Agenda item

The Planning Officer (SZ) delivered his report to the committee.

The Chair thanked the Planning Officer, the Chair asked if it was only used ans a walkway why did it need to be as wide as tsponded that they did not have a floor plan of the whole building and stated it was a long thin room and that if it evoked additional people it would be in keeping with the use of the building, which has been there a long time.  In addition, in relation to the use of a condition it would have to be considered necessary.  In the officer’s view is that it would not be, and enforceable which they noted would be very difficult given the nature of it. 

The Chair thanked the officer and invited Councillor Lenny Nembhard to speak.

Councillor Lenny Nembhard stated that he had been asked to speak on behalf of residents living around this area; he had also lived around the area for the last 30 years.  He pointed out that this was the third retrospective application from this centre; he believed this indicated that they showed a total lack of respect for the planning process.  He did not believe that it would be used simply as a walk way and irrespective of what was decided by the committee they would do exactly what they wanted. 

He went on to state that there were concerns about the building material used and if it corresponded to fire safety regulations, and noted that there had been complaints about people parking in front of drives and the noise from the centre.  There was a lack of care for local residents from the centre shown.

The Chair thanked the Councillor, and stated he was largely in agreement with what the Councillor had said.  He reminded the committee that they could not penalise people for making retrospective applications.  The previous version of this building that had been refused by the committee had later been granted on appeal.  The Chair also commented on the elements that would relate to building regulations.  The Chair then highlighted that the various issues relating to this were not planning issues.  He then invited the committee to comment.

Overall, the committee expressed a lot of scepticism around this application.  There was a lot of understanding shown towards the residents and the concerns raised but it was generally agreed that these were not  planning considerations. There was a question raised as to if the recommendation would be different if this had not been a retrospective application and had been a new application.  It was clarified that the recommendation would be the same.

The Chair moved for the committee to vote on the officer’s recommendation that planning permission be granted.

On being put to the committee, the application was granted. 

RESOLVED –

That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

1. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the following drawings, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority:

Drawing nos 205NA/SP, 205NA/01, 205NA/02, 205NA/

2. Use

The outbuilding hereby approved shall be used only for purposes incidental to the residential use of the main house. It shall not be used for any other purpose and shall not be occupied as habitable accommodation or as an independent dwelling.