Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham

Contact: Email: CommitteeServices@horsham.gov.uk  Direct Line: 01403 215465

Items
No. Item

PCN/20

Minutes pdf icon PDF 91 KB

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2019

(Note: If any Member wishes to propose an amendment to the minutes they should submit this in writing to committeeservices@horsham.gov.uk at least 24 hours before the meeting.  Where applicable, the audio recording of the meeting will be checked to ensure the accuracy of the proposed amendment.)

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 2 July 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

PCN/21

Declarations of Members' Interests

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Committee

Minutes:

DC/18/2687 - Councillor Andrew Baldwin declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest as he is a Member of the West Sussex County Council.

 

DC/18/2687 - Councillor Elizabeth Kitchen declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest as she is a Member of the West Sussex County Council.

 

PCN/22

Announcements

To receive any announcements from the Chairman of the Committee or the Chief Executive

Minutes:

There were no announcements.

PCN/23

Appeals pdf icon PDF 73 KB

Minutes:

The list of appeals lodged, appeals in progress and appeal decisions, as circulated, was noted.

PCN/24

DC/18/2687 - Former Novartis Site, Parsonage Road, Horsham pdf icon PDF 268 KB

Ward: Holbrook East

Applicant: West Sussex County Council

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Elizabeth Kitchen was not present for this item. Councillor Andrew Baldwin spoke after the officer presentation and then left the meeting for the remainder of this item.

 

The Head of Development reported that this application sought outline planning permission for the erection of up to 300 dwellings, including i the conversion of existing office buildings, up to 25,000 square metres of employment floor spaces, and some flexible commercial/community space. An equipped play area would be included in the main open space area of the site. 

 

Up to 308 residential parking spaces and up to 872 spaces in the employment area were indicated.  These would include two multi-storey parking courts.  The proposal included improvements to pedestrian and vehicular accesses from Parsonage Road and Wimblehurst Road, and new cycle/pedestrian accesses from Parsonage Road.    All matters were reserved except for access. 

 

The application site was located in the built-up area of Horsham, south of Parsonage Road and east of Wimblehurst Road and had been used by Norvartis Pharmaceuticals until 2014.  Railway lines lay along the south and west boundaries.  Construction of 160 dwellings north of the site was underway.

 

North Horsham Parish Council and neighbouring Denne Neighbourhood Council both raised concerns mostly related to traffic issues and pedestrian safety.  There had been 60 public consultation responses objecting to the application.  Wimblehurst Road Residents Group, Horsham District Cycle Forum and the Horsham Society had all objected to the application. County Councillor Peter Catchpole raised concerns regarding traffic volumes.  Two public consultation responses had been in support of the proposal.

 

3 members of the public spoke in objection to the application. The applicant and the applicant’s agent addressed the Committee in support of the proposal. A representative of North Horsham Parish Council, Denne Neighbourhood Council, and Forest Neighbourhood Council spoke in objection to the application.

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were:  the principle of development; the character and visual amenity of the locality; highway and pedestrian safety, including vehicular and pedestrian access; dwelling type and tenure mix; the amenity of neighbouring occupiers; impact on heritage, nature conservation, flooding, land contamination and archaeology. 

 

Members raised concerns regarding potential Highway issues that could arise within the site and the surrounding area should this application be approved. It was proposed that this application be refused.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the application be referred to Full Council as the Director of Place deemed that the Committee was minded to make a decision that could result in significant costs to the Council. This decision was made in accordance with Paragraph 3.6.2(d) of the Horsham District Council Constitution.

 

PCN/25

DC/18/0363 - Deerswood, Southwater Street, Southwater pdf icon PDF 122 KB

Ward: Southwater North

Applicant: Mr Scott Andrews

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought retrospective permission for the erection of a two-storey house, detached triple garage with store and BBQ area, detached carport, new highway access and associated landscaping.  The application followed permission DC/15/2127 for two dwellings known as Deerswood and Stags Leap. The triple garage had been approved under DC/17/1368. Stags Leap was adjacent to the site and was subject to a similar application (DC/18/0464), which was also being considered by this Committee. 

 

Conditions attached to the original permission, including landscaping, boundary treatments, bin/cycle storage and footpath, had not been discharged.  There were also a number of irregularities regarding the construction of the dwelling and garages. The current application sought to regularise the breaches to conditions and amendments to the dwelling and garages. 

 

The application site was located within the built-up area of Southwater on the north of Southwater Street. The site had been part of a landscape buffer between Oakhurst Business Park to the north and dwellings to the south, west and east. 

 

In response to the original public consultation, the Parish Council had raised concerns regarding the material used for the driveway and the development’s impact on the bunds. There had been twelve responses, from eight households, objecting to the proposal. A further two responses had been received in response to amended plans. One further objection and one further letter of support had been received in responses to the most recent set of amended plans. There had been two consultation responses supporting the proposal as first submitted.

 

3 members of the public addressed the Committee in support of the proposal.

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were:  the principle of development; its impact on the character and appearance of the streetscene; the privacy and amenity of neighbouring properties; noise attenuation; highway safety; drainage; and the enforceability of the recommended conditions.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/18/0363 be granted subject to the conditions as reported.

 

PCN/26

DC/18/0464 - Stags Leap, Southwater Street, Southwater pdf icon PDF 122 KB

Ward: Southwater North

Applicant: Mr Gaius Owen

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought retrospective permission for the erection of a two-storey house, detached carport, new highway access and associated landscaping.  The application followed permission DC/15/2127 for two dwellings known as Deerswood and Stags Leap.   Deerswood was adjacent to the site and was subject to a similar application (DC/18/0363), which was also being considered by this Committee. 

 

Conditions attached to the original permission, including landscaping, boundary treatments, bin/cycle storage and footpath, had not been discharged.  There were also a number of irregularities regarding the construction of the dwelling and carport.  The current application sought to regularise the breaches to conditions and amendments to the dwelling and carport. 

 

The application site was located within the built-up area of Southwater on the north of Southwater Street.  The site had been part of a landscape buffer between Oakhurst Business Park to the north and dwellings to the south, west and east. 

 

In response to the original public consultation, the Parish Council had raised concerns regarding the access path. There had been eight responses, from seven households, objecting to the proposal. A further four responses had been received in response to amended plans. One further objection and one further letter of support had been received in responses to the most recent set of amended plans. There had been two consultation responses supporting the proposal as first submitted.

 

3 members of the public addressed the Committee in support of the proposal.

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were:  the principle of development; its impact on the character and appearance of the streetscene; the privacy and amenity of neighbouring properties; noise attenuation; highway safety; drainage; and the enforceability of the recommended conditions.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/18/0464 be granted subject to the conditions as reported.

 

PCN/27

DC/19/0821 - Hunters Oak, Faygate Lane, Faygate pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Ward: Colgate & Rusper

Applicant: Mr Keith Luxford

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the removal of a domestic storage barn and the erection of a 3-bedroom timber-framed dwelling.

 

The application site was located outside the built-up area to the west of Faygate Lane.  The barn was in a relatively large plot that included a dwelling, commercial buildings and outbuildings. Durrants Retirement Village was to the south and there were some dwelling to the north and woodland to the west.  

 

The Parish Council raised no objection to the application.  There had been one public consultation response raising concerns regarding the loss of trees.

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were:  the principle of development; design and appearance; its impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding countryside; the privacy and amenity of neighbouring occupiers; and highway safety and parking.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/19/0821 be granted subject to the conditions as reported.

 

PCN/28

DC/19/0419 - Elenge Plat, Grouse Road, Colgate pdf icon PDF 127 KB

Ward: Colgate & Rusper

Applicant: Mr F Varela

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the demolition of unused piggery buildings and stabling building and the erection of a two-storey detached dwelling. 

 

The proposals involved excavation of the sloping land so the dwelling would appear to be single-storey when viewed from the access to the north.  The design was U shaped with a flat green roof, solar panel and timber cladding.  Three parking spaces were proposed, along with significant landscaping works. 

 

The application site was located in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, southeast of Grouse Road and was surrounded by fields and woodland.  It was east of Elenge Plat, a large detached property that had a ‘chauffeur’s dwelling’ and workshop in its curtilage.  There were a few other properties along Grouse Road. 

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were:  the principle of development; design and appearance of the proposal; impact on the character and appearance of the countryside and the AONB; the privacy and amenity of nearby residents; and highway safety and parking.

 

Members noted that planning permission to convert the piggery buildings into a single storey dwelling had been granted in 2016.

   

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/19/0419 be granted subject to the conditions as reported and to reference being made in the materials condition to the High Weald AONB design guidance document.

 

PCN/29

DC/19/0741 - Willow Cottage, 21A Cedar Close, Horsham pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Ward: Trafalgar

Applicant: Mrs Elaine Yeowe

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the felling of two Cypress trees and one section of a Sycamore.  The application also sought surgery to a Cypress hedge along the western boundary of the property. 

 

The application site was located in a residential area within the built-up area of Horsham.  The trees grew close to the southern boundary of the property near the boundary fence with properties in Springfield Park Road.  The hedge ran along the western boundary adjoining 32 and 33 Springfield Crescent.

 

The Neighbourhood Council had not commented on the application. There had been nine responses to the public consultation objecting to the application.

 

Members considered the officer’s assessment which included: the history of trees on the site and surrounding area; the poor health of the trees subject to this application; and the scale of the conifer hedge that required trimming.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/19/0741 be granted subject to the conditions as reported.