Request and Response:
Retrospective planning application DCI17/60912 at Rhodia's Hazardous Waste Rattlechain Lagoon
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request. Please see below the answers to the questions you asked, and attached files with the information you requested.
1.Please confirm if the company Rhodia/Solvay paid a planning fee, and what this was?
Yes Rhodia paid a planning fee which was £195.
2. Reference is made in the application to a speaker system capable of 113 decibels, yet no evidence of this is supplied with the application. Please disclose where Sandwell council took this information from.
Following the submission of the planning application, on 30th August 2017 the planning officer emailed the applicant to seek additional information before reaching a decision, this referred to the decibels of sound for the speaker. The planning officer received a response on 1st September 2017.
3.Disclose what evidence you have that cameras located next to houses in Callaghan drive added with this application have been "electronically blanked out" , as claimed in the application?
The cameras located next to Callaghan Drive do not form part of this application. This permission was granted under DC/10/51860 in 13th April 2010 and included a condition that ‘a fixed plate shall be fitted to the camera to prevent it from being able to look into nearby residential properties in Callaghan Drive to the south’. However prior to determining the 2017 application the applicants confirmed that the camera mountings next to Callaghan Drive have been digitally masked so the privacy of residents cannot be compromised.
4. Please disclose all correspondence with Rhodia/Solvay in relation to this application, and threat of enforcement action.
The following information is attached:
(a)Email to Rhodia regarding the unauthorised structure on 21st July 2017. Email to Rhodia on 30th August 2017 and their response of 1st September 2017 regarding additional information required.
5. Why did the chief executive of Sandwell council approve this application on 5th September 2017, yet the decision was omitted from the delegated decisions for the meeting of the council planning committee for the same night?
The delegated decisions are contained within the following Planning Committee as the agenda is prepared two weeks in advance of the Planning Committee meeting. On checking our records application is listed within these delegated decisions for the Planning Committee of 4th October 2017, please see attached copy.
If you wish to receive further information in regards to this request or wish to submit a Freedom of Information Request please forward your request Information Management Unit, Sandwell Council House, Freeth Street, Oldbury, West Midlands, B69 3DE.