Agenda for Development Management Committee on Thursday 6th December 2018, 7.30 pm

Agenda and minutes

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

Contact: Marie Lowe 

Items
No. Item

71.

APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN

To note that the Council at the Meeting on 19 November 2018 appointed Councillors J.Boulton as Chairman and S.Wrenn as Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2018/19.

Minutes:

It was noted that the Council, at its meeting on 19 November 2018, appointed Councillors J.Boulton and S.Wrenn as Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively for the Municipal Year 2018/2019.

72.

SUBSTITUTION OF MEMBERS

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

Minutes:

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

 

Councillor J.Cragg for Councillor S.Kasumu

73.

APOLOGY

Minutes:

An apology for absence was received from Councillor S.Kasumu.

74.

MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 8 November 2018 (previously circulated).

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 8 November 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

75.

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 J.Boulton declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 6 – Former Shredded Wheat Factory, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6UN on the agenda and stated.

 

“I work for Network Rail in the Property department, primarily advising on Thameslink and Anglia Route matters. Welwyn Garden City falls within the London North East Route so I have had no involvement with the railway bridge matters either from Network Rail's side or from the Councils.

 

In any event I understand the Railway Bridge is now no longer part of the Wheat Quarter Planning Application and the "Network Rail TOC" building has now been designated a B1 use”.

76.

FORMER SHREDDED WHEAT FACTORY WELWYN GARDEN CITY AL8 6UN - 6/2018/0171/MAJ - CREATION OF A MIXED-USE QUARTER COMPRISING THE ERECTION OF UP TO 1,340 RESIDENTIAL DWELLINGS INCLUDING 414 (31%) AFFORDABLE DWELLINGS (USE CLASS C3); 114 EXTRA CARE HOMES (USE CLASS C2); THE ERECTION OF A CIVIC BUILDING COMPRISING 497 M² OF HEALTH (USE CLASS D1), 497 M² OF COMMUNITY USE (USE CLASS D1), 883 M² OF OFFICE (USE CLASS B1) AND 590 M² OF RETAIL (CLASS A1/A2/A3/A4/A5); ALTERATIONS, ADDITIONS AND CHANGE OF USE OF GRADE II LISTED BUILDING AND RETAINED SILOS TO PROVIDE 5,279 M² OF FLEXIBLE BUSINESS FLOORSPACE (USE CLASS B1), 270 M² COMBINED HEAT AND POWER (SUI GENERIS), 2,057 M² INTERNATIONAL ART CENTRE (USE CLASS D1), 1,235 M² GYMNASIUM (USE CLASS D2), 1,683 M² OF RESTAURANT/COFFEE SHOP/BAR (USE CLASS A1/A3/A4/A5), CRECHE/DAY NURSERY (USE CLASS D1) OF 671 M² AS WELL AS A NETWORK RAIL TOC BUILDING (USE CLASS B1) OF 360 M²; PLUS ASSOCIATED CAR PARKING, ACCESS, LANDSCAPING, PUBLIC ART AND OTHER SUPPORTING pdf icon PDF 1 MB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out the creation of a mixed-use quarter comprising the erection of up to 1,340 residential dwellings including 414 (31%) affordable dwellings (use class C3); 114 extra care homes (use class C2), the erection of a civic building comprising 497 M² of health (use class D1), 497 M² of community use (use class D1), 883 M² of office (use class B1) and of retail (class A1/A2/A3/A4/A5); alterations, additions and change of use of grade II listed building and retained silos to provide 5,279 M² of flexible business floorspace (use class B1), 270 M² combined heat and power (sui-generis), 2,057 M² international art centre (use class D1), 1,235 M² gymnasium (use class D2) 1,683 M² of restaurant/ coffee shop/bar (use class A1/A3/A4/A5), crèche/day nursery (use class D1) of 671 M² as well as a network rail toc building (use class B1) of 360 M²; plus associated car parking, access, landscaping, public art and other supporting infrastructure.

 

The report set out considerations in relation to the planning application of the former Shredded Wheat Factory at Welwyn Garden City.  The application followed last year’s approval of a residential led (850 units) mixed used scheme (DMC March 2017).  The present application envisaged a much denser scheme at 1,454 residential units and mixed use.  The application was accompanied by a listed building consent application reference 6/2018/0960.  Also for consideration was the Environmental Statement setting out an analysis of a range of environmental factors related to the proposed development of the site.

 

The site had contained a Grade II Listed Building, parts of which had been removed following approval of a Listed Building Consent (Ref: N6/2015/0293/LB) last year.

 

Presently the site had undergone substantial clearance and demolition of a number of silos together with administration and manufacturing buildings.  The retained buildings were the production hall, grain and boiler houses and a section of the silos.  The rest of the site was now virtually clear and enclosed by hoardings. 

 

Members noted that the developable area was essentially the same as for the previous application although the site area was smaller.  This was because: the application site did not include any public highway land around the site; nor did it include Hyde Way which ran centrally east–west; it also excluded the access road to the site occupied by PW Gates distribution in the south east corner (also known as the Pall Mall site).

 

The application had been presented to the Development Management Committee because it was a major application accompanied by an Environmental Statement.  The Committee had the proper authority conferred on it under the constitution for making decisions of this nature subject to any statutory notification or Secretary of State call-in.  In this case the Council must notify the Secretary of State of its decision in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2017.

 

Officers proposed a number of additional planning conditions which were as a result of further consultation feedback coming forward from Environment Agency and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

77.

1 ROE GREEN CLOSE, HATFIELD, AL10 9PD - 6/2018/1933/FULL - ERECTION OF 8 FLATS AND CREATION OF CAR PARKING AND AMENITY SPACE FOLLOWING DEMOLITION OF EXISTING DWELLINGHOUSE pdf icon PDF 701 KB

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

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out the erection of eight flats and creation of car parking and amenity space following demolition of existing dwellinghouse.

 

The application site comprised a bungalow with an attached garage and front and rear gardens on the north east corner of Roe Green Close and College Lane in South Hatfield.  The site was on the edge of the buffer zone to Chalk Mining Area Number 10 (Roe Green Dell).

 

Roe Green Close was a residential loop road with a narrow carriageway.  The houses were predominantly two storey and set back from the road behind grass frontages with consistent spacing between them.  There were open grassed amenity areas in the Close.  The bungalow on the application site projected further forward than the neighbouring houses on the north side of Roe Green Close but was not unduly prominent in the street-scene.  College Lane was also a residential road with a green spacious environment.  The far side of College Lane was a wooded amenity area. 

 

The application had been presented to the Development Management Committee because Councillor Broach had called-in the application:

 

“I would like to call this application in to DMC – unless officers are minded to refuse, in which case I am happy for this to be done under delegated powers, as I believe this is a textbook case of overdevelopment. My call in is for the following reasons:

 

•This proposed change from a family bungalow to a set of flats would be completely out of keeping with the neighbouring area of family homes, and would give a significant impression of overlooking to the immediate neighbours at No. 3. To steal a quote from the officers report on the previously rejected application - “the proposal would result in an excessively bulky and prominent building, which would appear over-dominant in the streetscape. It would result in a loss of spacing to the detriment of the visual amenities of the area”.

 

•I cannot see a designated storage area for bicycles on the plans, which I would expect to see as standard on an application such as this.

 

•Whilst I welcome the addition of a turning area by the car parking spaces at the rear of the property, I do not believe what is proposed will work in practice. Will a car reversing out of spaces 9-11 actually be able to turn if spaces 5-8 are occupied? If not, this leaves a lengthy and potentially dangerous reversing manoeuvre of the users of spaces 9-11.

 

•For the numbers of potential occupants of this proposal, the garden amenity space seems absolutely tiny. I would therefore argue that insufficient outdoor amenity space has been afforded to the potential occupants of this proposal.

 

•Turning to indoor amenity space, I note that the applicant has failed to provide measurements on the plans for the bedrooms. Based on the information on the drawings, I would argue that Bedroom 2 of Unit Two, Unit 5 and Unit 6 are all  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.

78.

57 ATTIMORE ROAD, WELWYN GARDEN CITY AL8 6LG - 6/2018/2113/TPO -REDUCE CROWN 1X BAY LAUREL (T1) AND 1 X SYCAMORE (T2 - TWIN STEMMED) BY UP TO 30% TO MAINTAIN SIZE AND SPREAD - CONSERVATION AREA pdf icon PDF 81 KB

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

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) to reduce crown 1 x bay Laurel (T1) and 1 x Sycamore (T2 – Twin Stemmed) by up to 30% to maintain size and spread conservation area.

 

The application had been presented to the Development Management Committee because the applicant was a Councillor at Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.

It was then proposed by Councillor T.Lyons, seconded by Councillor S.Markiewicz and

 

RESOLVED:

(unanimous)

 

It is recommend that no objection is raised to the proposal works subject to the following condition:

 

(1)       The works shall not be started and completed other than in accordance with the approved plans and details:

 

Plan Number

Revision Number

Details

Received Date

RTS 001

 

Site Plan

10 August 2018

 

REASON: To ensure that the development is carried out in accordance with the approved plans and details.

79.

APPEAL DECISIONS pdf icon PDF 71 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 25 October to 26 November 2018.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That appeal decisions during this period be noted.

80.

PLANNING UPDATE - FUTURE PLANNING APPLICATIONS pdf icon PDF 103 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provided Members with a summary of planning applications that might be presented to the Committee 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 Committee.

 

RESOLVED:

 

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

81.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

The Committee is asked to resolve:

 

That under Section 100(A)(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting for Items 14 and 15 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of confidential or exempt information as defined in Section 100(A)(3) and Paragraphs 2 (Information likely to reveal the identity of an individual), and 6 (Statutory notice or order) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

 

In resolving to exclude the public in respect of the exempt information, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That under Section 100(A)(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting for item 14 (Minute 82 refers) on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of confidential or exempt information as defined in Section 100(A)(3) and Paragraphs 2 (Information likely to reveal the identity of an individual), and 6 (Statutory notice or order) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

 

In resolving to exclude the public in respect of the exempt information, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

82.

ENFORCEMENT CASES MONITORING REPORT

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

Minutes:

The exempt report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provided an update on ongoing planning enforcement cases and sought authorisation of the enforcement of the cases.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the contents of the report be noted.