18 JANUARY 2007
Minutes of a joint meeting of the DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEES (EAST &
WEST) held in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Holt Road, Cromer at 9.30 am when
there were present:
Councillors
D Corbett (Chairman)
B Cabbell Manners
H C Cordeaux
C A Fenn
Miss P E Ford
Mrs A R Green
J H Perry-Warnes
N P Ripley
Mrs A C Sweeney
Mrs A M Tillett
Mrs J Trett
Mrs C M Wilkins
Mrs S L Willis
J A Wyatt
R Combe - substitute for Mrs B McGoun
B G Crowe - substitute for Mrs S A Arnold
Mrs H T Nelson - Portfolio Member
Officers:
Mr S Oxenham - Head of Planning and Building Control
Mr J Williams - Development Control Manager (East)
Mr R Howe - Planning Legal and Enforcement Manager
Mr M Ashwell - Senior Planning Officer
Mrs P Wake - Senior Planning Officer
(1)
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DETAILS OF SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs S A Arnold, Mrs B
McGoun, J D Savory, Miss C P Sheridan, Mrs S Stockton, S K Welsh and P J
Willcox. Four substitute Members attended the meeting as listed above.
(2)
ITEMS OF URGENT BUSINESS
The Chairman stated that there were no items of urgent business which he wished to
bring before the Committee.
(3)
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor B Cabbell Manners declared a personal interest as he owned land in the
Cromer area.
(4)
Local Plan – Saving Local Plan Policies pending the preparation of the Local
Development Framework
The Committee considered item 3 of the officers’ reports concerning the need to save
current Local Plan policies pending their replacement with new policies in the Local
Development Framework (LDF).
Joint Development Control Committees (East & West)
1
18 January 2007
Councillor Mrs S L Willis referred to a recent application where she had asked for the
provision of disabled parking spaces at a public house, to which the applicants had
been reluctant to agree. She asked if the deletion of Policy 15: Access for people
with disabilities to non-domestic buildings would give the applicants a reason to
refuse to provide disabled parking spaces.
The Senior Planning Officer stated that he was unsure as to whether the Disability
Discrimination Act covered the provision of car parking spaces and suggested that if
the issue was not covered elsewhere then Policy 15 be retained.
Following discussion on Policy 99: Wind Turbines the Committee agreed that this
policy should be retained.
Councillor Mrs C M Wilkins considered that Policy 131: Tunstead Railway Halt should
be retained to protect the land from development in case railway use increased in the
future.
The officers answered Members’ questions on issues relating to the current Local
Plan policies on the following matters:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Light pollution
Surface water run-off
The use of employment land for housing and the supply of employment land
Safeguarding of public access to the North Walsham and Dilham Canal
Protected species
Zoning of areas for motorised water sports
Developer contributions for the provision of play space
Groundwater protection.
The officers explained that it was not possible to amend current policies but any
relevant issue could be taken into account when considering policies in the Local
Development Framework.
Councillor B Cabbell Manners requested clarity from the Highway Authority with
regard to the Corridor of Movement policy, particularly with regard to development on
roads off the Corridor of Movement.
The Head of Planning and Building Control stated that subject to Norfolk County
Council agreeing to make resources available, an officer of Norfolk County Council
(Highways) would in future attend Development Control Committee meetings when
there were highway objections to planning applications.
RESOLVED
That the officer recommendations contained in Appendix 2 to the report
be endorsed except as set out below and that the matter be referred to
Cabinet to seek authority to make a submission to the Government
Office:
Local Plan Policy 15: Access for people with disabilities to nondomestic buildings should be retained unless the provision of disabled
parking facilities was covered elsewhere.
Local Plan Policy 99: Wind Turbines should be retained.
Local Plan Policy 131: Tunstead Railway Halt should be retained.
Joint Development Control Committees (East & West)
2
18 January 2007
(5)
Planning Policy Statement 3 - Housing
The Committee considered item 1 of the officers’ reports which provided an
introduction to and outlined the key areas of advice in PPS3, and the implications for
the preparation of the Local Development Framework and the determination of
planning applications.
The Senior Planning Officer informed the Committee that PPS3 placed more
emphasis on the delivery of housing. It was necessary for authorities to have five
years’ land supply in place and be able to prove deliverability. He considered that
prior to adoption of the LDF, speculative developers might put forward proposals for
housing developments on the basis that insufficient land had been allocated.
Therefore it was necessary to make rapid progress on the LDF to allow the release of
land to be managed in a proactive way, rather than in response to planning
applications, and to do more work on sites that had been allocated to ensure they
were deliverable.
Councillor B Cabbell Manners asked the Senior Planning Officer for his view on
terraced housing as a way of delivering affordable dwellings.
The Senior Planning Officer stated that the LDF Working Party was considering
policies for housing mix. There would be a requirement to provide a number of
smaller dwellings within developments of 10-15 dwellings. However, smaller market
dwellings were not within the definition of affordable housing. To be affordable, the
dwellings would have to be offered for sale below market value or at rents below the
market rent.
Councillor Mrs A M Tillett was concerned that development should not take place
adjacent to Clifton Park and on the former Golf Practice Ground which would join
Cromer with East Runton and Overstrand. She asked how the green space between
the settlements could be defended.
The Senior Planning Officer explained that additional flexibility did not mean lack of
control unless insufficient land allocations were made. He emphasised the need to
allocate sites as soon as possible so that such applications could be resisted.
Councillor H C Cordeaux referred to the Housing Market Assessment and asked if
account was being taken of vulnerable groups, such as frail elderly, when developing
housing policies.
The Senior Planning Officer stated that this matter would be considered at the
meeting of the LDF Working Party on 29 January. It was intended that issues
identified in the Housing Market Assessment would be reflected in the LDF policies.
Councillor Mrs S L Willis expressed concern that mixed developments of elderly and
young people could sometimes lead to social problems.
The Senior Planning Officer explained that the new policies would give people a
choice as to whether they wished to live in mixed or single-tenure developments.
Councillor R Combe considered that the best method of providing affordable housing
was through exceptions sites.
RESOLVED
That the report be noted.
Joint Development Control Committees (East & West)
3
18 January 2007
(6)
Planning Policy Statement 25 – Development and Flood Risk
The Committee considered item 2 of the officers’ reports which outlined the key
areas of advice in PPS25 and the implications for the preparation of the Local
Development Framework and for determining planning applications.
In response to a question the Senior Planning Officer stated that representations had
been made to the Government in respect of coastal erosion but no greater emphasis
had been placed on this issue in the new PPS25.
Councillor Mrs S L Willis stated that coastal erosion and flooding was more likely
than fluvial flooding in this area. She expressed concern that extensions to existing
buildings were allowed in areas at high risk from flooding and asked if the Council
would be at risk from litigation. She asked if the current flood maps were up to date.
The Development Control Manager reported that at a recent Agents’ meeting an
Environment Agency representative stated that the Agency was continually updating
its maps but accepted that they were not perfect. He stated that Strategic Flood Risk
Assessments would give a more detailed assessment of flood risk but would
concentrate on settlements. PPS25 specifies that the sequential test does not apply
to extensions but it is still a requirement to submit a Flood Risk Assessment.
The Planning Legal and Enforcement Manager stated that the Authority had a duty of
care which was discharged by referring applications to the Environment Agency. It
was possible to mitigate the risk by asking for a comprehensive Flood Risk
Assessment in cases where the Environment Agency objected to an application but
the Committee wished to approve it.
The Head of Planning and Building Control stated that coastal erosion was not
covered by PPS25 but it was covered by other guidance.
The Senior Planning Officer added that this issue would also be covered in the
Coastal Area Action Plan which was being prepared as part of the LDF.
Councillor Mrs Willis asked if the Internal Drainage Board could be of assistance.
The Head of Planning and Building Control stated that a presentation by the Internal
Drainage Board would be arranged after the forthcoming election.
Councillor D Corbett expressed concern with regard to ‘dry islands’ within flood risk
zone 3. He stated that these areas had poor infrastructure and in the event of
flooding of the surrounding area water supplies could become contaminated and
rescue could be difficult. He requested that LDF policy addresses dry islands.
The Senior Planning Officer explained that the Environment Agency were in
agreement with this view and had advised that dry islands should be considered in
the same way as the surrounding area.
Councillor Mrs C M Wilkins considered that the Council had to rely on its own policies
to prevent the replacement of small dwellings in vulnerable areas with larger
dwellings.
Councillor D Corbett stated that current policy allowed the Authority to refuse
applications for extension if they increased risk to life and property. He considered
that this should be included in the new policies if the development would increase the
number of people a dwelling could accommodate.
Joint Development Control Committees (East & West)
4
18 January 2007
The Senior Planning Officer explained that in flood risk areas a flood risk assessment
would be sought to indicate mitigation measures that would make the property safe.
The Environment Agency would consider evacuation issues.
RESOLVED
That the report be noted.
The meeting closed at 11.55 am.
Joint Development Control Committees (East & West)
5
18 January 2007