Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Andrea Fraser and Stephen King.

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2024 as a true and accurate record and for the Chair to sign.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2024 of the Planning Committee be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive any declarations of interest.

Councillor Steve Drury declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect to Item 7, 24/0209/FUL, Shaftesbury Court, Malvern Way, Croxley Green, Hertfordshire as his mother-in-law is a resident of Shaftesbury Court. Councillor Drury would leave the room during this item.

Councillor Philip Hearn declared a pecuniary interest in respect of Item 5, 22/1764/FUL, World of Water, Hempstead Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD4 8QG as he had an interest in a competitor of the applicant. Councillor Hearn would leave the room during this item.

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency. The Chair to rule on the admission of such items.

There were no items of other business.

Demolition of existing building and erection of retail food store, (Use Class E(a)), with associated access, parking and amenities.

Recommendation: That subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement in respect of a monitoring and evaluation fee of £6k covering a 5 year period relating to the travel plan and a contribution of £16.8k towards highway/cycleway/sustainable transport improvements, that permission be delegated to the Head of Regulatory Services to GRANT PLANNING PERMISSION subject to conditions.

The application was for the demolition of an existing building and the erection of retail food store (Use Class E(a)), with associated access, parking and amenities.

Councillor Philip Hearn left the Chamber.

The Officer provided an update. Members who sat on the November Planning Committee were aware that this application was deferred. At the February Planning Committee Members resolved to defer the application to enable a site visit with the applicant’s transport consultant. This site visit occurred on Tuesday 5th March 2024 at 17:00, during the PM peak.

The summary of reasons for deferral and the actions which had occurred since were listed in the report.

Councillor Matthew Bedford commented that despite the highway reports and the assurance from the applicant, there were still severe misgivings about the access and right turn into the and out of the site, crossing the north bound A41, which was a very busy road. Councillor Mathew Bedford proposed a minor amendment that if the planning condition could ensure that delivery vehicles delivering to the site should only do so by turning left and also exit by turning left.

The Committee were addressed by Parish Councillor Jon Tankard, who shared the concerns and agreed with the amendment proposed. This would work but he was still very sceptical, but at least it would not cause hold ups coming off the roundabout. The Parish Council had concerns about the working of the access arrangements, but this would at the very least prevent lorries crossing the A41 road.

After a lengthy discussion, that included the following points:

·        Clarification was requested from Members that no highway objections had been raised even though there were major concerns. It was confirmed that no objections had been received from Hertfordshire County Council.

·        The Council had commissioned its own independent highways survey, on the Committees request and only minor recommendations had been raised and these had all been taken on board.

·        The road safety audit had gone through twice at stage one and further stages would include a further road safety audit and some post construction monitoring.

·        The Planning Officer confirmed that it was a reasonable amendment to add about only turning left when entering and exiting the site (for delivery vehicles).

·        It was suggested that the proposed amendment be added to the Construction Management Plan as well as the Delivery Management Plan.

·        Could the HCC Stage 4 post construction road safety audit be extended to more than 12 months data collection. It was explained that stage 4 was rarely utilised and when it was, it was within 12 months. This would form part of the S278 legal agreement so it would be difficult to impose different elements to this. Officers would in any event have discussion with the HCC Officers.

Councillor Drury proposed to accept the Officers recommendation, to approve the application, subject to amendments to Condition C3 (Construction Management Plan) and Condition 21 (Delivery Management Plan) to ensure that during construction and post occupation that:

A)    large/heavy goods vehicles can only  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC58/23

Replacement of 6no. roof lanterns with 6no. timber roof structures and installation of waterproofing system with associated works.

Recommendation: That Planning Permission be granted.

This application seeks full planning permission for the replacement of 6no. roof lanterns with 6no. timber roof structures and installation of waterproofing system with associated works. The existing glazing to the roof structures would be replaced with solid roofing material with the lantern structures retained. The remainder of the proposed works consist of general maintenance works to the roof of the building.

The application is being considered by the Committee as a District Councillor that lives within the neighbour consultation area.

The application site is located on Jacketts Field, Abbots Langley. The site contains a medical building, parking area and grass amenity land. The existing building is single storey in height and has a facing brick exterior. The building contains six roof lanterns that protrude approximately 0.5m above the roof.

Councillor Matthew Bedford proposed the Officers recommendation to approve the application. This was seconded by Councillor Ruth Clark and put to a vote and carried unanimously.

RESOLVED: that the planning application be approved as per Officers recommendation.

Extension to existing hardstanding to create additional parking including associated pathway, bollards and landscaping.

Recommendation: That the decision be delegated to the Head of Regulatory Services to consider any representations received and that PLANNING PERMISSION BE GRANTED.

The application was for the extension to existing hardstanding to create additional car parking including associated pathway, bollards and landscaping at Shaftesbury Court, Malvern Way, Croxley Green, Hertfordshire.

The application was called in by 3 Members of the Planning Committee to consider the impact of the existing occupiers and the visual amenity given the nearby footpath.

Councillor Steve Drury left the Chamber.

An update was presented by the Officer. It was reported that since publication of the report, four further comments had been received, three in support and one further objection, not raising any new material considerations. No objections had been raised by Croxley Green Parish Council. No concerns were received from the Hertfordshire Highways, who had been consulted in an advisory capacity.

This application proposes to provide two parking spaces in replacement of an area of existing lawn to the south-east of the building of Shaftesbury Court. The spaces would be physically laid out with painted white lines. The existing access paths would be retained, and shrubs planted to 3 sides of the spaces to provide separation between the spaces and adjacent paths. The existing grass verge to the west (other side of the access road from the parking spaces) would also be reduced in width in order to allow for the access and egress of vehicles into the new spaces. New concrete bollards would be installed along the edge of the grass verge.

Whilst not within the red line of the application site, the plans suggest that a zebra crossing style pedestrian walkway would also be marked on the existing private access together with some safety signage.

The Committee were addressed by a resident, representing the residents of Shaftesbury Court, objecting to the application. The residents’ main concerns included the hazard caused for young children as an adjacent alleyway between the Church car park and Malvern Way was used by parents and young children, which was a blind spot and an accident waiting to happen. The residents felt that there were other options causing minimal disruption.

The Committee discussed the application, and the following points were raised:

·        That there was a path that came off the footpath that was used by parents and commuters.

·        Members were reminded by the Officer that this was a standalone application just for the parking.

·        Did Officers know how many residents had cars?

·        Would the footpath be raised or just segregated?

·        Officers confirmed that it would be a shared surface and pointed out the public right of way on the submitted plans. There would be physical demarcation on the ground to encourage users to cross the road and use the path on the side of the building and not the road.

·        The crossing was part of the scheme.

·        If additional planting or bollards were added this would reduce the visibility of anyone reversing.

·        That it was significant that no residents supported the application.

·        That as part of the application, the scheme would be adding two extra parking spaces and would significantly improve the  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC60/23