Agenda and minutes

            The Chairman advised that, due to the General Election that had been called for 12 December 2019, the next meeting of the Committee on 4 December 2019 had been cancelled.

            The Chairman advised the meeting that Planning Application P/58/19/PL would be heard before P/53/19/L as the latter was the Listed Building Consent for the former.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Mrs Hamilton, Roberts and Mrs Stainton.

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 Mrs Yeates – Planning Application BE/135/18/PL – I previously declared a prejudicial interest when this application was considered in June 2019 when in fact it should have been a personal interest.  However, in light of that, I will withdraw from the debate but will exercise my right to speak prior to consideration of the item.

          Councillor Huntley – Planning Applications P/58/19/PL & P/53/19/L – I am a member of Pagham Parish Council’s Planning Committee and wish to declare an interest in the Inglenook applications.   I made recommendations based on the information available at that time.  At this meeting, with new facts before me, I may come to a different decision.  I made a mirror declaration at Pagham Parish Council.

          Councillor Edwards – Planning Application BE/135/18/PL – I wish to make this meeting aware that I may have made public statements by virtue of my role on West Sussex County Council for Bersted Ward and/or in other circumstances that I have concerns about this particular application.  These were my views I held at that time, however, I have an open mind regarding this item and will listen and consider all the relevant issues and interests presented to this Committee and will reach my decision on merit.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2019 (attached).

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2019 were approved by the Committee and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

            (Prior to consideration of this application, Councillor Mrs Yeates had declared a personal interest and spoke to the item before leaving the meeting and she took no part in the debate or vote.

            Councillor Edwards had declared a personal interest and remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote.)

            BE/135/18/PL – Hybrid Application comprising of Outline application for the principle of employment uses B1-B8.  Full application for Class B8 warehouse with fuel-island and car parking (Unit 2), 2 No. Class B1/B8 employment units with associated parking and servicing (Units 6 & 7), Class A1 retail food store with car parking and servicing (Unit 8), 2 No. drive thru units with car parking and servicing (Units 4 & 5), car showroom, workshops (including MOT testing), vehicle storage, external display areas, service areas and parking (Unit 9) together with access roads, associated ground and engineering works, landscaping and ancillary works.  This application affects the character and appearance of the Shripney Conservation Area and a Public Right of Way, Salt Box Field, Land off Rowan Way, Bersted

          This application had been considered at the meeting on 5 June 2019 and had been deferred as the details of the surface water drainage plans were outstanding and required further assessment.

          The Principal Strategic Planner now represented an updated report which detailed the applicant’s revised drainage strategy and associated plans and calculations and was able to confirm that, as a result, the Environment Agency had withdrawn its objection.  The detail of the revised strategy was included in the update report.

          In addition, Members were appraised of the following:-

·        Amended Site Masterplan Block Plan  (Rev C) and an updated Phasing Plan (Rev C), which ensured that the site layout accorded with the revised drainage strategy.  These were listed in Condition 2 in the Full application and in Condition 4 in the Outline application, together with an additional informative.

·        Two additional conditions relating to the opening hours at the Foodstore (Unit 8) and the Car Showroom (Unit 9).

·        Two letters of representation from local residents regarding traffic congestion and quantum of development, which had been previously addressed at the meeting on 5 June 2019.

·        Amendments to conditions as set out in the update report.

·        A summary of updated consultee comments, with resultant amended conditions where relevant.

·        An officer’s report update was circulated at the meeting which detailed amendment to Condition 23 of the Full application, which was considered necessary to enable further discussions to take place on the best route for the footpath connection between the site and Bersted Brooks/Rowan Park.

The Engineering Services Manager was pleased to confirm that, since the last meeting, the drainage matters had moved on significantly and officers were now quite happy with the proposal.

            In commencing the debate, Members thanked the Principal Strategic Planner for an excellent report and, although reservations were still expressed with regard to flooding, traffic issues and the impact of the development on the Conservation Area, the Committee accepted the drainage mitigation that had come forward  ...  view the full minutes text for item 269.

            EP/179/18/PL – Demolition of existing house & erection of 3 x 3 bedroom houses together with landscaping, car parking and fencing, Gladwyn, The Street, East Preston  The Committee was reminded that this application had been deferred from the meeting held on 9 October 2019 to enable County Highways to visit the site to provide further information with regard to its assessment of the two adjoining developments on the road network and to ascertain whether the flint wall could be retained.

The Planning Team Leader presented the updated report, together with the officer’s written report update circulated at the meeting detailing an amendment to the wording of Condition 10 to replace the first word “Following” with “Prior” to ensure that details regarding the replacement of the boundary wall were agreed with the Council before any demolition took place.   He advised on the detail of the amendments to the application and confirmed that the proposed dwellings had been realigned; car parking within the site had been increased from 7 to 9; and the front boundary wall had been resited to increase the visibility splays.  County Highways had visited the site and had confirmed no objection to the proposal, subject to conditions.  The original officer recommendation for approval of the application was maintained, subject to amended conditions.

Members welcomed the visit to the site from County Highways and that the car parking provision within the site had been increased but still expressed reservations with regard to the resiting of the flint wall and the safety of the access and egress from the site.  Comment was particularly made that moving the northern section of the wall was not necessary.

A detailed discussion was had whereby Members voiced their concerns with regard to the re-building of the flint wall and the need for its demolition in its entirety.  It was felt that the wall must be re-built using traditional methods and its curvature retained as an important design feature.  It was also felt that there was a need to ensure that it could not be removed in the future due to its importance to the character of the area.  The Group Head of Planning advised that the north section of the wall was being retained and suggested that any approval be delegated to the Group Head of Planning, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, subject to:-

(i)     a plan confirming the visibility splays relative to the siting of the proposed flin wall (with retention of the section to the north of the access and re-built section to the south); and

(ii)    amendment to the wording of condition 10 to ensure retention of the    re-built wall in perpetuity.

The Committee agreed and

RESOLVED

That authority be delegated to the Group Head of Planning, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, to grant planning permission subject to:-

(i)     A plan confirming the visibility splays relative to the siting of the proposed re-built wall (with retention of the section to the north of the access and re-built section  ...  view the full minutes text for item 270.

            Y/57/19/PL – Conversion of existing single residential dwelling into 3 No. residential units with associated internal & external alterations & refurbishment & detached garage/outbuilding, Old Bilsham Lane, Bilsham, Yapton  Having received a report on the matter, together with the officer’s written report update detailing a correction to paragraph 2 of the Conclusions section relating to the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation areas) Act 1990, the Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.

            Y/58/19/L – Application for Listed Building Consent for conversion of existing single residential dwelling into 3 No. residential units with associated internal & external alterations & refurbishment & detached garage/outbuilding, Old Bilsham Farm, Bilsham Lane, Bilsham, Yapton  Having received a report on the matter, the Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.

            P/58/19/PL – Erection of 9 No. dwellings with associated access, parking, cycle & refuse storage & landscape design.  This application is a Departure from the Development Plan and may affect the setting of a listed building, Rear of Inglenook Hotel, 253-255 Pagham Road, Pagham 

The Planning Team Leader presented this report, together with an officer report update which detailed additional objections received and replacement transport maps which had resulted in an amendment to Condition 2.  The Committee was advised that none of the statutory consultees had raised an objection to the proposal; County Highways were happy with the access arrangements; and, although the site was outside the Build Up Area Boundary and conflicted with policy, other material considerations made it acceptable, namely that the location was surrounded by development, the Council at present did not have a 5 year housing land supply and, under National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) guidelines, presumption should be made in favour of sustainable development.

In the course of discussion on the item, serious concerns were raised in respect of the access road to the development, which Members considered to be too narrow to provide safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians, particularly for those using wheelchairs and/or pushchairs.

The Group Head of Planning acknowledged that the access was far from ideal and that highway impact and highway safety was a valid planning consideration.  However, he advised that, as this was an existing access, an assessment had to be made on what was currently in use against what was being proposed.  County Highways had made that assessment and had determined that the difference between the two was not sufficient to cause a severe impact on highway safety.  Improvements to visibility were being made as part of the application and County Highways had demonstrated that there would not be such a severe impact on highway safety and highway users as to warrant a refusal.   In the event of any appeal, that was what would be taken account of by the Inspector.

Members still expressed concern and comment was made that the existing use as a car park for the hotel was substantially different from a permanent development with increased traffic movements and pedestrian use by families, children and disabled users.  Although the Committee had considered and approved single track access roads in the past, it was felt that this one had too many bends and so there were blind spots – the point was made that if the development was to go ahead, improvements were required to the pinch points and signage should be installed. 

The general view of Members was that there were overriding safety issues and, following advice from the Group Head of Planning, it was duly proposed and seconded that the application should be deferred to enable an independent assessment of the proposal to be carried out on the highways impacts for all users, to include safety issues for all users.

The Committee then

RESOLVED

That the application be deferred to enable an independent assessment of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 273.

            P/53/19/L – Listed building consent for the demolition of modern side extension & 2.25m of boundary wall, Inglenook Hotel, 253-255 Pagham Road, Pagham  Having received a report on the matter, and in light of the decision on the previous application P58/19/PL, the Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be deferred.

            M/42/19/PL – Demolition of existing dwelling & erection of pair of semi-detached chalet dwellings with on-site parking facilities & new vehicular access, 117 Elmer Road, Elmer  Having received a report on the matter and following a brief discussion, the Planning Team Leader was able to assure Members that the proposal did safeguard residential amenities and there would be no unwarranted overlooking.  The Committee therefore

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.

            CM/21/19/PL – Construction of 9 No. dwellings, access, landscaping and associated works, Land adjacent to Scyld, Horsemere Green Lane, Climping  Having received a report on the matter, Member comment was made that the proposal did not provide affordable housing which was much needed in the District and that a total of 54 objections had been received which needed to be taken account of.   The Planning Lawyer advised that the threshold for such provision was 11 so there was no requirement for affordable housing in this instance. The Group Head of Planning also responded that the number of objections was not necessarily material, rather it was the planning considerations within those objections that would determine the weight that could be afforded to the comments made.

            Members generally agreed that the proposal was acceptable and, following satisfactory clarification of questions relating to boundaries and highway safety within the site, the Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.

            (Prior to consideration of this application, Councillor Goodheart spoke as a member of Bognor Regis Town Council.)

BR/120/19/PL – Application under Regulation 3 of the Town & Country Planning (General Regulations)1992 for the reinstatement of missing pieces of ornamental metalwork; redecoration of entire structure; removal of yellow brick plinth and step and reinstatement with red brick; relocation of entrance gate from south elevation to west elevation; infilling of open east and west sides with new railing to match existing; removal of existing lighting and provision of new; fitting of horizontal ceiling; removal of concrete floor finish; laying of new non-slip tiles in geometric pattern; fitting of Perspex sheeting at high level to prevent rainwater penetration, The Bandstand, The Promenade, Bognor Regis

In presenting the detail of this proposal, the Planning Team Leader highlighted condition 3 which required full details of colours/designs/materials for the perspex sheeting, roof structure, bricks and flooring tiles to be submitted to the Local Planning Authority prior to any development taking place.

In commencing the debate, Member comment was made that it was good to see structures such as this being restored but were there any plans to provide access to the interior to enable anyone to access the bandstand?  The Planning Team Leader advised that there was nothing included in the application to indicate that.

Further concerns were raised in respect of the wooden boarding which could adversely effect the acoustics and that wind breaks needed to be in place to ensure maximum use of the bandstand.

With regard to the request for disabled access, the Planning Team Leader advised that would require a separate new application in order for the red edge to be increased to enable a suitable ramp to be installed.  Alternatively, the provision of a temporary or permanent ramp could be investigated through a separate process.

In the course of further discussion, it was felt that the Perspex screening at the base of the structure needed to be reinstated (had been taken out from the original plans due to the Town Council’s objection) so full use could be made of the bandstand.

It was suggested and agreed that, due to the issues raised, the matter should be deferred to enable discussion to be had with the Cabinet Member for Technical Services and that a further report be presented at a future meeting detailing his comments.

The Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be deferred for comment by the Cabinet Member for Technical Services.

            BR/121/19/L – Listed building consent for the reinstatement of missing pieces of ornamental metalwork; redecoration of entire structure; removal of yellow brick plinth and step and reinstatement with red brick; relaocation of entrance gate from south elevation to west elevation; infilling of open east and west sides with new railing to match existing; removal of existing lighting and provision of new; fitting of horizontal ceiling; removal of concrete floor finish; laying of new non-slip tiles in geometric pattern; fitting of Perspex sheeting at high level to prevent rainwater penetration  Having received a report on the matter and in light of the decision on the previous application BR/120/19/PL, the Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be deferred.

            The Committee noted the appeals that had been received.