At a meeting of the Chiswick Area Committee (Planning) held on Tuesday, 9 March 2010 at 7:30 pm at The Hogarth Hall, Chiswick Town Hall, Heathfield Terrace, Chiswick.
Present: Councillor Hearn (Chair) Councillors Barwood, Samantha Davies, Lee, Lynch, McGregor and Oulds. Apologies for Absence Councillors Thompson and Todd.
72. Declarations of interest or any other communications fro m Members
Councillors Davies and Lee declared that they resided within the Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate, agenda item 4 and that the interest was non-prejudicial.
Councillor Hearn had received correspondence in relation to Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate, agenda item 4.
73. Minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2010
The minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2010 were confirmed as a true and correct record.
74. Items on which there are speakers
Lisa Williams and C hris Johnson were granted speaking rights in respect to Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate, agenda item 4.
75. Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate - Results of the consultation exercise with residents
See report of the Director of Environment, agenda item 4.
Lisa Williams addressed the Committee. She reiterated the strong community support for the rising bollards to be installed, against the other identified options. She also commented on the maintenance costs, issuing of key fobs, and other associated matters.
Councillor Oulds arrived at 7.45pm.
The second speaker, Mr. Chris Johnson (who had provided a full letter of issues which had been circulated to members) challenged the costing for the bollard option which was seen to be irresolvable and incontestable by staff, which then threw doubts on the viability of this favoured option.
Jay Gopal (Team Leader Traffic) summarised the report and its findings, and then took questions from members (on the bollard option) on such issues as community support, financial viability and ongoing costs, operations, monitoring by CCTV and/or wardens, impact upon traffic flows, and driver manoeuvrability/practices, etc.
Other issues discussed included the closing off of the ‘gap’ on the A406 Gunnersbury Avenue, the impact of the removal of signals within the London Borough of Ealing at the Gunnersbury Lane/Bollo Lane junction, a one-way option, the setting up of a monitoring sub group, the cumulative effects of any option into the wider residential catchment, the cost of this preferred option against the collective property tax revenues from the Gunnersbury Park Estate area, and a fully gated community option, too.
Members viewed an article on the placement of bollards by the West Berkshire Council; also, information from the Local Authority Rising Bollard User Group (LARBUG).
Members were conscious of the consultation to date with the local community, by members and Council officers, and sought to continue to progress this towards an acceptable outcome; the resolutions reflected this desire.
Councillor Lynch moved approval of the recommendation and the motion was seconded by Councillor Davies.
Voting record
Voting for; all Councillors.
Resolved
That the Committee; • Notes the petition • Notes the results, and the category of additional comments in response to the consultation exercise carried out by the Council. • Awaits a response/approval from Transport for London to the preferred option of rising bollards. • Seeks from officers a full analysis of lifecycle costs for rising bollards. • Seeks from officers an analysis of potential queuing impacts. • In the event that rising bollards are to be implemented at the Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate, recognise that such scheme shall be promoted as a pilot scheme. • Consider that a sub group being established (perhaps made up of Ward Councillors and resident group representatives) to monitor the operation of the rising bollards (in the event of approval and installation).
76. 6 Gordon Court, Whitehall Park Road
Councillors Davies and Lee were absent from the meeting for this item.
See the report of the Director of Environment, agenda item 5.
Shane Baker, Area Planning Manager, summarised the key points of the report which sought the removal of a satellite dish which had been installed without planning permission.
Councillor McGregor moved approval of the recommendation and the motion was seconded by Councillor Lynch.
Voting record
Voting for; all Councillors.
Resolved
To grant authority for all necessary steps to be taken for the preparation, issue and service of an enforcement notice in relation to 6 Gordon Court, Whitehall Park Road requiring within three months; • The removal of the satellite dish from the front elevation of the property. • The removal of all resultant debris. • The institution of any necessary legal proceedings in the event of non-compliance with the above enforcement notice, pursuant to Section 179 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990; and • The carrying out of works in default under Section 178 of the Act in the event of non- compliance with the enforcement notice, including the recovery of the Council’s costs in carrying out such work.
77. Planning applications determined under officers' delegated powers
Councillors Davies and Lee were absent from the meeting for this item. The report was noted.
78. Delegated Decisions: Trees with Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) or in a Conservation Area
Councillors Davies and Lee were absent from the meeting for this item. The report was noted.
79. Urgent Business
Members noted, with sadness, the recent tragedy at the frontage of the Town Hall.
Following on from the decisions at the last meeting not to allow 2 persons to address the Committee (on an enforcement report and an application which was for comment/referral to the Sustainable Development Committee) members again discussed the current Area Committee protocol and practices relating to speakers.
Legal adviser, Benita Edwards reiterated her advice that any decision as to whether to permit interested parties to address the Committee rests with the Chair, that the protocol could be reviewed to cover all request situations, and past practice of this Committee in dealing with these requests.
On a (member) inquiry for legal advisers to have law books available at the meeting to assist in any request for legal advice, Ms. Edwards responded to say that time constraints at the meeting (advice is sought on an immediacy basis) and the volume and complexity of planning legal materials, means that it would not be practical to carry out book-based or electronic research during the course of the meeting and accordingly, legal advisers endeavour to ensure adequate preparation prior to the meeting. This view was both supported and challenged by members present.
Reports were sought on the following matters; • Enforcement at 1A Bath Road, and 144 Devonshire Road. • Planning application at 2 Rupert Road. • The process that resulted in the provision of Car Club parking spaces at various locations in Chiswick, including the Hayloft and Chiswick Station, as the Area Committee had not approved them, likewise the process for the removal/amendment of disabled parking bays in CPZ areas as they too had not been approved by the Area Committee.
The meeting finished at 8.55 pm. The minute taker at this meeting was Roger Cave.