Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, Councillors of the Council are reminded that it is a requirement to declare interests where appropriate.

No disclosures of interests were made.

The Planning Code of Conduct requires Councillors who have been lobbied, received correspondence or been approached by an interested party with respect to any planning matter should declare this at the meeting which discusses the matter. Councillors should declare if they have been lobbied at this point in the agenda.

The following lobbying declarations were made by Councillors.

Councillors P C Smith, Stone and Thomas had been lobbied regarding application CR/2018/0773/OUT.

Councillors Irvine and Malik had been lobbied regarding the Crawley Borough Council Tree Preservation Order Land North of Hydehurst Cottage, London Road, Northgate, Crawley - 16/2018

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 12 March 2019.

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 12 March 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider report PES/292 (a)of the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to PERMIT.

The Committee considered report PES/292 (a) of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

Outline application (access & layout) for the demolition of existing garage and erection of a 2 storey dwelling within garden of existing Ewhurst, The Mardens, Ifield (amended description & amended plans received).

Councillors Fiveash, Jaggard, P C Smith, Stone, Sudan and Thomas declared they had visited the site.

The Principal Planning Officer provided a verbal summation of the application.

Mr David Baker addressed the meeting in objection to the application which had been the subject of re-consultation regarding the amended plans. Those objections reflected many of those detailed in the report, with particular reference to parking, access, traffic and overdevelopment.  Mr James Simpson (the agent) addressed the meeting in support of the application,

The Committee then considered the application.  In response to issues raised the Principal Planning Officer:

·         Confirmed that the proposal had been amended since the application was submitted, by adding the layout as a matter to be considered under this outline application.

·         Confirmed further that with access and layout to be assessed at this stage, all other matters (scale, appearance and landscaping) were to be considered at the Reserved Matters stage.

·         Explained that whilst the minimum garden depth of 10.5m, as recommended in the Urban Design SPD, would not be achieved, this was considered on balance acceptable given the garden depth of the surrounding properties to the east, especially Nos 3 and 4 Ewhurst Cottages, and the width of the garden which was between 15 – 18m (due to the angled boundary to the east).

·         Advised that Ewhurst had a side window overlooking the new proposed dwelling, but that this window was a bathroom window (with obscure glazing) and this relationship was therefore considered acceptable.

·         Indicated that the western side wall of the new dwelling could be blank or include secondary windows, and this detail would be assessed at the reserved matters stage.

·         Considered that the proposal would now have an acceptable relationship to the boundaries and properties to the east and west.

·         Reiterated that in relation to the gate onto the Borough Council’s car park for Ewhurst Place Playing Fields, that gate was not shown on the plans approved under the original planning permission of Ewhurst.  This current application did not include any gate to the side of the application site. The vehicular and pedestrian access as proposed would be from The Mardens to the front. Any additional access to the CBC car park was a property matter between the 2 landowners.

·         Clarified that for collection purposes occupiers of the proposed development would be required to take their refuse and recycling to the front of the property for kerbside collection - as was the case for most other dwellings in the Borough, whilst requirements for refuse and recycling were referred to in Condition 10.

·         Emphasised that this application was for Outline Planning Permission with access and layout to be assessed at this stage. All other matters (scale, appearance  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider report PES/318of the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to CONFIRM.

The Group Manager (Development Management) introduced report PES/318 of the Head of Economy and Planning,which sought to determine whether to confirm this Tree Preservation Order (TPO)with or without modification for continued protection or, not to confirm the TPO.

Mrs Sally Lambert (a landowner of the site concerned) addressed the Committee in objection to the TPO.  Those objections, relating to such issues as the health of the trees, their visual and amenity value, and screening, reflected many of the concerns raised as part of the consultation process, and as detailed in the report.

The Committee then considered the TPO as proposed.  The Committee discussed the issues arising, including the comments made by the speaker.  In response to issues raised the Group Manager (Development Management):

·         Advised that the trees were young semi-mature specimens which had amenity value as part of a group.  The woodland was relatively young.

·         Confirmed that the trees had been identified as having significant long term potential.

·         Explained that the trees were considered to have good landscape amenity value in the surrounding area.

·         Indicated that the trees were under threat as the site was being considered for development.

·         Explained that the TPO was for the protection of trees only, and should not be confused with the safeguarding position of land in relation to a potential southern runway at Gatwick.

·         Indicated that whilst figures were not available regarding how much carbon dioxide – CO2 the trees concerned absorbed, the amenity contribution the trees provided had been looked at, and reiterated that this was considered to be positive.

·         Indicated that in terms of wildlife the site could be considered to have some ecological potential as a haven for nesting birds.

Having considered the objections raised and the TPO information, the Committee agreed generally to confirm the TPO, with modifications.

RESOLVED

Confirm, with modification as follows:-

The modification wording as set out in the tree specification schedule attached to report PES/318, is identified below:

(i)      Under the heading of ‘Woodlands’ replace the word ‘continuous’ with the word ‘dotted’ and add after ‘line’ the words ‘and shaded dark green’.

(ii)    Under the heading of ‘Reference to an Area’ replace the word ‘dotted’ with the word ‘continuous’.

Any urgent item(s) complying with Section 100(B) of the Local Government Act 1972.