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:

The Planning Code of Conduct requires that councillors who have been lobbied, received correspondence, or been approached by an interested party regarding 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 meeting.

The following lobbying declarations were made by councillors:- 

Councillor Burrett had received correspondence from a Ward Councillor for Three Bridges regarding application CR/2021/0693/FUL, but had not been directly lobbied and had not expressed views on the application in advance of the meeting.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 8 March 2022.

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 8 March 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider report PES/381aof the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to PERMIT.

The Committee considered report PES/381a of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

Change of use from a six person house in multiple occupation (C4) to a hostel (sui generis) for six people to be managed by Crawley Homes.

Councillors Ali, Burrett, Jaggard, and P Smith declared they had visited the site.

The Principal Planning Officer provided a verbal summation of the application for a change of use, which related to a detached two storey, six bedroom house in Three Bridges.  The Officer gave detail of the various relevant planning considerations as detailed in the report, which suggested that the proposed hostel would help meet Crawley’s need for accommodation for homeless people and would not cause significant harm to neighbouring amenity.

Nikki Hargrave spoke on behalf of the applicant, Crawley Borough Council, in support of the application.  Matters raised included:

• There was a growing need for accommodation for those finding themselves homeless; temporary accommodation such as nightly paid hotels were not a sustainable option.  Multiple occupancy vacant properties were a good alternative.
• No change was to be made to the building itself nor to the number of occupants.  The application sought only a change of use.
• The proposed hostel would be managed by the Council’s Hostels Team, who would carry out welfare visits and weekly health and safety checks.

Brenda Burgess, Ward Councillor for Three Bridges, spoke on behalf of residents in objection to the application.  Matters raised included:

·       Neighbours of the site had described anti-social behaviour at the property under its current use, and had raised concerns that this could be exacerbated under the proposed new use.

·       Clarity was sought over the number of occupants housed in each room.

·       It was important to neighbours of the site that the property be regularly monitored by the applicant.

The Committee then considered the application.  Following a query regarding the possible provision of a seventh bedroom within the property, the Planning Officer highlighted the importance of a large communal space for tenants to use for dining, relaxing, and socialising with one another.  The Committee noted that the design of the house lent itself to six individuals sharing communal facilities rather than multiple family units with in-room amenities.  It was confirmed that the property was proposed to be used by six people and that this was to be controlled by a condition; if approved, the number of occupants would not be able to be changed without the Local Planning Authority varying that condition.  Tenants were not to be allocated a fixed term of residency at the dwelling, but were to be able to stay indefinitely.  It was noted that the proposal sought to prevent homelessness.

It was recognised that the management of the proposed hostel by Crawley Borough Council would allow the property to be monitored and any issues addressed more easily and efficiently than under the current use.

The Planning Officer confirmed that no physical changes to the building were proposed as part of this application.  Any future changes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider report PES/381bof the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to PERMIT.

The Committee considered report PES/381b of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

Erection of single storey side extension with pitched roof.

Councillors Ali, Burrett, and Jaggard declared they had visited the site.

The Group Manager (Development Management) provided a verbal summation of the application, which sought permission for the addition of a bedroom and en-suite bathroom to an end-of-terrace house in Northgate.  The Officer gave detail of the various relevant planning considerations as detailed in the report, which concluded that the proposed extension was in keeping with the character of the dwelling and was not considered to have a harmful impact on neighbouring properties.

The Committee then considered the application.  The proposal’s impact on car parking provision was discussed – it was recognised that two off-street parking spaces were proposed to be created on the existing hardstanding along the front of the house (an increase of one compared to the current off-street provision).  A query was raised as to whether the space was sufficient for two cars due to the adjacent fence and the steps at the dwelling’s front door.  The Officer clarified that the fence was to be removed and the resulting space of approximately 11m x 3m was considered sufficient for two cars; standard parking spaces were 4.8m x 2.4m.

In response to a query from a Committee member, it was confirmed that the grassed area of land adjacent to the dwelling (edged in blue on the location plan) was within the applicant’s control but was not considered to be within the boundary of domestic curtilage of the property and so functioned as amenity space.

RESOLVED

Permit subject to conditions set out in report PES/381b.