Issue - meetings

Issue - meetings

20/00729/FULM - Land To The Rear Of Amwell Close,

Meeting: 04/11/2020 - Development Management Committee (Item 37)

37 20/00729/FULM - Land To The Rear Of Amwell Close pdf icon PDF 412 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair introduced the item to the committee and invited the Principal Planning Officer (AC) to present his report. 

 

The Chair thanked the Principal Planning Officer for his report and invited Mr Zak Yousfi to speak against the application.  Unfortunately Mr Yousfi appeared to have left the meeting.  Councillor Collett volunteered to call him, but she was unable to reach him.  The committee noted that he lived nearby to the proposed development.  The Chair decided that there was no option but to continue without hearing from him and invited Ms Dina Cardoso of Rock Townsend to address the committee. 

 

Ms Cardoso commented that the application was made on behalf of Watford Community Housing Trust and that it provided much needed social housing in the area.  The proposed development made good use of the available land and supported the community.  She explained that the site was disused and had never been a park or other designated public space. 

 

Ms Cardoso then went on to describe the proposed development and explained it provided quality housing, with double aspect residences, benefiting from gardens, an amenity space and good parking. 

 

Ms Cardoso concluded by pointing out that full consultation had been carried out with both statutory consultees and neighbours. 

 

The Chair thanked Ms Cardoso for her contribution and commented that whilst he welcomed the application, he felt that the large loft spaces that the design afforded, were a poor use of the space and a missed opportunity for more storage or additional bedrooms for the upstairs flats.  He then invited comments from the committee. 

 

Councillor Johnson commented that he was of the same opinion as the Chair regarding the use of the loft spaces, but that he also supported the application. 

 

Councillor Collett asked that whilst the preservation of trees was not a planning matter, could provision be made to preserve the oak tree on the site, or at least to plant more trees to replace those that were lost. 

 

The Principal Planning Officer assured her that the oak tree would be retained and protected during the construction works. 

 

Councillor Grimston asked if more trees could be planted and she was assured by both the Chair and the Principal Planning Officer that there was a landscaping scheme included as part of the application. 

 

Councillor Bell voiced his support for the scheme.

 

The Chair then proposed a vote that planning permission be approved, subject to the conditions in Section 8 of the officer’s report and the additional conditions in the update sheet.

 

In accordance with Standing Committee Procedure Rules, paragraph 4.2, Councillor Jeffree requested that it be recorded in the minutes how members cast their votes.

 

Those members voting for the motion:

Councillors Bell, Collett, Grimston, Jeffree, Johnson, Sharpe, Smith and Watkin.

 

Those members voting against the motion:

None.

 

Those members abstaining:

Councillor Mills was unable to vote on the motion, due to a temporary technical issue. 

 

The motion was declared to be CARRIED with eight votes for and one abstention.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37


 

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