Agenda and minutes

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 3 October 2023

(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.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 October 2023 were approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Committee

DC/23/0324 – Councillor Mike Wood declared an interest on the basis that he knew one of the residents in the road behind the application site.

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

There were no announcements.

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

Ward: Colgate and Rusper

Applicant: Mr Piers Calvert

This application was withdrawn from the agenda prior to the meeting.

Ward: Trafalgar

Applicant: Mrs P Bhuvanandran

The Major Applications Team Leader reported that this application had been deferred at the Planning Committee meeting on 1 August in order for the applicant to submit details relating to visibility splays and vehicle tracking and for West Sussex Highways to be consulted on the likelihood of a vehicle crossover licence being granted.

Members were reminded that it was a part retrospective application that sought conversion of the integral garage into living accommodation and the provision of a single parking space in the rear garden with access from Milton Road.

Members were advised that the plans had been amended to extend the width of the rear parking area to 4.2 metres to avoid impacting on a nearby lamppost and to provide suitable visibility splays for pedestrians. Members were also advised that a swept path plan and confirmation of the visibility splays had been provided.

Members were further advised that West Sussex Highways had confirmed that they had visited the application site and had taken the view that a vehicle crossover licence would likely be granted. Notwithstanding that the vehicle tracking did not account for vehicles being parked on the opposite side of Milton Road, officers were also satisfied that vehicles could safely access to and from the site.

Two members of the public spoke in objection to the parking space element of the application, one of whom read a statement that had been signed by a number of neighbouring residents.

The Local Ward Members spoke on the application and expressed concerns including in relation to the representativeness of the vehicle tracking.

Members debated the application and a number of them expressed the view that approval of the application would result in a loss of amenity.

It was proposed and seconded that the application be refused.

RESOLVED

That application DC/23/0324 be refused contrary to officer recommendation for the following reason:

The proposed development would result in the loss of on-street parking capacity to the detriment of the amenities of local residents, contrary to Policies 33 and 41 of the HDPF.