Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Councillor Mwagale who had been recently elected as a Borough Councillor and subsequently appointed to the Planning Committee.

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.

The following 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.

No lobbying declarations were made.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 24 September 2019.

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 24 September 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider report PES/325cof the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to PERMIT.

Councillor A Belben declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the item, and left the meeting for the duration of the discussion and the subsequent vote.

The Committee considered report PES/325(c) of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

Erection of single storey rear extension.

Councillors Ascough, Jaggard, Mwagale and Purdy declared they had visited the site.

The Principal Planning Officer provided a verbal summation of the application including an updated condition 4, which sought to reflect recent correspondence with the applicant and was amended to read as follows:

“No development, including site works of any description, shall take place on the site unless and until the tree protection fencing has been erected at the location shown on the tree protection plan and in accordance with the applicant’s e-mail, of 21st October 2019.  Within the areas so fenced off from the site of the extension/dwelling the existing ground level shall be neither raised nor lowered and no materials, temporary buildings, plant machinery or surplus soil shall be placed or stored thereon without the prior written approval of the Local Planning Authority.  If any trenches for services are required in the fenced off areas they shall be excavated and backfilled by hand and any tree roots encountered with a diameter of 25 mm or more shall be left unsevered.

REASON:  To ensure the retention and maintenance of trees and vegetation which is an important feature of the area in accordance with policy CH7 of the Crawley Borough Local Plan 2015 - 2030.”

The Committee noted the updated condition, and that it had not caused any other changes to the recommendation. The Committee also noted that, had the Applicant not been a Crawley Borough Council Councillor, a decision to permit would have been taken by officers under delegated powers.

RESOLVED

Permit subject to conditions set out in report PES/325(c), including the revised condition 4 as above.

To consider report PES/325dof the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to PERMIT

The Committee considered report PES/325(d) of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

Erection of first floor side and rear extensions (amended plans received).

Councillors A Belben and Purdy declared they had visited the site.

The Principal Planning Officer provided a verbal summation of the application and the Committee then considered the proposal.

Following a query from the Committee, the Principal Planning Officer clarified that the existing property had solar panels fitted to the roof which were identified on several of the plans submitted in relation to the application.  The Committee also noted that, had the Applicant not been a Crawley Borough Council employee, a decision to permit would have been taken by officers under delegated powers.

RESOLVED

Permit subject to conditions set out in report PES/325(d).

To consider report PES/339 of the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to CONFIRM

The Group Manager (DevelopmentManagement) introduced reportPES/339ofthe Head of Economy and Planning, which outlined the representation received regardingthe Tree PreservationOrder (TPO) made ontrees tothe rearof8-12 Normanhurst Close, Three Bridges, andsought to determine whether to confirm thepermanent TPO with orwithout modification for continued protection,ornot to confirm theTPO. It was confirmed thatan inspection hadbeen carried out on thehorse chestnut treewhich, although having a stem wound,was considered to be in astable condition.

Councillors Ascough,A Belben and Jaggarddeclared theyhad visited the site.

Followinga queryfrom the Committee regarding the Leyland Cypressspecies oftree, Committee membersheard that including these trees withinthe TPOwas necessaryto protect the cohesive group value of the trees along the road.The Committee also discusseda need toencourage greenspaces in Crawley and inparticular those trees lining roads which absorbnoise and pollution.

RESOLVED

Confirm the Tree Preservation Order – trees to rear of 8-12 Normanhurst Close, Three Bridges, 07/2019 - without modification.

To consider report PES/337 of the Head of Economy and Planning.

The Committee considered report PES/337 of the Head of Economy and Planning.

The report summarised all the Section 106 (S106) monies received, spent and committed to project schemes in Quarters 1 and 2 of the financial year 2019/20.

RESOLVED

That the update on S106 monies received, spent and committed in Quarters 1 and 2 of the financial year 2019/20 be noted.