To: Members of the Development from COUNTY SECRETARY S
MEMORANDUM 25 October 2007
To: Members of the Development From COUNTY SECRETARY’S
Control Committee DEPARTMENT
Chief Officers Ask for Adrian Service
Ext 25564
Minicom 6611
My Ref AS/
Your Ref ______
DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE
2 OCTOBER 2007
MINUTES
ATTENDANCE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
N E Agar, N K Brook (substituting for J W A Usher), G R Churchard,
R S Clements (substituting for E T Roach), D S Drury, M D R Muir, D A A Peek,
P A Ruffles (substituting for B N W Hammond), E N Singam, W A Storey.
Upon consideration of the agenda for the Development Control Committee meeting on
2 October 2007, as circulated, copy annexed, action was taken or decisions were
reached on individual items as recorded below.
APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN
RESOLVED
That in the absence of the Committee Chairman and Vice Chairman, W A Storey be appointed Chairman of the Committee for this meeting only.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of B N W Hammond, E T Roach and
J W A Usher.
MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 September 2007 were approved as a correct record.
PUBLIC PETITIONS
No petitions to be presented to this meeting had been received.
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS
None notified.
MOTIONS
None notified.
1. THREE RIVERS DISTRICT - APPLICATION FOR THE REGISTRATION OF LAND AT BUDDLEIA WALK / LONG VALLEY WOOD, CROXLEY GREEN, RICKMANSWORTH AS A VILLAGE OR TOWN GREEN
[Officer contact : Gregory Dack Tel : 01992 555290]
Mrs A Grant, one of two residents making the application, made a presentation supporting the application to register the land as a Village or Town Green.
Mr R Weston, a landowner and resident, made a presentation opposing the application to register the land as a Village or Town Green.
Mr P Brading, Three Rivers District Councillor representing this area of Croxley Green gave a presentation supporting the application to register the land as a Village or Town Green.
The Definitive Map Officer, Rights of Way Service, Environment Department outlined the main aspects in considering this application which were well documented in the Inspector’s report contained as Appendix B to the submitted Committee report, in particular that much of the land did not have secure fencing maintained around its boundaries to stop access across the land.
The Local County Councillor, D S Drury stated that he had grown up in this area of Croxley Green and had played in his childhood on this land in the belief that the land and adjoining orchards was public land. He stated that he had attended the Local Inquiry into this registration application and had decided not to speak at it so that he would be able to speak on the application at today’s meeting without any conflicting interest arising.
RESOLVED
That, for the reasons set out on page 212 of the Inspector’s report, Appendix B of the submitted Committee report, the Director of Environment be advised to register that part of the application land at Croxley Green, Rickmansworth as a Town or Village Green as recommended in the Inspector’s report shown coloured green [or marked GREEN LAND] on the plan attached at Appendix A to the submitted Committee report.
2. WATFORD BOROUGH - APPLICATION FOR A VARIATION OF CONDITION 10 OF PLANNING PERMISSION 9/0367-06 FOR AN INCREASE IN VEHICLE MOVEMENTS AT LONDON CONCRETE SITE, ORPHANAGE ROAD, WATFORD
[Officer contact : Iain Leech Tel : 01992 556225]
Mr R London on behalf of Edmundson’s made a presentation opposing the planning application.
Ms V Walsh on behalf of the applicant made a presentation supporting the planning application.
The Head of the County Development Unit, Environment Department advised that since the dispatch of the agenda papers a formal complaint had been received concerning dust generated from the site and as a consequence further conditions to suppress dust were proposed as part of the planning consent. She stated that the highway authority had made comments on the routeing arrangements for heavy goods vehicles [hgvs] to minimise the effects on the residential area near to this site requiring vehicles to turn right out of the access road in to Reeds Crescent and turn left in to Orphanage Road. As with the previous consent once the new Colonial Way link road was provided all hgvs accessing this site would be required to use it.
RESOLVED
That, for the reasons set out in the report, the Director of Environment be authorised to grant planning permission subject to an amended legal agreement to control vehicle routeing in relation to Reeds Crescent and Orphanage Road and conditions to include:
a) authorised operations
b) hours of operation
c) height of stockpiles
d) noise limit
e) site management practice
f) dust suppression
g) no floodlighting
h) measures to prevent the deposit of material on the highway
i) a limit on daily weekday vehicle movements of 104 (52 in, 52 out) with a limit of 52 movements (26 in, 26 out) on Saturdays
j) any other relevant conditions imposed by planning application reference 9/0367-06
3. HERTSMERE BOROUGH – APPLICATION FOR A LANDSCAPING AND CONTOUR SCHEME AT CROSSOAKS FARM, CROSSOAKS LANE, WELL END, BOREHAMWOOD
[Officer contact : Iain Leech Tel : 01992 556225]
The Development Control Manager, County Development Unit, Environment Department advised of the errors in paragraph 4.4 of the submitted report concerning the maximum daily vehicle movements required and the figures had incorrectly been stated and should have been 60 {not 120} daily movements [30 in and 30 out] Monday to Friday and 30 {not 60} movements [15 in and 15 out] on Saturday.
He stated that an issue had arisen as regards the appropriate local planning authority to determine the planning application as it was primarily a landscaping scheme [a District / Borough Council matter] involving the movement of minerals [a County Council matter]. Legal advice had been obtained backing the County Council to determine the planning application it had received as the movement of minerals had been seen as the main aspect of the proposal.
Committee members based on a visit of the site felt that there was some merit in providing the western bund to screen the storage area but could not see the justification for providing the eastern bund as residents from Ridge would be unable to see the storage area with or without the proposed bund.
RESOLVED
That, for the reasons set out in the report, the Director of Environment be authorised to refuse planning permission for reasons to include :
a) The proposal would constitute an inappropriate development in the Green Belt. The proposed land raising would detrimentally affect the openness of the Green Belt. No very special circumstances have been demonstrated for the need of the development which would outweigh Green Belt policy.
b) The proposed development would be contrary to Policy 24 (Land Raising) of the Hertfordshire Waste Local Plan 1995-2005. The proposed land raising would not be necessary as part of land preparation for any previously approved development, nor would it result in any significant improvements to the land (for the benefit of agricultural, land drainage, landscape enhancement or environmental reasons) or allow the use of derelict or degraded land.
c) The proposal would conflict with Policy 39 (Recreation and Rights of Way) which states that the use of Rights of Way to obtain vehicle access to a site will not be permitted.
4. THE VALIDATION OF PLANNING APPLICATIONS – PROPOSED VALIDATION CHECKLISTS
[Officer contact : Brian Owen Tel : 01992 556255]
The Development Control Manager, County Development Unit, Environment Department advised that as a consequence of new guidance issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the draft Validation Checklists presented to the Committee at its meeting on 20 March 2007 had been refined and were now presented for further consideration.
RESOLVED
That (a) four draft Validation Checklists be prepared to cover :
· Applications for planning permission;
o Full Planning Applications;
o Outline Planning Applications; and
o Reserved Matters Approval.
· Application for Lawful Development Certificate for an existing use or operation or activity including those in breach of a planning condition
· Application for removal or variation of a condition following grant of planning permission (Section 73 of the T&CPA 1990)
· Application for outline planning permission with some matters reserved / all matters reserved
(b) the checklists incorporate both national statutory requirements and recommended list of local requirements as set out in the draft Department for Communities and Local Government guidance (August 2007). In addition, the local checklists shall include requirements for traffic impact assessments in accordance with Waste Policy 43 together with School Travel Plans as set out in the report to the Development Control Committee meeting on 31 January 2006.
(c) the revised checklists be the subject of further consultation and the Director of Environment report back to the Development Control Committee with the outcome of the consultation and recommendations for adoption of the final validation checklists.
A L Laycock
County Secretary
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