MEMORANDUM 26 February 2008
To: Members of the Development From COUNTY SECRETARY’S
Control Committee DEPARTMENT
Chief Officers Ask for Adrian Service
Ext 25564
Minicom 6611
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DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE
29 JANUARY 2008
MINUTES
ATTENDANCE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
N E Agar, G R Churchard, D S Drury, B N W Hammond (Chairman), M D R Muir,
D A A Peek, E T Roach, E N Singam, W A Storey J W A Usher (Vice - Chairman).
Upon consideration of the agenda for the Development Control Committee meeting on
29 January 2008, as circulated, copy annexed, action was taken or decisions were
reached on individual items as recorded below.
MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 6 November 2007 were approved as a correct record.
PUBLIC PETITIONS
No petitions to be presented to this meeting had been received.
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS
None notified.
MOTIONS
None notified.
1. DACORUM BOROUGH - APPLICATION FOR A PERFORMANCE BLOCK AND REPLACEMENT HARD PLAY AT HEMEL HEMPSTEAD SCHOOL,
HEATH LANE, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
[Officer contact : Brian Owen Tel : 01992 556266]
Ms D Dickinson, representing local residents made a presentation opposing the planning application.
Ms S Samwell, Head Teacher of Hemel Hempstead School made a presentation supporting the planning application.
Mr S Fletcher, representing local residents made a presentation opposing the planning application.
A more detailed plan showing the location of the performance block and replacement hard play area was circulated within the Order of Business sheet at the meeting.
In response to a question, the Development Control Manager, County Development Unit, Environment Department advised on the requests / suggestions contained in Mr Fletcher’s presentation copies of which had been circulated at the meeting concerning : -
· hours of work
· night lighting
· contact details for residents
· possibility of excavation works so as to reduce roof height of new building
He felt that the suggestion of requiring excavation works to reduce the ground
level of the foundations and building would not significantly reduce any impact arising from the proposed building and questioned the limited benefit that would arise from the suggested additional excavation works.
· removal of windows on the west elevation
· relocation of main entrance doors to north corner of building
· block off footpath near main entrance to increase security
· performance building to have above normal sound proofing
· out of school hours use to be kept to minimum
· restriction on use – no live bands or discos
· existing hard standing at rear of new building to be dug up and replaced by low level low maintenance and slow growing shrubs
· gap in fence on west boundary leading into Beaumayes Close to be closed up and additional fencing erected upto the rear of 27 Beaumayes Close plus being located to stop pedestrians looking into rear of properties
· a condition being added to stop further development to rear or side of current development.
Concern was expressed about construction vehicles accessing the school from Anchor Lane and it was considered safer if construction vehicles could enter the school from Heath Lane.
The Committee having regard to some apparent disparity in drawings produced for this application identified by residents, the need for clarification on light calculations, how the construction was to be undertaken plus looking into the possibility of excavation works to reduce the roof level of the new building and other suggestions made by residents felt that consideration of the application should be deferred.
RESOLVED
That consideration of the application be deferred to enable further discussions and clarification with the applicant to take place concerning :-
§ implications arising from lowering the building by excavating the site;
§ implications arising from using the excess spoil by excavating the site to raise the lower terrace for hard play;
§ clarifying whether the overall height of the building needs to be 1½ storeys high;
§ clarifying the disparities between drawings A and B submitted by the residents (views from the block to the properties);
§ further clarification on the calculations in relation to loss of light;
§ potential alternative locations on the site;
§ potential to avoid use of Anchor Lane for construction access;
§ a potential condition to restrict permitted development rights between the new block and Beaumayes Close;
§ a detailed response on the proposed conditions submitted by the residents.
2. EAST HERTS DISTRICT - APPLICATION FOR THE STATIONING OF SKIPS / BINS AND WASTE TRANSFER AT BUTTERMILK HALL FARM, COTTERED
[Officer contact : Iain Leech Tel : 01992 556225]
Mr C Bayles on behalf of the applicant made a presentation supporting the planning application.
The Development Control Manager, County Development Unit, Environment Department advised that since the dispatch of the agenda, a further letter had been received from the Environment Agency following their consideration of a submitted contamination risk assessment, advising of the imposition of a condition concerning surface water drainage.
In response to surprise expressed by a Committee Member, the Development Control Manager stated he would check that no response had been received on this application from Cottered Parish Council.
In response to a question, the Development Control Manager stated that it was understood that the site operator was advised by East Herts District Council, as the planning authority, that the construction of a bund near the access was permitted development and may have used imported materials and constructed it to an unauthorised height.
The Chairman advised that the local County Councillor for this site supported the planning application as it involved a small scale business providing local employment and the planning conditions being put forward to regulate the site.
RESOLVED
That, for the reasons set out in the report, the Director of Environment be authorised to grant planning permission subject to conditions to include:
a) time limit for implementation;
b) a Grampian style condition requiring a Section 278 agreement for access improvements (to be in place before development commences);
c) hours of operation to be restricted to 07.30 to 17.30 on weekdays and 08.00 to 13.00 on Saturdays with no working on Sundays and Bank Holidays;
d) limit on vehicle numbers to 10 per day (5 in and 5 out) on weekdays and
6 per day (3 in and 3 out) on Saturdays;
e) waste types to be restricted to non-odourous waste;
f) no burning of materials;
g) control of litter;
h) access improvements;
i) no infiltration of surface water drainage into the ground without the prior written consent of the waste planning authority,
j) no equipment, plant, skips/bins/waste or vehicles associated with the proposed operations to be stored outside of the application site;
k) skip and fencing details/colour to be submitted for prior approval.
3. BROXBOURNE BOROUGH - APPLICATION TO VARY CONDITION NO. 21 OF PLANNING PERMISSION NO.7/0891-00 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF LORRY MOVEMENTS FROM 100 TO 200 PER DAY AT HODDESDON QUARRY LANDFILL, COCK LANE, HODDESDON
[Officer contact : Felicity Hart Tel : 01992 556256]
The Head of the County Development Unit, Environment Department advised that since the dispatch of the agenda, 16 additional letters of objection have been received containing the following grounds of objection : -
· Road safety concerns, road is too narrow for heavy lorries, hazardous situation;
· Vibration affects houses and Grade II listed wall, mud is on the road currently and causes a safety hazard – this is made worse by the attempts to clean it. All lorries should have wheels jet-washed before leaving the site;
· Lorries pass residential properties from 6am each morning, which wakes residents up and travel faster than the speed limit;
· The 30mph signs are obscured by dirt from the HGVs’, safety hazard to pedestrians and horse riders, school nearby, risk to children, road cleaning is hopeless;
· Concerns re: environmental impact, noise levels, vibration and loss of enjoyment of the area, the proposal is contradictory to Herts Local Transport Plan and the need to protect a precious local rural lane;
· Lorries are large and are intimidating to pedestrians, cause danger and noise and detract from the countryside;
· Debris and mud found on the road which affects road safety and schoolchildren;
· Loss of enjoyment of back garden due to HGVs’;
· Extra diesel fumes and pollution;
· If the increase in movements results in intolerable conditions for residents then the shorter period of tipping time is irrelevant;
· Delays along Broxbourne High Street;
· Lorries arrive in convoy ;
· Danger to schoolchildren from two schools.
She advised that additional wheel cleaning equipment had been installed on the site and that vehicles could not easily exit without using both the wheel spinner and wheel washer.
A Member stated that on the recent visit of the site the wheel spinner and the wheel washer were working well.
RESOLVED
That, for the reasons set out in the report, the Director of Environment be
authorised to grant planning permission subject to conditions[1] to include:
a) all operations to cease by 31st December 2012;
b) access only via Cock Lane;
c) concrete surfacing at entrance to be maintained
d) loaded vehicles to be sheeted;
e) measures to avoid mud on highway;
f) topsoil only handled when dry and friable;
g) no imported minerals for processing;
h) no working on land with a Tree Preservation Order;
i) no water to be discharged into any river, stream etc.;
j) no excavation to take place close to designated boundaries;
k) hours of operation (Mon to Fri 07.00 to 18.00 and not on Sat, Sun or bank holidays);
l) the submitted dust management scheme shall be implemented as approved;
m) the submitted scheme of working shall be implemented as approved;
n) noise levels;
o) handling of oil / fuel lubricants;
p) the submitted scheme of restoration landscaping shall be implemented as approved;
q) scheme of aftercare to be submitted;
r) no other waste than inert to be deposited;
s) pre-settlement levels shall be in accordance with submitted details;
t) no floodlights;
u) lorry (hgv) movements limited to 200 (100 in, 100 out) at the site per day;
v) requirement to keep and make available a log of vehicle movements;
w) removal of permitted development rights;
y) a copy of the decision notice to be displayed at site office.
Incorporating all relevant conditions currently attached to planning permission ref 7/0891-00
A L Laycock
County Secretary
6
[1] Incorporating all relevant conditions currently attached to planning permission ref 7/0891-00