Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham

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

Items
No. Item

PCN/1

Election of Chairman

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That Councillor Karen Burgess be elected Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing Council year.

PCN/2

Appointment of Vice Chairman

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That Councillor Liz Kitchen be appointed Vice Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing Council year.

PCN/3

To approve the time of meetings of the Committee for the ensuing year

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That meetings of the Committee be held at 5.30pm for the ensuing Council year.

PCN/4

Minutes pdf icon PDF 83 KB

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 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 30 April were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

PCN/5

Declarations of Members' Interests

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Committee

Minutes:

DC/19/0565 – Councillor Karen Burgess declared a personal interest because she was acquainted with an objector.

 

DC/19/0565 – Councillor Christian Mitchell declared a personal and prejudicial interest because he knew an objector.  He left the meeting during the determination of this item.

 

DC/19/0565 – Councillor Peter Burgess knew one of the objectors and, whilst he had no tendency or inclination regarding the determination of the item, he wished to record an interest of perceived bias.  He addressed the Committee regarding the application and then left the meeting during the determination of this item.  

PCN/6

Announcements

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

Minutes:

There were no announcements.

PCN/7

Appeals pdf icon PDF 69 KB

Minutes:

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

PCN/8

DC/19/0153 - Land at Bennetts Road, Horsham pdf icon PDF 249 KB

Ward: Forest (previously Horsham Park before May 2019 boundary changes)

Applicant: Saxon Weald

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the demolition of six semi-detached dwellings and the erection of 21 affordable rent units comprising: four 1-bedroom flats; 14 2-bedroom flats; and three 3-bedroom houses.  The block of flats would occupy a corner plot and include 2- and 3-storey elements.  Twenty-five parking spaces were also proposed.

 

The application site was located within the built-up area of Horsham, a kilometre from the town centre, on the corner of Elm Grove and Bennetts Road.  It was a residential area of predominantly 1950s semi-detached brick houses, with some blocks of flats opposite the site.  The houses to be demolished had long rear gardens with a number of mature trees.

 

Members were advised that the drainage strategy had been updated to demonstrate that the development can achieve a 50% betterment in the surface water run-off on the site, in line with West Sussex County Council policy, rather than 25% as stated in the report.  The bat survey was still pending, although an interim survey had found no bat activity on the site.  The ecology impact assessment would be revised to reflect the bat survey once it has been completed.

 

The responses from statutory internal and external consultees, as contained within the report, were considered by the Committee.   The Neighbourhood Council expressed some concerns, but raised no planning objection to the application.  Fourteen representations objecting to the application had been received in response to the first consultation.  In response to further consultation on revised plans, there had been five objections received.  The applicant and the applicant’s agent both 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; affordable housing provision; layout and density; scale and appearance; its impact on neighbouring amenity, including overlooking, noise and construction; trees and landscaping; and highways, access and parking.

 

Members raised some concerns regarding the scale and design of the proposal and weighed these against the benefits of the provision of affordable housing in a sustainable location. It was agreed that Local Members would be consulted on the schedule of external materials to be used. 

 

RESOLVED

 

(i)    That a legal agreement be entered into to secure necessary highways works and the provision of 100% affordable rented units.

 

 (ii)  That on completion of (i) above, planning application DC/19/0153 be determined by the Head of Development with a view to approval in consultation with local Members, subject to the agreement of materials, and subject to the satisfactory completion of the additional bat survey and appropriate conditions.  

 

(iii)  In the event that the legal agreement is not completed within three months of the decision of this Committee, the Director of Place be authorised to refuse permission on the grounds of failure to secure the obligations necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms.

PCN/9

DC/17/2687 - Land adjacent to Warrenhurst, Plumtree Cross Lane, Barns Green pdf icon PDF 163 KB

Ward: Itchingfield, Slinfold and Warnham

Applicant: Mrs Della Perryman

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the erection of a 3-bedroom dwelling to the south of the dwelling known as Warrenhurst, with new highway access.  The proposal included parking for three vehicles, landscaped garden and a pedestrian pathway to Warrenhurst.  

 

The proposal had been submitted as being of exceptional quality and outstanding design, under paragraph 79 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).  It would be a curved structure inset into the ground, constructed of bricks, larch cladding and solar photovoltaic roof tiles.

 

The application site was located outside the built-up area of Barns Green on the eastern side of Plumtree Cross Lane.  It was the northern half of an open field with hedging on its western and woodland on its eastern boundaries.  There were residential properties within 150 metres to the north and south. 

 

The responses from statutory internal and external consultees, as contained within the report, were considered by the Committee.  The Parish Council objected to the application.  Five letters of support, from four separate households, had been received.

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were:  the principle of development, including consideration of paragraphs 79 and 131 of the NPPF; ecology and trees; the amenities of occupiers and users of nearby properties and land;  heritage impacts; and parking and traffic conditions.

 

Members discussed the merits of the design and noted that granting permission under Paragraph 79 of the NPPF would not set any precedent for further development outside the built-up area of Barns Green.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/17/2687 be granted subject to the conditions as reported.

PCN/10

DC/19/0565 - Boxer Retreat, Langhurst Wood Road, Horsham pdf icon PDF 98 KB

Ward: Colgate & Rusper (previously Holbrook West before May 2019 boundary changes)

Applicant: Mr and Mrs David and Natalia Shortland

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought retrospective permission to retain the mixed flexible use of the site for both residential purposes and as a beauty spa.  The western wing of Boxer Retreat included a swimming pool, treatment rooms, and reception area.

 

The application site was located outside the built-up area to the east of Langhurstwood Road.  The site was bound by mature hedging and landscaping and was surrounded by sporadic residential development and open countryside.

 

The responses from statutory internal and external consultees, as contained within the report, were considered by the Committee.  It was noted that the site was subject to an Enforcement Notice relating to the commercial use of the property.

 

The Parish Council raised no objection to the application.  Two letters of objection, from one household, had been received. One member of the public spoke in objection to the application and one member of the public spoke in support of the proposal.   Councillor Peter Burgess, who had declared an interest, addressed the committee regarding his concerns and then left the meeting and took no part in the determination of the item.

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were:  the enforcement history of the site; principle of development; design and appearance; amenity impacts; and highways impacts.  

 

Members noted the recommended conditions that sought to ensure that the level of activity would not cause harm to the neighbouring amenity, and concluded that the proposal was acceptable.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/19/0565 be granted subject to the conditions as reported.

PCN/11

DC/19/0672 - 37 Depot Road, Horsham pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Ward: Forest (previously Horsham Park before May 2019 boundary changes)

Applicant: Mr Childs

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the removal of a rear conservatory and the erection of a single storey flat roofed rear extension. 

 

The application site was located within the built-up area of Horsham on the northern side of Depot Road, a residential road with a mix of semi-detached and detached two storey and single storey dwellings.

 

The Neighbourhood Council raised no objection to the application.  There had been no responses to the public consultation.

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were the character and appearance of the proposal, and its impact on neighbouring amenity.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/19/0672 be granted subject to the conditions as reported.