Decision details

1 Public Speaker

Clare Blatchford-Hanna – Applicant

Demolition of Servac Int workshops keeping certain structures and features, to renovate them in to a 2 No carport, with storage loft and re-landscaping to provide new gardens and biodiversity zones. This application may affect the setting of a listed building and is in CIL Zone 3 (Zero Rated) as other development.

The Legal Services Manager presented a covering report which explained that the application was considered and determined by an Officer but that it had since come to light that the application could only be determined by Committee as it was excluded from the delegation to Officers due to the Parish Council concerned having previously given their approval for the application. This was followed by 1 Public Speaker given permission to speak at the Chair’s discretion. The Planning Area Team Leader then presented the application which Officers were recommending be refused.

The Group Head of Planning apologised that this error had happened. He stated that the Case Officer was not a permanent member of staff but that this was not an excuse because they should have been briefed on the scheme of delegation. He also stated that this was the first report of this kind that he could ever recall having to present to Committee. When questioned, he confirmed that there were no other cases that needed to be brought to Committee for this reason.

After one Member raised the issue of determining the application whilst further information was still being sought, a recommendation to defer was proposed by Councillor Bower and seconded by Councillor Chace.

The Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be DEFERRED for further consideration of information yet to come forward.

It was noted that the decision would be delegated to Officers, in accordance with the adopted scheme of Officer delegations,  if following consideration of the further information, Officers were minded to recommend approval, consistent with the views of the Parish Council.