Agenda and minutes

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

The following disclosures of interests were made:

Councillor Burrett highlighted that he had received information briefings about Crawley Borough Council’s proposals for the building which was the subject of Application CR/2022/0487/FUL (minute 5), however these had not related specifically to planning matters.

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

No lobbying declarations were made.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 4^th October 2022.

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 4 October 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider report PES/407c of the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to CONSENT.

The Committee considered report PES/407c of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

T1 sycamore: reduce height and crown radius by a maximum of 2 metres to nearest appropriate growth points (amended description).

Councillors Burrett and Jaggard declared they had visited the site.

The Group Manager (Development Management) provided a verbal summation of the application, which sought consent for works to a sycamore tree in a residential garden.

Brenda Burgess, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.  Matters raised included:

·       An application for tree works at the site had previously been submitted and granted consent, but the sycamore had been inadvertently left out.

·       The tree had grown considerably over recent months.

·       The works were sought to ensure the tree was kept under control.

The Committee then considered the application.  A Committee member queried the reason for this tree being under a separate application rather than being included in the previous application at the same site.  It was clarified that the original application form had incorrectly identified the trees which required works, so the sycamore had not been included.

RESOLVED

Consent subject to the conditions set out in report PES/407c.

To consider report PES/407aof the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to PERMIT.

The Committee considered report PES/407a of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

Alteration to some doors and windows on elevations, new roller shutter door on north elevation and first floor door on south elevation, provision of EV charging points, installation of PV panels to roof (south and east elevations) and replacement of roof plant (amended description).

Councillors Burrett and Jaggard declared they had visited the site.

The Group Manager (Development Management) provided a verbal summation of the application, which sought a range of works to the exterior of an office building and car park in Manor Royal Business District.  The Officer updated the Committee that, since the publication of the report, further representations had been received as follows:

·       Gatwick Airport Ltd had requested additional information from the applicant which had now been provided, so had since issued a response.  No objection was raised however it was requested that an informative be added regarding the safe usage of cranes during development.

·       The Council’s Sustainability Officer had commented in support of the proposed changes to the building’s environmental performance, including the installation of electric vehicle charging points, which fulfilled Local Plan Policy ENV6.

The Committee then considered the application.  A Committee member sought further details about the access for the delivery of goods though the proposed roller shutter door and the changes to the frontage of the building.  The Officer confirmed that there was not a specific parking bay designated for delivery use as several of the standard parking bays had direct access to the path to the front of the building.  The existing landscaping would need to be trimmed back to provide a clear access route along the path – condition 7 would ensure a suitable landscape plan was submitted and if any trees were removed these would be replaced. 

RESOLVED

Permit subject to the conditions set out in report PES/407a and the following additional informative:

‘Given the nature of the proposed development it is possible that a crane may be required during the works. The applicant’s attention is drawn to the requirement within the British Standard Code of Practice for the safe use of Cranes, for crane operators to consult the aerodrome before erecting a crane in close proximity to an aerodrome. Gatwick Airport requires a minimum of four weeks’ notice. For crane queries/applications please visit Crane Permits (gatwickairport.com) or email cranes@gatwickairport.com.’

To consider report PES/407b of the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to CONSENT.

The Committee considered report PES/407b of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

1814 oak - crown reduction by 1.5 metres to appropriate growth points. Removal of basal/epicormic growth.

1815 oak - crown reduction by 1.5 metres to appropriate growth points. Removal of basal/epicormic growth.

1816 oak - crown reduction by 1.5 metres to appropriate growth points.

1818 oak – fell.

1817 oak – fell.

Councillors Burrett and Jaggard declared they had visited the site.

The Group Manager (Development Management) provided a verbal summation of the application, which sought the removal of two protected trees – one of which was dead, and one which was in decline – on Council-owned amenity land.  Consent was also sought for works to three healthy trees which required containment pruning.

The Committee then considered the application.  A Committee member queried the reasons for the application being brought to the Committee before the expiry of the consultation period.  The Officer commented that responses were rarely received on applications of this type from the site notice publicity, so agreeing to delegate the decision to consent would streamline the process by enabling works to begin as soon as possible after the expiry of the consultation period.  If comments were received, the application would return to the Committee at its next scheduled meeting.

It was confirmed that the two trees which were proposed to be removed would be replaced by two new trees, both of which would be protected under the TPO.

A Committee member raised a query regarding the site map in the agenda.  The Officer confirmed that the hatched area represented an historic area-wide Order, under which all trees present (at the time of the making of the Order) were protected.  Such Orders were gradually being replaced to become a series of separate TPOs on individual trees.

RESOLVED

Delegate the decision to consent to the Head of Economy and Planning to await the expiry of the consultation period on 3November 2022, subject to the conditions set out in report PES/407b.

To consider report PES/424 of the Head of Economy and Planning.

The Committee considered report PES/424 of the Head of Economy and Planning.

The report summarised all the Section 106 (S106) monies received, spent and committed to project schemes in quarter 2 of the financial year 2022/23.  In response to queries from Committee members, the Head of Economy and Planning provided the following clarifications:

·       Funds received through S106 contributions have an expiry date.  Officers monitor these to ensure that funds are used before they expire.

·       A tree strategy was currently being created by the Council’s Community Services team to monitor and allocate S106 funds for tree planting.  Once approved, the strategy would be implemented with more trees being planted.

·       West Sussex County Council was required to follow a specific procedure to request the transfer of S106 funds allocated to libraries, fire and education.

RESOLVED

That the update on S106 monies received, spent and committed in quarter 2 of the financial year 2022/23 was noted.