Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Mrs Pendleton and Roberts.

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

            Agenda Item 12 – Submission of West of Bersted Masterplan Framework for Endorsement – The following Councillors declared a personal interest for the reasons stated:-

Councillor Lury as a member of Bersted Parish Council and a member of the Bersted Advisory Group. 

Councillor Mrs Yeates as a member of Bersted Parish Council and the Chairman of the Bersted Advisory Group. 

Councillor Edwards as the County Councillor for Bersted and as a member of the Bersted Advisory Group.

Councillor Mrs Hamilton as a member of Pagham Parish Council and that would apply to the Bersted site.

            Planning Application AW/297/20/PL – Councillor Coster declared a personal interest and stated that he would make a statement at consideration of the item.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 2  September 2020 (attached).

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 2 September 2020 were approved by the Committee as a correct record and would be signed by the Chairman as soon as possible following the Council’s resumption of normal working.

            Member comment was made that, in respect of Minute 180 - Planning Application F/15/20/WS, the letters sent by officers on behalf of the Council to West Sussex County Council and to the Minister relating to the potential for a call-in were excellent and covered all the points raised by Members in the debate.  

            Public Speakers:      Mr P. Atkins, Objector

                                                Mr M. Josey, Objector

                                                Mrs E. Lawrence, Agent

                                                Cllr D. Huntley, Ward Member

            P/116/19/OUT – Outline application with all matters reserved, except for access, for the erection of 4 No. semi-detached 3 bedroom houses & 2 No. detached 4 bedroom houses with associated access, parking and gardens.  This application is a Departure from the Development Plan, Land adjacent to Sefter School House, Sefter Road, Bognor Regis

            The Planning Team Leader presented this report and also provided the Committee with a verbal update report covering the following:-

·         25 further letters of objection had been received on the grounds of infrastructure, traffic, highways, drainage, loss of farmland, wild life, flooding and pollution’ all of which had been addressed in the officer’s report.

·         A Councillor had raised the issue of local finance and the Planning Team Leader addressed this by referring to Sections 70 (2) and 70 (4) of the Town & Country Planning Act.

             Whilst a raft of Member objections to the proposal were raised at the meeting it was acknowledged that, without support from statutory consultees, it would be difficult to justify any refusal and the Committee therefore

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.            

            Public Speaker:        Cllr S. Abbott, Ferring Parish Council

            FG/73/20/PL – Variation of Condition 4 approved under FG/8/20/PL for the condition to read “The occupation of the dwelling shall be limited to a person or persons solely or mainly working, or last working. At the equestrian centre at Eastlands, or a widow or widower of such a person, and to any resident dependents”.

            The Planning Team Leader presented this report and confirmed that the variation to the wording of the relevant condition complied with planning guidance.

            Members participated in a full debate as a number of concerns were expressed that the variation would compromise the original permission which had been for a dwelling house to support the running of the equestrian business.  However, strong advice was provided by the Group Head of Planning that the wording was the standard wording set out in circular 11/95 which, as government guidance, was considered to be acceptable and to go against that would be unreasonable.  Further advice was provided by the Planning Team Leader that, should the dwelling use no longer be tied to the business, a planning application would have to be submitted to delete the condition and so that matter would be considered at that time.

            The Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.

            Public Speaker: Ms E. Murphy, Agent

            (In the course of consideration of this item, Councillor Ms Thurston declared a personal interest as a member of Barnham & Eastergate Parish Council.)

            BN/57/19/RES – Approval of reserved matters for 3785sqm of light industrial floorspace (Class B1(b)(c) following the grant of WA/22/15/OUT, Land east of Fontwell Avenue, Fontwell Avenue, Fontwell

            The Committee received a comprehensive presentation from the Principal Planning Officer, together with the officer’s written report update which set out the detail of:-

·         discussions that had been had regarding the retention of trees and resultant reduction in car parking provision;

·         the size and precise location of the attenuation pond yet to be agreed

·         a revised layout plan and consequential changes to the submitted landscaping scheme, including the planting of English oaks.

·         Amendment to the recommendation that, if Members are minded to approve the application, the decision be delegated to the Group Head of Planning to approve following receipt of a satisfactory amended landscaping scheme and subject to the conditions set out in the officer’s report, with the reference numbers of plans, drawings and documents updated accordingly.

In considering the proposal, the Principal Planning Officer was commended for his work, particularly on safeguarding the trees on the site, and Members welcomed the additional employment opportunities that would be generated by the applicant.  The installation of 574 solar panels was applauded and, following a query with regard to odour, that was satisfactorily addressed by the Principal Planning Officer at the meeting.

The Committee then

RESOLVED

That the application be approved and the decision be delegated to the Group Head of Planning following receipt of a satisfactory amended landscaping scheme and subject to the conditions set out in the officer’s report, with the reference numbers of plans, drawings and documents updated accordingly.    

            AB/75/20/PL – Conversion of existing mixed use space to 1 No. 1 bedroom lat.  This application affects the character & appearance of the Arundel Conservation Area and affects the setting of a Listed Building, 55-57 High Street, Arundel

            The Planning Team Leader presented this report, together with the officer’s written report update which advised that 3 additional objections had been received.  A verbal update was also provided that the Council’s Conservation Officer was of the opinion that the proposal was acceptable as there would be less than substantial harm to a heritage asset.

Following consideration, the Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.

            (Prior to consideration of this application, Councillor Coster  declared a personal interest and stated that he wished to make the meeting aware that he might have made observations or comments in connection with the application – these were the views he held at that time.  However, he had an open mind about this item and he would listen and consider the relevant issues presented to the Committee and confirmed that he would reach his decision based on merit.)

            AW/197/20/PL – Variation of conditions 8 – concerning hours of deliveries and 10 - types of vehicles making deliveries following AW/211/14/PL.  This application is in CIL Zone 4 (zero rated) as ‘other development’, The Former Ship Inn, Aldwick Street, Aldwick

            The Planning Team Leader presented this report to the Committee, together with the officer’s written report update which set out a representation from Aldwick Parish Council.

            In considering the proposal, views were expressed that there was no significant difference to what had earlier been refused due to road safety issues and therefore the same conclusion must be reached.  However, Member comment highlighted that a traffic survey and road safety reports that had been requested for the previous application had, as detailed in the report, been responded to by the applicant and County Highways had reviewed the documents and raised no objection.  Other Members urged caution in moving towards a refusal as the case would certainly be lost at appeal.

            Following further comment opposing any approval, the Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be approved as detailed in the report.     

            The Committee received and noted the list of appeals that had been received.

            (Prior to consideration of this item, Councillors Edwards, Mrs Hamilton, Lury and Mrs Yeates had declared a personal interest and remained in the meeting and took part in the debate and vote.

Councillor Coster also declared a personal interest as he had attended a meeting of the West of Bersted Advisory Group.)

            Prior to detailed consideration of this item, the Chairman read out a statement reminding the Committee that it was being asked to endorse the Framework Masterplan for the West of Bersted strategic allocation within the Arun Local Plan.  It did not, and should not, include details relating to how infrastructure might be secured or delivered, i.e. highway mitigation measures or school provision and greater detail relating to the layout, appearance, landscaping of the site, parking and housing design would all be considered when Reserved Matters applications were considered.  He requested that Members focus their discussion solely on the overarching principles set out in the Framework Masterplan (FM).  He then invited the Senior Planning Officer to commence his presentation.

            The Committee received a full and comprehensive presentation on the detail of the FM from the Senior Planning Officer in tandem with the report included in the agenda and together with the officer’s written report update which provided information relating to:-

·         Receipt of petition and 61 additional comments following expiration of the consultation period on 21 September 2020

·         Objection from Councillor Stanley

·         Receipt of consultation responses set out in the update

·         Comment from the West of Bersted Advisory Group

·         Amendments to the Framework Masterplan, as detailed in the update and which had been incorporated in the final submitted version for endorsement

·         Amended recommendation to take account of the final submitted version

The Committee heard that the FM had been prepared to facilitate the development of at least 2,500 homes and associated infrastructure, including a new primary school, community facilities, public open space, sports and retail provision.  The concept of the Masterplan layout was based on two character areas; one to the north (Character Area A), and one to the south (Character Area B). The northern area would be based on a grid layout and the southern area would be centred around the green space in an orbital layout.

The subsequent planning applications based on this document would  deliver a comprehensive package of infrastructure and discussions were  currently ongoing with the main key stakeholders involved in infrastructure provision.  Officers would be reporting back to the Advisory Group Members regarding those discussions to ensure proposed delivery was considered and scrutinised by all.  They were satisfied that the FM would allow a robust package towards infrastructure to be secured at the planning application stage.  

In concluding his presentation, the Senior Planning Officer acknowledged that the developers had made appropriate concessions throughout the process to ensure the Masterplan aligned with the adopted Arun Local Plan. He stated that the submitted Framework Masterplan would enable both Officers and Members to robustly and comprehensively determine the detailed design of future planning applications on the site.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 239.