Part A
1
Welcome and Announcements (Virtual Meetings)
The Chairman will welcome members of the public and Councillors to the meeting and remind those participating to mute their microphones when not talking. The Chairman will invite all Councillors and Officers participating in the meeting to introduce themselves. The Chairman will, at regular intervals, ask Councillors to indicate if they wish to speak or ask a question and Councillors will be invited to speak in turn by the Chairman. A vote on each item of business will be taken by roll call of each Councillor and the outcome of each vote will be confirmed by the Democratic Services Officer.
2
Substitutions
Councillors will be asked to say if they are attending on behalf of a Committee member who is absent.
3
Urgent Items
The Chairman will announce if there is any item not on the published agenda which will be considered because it is urgent and will explain the reason for the urgency.
4
Declarations of Interest
Councillors will be asked to say if there are any items on the agenda about which they have a disclosable pecuniary interest which would prevent them from participating in any discussion of the item or participating in any vote upon the item, or any other pecuniary interest or non-pecuniary interest.
5
Have Your Say! (Virtual Planning Meetings)
At meetings of the Planning Committee, members of the public may make representations to the Committee members. These Have Your Say! arrangements will allow for one person to make representations in opposition and one person to make representations in support of each planning application. Each representation will be for no longer than three minutes (500 words). Members of the public may register their wish to address the Committee members by registering by 12 noon on the working day before the meeting date. In addition, a written copy of the representation will need to be supplied for use in the event of unforeseen technical difficulties preventing participation at the meeting itself. The Chairman will invite members of the public to make their representations at the start of the meeting.
These speaking arrangements do not apply to councillors who are not members of the Committee who may make representations of no longer than five minutes each.
These speaking provisions do not apply to applications which have been subject to the Deferral and Recommendation Overturn Procedure (DROP).
6
Minutes of Previous Meeting
No minutes of previous meetings are submitted to the Committee for approval on this occasion
7
Planning Applications
When the members of the Committee consider the planning applications listed below, they may decide to agree, all at the same time, the recommendations in the reports for any applications which no member of the Committee or member of the public wishes to address the Committee.
Erection of two-storey front and rear extension,
increased width of existing side box dormer, and
porch
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The Committee considered an application for the erection of two-storey front and rear extension, the increased width of the existing side box dormer, and the porch.
The Committee had considered the application at its 21 January meeting but had deferred the application for further negotiation. A report setting out information about the application and the outcome of the negotiation was before the committee.
The Committee members had been provided with photographs of the site taken by the Planning Officer to assist in their assessment of the impact and suitability of the proposals.
Mr Sedani, the applicant addressed the Committee pursuant to the provisions of Planning Committee Procedure Rule 8 in support of the application.
Mr Sedani stated he had been a local resident for ten years and had applied for approval for an extension in January. He had listened to the Committee’s feedback from then and had decided that rather than appealing the decision he would work with everyone including neighbours to ensure good relationships. Cost had been involved and the redesign had moved the proposed extension to the other side of the property. Criteria under planning guidance had been met; there were no privacy or light issues, and vegetation was unaffected. There was proper provision for car parking and plenty of garden space. He was not looking to overdevelop.
Councillor Lissimore attended and with the consent of the Chair addressed the Committee.
Councillor Lissimore said that since this had been considered at a previous Planning Committee the applicant had moved the extension from one side to the other. She thanked Mr Sedani for engaging with neighbours and changing the plans.
Residents still had some concerns over the development and in particular the front of the building but it was understood that this did not constitute a planning reason for refusal.
Councillor Lissimore suggested that consideration be given to the removal of Permitted Rights for future developments and the addition of obscure glass up to 1.7 metres near the dormer on the upper floor.
Chris Harden, Senior Planning Officer, presented the report and assisted the Committee in its deliberations.
The Senior Planning Officer shared a presentation with members including plans, aerial views and photographs of the site, as well as drawings to allow comparison of the current submission with the previous application. He highlighted those differences and pointed out the elevations proposed. He explained that the submission now was 4.4 metres larger overall.
Three further letters had been received from residents whose concerns were around over development, the increased size of the house and reduction in garden space, the increase in the size of the front extension, parking and the street scene. Also it was felt to be out of scale and not in keeping with the rest of Lexden Grove.
The Senior Planning Officer had assessed that the front extension was acceptable and did not project too far so was not out of keeping with the street scene, the rear extension was not dominating, did not have an overbearing effect on the neighbouring property and met the 45 degree rule. The overall design was satisfactory.
He clarified that the interior glass walkway was included to add light. A condition to add obscure glazing of 1.7 metres to the element of the walkway where it projects could be added as well as a condition for how parking would be laid out. It was noted that the parking space remaining met the higher of the recommended standards.
Garden space remaining would be 140 metres which was above the 100 metre standard.
He recommended approval with 3 additional conditions:
Obscure glazing up to 1.7 m in height across glazed walkway;
Details of car parking layout to be submitted and approved;
Removal of Permitted Development Rights for further additions/alterations to the house.
The Committee acknowledged that the applicant had taken on board neighbours’ and the Committee’s comments and thanked him. Overall the Committee agreed the application was reasonable and that permission should be granted.
RESOLVED (UNANIMOUS) that planning permission be approved subject to the conditions in the officer’s report and with the addition of the following conditions:
Obscure glazing be provided up to 1.7 m in height at the end of the glazed walkway where it projects beyond the existing gables of the rear of the dwelling;
Details of car parking layout to be submitted and approved;
Removal of Permitted Development rights for further additions/alterations to the house
See report by the Assistant Director, Place and Client Services giving details of the applications which have been determined since the last meeting in accordance with the revised scheme of delegation agreed at the Committee’s meeting on 21 January 2021
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Simon Cairns,Development Manager reported that one approval had been made in relation to Queen Street and that details of this had been provided in the report.
RESOLVED (UNANIMOUS) that
the applications that had been determined under the revised scheme of delegation that were listed in the Appendix to the report be noted.
9
Exclusion of the Public (not Scrutiny or Executive)
In accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public, including the press, from the meeting so that any items containing exempt information (for example confidential personal, financial or legal advice), in Part B of this agenda (printed on yellow paper) can be decided. (Exempt information is defined in Section 100I and Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972).