Agenda and minutes

            The Committee

RESOLVED

That Councillor Chapman be appointed as Vice-Chairman for the meeting.

            The Chairman advised that Previously Considered Planning Applications P/134/16/OUT and P/25/17/OUT and Planning Application A/9/19/PL had been withdrawn from the agenda and would not be considered at this meeting.

            Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors B. Blanchard-Cooper, Mrs Hamilton, Oliver-Redgate, Mrs Hamilton, Ms Thurston and Mrs Worne.

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

            Planning Application P/30/19/OUT – Councillor Coster stated that he wished to make the meeting aware that he may have made public statements as part of his election campaign and that he had concerns about this particular item, although he had never specifically referred to it or the application.  He advised that these could possibly have been the views he held at that time; however, he had an open mind regarding the matter and would listen and consider all the relevant issues presented to the Committee today and confirmed that he would reach his decision on merit.

            To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 July 2019 (attached).

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 July 2019 were approved by the Committee and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

            P/134/16/OUT – Outline application for the development of up to 280 dwellings (including affordable homes), land for a replacement scout hut, land for an Ambulance Community Response Post Facility and land for either a 1FE primary school or care home.  Provision of a primary vehicular access from Sefter Road and demolition of No. 80 Rose Green Road and creation of a pedestrian and emergency only access.  Provision of Public Open Spaces including associated children’s play areas, landscaping, drainage and earthworks.  This application also falls within the parish of Aldwick, Land north of Sefter Road & 80 Rose Green Road, Pagham   Having received legal advice on the matter, the Committee had been advised that this application had been withdrawn from the agenda and would not be considered at the meeting.

            P/25/17/OUT – Outline application with all matters reserved.  Erection of up to 65No. dwellings, access roads, landscaping, open space & associated works, Church Barton, Horns Lane, Pagham  Having received legal advice on the matter, the Committee had been advised that this application had been withdrawn from the agenda and would not be considered at the meeting.

            (Councillor Mrs Hamilton and Huntley spoke on this item as Ward Councillors.)

            P/30/19/OUT – Outline application with some matters reserved for the construction of up to 300 No. new homes, a care home of up to 80 beds, D1 uses of up to 4,000sqm including a 2 form entry primary school, the formation of new means of access onto Hook Lane & Pagham Road, new pedestrian & cycle links, laying out of open space, new strategic landscaping, habitat creation, drainage features & associated ground works & infrastructure.  This application may affect the setting of a listed building (resubmission following P/6/17/OUT), Land north of Hook Lane, Pagham

            Having received a report on the matter, the Committee had also been circulated at the meeting with the officer’s written report update which appraised Members of the following:-

·         A consultation response from Natural England advising they had no objection to the proposal subject to mitigation measures as detailed in the update.

·         Four letters of representation which raised matters that had previously been considered.

·         Two letters of representation from Pagham Parish Council raising matters detailed in the update.

·         Advice that a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) had been made for a Pedunculate Oak situated on the eastern boundary of the site this had no impact on the development.

·         Clarification that the recommendation should grant delegated authority to the Group Head of Planning to make minor amendments to the S106 Agreement that were substantially in accordance with the Heads of Terms and to grant planning permission, subject to the S106 Agreement, conditions and informatives.

The planning application sought outline permission, with all matters reserved save for access, and the Principal Strategic Planner presented the detail by way of a number of slides to illustrate the location of the site and how it sat within the built up area boundary as defined by policy SD SP2 of the Arun Local Plan. 

The Committee was advised that the application site fell within strategic allocation SD2 under policy HSP2a of the Arun Local Plan, a site allocated to make a key contribution to housing supply in the District.  The principle of the proposed development had been considered and was found to be acceptable and in accordance with relevant development plan policies.  The site would provide 300 dwellings, which would result in 90 affordable housing units,

As the site was currently in agricultural use, Members were reminded that the development of the site and loss of the agricultural land had been the subject of consideration through the Examination in Public of the Arun Local Plan and that had been found acceptable by the Inspector.

Officers, in addition to the Habitats Regulation Assessment and appropriate assessment that had been undertaken in the preparation of the Local Plan, had commissioned independent consultants to undertake a further habitat regulation assessment and appropriate assessment of the development proposed.  This work concluded that, subject to mitigation, the development would not result in there being a likely significant effect in combination with other developments.  Natural England had been consulted on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 162.

            Y/103/18/PL – Single Chapel Crematorium with car parking, landscape works, surface water drainage features & associated highway improvements.  This application is a Departure from the Development Plan, 10 Acre Field, North of Grevatts Lane, Yapton

            Having received a report on the matter, the Committee had also been circulated at the meeting with the officer’s written report update which advised Members of the following:-

·         Agricultural Land - the details of the applicant’s submitted Soil Resource Survey and a Soil Resource (Management) Plan had now been received.  Yapton Parish Council had been consulted on these additional documents and had until 13 August 2019 to provide a response.  A new condition would be included in any approval, as set out in the officer report update.

·         Access Arrangements – the applicant had been requested to consider amendments to the access in order to (1) guide visitors to the A259 rather than turning right towards Bilsham Road; and (2) amending the junction of Grevatts Lane West with the A259 in order to deter/prevent right turns onto the A259.  The detail of the outcome of liaison with County Highways was provided in the update, together with amendment of Condition 17 to take account of changed Drawing 128.001.007 Revision D “Access Road Amendments to show the addition of both signage and road lining to discourage a right turn when exiting the site onto Grevatts Lane West.

·         Traffic Regulation Order(TRO) – legal advice had been provided that, as the TRO would be subject to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, it could not be achieved through a planning condition and therefore must be subject to a S106 Agreement.

·         Additional objections were detailed and officer comment made that the majority of the objections referred to matters already discussed within the report or matters were outweighed by the lack of an objection from County Highways.

·         Clarification was provided that the recommendation should delegate the approval of planning permission, subject to the S106 Agreement and the recommended conditions (as amended) to the Group Head of Planning, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

The Principal Planner presented this report on the detail of an application for a single chapel crematorium and advised that, although there was a conflict with the Local Development Plan, there was a clear need for such a facility and it would provide long term benefits.

In debating the matter, Members expressed serious concerns with regard to access to and from the site; access onto the A259; and the safety of cyclists using the cycle route along the A259.  It was acknowledged that there was a need for a crematorium but that did not override the fact that Members were of the view that the access arrangements were unsatisfactory and that an additional junction onto the A259 was totally unsuitable.  A view was expressed that the potential for a slow moving funeral cortege on the A259 could have a severe detrimental impact on the traffic flows in the area.

            In light of the comments made, the Group Head of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 163.

            CM/4/19/PL – Construction of a crematorium comprising of a crematorium building & associated structures, car parking, access & landscaped spaces.  This application is a Departure from the Development Plan, Land south of the A259, Grevatts Lane, Climping

            Having received a report on the matter, the Committee had also been circulated at the meeting with the officer’s written report update which advised that, following submission of a Soil Survey and Plan and an Agricultural Policy Considerations Report, the proposed reason for refusal 1 was no longer appropriate and should therefore be deleted from the recommendation.

            The Principal Planning Officer presented the detail of the report and confirmed that the recommendation for refusal was reliant on the fact that there was an alternative suitable site as demonstrated by the previous application on the agenda, which was still on the table.  The two reasons for refusal were based on the fact that the site was located within the Littlehampton to Middleton Gap between Settlements and that, as this site had been identified as land liable to flood, an alternative site at lower risk of flooding had been identified for the use proposed.

            Members participated in some discussion and, whilst comment was made that the access and egress to the site onto the A259 was preferable to planning application Y/103/18/PL, general support was expressed for the officer recommendation to refuse.

            The Committee therefore

RESOLVED

That the application be refused as detailed in the report and the officer report update.

            AW/134/19/HH – Single storey side and rear extension with habitable roofspace and conversion of existing roofspace to habitable use, together with porch removal and replacement windows, 33 Balliol Close, Aldwick  Having received a report on the matter, together with the officer’s written report update detailing an additional objection received from Ward Member Councillor Dixon and an additional comment from Aldwick Parish Council, a site visit was requested and seconded in order to assess the impact of the proposal on the neighbouring property.

            The Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be deferred to enable the Site Inspection Panel to visit the site.

            A/9/19/PL – Demolition of existing dwelling & erection of a 62 bedroom care home (C2 Residential Institution) with car park, landscaped gardens & access from Roundstone Lane (resubmission following A/51/18/PL), Pound Place, Roundstone Lane, Angmering  Having received a report on the matter, the Committee had been advised that this application had been withdrawn from the agenda and would not be considered at the meeting.

            AB/23/19/PL – Conversion & change of use of retail unit (A1 Shops) to 2 No. residential units (C3 Dwelling Houses).  This application affects the character & appearance of the Arundel Conservation Area, 67/69 Tarrant Street & 2A Arun Street, Arundel  Having received a report on the matter, together with the officer’s written report update detailing an additional representation received, the Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.

            CM/25/19/PL – Change of use of barns to 3 No. dwellings (resubmission following CM/24/18/PL).  This application may affect the setting of a listed building, Kents Yard, Brookpit Lane, Climping  Having received a report on the matter and a presentation on the detail of the proposal from the Planning Team Leader, the Committee participated in some discussion on this item.

            Member concerns were expressed around the disparity of the garden sizes, particularly that the garden for the proposed three bedroom property was significantly smaller than for the remaining two properties.  Officer advice was given that the central courtyard area would provide additional amenity space for all the dwellings and that, due to the character of the area and rural buildings, it would be anticipated that smaller amenity space would be provided.

            The Committee

RESOLVED

That the officer recommendation to approve not be accepted.

            Members then considered reasons to refuse the application in respect of lack of amenity space and a cramped overdevelopment of the site and were advised by the Group Head of Planning that :-

(1)          The Council’s relevant policy HDM4 relating to the conversion of rural buildings stipulated that the proposals should minimise the amount of land used as residential curtilage; and

(2)          The amenity space provided for the proposal was in fact larger than that provided for the previously approved conversion two years ago.

However, Members maintained that the proposal was inappropriate and

RESOLVED

That the application be refused for the following reason:-

The proposals would result in a form of development that would be cramped and over intensive with inadequate amenity space, resulting in an adverse impact on the character of the area contrary to policy DDM1 of the Arun Local Plan.

            CM/16/19/PL – Variation of conditions imposed under CM/1/19/PL relating to conditions 2 – plans condition relating to external appearance & 3 – amendment of wording to remove reference to acoustic metal cladding to south elevation, Rudford Industrial Estate, Unit J1, J2 & Z, Ford Road, Ford  Having received a report on the matter, the Committee was advised by the Planning Team Leader that the changes being proposed to the external cladding on the south side of the building had been considered by Environmental Health and confirmation had been received that it would achieve the same aims as the original condition.  It was proposed to change the wording of Condition 3 to reflect the changes within the application.

            Following consideration, the Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.

            The Committee noted the appeals received.