in the application and it could be made a better fit with the area with some improvements to the proposed access and design.

 

Borough Ward Councillor T.Mitchinson spoke against the application saying that residents’ views had not been properly considered. The access could be off Bericot Way, rather than Waterbeach, with the temporary access being made permanent. The developers said they would look at this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

23.

CHANCELLORS SCHOOL, PINE GROVE, BROOKMANS PARK - 6/2019/0085/MAJ - ERECTION OF BUILDING COMPRISING SPORTS HALL WITH ASSOCIATED CHANGING FACILITIES AND 7 CLASSROOMS BUILT ON EXISTING HARD PLAY TENNIS COURTS; 4 HARD PLAY SPORTS PITCHES TO BE PROVIDED TO REPLACE EXISTING; PROVISION OF 33 PARKING SPACES; AND TWO MOBILE CLASSROOMS TO BE PROVIDED FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT pdf icon PDF 516 KB

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

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the erection of a building comprising a sports hall with associated changing facilities and seven classrooms built on existing hard play tennis courts, four hard play sports pitches to be provided to replace existing, provision of 33 parking spaces and two mobile classrooms to be provided for the duration of the project.

 

The application site was located within Chancellors School, Brookmans Park, to the south of the existing school buildings.  The site encapsulated the main school access and turning head; an area of hard surfacing, hard play Netball and Tennis Courts and an area of undeveloped grassland.

 

Access to the site for vehicles and pedestrians was from Pine Grove, a local access road with no throughway.  Pedestrian access was also available from Golf Club Road where pupils could enter the school grounds and circumnavigate the playing field to access the main school site.

 

On-site parking was available for 63 cars.  A small area of unmarked hard-surface at the western end of the access was also utilised for overspill parking (about nine cars) whilst the remainder of vehicles parked on-street.

 

The site was bounded to the north by the main school building and to its south by school playing fields.  The school playing fields formed part of the Potters Bar Parkland Landscape Character Area (PBPLCA).  The undeveloped grassland to the western side of the application site was also included in the PBPLCA.  Beyond the western boundary of the site on the opposite side of Golf Club Road was the main clubhouse and car park at Brookmans Park Golf Club.  To the immediate east of the site was the residential street of Pine Grove.  

 

This application was presented to the Committee because North Mymms Parish Council had submitted a Major Objection:-

 

“It must be a condition that the temporary classrooms be removed before occupation of the new classrooms occur (otherwise they will never go). The design is unimaginative and the materials proposed industrial, which for a Green Belt site show a lack of sympathy from the designers for the natural surroundings. The constant use of grey in colour schemes will date the building in the short term. The proposed building will be visible to users of The Drive, Ash Close and Golf Course Road. The wow factor alluded to in the Design and Access Statement will be of no consequence to this assault on the Green Belt which does not meet high quality design as required by NPPF. It is recognised that additional teaching space and sports facilities are needed at the school, however the proposal will have an impact on the openness and character of the area beyond the school boundary. The additional car parking required to accommodate extra staff and the expansion of the pupil numbers is of concern as traffic flow at the junction of Pine Grove, Georges Wood Road and the A1000 are not reflected accurately in the Transport Assessment which states that traffic conditions at peak  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

24.

STANBOROUGH PARK, NORTH STANBOROUGH PARK, STANBOROUGH ROAD AL8 6DF- 6/2019/0857/MAJ - REMOVAL OF EXISTING CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND AND REINSTATEMENT OF GROUND AS PARKLAND; CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PLAYGROUND INCLUDING SPLASH PAD WITH ASSOCIATED CHANGING ROOM FACILITY; KIOSK; FENCING AROUND COMPOUND; OUTDOOR GYM EQUIPMENT; DRAINAGE; EARTHWORKS AND LANDSCAPING pdf icon PDF 494 KB

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

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the removal of an existing children’s playground and reinstatement of ground as parkland, construction of a new playground including a splash pad with associated changing room facility, kiosk, fencing around compound, outdoor gym equipment, drainage, earthworks and landscaping.

 

The application site was located within Stanborough Park North, which was to the north of Stanborough Road and covered an area of approximately 1.086ha.  The surrounding area was predominantly grass parkland with associated car parking, accessed via an access road from Stanborough Road.  A high ropes course was also within Stanborough Park North to the north of the application site.  There was a public right of way adjoining the site to the east, which travelled from Stanborough Road and through this side of the park. The western side of the site was bordered by the River Lea and the A1 (M) was further beyond this, in an elevated position. 

 

The site included land occupied by the former open air pool complex, the Lido area.  That swimming pool complex was opened to the public in the 1970s until its closure in the 1990s and subsequent demolition.  That had all been demolished and the only building remaining on the site was a toilet facility and kiosk which were located in the southwest corner of the former lido area.  The toilet facility was currently undergoing renovation which was granted planning permission under application reference 6/2019/0119/FULL. 

 

The former Lido area had been infilled and grassed over and now formed part of the wider grass parkland and was not visually separated.  To the west of the former lido area was a children’s play area which adjoined the boundary with the River Lea forming part of the application site.

 

This application was presented to the Committee because it was a major application and the applicant was Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.

 

L.Melrose spoke for the application explaining the proposed redevelopment which would replace existing provision and present new facilities and opportunities for the community complementing the park. The target opening date was the Summer of 2020 as part of the Welwyn Garden City Centenary celebrations.

 

Following discussion, it was proposed and seconded by Councillors A.Chesterman and M.Larkins and

 

RESOLVED:

(Unanimous – 10 Members Voting)

 

That planning permission be approved, subject to the conditions as set out in the report and to the following additional condition and additional informative:-

 

“Condition - All existing play equipment, hard surfacing, fencing and associated paraphernalia associated with the existing playground must be removed from the site before the new play area in the Splashland site hereby permitted is first used.  Subsequently that former playground area shall be reinstated with grass and wild flowers in accordance with the approved plans by the end of the next available planting season. 

 

REASON:  To ensure a satisfactory standard of development in the interests of visual amenity and Green Belt in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework and Policies D1, D2 and D8 of the Welwyn  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

25.

6 LYTTON GARDENS, WELWYN GARDEN CITY AL8 6EG - 6/2019/1225/TC - FELL 1 ASH - CONSERVATION AREA pdf icon PDF 357 KB

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

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the felling of an ash tree in the conservation area.

 

The site in question was a residential property located within Lytton Gardens, Welwyn Garden City. The ash tree was growing within the rear garden adjacent to the boundary of 14 Birdcroft Road.

 

This application was presented to the Committee because the applicant was an elected Member of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.

 

Following discussion, it was proposed and seconded by Councillors A.Chesterman and M.Larkins and

 

RESOLVED:

(Unanimous)

 

That no objection be raised to the proposed works, subject to the condition as set out in the report.

26.

APPEAL DECISIONS pdf icon PDF 168 KB

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

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) detailing recent appeal decisions for the period 9 June 2019 to 7 July 2019.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That appeal decisions during the period 9 June 2019 to 7 July 2019 be noted.

27.

PLANNING UPDATE - FUTURE PLANNING APPLICATIONS pdf icon PDF 219 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) providing the Committee with a summary of planning applications that might be presented over the next one or two months.  Members noted that if the call-in or application was withdrawn, the item would not be presented to the Committee.

 

RESOLVED:

 

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

28.

DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE REPORT APRIL - JUNE 2019 pdf icon PDF 370 KB

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

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the performance of the development management service for Quarter One of 2019/20.

 

The Committee expressed its thanks to Officers for their hard work in maintaining these performance levels.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the development management service performance in Quarter One of 2019/20 be noted.