Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Offices, Bushloe House, Station Road, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 2DR. View directions

Contact: Planning Control  Tel: (0116) 257 2653 Email: planning@oadby-wigston.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

20.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

An apology for absence was received from Councillors G A Boulter and Dr T K Khong.

21.

Declarations of Interest

Members are reminded that any declaration of interest should be made having regard to the Members’ Code of Conduct. In particular, Members must make clear the nature of the interest and whether it is 'pecuniary' or ‘non-pecuniary'.

Minutes:

None.

22.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 24 August 2017 pdf icon PDF 76 KB

To read, confirm and sign the minutes of the previous meeting in accordance with Rule 17 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

Minutes:

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 24 August 2017 be taken as read, confirmed and signed.

23.

Action List Arising from the Meeting held on 24 August 2017 pdf icon PDF 34 KB

To read, confirm and note the Action List arising from the previous meeting.

Minutes:

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The Action List be noted by Members.

24.

Petitions and Deputations

To receive any Petitions and, or, Deputations in accordance with Rule 24 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

Minutes:

None.

25.

Technical Housing Standards (Nationally Described Space Standard) and Subdivision of Residential Properties pdf icon PDF 113 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council gave consideration to the report (at pages 7 - 16) as delivered and summarised by the Head of Planning, Development and Regeneration which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

 

Members emphasised that it was their belief that a serious need continued to exist for large family dwelling-houses with the Borough and that minimum prescribed levels of living-space, particularly within multiple dwelling-flat conversations, were essential. It was said that the health and wellbeing of occupants in terms of adequate living space and amenity should be accorded the upmost importance.

 

The Committee was advised that work was currently at an advanced stage in the preparation of the Local Plan and, as part of this process, evidence was being prepared that would inform whether the space standards and any revised position regarding the subdivision of residential properties could be adopted by the Council.

 

An independent viability study of the whole Local Plan was also said to be undertaken to ensure that the effect of all of the policies, when taken together, suitably addressed matters of viability. All policies were said to gain increasing weight as the Local Plan progressed through its formal adoption process.

 

Until such time as the Local Plan was full adopted, the Committee was advised that applications could only be determined on merit and on material planning grounds.

 

It was requested that a further survey be undertaken to clarify the quantity of the Borough housing stock’s consisting of 1 bedroom properties.

 

It was moved by the Chair, seconded by the Vice Chair and

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

 

(i)       The work currently being undertaken in respect of the optional Nationally Described Space Standards through the preparation of the Local Plan be noted by Members;

(ii)     Members note that account can given to the Nationally Described Space Standards by officers and applicants in their deliberations during the consideration and determination of planning applications: however, it would not be appropriate to base decisions upon these standards given that they do not comprise fully evidenced and justified planning policy (as referred to the report); and

(iii)   The position regarding the subdivision of residential properties and the work currently being undertaken to inform the Local Plan in this regard be noted by Members.

26.

Report of the Planning Control Team Leader pdf icon PDF 79 KB

Report(s) of the Planning Control Team Leader and the relevant Planning Control Officer(s).

Additional documents:

26a

Application No. 17/00310/REM - Land At Cottage Farm, Glen Road, Oadby, Leicestershire

Minutes:

Mr P McCarthy, Design and Technical Director at Bloor Homes, spoke upon the application on behalf of the applicant. He stated that a number of changes to a revised scheme had been made to minimise the impact on adjacent residents and surplus land had been used to meet demand for an additional 28 small to medium semi/detached family homes. The application was said to continue to respect the Illustrative Development Framework plan as submitted at the outline stage.

 

Councillor M L Darr, Ward Councillor for the Oadby Brocks Hill Ward, spoke upon the application. He called for the application to be deferred pending further public consultation so to consult upon the subsequent amendments made to the scheme.

 

The Committee gave consideration to the application (at pages 18 - 25) and the agenda update (at page 1) as delivered and summarised by the Senior Planning Control Officer which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

 

A debate thereon was had whereby the Committee overall commended the revised scheme, particularly the proposed mix of dwellings and sizes, however raised some initial concerns in response to which the Senior Planning Control Officer advised that:

 

a.     social-housing units were often clustered together to ensure their more efficient maintenance;

b.     the relative small size of the children’s play areas were compensated by the generous allocation of garden space to most dwelling-houses and the provision of a large public amenity pitch on site;

c.     each dwelling was allocated a suitable-sized car parking space(s) or garage so to prevent parking/obstructions on the highway;

d.     boundaries between the existing and new developments were to be properly maintained after initial planting by their respective owner-occupiers; and

e.     the section 106 Agreement was to provide for the site’s open spaces to be either maintained by the developer in perpetuity or adopted by the Council.

 

Furthermore, and although some Members believed a deferral on the grounds of further public consultation was justified, most Members felt that ample opportunity for consultation had been provided and that the application should be determined without delay and within the parameters of material planning considerations.

 

In reaching a decision it was reported that the scheme amounted to a low-density development of 30 dwellings per hectare and within the original outline permission granted, therefore dismissing concerns regarding the over-cramming of units.

 

The Committee was also advised that the Council, as the Local Planning Authority, had fully complied with its obligations in notifying residents and that any deferral in favour of holding a non-statutory public consultation would risk a cost-implicated appeal for non-determination on immaterial planning grounds and that, in any case and on balance, a further consultation period would not constructively add anything new.

 

It was moved by Councillor J Kaufman, seconded by Councillor D A Gamble and

 

DEFEATED THAT:

 

The application be deferred pending further public consultation.

 

Votes For                  2

Votes Against          8

Abstentions             0

 

It was moved by the Chair, seconded by the Vice Chair and

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The application be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26a

26b

Application No. 17/00338/FUL - 48 Severn Road, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 4FY

Minutes:

Mr A Lakhlani, a relative of an adjacent neighbour, spoke upon the application as an objector. He stated that the proposed establishment would cause a nuisance to adjoining properties and would be detrimental to the wider residential area in respect of inconsiderate parking and increased traffic, littering and anti-social behaviour. Noise and air pollution emanating from the premises was also said to be a concern.

 

The Committee gave consideration to the application (at pages 26 - 32) as delivered and summarised by the Planning Control Team Leader which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document. It was also reported that further objections citing similar matters to those raised by speaker had been received on 27 September from another concerned relative of another adjacent neighbour.

 

Whilst the Committee welcomed the bringing back into use of the building, Members too acknowledged the legitimate concerns as raised by objectors but, in doing so, agreed that a reasonable closing time from Monday to Saturday and a premises closure on Sundays and Bank Holidays would mitigate the greater part of the same.

 

In reaching a decision, the Committee was advised that other regulatory enforcement regimes were available to the Council to control other unauthorised and, or, nuisance activities at the premises that may arise. It was also said that any condition relating to the premises’ closure on Sundays and Bank Holidays, although not entirely unreasonable, could ultimately be successfully appealed albeit with negligible costs and little reputational damage to the Council.

 

It was moved by the Chair, seconded by the Councillor D A Gamble and

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

 

The permitted hours of operation (as set out at condition 4) be amended to 09:00 to 22:00, Mondays to Saturdays.

 

It was moved by the Chair, seconded by the Vice Chair and

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The application be GRANTED planning permission in accordance with the submitted documents and plans and subject to the prescribed conditions (as amended).

 

Votes For                  9

Votes Against          0

Abstentions             1

26c

Application No. 17/00392/FUL - The Grange, Highfield Drive, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 1NN

Minutes:

Mr R Harris, Director at Graham Harris Partnership, spoke upon the application on behalf of the applicant. He stated that the application sought to minimise the impact of existing travel, access and parking issues on the site and the surrounding residential area. It was said that all works to protected trees would be correctly carried out, no further illumination to buildings was proposed nor was any increase to the numbers of staff on-site or associated vehicle movements expected.

 

The Committee gave consideration to the application (at pages 33 - 51) as delivered and summarised by the Planning Control Team Leader which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

 

A debate thereon was had whereby most Members agreed that the proposals submitted offered on balance a considered solution to the issues currently experienced. However, some Members were mindful of the highway implications to residents created by a possible increased in vehicular movements along Highfield Drive if the entrance/exit proposals were not carefully managed. Details in relation to a tree replanting scheme, to include trees of sufficient maturity, were also requested.

 

It was moved by the Chair, seconded by Councillor D A Gamble and

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

It be conditioned that, subject to an agreed form of wording under delegated authority to Officers, full details of the replacement trees be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority prior to the implementation of the development and implemented accordingly.

 

Votes For                  8

Votes Against          0

Abstentions             2

 

It was moved by the Chair, seconded by Councillor D A Gamble and

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The application be GRANTED planning permission in accordance with the submitted documents and plans and subject to the prescribed conditions (as amended).

 

Votes For                  8

Votes Against          2

Abstentions             0

26d

Application No. 17/00396/FUL - 70 Repton Road, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 1GD

Minutes:

Withdrawn.

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