Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and offered his and the Committees condolences to the family of Captain Sir Tom Moore who passed away yesterday he stated that he had been an inspiration to many over the last year.

Members and Officers are reminded to make any declarations of pecuniary, personal and/or prejudicial interests that they may have in relation to items on this agenda and are reminded that they should re-declare their interest before consideration of the item or as soon as the interest becomes apparent.

Members and officer should make their declaration by stating :

a) the application they have the interest in

b) whether it is a pecuniary, personal and/or prejudicial

c) the nature of the interest

d) if it is a prejudicial or pecuniary interest, whether they will be exercising their right to speak to the application

Councillor Bennett (Chairman) declared a personal interest in item 8 application R/197/20/OUT as member of Rustington Parish Council.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on     (attached).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 6 January 2021 were approved by the Committee.

Approval of reserved matters following outline consent A/99/17/OUT for 175 No dwellings & associated infrastructure. This application may affect the setting of a listed building, may affect the character & appearance of the Angmering Conservation Area & falls within Strategic Site SD9, CIL Zone 1 (Zero Rated).

The Planning Officer was asked by the Committee to summarise the update reports that had been received for this item prior ahead of the meeting. The Planning Officer then provided members with a verbal summary of the updates that had been shared.

Members then took part in a full debate on the application where a number of points were raised including landscaping plans, consultation with the Angmering advisory groups regarding drainage and concerns with the fast turnaround timeframe that was being followed.

The Planning Officer, Engineering Services Manager and the Landscaping Officer provided members with answers to all points raised. The Group Head of Planning advised members that if they were considering further deferment of this item on the basis that the applicant would make further changes to the application, this would not be the case as the applicant had declined to take on board the comments raised at the last meeting. The Planning Officer then confirmed that the applicant had made fundamental changes since the application was first presented to the Council in June/July 2020.

          The Committee

                     RESOLVED

That the application be APPROVED as detailed in the report and report update subject to conditions outlined.

4 Public Speakers

Councillor John Oldfield – Angmering Parish Council

Mr Gibbs – Objector

Jessica Sparkes – Applicant

Councillor Paul Bicknell – Ward Member

Approval of reserved matters (appearance, layout, scale and landscaping) following outline consent A/99/17/OUT, for a culverted embankment over the Black Ditch, providing a road crossing to the proposed residential development.

The Planning Officer presented his report including matters detailed in the update report. This was followed by Public Speakers and a response was provided by the Planning Officer and the Engineering Services Manager.

          The Committee

                     RESOLVED

That the application be APPROVED CONDITIONALLY as detailed in the report and report update, subject to conditions outlined.

          [The Chairman, Councillor Bennett, redeclared his personal interest in this item as a member of Rustington Parish Council.]

Outline application with some matters reserved for the demolition of existing dilapidated storage buildings & erection of 2 No. detached 3-bedroom chalet bungalows with associated car barns, gardens, car parking & landscaping (resubmission following R/117/20/OUT).

The Planning Officer presented his report including matters in the update report.

Members then took part in a full debate on the application where a number of concerns were raised including access for emergency services vehicles mitigations given and road safety.

The Committee

          RESOLVED

That the application be REFUSED and the reasons for refusal was due to the proposal by virtue of its narrow access lane would endanger pedestrian safety and prevent access by emergency vehicles contrary to policy T SP1 of the Arun Local Plan and paragraph 110 b), c) & d) of the National Planning Policy Framework.

2 Public Speakers

Councillor Stephen Abbott – Ferring Parish Council

Ed Miller - Objector

Demolition of a polytunnel, storage building & scaffolders' shelters & racking, use of land for Class B8 container self-storage & the siting of 79 No. single-stacked storage containers, part regrading of the ground, new fencing, CCTV & lighting. This site is in CIL Zone 3 (Zero Rated) as other development & is a Departure from the Development Plan.

The Planning Officer presented his report including matters in the update report. This was followed by Public Speakers and a response was provided by the Planning Officer.

Members then took part in a full debate on the application where a number of concerns were raised including overdevelopment of the area, inappropriate development for the area, surface water drainage and traffic access.

          The Planning Officer and Group Head of Planning provided detailed answers to all concerns raised as well as advising that refusal of this application could be appealed, and if so, could be successful.

The Committee

          RESOLVED

That the application be REFUSED and the reasons for refusal was that the proposal represents an undesirable intensification of storage use on the site which would have an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance of the area and serve to unacceptably erode the gap between Angmering and Worthing contrary to policies C SP1, D DM1 and SD SP3 of the Arun Local Plan and policy 7 of the Ferring Neighbourhood Plan.

The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 16:55 until 17:05

Removal of existing garage and erection of single storey side and rear extension

The Planning Officer presented his report to the Committee.

Members took part in a full debate on the application where a number of concerns were raised including the extension wall only leaving a small gap to the boundary line, impact on the street scene and the loss of off-street parking.

The Group Head of Planning asked the Planning Officer to explain what would be acceptable in terms of permitted development, namely. what could be built without a planning application. The Planning Officer then gave a detailed explanation to the Committee.

Further discussion was had by Members regarding the detail of permitted development, confirmation was sought if guttering was to be added to the extension and would this need to be inside of the boundary. As discussion moved to detail outside of matters that the Committee could consider the Solicitor for the Council reminded members that any building control matters were not part of the decision and referred them back to the Planning Officer’s advice given specifically to the smaller area at the back of the site, that would not be allowed to be built without this application. 

The Committee

          RESOLVED

That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions outlined within the report.

Rear single storey extension for new kitchen and living area, internal alterations, new and adjusted windows and doors, part replacement roof structure with 2 x conservation roof lights to the main building, re-covering of main roof and partial re-build of the detached garage with replacement pitched roof.  This application affects the character & appearance of the Arundel Conservation Area & may affect the setting of listed buildings.

The Chairman advised that new plans had been submitted by the applicant for this application, of which were still subject to a public consultation period, he therefore proposed that this item be deferred before any public speakers were heard. This was duly seconded, and was agreed that this item would be brought back to the next meeting of the Committee on 3 March 2021

          The Committee

                     RESOLVED

That the application be DEFERRED to allow the public consultation period to end on the new plans that had been submitted by the applicant.

The Committee received and noted the appeals list within the agenda.

The Planning Officer presented his report including matters in the update report.

Members then took part in a full debate on the masterplan report where a number of points were raised including commendation of the consultation process followed, support for the housing development, plans had not addressed the highways concerns within the area in particular, that, there was no north-south route secured for traffic between the A259 and A27, concerns relating to the secondary school were also raised.

The Planning officer provided answers to the points raised and the Group Head of Planning provided members with advice, specifically reminding members of the Local Plan and to think more strategically.

Further discussion took place around the broad stretch of land at the southern end of the development that had been left for trees and vegetation that could be adapted should there be a need for a road from Horsemere Road going east. The Group Head of Planning advised that this would change the viability of the entire plan as it had been modelled on the current road plan detailed.

The Committee

          RESOLVED

That subject to the receipt of a substitute plan for Figure 23 that clearly demonstrates improved provision for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians, it is recommended that “The Landings” Masterplan Document November 2020 be endorsed.        

The Group Head of planning presented his report and referred members to sections 8 to 10 of his report where it had outlined that significant costs that had been awarded throughout 2020.

Members had a short discussion in relation to the learning and training opportunities that it highlighted, and that the Committee needed to fully understand its planning powers that are delegated by central government whilst balancing that with what was right for their communities.

The Group Head of Planning advised that he would be able to confirm dates for the planned formal training sessions with the committee and all other members shortly.

The Committee noted the report.