Agenda, decisions and minutes

Any apologies for absence which have been received will be noted at this stage.

The Planning Committee will be informed at this point in the meeting of any planning applications which have been deferred or withdrawn and so will not be discussed and determined at this meeting.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

Apologies were received from Mr Barrett and Mrs Tassell.

The minutes relate to the meeting of the Planning Committee on 17 January 2018 (Copy to follow).

That the minutes for the meeting held on 17 January 2018 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to the addition of the following after sentence 3 of paragraph 4, page 3 to read “Mr Bushell clarified that the proposed landscaping along the southern boundary would be new planting in the garden area of the dwellings, which he confirmed was within the application site”.

The chairman will announce any urgent items that due to special circumstances will be dealt with under agenda item 12 (b).

There were no urgent items.

Details of members’ personal interests arising from their membership of parish councils or West Sussex County Council or from their being Chichester District Council or West Sussex County Council appointees to outside organisations or members of outside bodies or from being employees of such organisations or bodies.

Such interests are hereby disclosed by each member in respect of agenda items in the schedule of planning applications where the Council or outside body concerned has been consulted in respect of that particular item or application.

Declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are to be made by members of the Planning Committee in respect of matters on the agenda or this meeting.

Mr Duncton declared a personal interest in respect of application SDNPA/17/06138/FUL as a West Sussex County Council appointed member of the South Downs National Park Authority.

Mr Dunn declared a personal interest in respect of application SDNPA/17/06138/FUL as a Chichester District Council appointed member of the South Downs National Park Authority.

Mr R Hixson declared a personal interest in respect of application CC/17/03082/DOM as a member of Chichester City Council.

Mrs Kilby declared a personal interest in respect of application CC/17/03082/DOM as a member of Chichester City Council.

Mr McAra declared a personal interest in respect of application SDNPA/17/06138/FUL as a member of Midhurst Town Council.

Mr Plowman declared a personal interest in respect of application CC/17/03082/DOM as a member of Chichester City Council.

The Committee considered the planning applications together with an agenda update sheet at the meeting detailing the observations and amendments that had arisen subsequent to the dispatch of the Agenda. 

During the presentations by officers of the applications, members viewed photographs, plans, drawings, computerised images and artist impressions that were displayed on the screens.

RESOLVED

That the following decisions subject to the observations and amendments below:

Permit

Recommendation to Permit agreed.

Permit

Mr Whitty drew the Committee’s attention to proposed condition 1 and advised that this was unnecessary and should be deleted as the development had already taken place.

Miss Golding added that the remaining conditions would be amended accordingly to require the rendering to be completed within three months from the grant of planning permission.

Recommendation to Permit the deletion of condition 1 and amended conditions 2 and 3 agreed.

Permit

Additional information was reported on the agenda update sheet setting out an addendum to paragraph 2.2 of the report, additional comments received from Bosham Parish Council and a third party, two third party letters of objection from one objector and officer comment concerning the recommendation.

The following members of the public addressed the Committee:

-       Mr R Deacon – Objector; and

-       Mr K Ridge – Applicant

Mrs Stevens confirmed that, the planning application, had been assessed in the context of current flood risk policy and she confirmed that the levels of plot 1 including the first floor level still exceeded  the current requirements in terms of the 1 in 100 year flood event level plus a 40% allowance.

Recommendation to Permit agreed.

Permit

Additional information was reported on the agenda update sheet relating to comments received from the Economic Development Officer.

Recommendation to Permit agreed.

The Wisborough Green Village Design Statement (set out at Appendix 1 to the report) is approved as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications, subject to officers raising with Wisborough Green Parish Council certain issues raised by the Committee.

The Committee considered the updated Wisborough Green Village Design Statement (WGVDS) circulated with the agenda.

Mr Whitty outlined the report and responded to members’ comments and questions.  The WGVDS provided the planning authority with an understanding of the areas that were key in terms of the character of the Village. In particular he drew attention to the character areas A-J that set out the character of what was important to the village, the commentary on the past and the future relating to the material and architecture details.  With regard to the weight to be attached, the document would remain as guidance not policy.  However, the process of seeking approval of the Planning Committee for endorsement would give the document some weight and it would be used as a material consideration when determining planning applications.

Verges, Ditches and Culverts: With regard to the comment in the text that there had been a lack of maintenance by West Sussex County Council, a member and asked if it was an appropriate statement to include in the document as a large number of ditches and culverts were outside the ownership of the County Council.  Mr Whitty undertook to raise this matter with Wisborough Green Parish Council.

Settlement and Conservation Areas: Mr Whitty advised that the map, dated 2014, had been taken from the character appraisal and confirmed it was possible that there had now been additional development.  However, the map had been included to denote the conservation area, which he confirmed had not changed.  With regard to the settlement policy area and additional development outside this area, he would have to check the Wisborough Green Neighbourhood Plan to establish if there was a disconnect between both. He undertook to raise this matter with the Parish Council.

The Past – Materials and Architectural Detail: It was noted that the number of listed buildings was yet to be added to this section.

Mr Whitty advised that the matters raised today by members would not stop the council’s ability to use the document as a material planning consideration.  He pointed out that the document was already in the public realm having been published by the Parish Council.

RESOLVED

That the Wisborough Green Village Design Statement (set out at Appendix 1 to the report) be approved as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications, subject to officers taking up with Wisborough Green Parish Council the certain issues raised by the Committee.

The Committee considered and noted the schedule of outstanding contraventions circulated with the agenda.

Additional information was reported on the agenda update sheet relating to additional information concerning the performance indicators concerning the acknowledgement of complaints.

Mr Archer introduced this reported.  The breakdown of outstanding cases had previously been removed from the report, as it did not provide any useful information due to their being no explanation behind the reasons for them being outstanding.  A total of 414 cases were currently outstanding. 

The Planning Committee will consider the monthly schedule updating the position with regard to planning appeals, litigation and recent planning policy publications or pronouncements.

The Committee considered and noted the schedule of outstanding planning appeals, court and policy matters that had been circulated with the agenda.

Additional information was reported on the agenda update sheet relating to the High Court Challenge regarding Land at Beach Avenue, Southbourne.