Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 February 2019 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 28 February 2019 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 S.Boulton declared a non-pecuniary interest in items on the Agenda as appropriate by virtue of being a Member of Hertfordshire County Council.

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

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out the erection of six residential units following the demolition of the existing dwelling, supporting structures and associated ancillary building.

The application site comprised a detached dwelling in a large, wide and deep plot on the northern side of The Ridgeway.  The dwellings along The Ridgeway were large and generally well set back from the road in spacious deep plots and in this case, the site extended back as far as the dwellings along Bradgate Close and Coulter Close, roads of a denser, more urban character than The Ridgeway.

The site sloped down from front to rear by 8.65m and was currently well treed and landscaped.  It was partly within the Northaw Great Wood Landscape Character Area and very close to wildlife site 162 to the west.  Parts of the site also bordered the Green Belt to the west and south.  The site was within the boundaries of the built up area of Cuffley and was not in the Green Belt. 

The application had been presented to the Development Management Committee because a major objection has been received from Northaw and Cuffley Parish Council.

Ms A.Squires as applicant spoke in support of the development.

Mr T.Izzet, an objector, spoke against the application stating that he considered the proposal would result in an overdevelopment of the plot and a road that would be denser and more urban character than remainder of The Ridgeway.  The development would also be totally out of keeping of the area.

Following discussion, it was proposed by Councillor P.Hebden seconded by Councillor A.Chesterman and

RESOLVED:

(10 voting for and 3 against)

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report, the updating of plan numbers, as agreed with the applicant, be delegated to the Head of Planning prior to the issue of the decision notice.

POSITIVE AND PROACTIVE STATEMENT

The decision has been made taking into account, where practicable and appropriate the requirements of paragraph  ...  view the full minutes text for item 118.

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

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the erection of four industrial/ commercial buildings within use class B8 with associated landscaping access and infrastructure works.

Members noted that the previous planning application for this site (6/2015/2416/MAJ) had been reported to Committee on 26 May 2016 which was granted planning permission. 

The approved scheme was for eight, two-storey, mixed B class use units with a footprint of 2,910sqm and floorspace of 5,820sqm.  The approved scheme also included vehicle access to the site, cycle parking, 122 car parking spaces and five loading bays.  The application was approved subject to a S106 agreement for fire hydrants, a green travel plan and monitoring fee and a section 278 (Highways) agreement for improved junction layout at the entrances to the site.

The site had been used for landfill and had become contaminated.  Remediation works were required by condition on the planning permission.  The applicant submitted that the costs of the remediation work are higher than anticipated and that the proposed development needed to accommodate more floorspace to make it viable.

The site was currently in the Green Belt but has been included in the Emerging Local Plan as an Employment Site.  It was located between the eastern edge of Welwyn Garden City and the proposed Birchall Garden Suburb as designated in the adopted East Hertfordshire Local Plan 2018.

The application had been presented to the Development Management Committee because, as employment development in the Green Belt, it represented a departure from the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.  The application would need to be referred to the Secretary of State if the Committee was minded to approve it.

Members received a tabled report which set out an updated floor space comparison table, in place of that set out at para 10.19 on page 38, which was populated with incorrect data.  The document also proposed two additional conditions in respect of noise.

1.       No machinery shall be operated and no process shall be carried out (except for office work) outside the hours of 07:00 – 19:00 Mondays to Fridays, 07:00 – 17:00 Saturdays nor at any time on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays.

Reason: To protect the occupants of nearby properties from noise disturbance.

2.       No deliveries shall be taken or dispatched from the site outside the hours of  07:00 – 19:00 Mondays to Fridays, 07:00 – 17:00 Saturdays nor at any time on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays

Reason: To protect the occupants of nearby properties from noise disturbance.

Officers went on to inform the Committee that with regard to car parking provision, paragraphs 10.45 and 10.46 should state that 105 car parking spaces would be provided, rather than 92.

Officers referred to the recommended condition 9, on page 51, which should refer to Cole Green Lane rather than Coopers Green Lane and the section relating to footway and cycle way improvements should not be included as a direct access will now be provided to the west end of the site.

Mr  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119.

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

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the alterations to approved parking and transport arrangements and addition of turning head for HGV’s.

The application had been presented to the Development Management Committee because it proposed inappropriate development in the Green Belt but was recommended for permission on the basis of very special circumstances.

Mr M.Baird (agent) spoke in in support of the application.

Councillor A.Gribble, Chairman of Woolmer Green Parish Council in support of the application.

Councillor R.Trigg, Ward Member also spoke in support of the application.

Following discussion, it was proposed by Councillor S.Markiewicz seconded by Councillor A.Chesterman and

RESOLVED:

(unanimous)

That planning permission be approved subject to the conditions contained in the report.

DRAWING NUMBERS

The development/works shall not be started and completed other than in accordance with the approved plans and details:

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

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

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the erection of part single, part two storey front extension and two single storey rear extensions to facilitate conversion of existing four bedroom house in multiple occupation (C4) into 2 x 1 bed flats and 1 x 2 bed flat.

The application site was situated on the north east side of Strawmead and adjoined an open pedestrian access to the front and side.  The immediate area was characterised by linear formed residential cul-de-sacs which contained dwellings similar in respect of both size and appearance.  There was no on-site car parking provision associated the site.

The application had been presented to Development Management Committee because Hatfield Town Council have responded with a major objection.

“The proposed creation of flats would result in harm to the character of the area by virtue of the change in intensity of use of this narrow crescent as well as detrimentally impact upon the amenity of neighbouring properties. The proposal is therefore contrary to policies D1 and D2 of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.  Members further consider this overdevelopment of the site with insufficient outdoor amenity space for the occupants of the proposed flats.”

Mr S.Lorden (applicant) spoke in favour of the application.

Hatfield Town Councillor J.Broach, spoke against the application reiterating the objections contained in the major objection summited.

Following discussion, it was proposed by Councillor S.Kasumu, seconded by Councillor S.Mariewicz and

RESOLVED:

(10 voting in favour,2 against and 1 abstention)

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report.

DRAWING NUMBERS

The development/works shall not be started and completed other than in accordance with the approved plans and details:

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

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

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the retention of existing outbuilding.

The application site comprises an end terrace property located on the east side of High Dells in a row of five dwellings. The street scene is residential in character, comprising two storey terraced houses and semi-detached houses of similar size and appearance.

The application property is finished with facing brickwork and features a shallow pitched roof design. The dwelling has recently benefitted from a single storey side and rear extension; a modest front porch; and an outbuilding to the rear of the site.

The rear garden measures approximately 74sqm. An outbuilding has been built at the end of the garden, in close proximity to the site boundaries.

The footprint of the outbuilding amounts to approximately 30sqm and it features a flat roof with a ridge height of approximately 2.4 metres. The outbuilding is in close proximity to the site boundaries with 64, 66 and 82 High Dells; and at its closest point, is approximately 900mm from the boundary with 41 Chantry Lane. A distance of approximately 7.5 metres separates the outbuilding from the rear wall of the host dwelling.

The building would be used for storage incidental to the host dwelling.

This application is presented to the Development Management Committee because Hatfield Town Council have submitted a major objection:

“Members are concerned that the location plan fails to show Chantry Lane Hatfield which is most affected by this development. We object to this development as it overdevelops the site, is overdevelopment in its own right being overbearing in its placement and location right up to the boundary fence and therefore has an adverse impact on neighbouring properties”.

Hatfield Town Councillor J.Broach, spoke against the application reiterating the concerns detailed in the major objection submitted.

Following discussion, it was proposed by Councillor T.Lyon, seconded by Councillor S.Elam and

RESOLVED:

(7 voting for and 6 against)

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report.

DRAWING NUMBERS

The development/works shall not be started and completed other than in accordance with the approved plans and details:

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

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

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) detailing recent appeal decisions for the period 13 February 2019 to 14 March 2019.

All appeals during this period which were against Officer decisions had been dismissed.

RESOLVED:

That appeal decisions during the period 13 February 2019 to 14 March 2019 be noted.

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

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