The committee will take items in the following order:

1.      All items where people wish to speak and have registered with Democratic Services.

2.      Any remaining items the committee agrees can be determined without further debate.

3.      Those applications which the committee wishes to discuss in detail.

There was a change in membership for this meeting with Councillor Devonish replacing Councillor Martins. 

No disclosures of interest were made. 

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 July 2023 to be submitted and signed.

The minutes from the meeting on 4 July 2023 were approved and signed.

The Associate Director of Planning, Infrastructure and Economy delivered his team’s report. 

The Chair thanked the officer and invited Dr Aylett to speak against the application.

Dr Aylett stated he opposed the application as it was against the Local Plan and would be inappropriate for Watford Hospital.  He believed this would be used as a precedent for taller buildings being constructed across the borough.  Dr Aylett believed the case set out by the officers for breaching the Local Plan was weak; he described the design as not being outstanding.  He quoted the Place Shaping Expert Review Panel who had said a more ‘innovative design’ was required.  He further stated that the three-finger tower design was seen as unfavourable compared with a four-tower design.  He stated that he believed the panel would welcome the opportunity to view it again.  Dr Aylett repeated that he did not believe the design was outstanding, especially given how close the towers would be to each other – only sixteen metres apart and all in a row.  He stated that this did not fit the standard for residential developments.  Dr Aylett finished by stating that daylight and sunlight availability was not favourable.

The Chair thanked Dr Aylett and invited the Associate Director of Planning, Infrastructure and Economy to respond to his points.

The Associate Director of Planning, Infrastructure and Economy responded; he stated that it was not a residential development so those standards would not apply, and the design panel had been involved in the process and there would be further designs as the process continued.  He also stated that the taller building policy was not designed to prevent the construction of tall buildings but to only permit them where they would deliver significant public benefits. In this case, this is fulfilled by providing a significant health facility for the community.

The Chair thanked the Associate Director of Planning, Infrastructure and Economy and invited Councillor Stotesbury to speak.

Councillor Stotesbury called on the committee to support the scheme stating that it would provide improvements for patients and staff.  He stated that the council had already provided council land to allow for new buildings while the hospital continued to function.  He further stated that it had good sustainability factors and was considered green.  It would be a modern hospital and would bring employment in to the town.  He finished by stating that the council should hold government to account to continue making funds available.

The Chair thanked Councillor Stotesbury, and shared his thoughts with the committee.  He stated that the detail and the quality would come back to the committee in time and those issues would be discussed then.   He further stated that the resolution had already been passed and that this committee was to decide if the plans met the Local Plan in principle.  He then invited the committee to discuss the development.

Councillor Bell stated that he saw no major changes to the plan from two years earlier.  He did not believe it detracted from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.