Agenda for Planning Committee on Tuesday, 10th October, 2017, 7.00 p.m.

Councillors Ball and Ferguson substituted for Councillors Fellowes and Harrison respectively for the duration of the meeting.

Item 4 Planning Application 17/00477/FULL – Elizabeth Cottage, 4 High Street, Billericay

Councillor Brown - lobbied

Confirmation of the Minutes of the Planning Committees held on 21 and 26 September 2017.

The Minutes of the Planning Committees held on 21 September 2017 were approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment.

-       Minute No 2017/460 – that the conditions set out in the resolution be re-numbered from 1 to 15 (not 1 to16 - which included no condition set out in 10.).

(For voting see Appendix, column 1.)

The Minutes of the Planning Committee held on 26 September 2017 were approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

(For voting see Appendix, column 2.)

The Committee considered an application in respect of Elizabeth Cottage, 4 High Street, Billericay.  The proposal was to create three 2 bedroom flats at ground floor level, two 2 and one 1 bedroom flat at first floor level and a 2 bedroom flat in the roof of the building.  The front of the building would be restored to its original condition and, to the rear, it was proposed to add a 6 metre deep two-storey extension across the width of the building comprising a pitched and tiled roof to each flank with a flat roofed central section.  A further four metre deep single-storey extension was also proposed with a lean-to, tiled roof.  No vehicle parking was proposed on the site with the sub-standard sized garage to the south of the building to be used to provide appropriate bin storage and access to the rear of the site for residents.  The retained garden area would be landscaped to create a communal amenity space with cycle storage space.

In respect of external consultees, no objections had been received from Essex County Council (ECC) Highways and Transportation.  They noted that whilst no vehicle parking was provided on site, the property was in a highly sustainable location and surrounding roads had parking restrictions to avoid inappropriate overspill parking.  Conditions were also requested in respect of the provision of cycle parking and residential travel information packs.  ECC Historic Buildings responded that the front facade of the building had been identified as requiring improvement in the Conservation Area Appraisal and although some concerns were raised regarding the level of detailing indicated, this could be dealt with by way of a condition requiring all details to be agreed.  Overall, the proposal would bring the building up to an acceptable standard and result in it having a far more positive character.  The proposed extension to the rear would have some negative impact but that would be limited and be balanced by the improvements to the front elevation.  ECC Archaeology had no objections subject to conditions requiring evaluation and trenching prior to construction, given the historic location of the site within Billericay.  Billericay Town Council raised no objections to the proposal. Since publication of the agenda a letter of comment had been received from a Town Councillor who objected to this proposal on the grounds of overdevelopment of the site and the potential for the reallocation of public parking to provide reserved/private parking space.

With regards to internal consultees, Environmental Health had no objections subject to the upgrade of the building structure as necessary to meet the standards of Part E of the Building Regulations Approved Document for Airborne and Impact Sound with regards to transmission to adjoining properties.  There had been no written comments from Borough Councillors or neighbourhood/third party representatives.

The meeting was adjourned to allow members of the public to address the Committee.  The applicant spoke in support of the application and made the following comments - the existing front elevation would be maintained to ensure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 496.

The Committee considered an application proposing the extension of the existing residential development at the rear of the Bull, London Road, Pitsea with an additional 31 units comprised of three 4 bedroom houses, seventeen 3 bedroom houses, seven 2 bedroom houses and four 1 bedroom houses.  The access would be a continuation of the road that served the houses on the frontage with an area of open space formed within the centre of the site with units fronting this space.  A pedestrian link would be provided to Fairleigh Avenue.  All properties were two storey and compatible with the design and layout of the former public house site.

Responses had been received from external consultees.  ECC Highways and Transportation had no objections but recommended conditions which included that the road not be adopted, alignment of the link between phase 1 and 2, traffic calming features, details of turning the head to be provided, parking to be laid out in accordance with standards, pedestrian connectivity with the adjoining site and residential travel packs to be provided to new residents.  ECC Specialist Archaeological Service had no requirement for archaeological investigations and ECC Flood and Waste Management Planning had a holding objection based on an inadequate surface water drainage strategy being submitted.  ECC Economic Growth and Development sought a contribution towards Primary education of £102,632 (index linked) to meet the needs of the development.

In respect of internal consultees Environmental Health had suggested that further tests may be necessary in respect of remediation works regarding contamination on site.  Also a condition was recommended to limit hours for construction purposes, dust suppression measures and not burning of materials on site.  The Development and Investment Team were satisfied that the “gifted” units in lieu of RSL/shared ownership units represented a commensurate provision.  No responses had been received from Borough Councillors.

There had been five responses from neighbours/third party representations objecting for the following reasons – impact on the local habitat; the site is within the green belt and although identified in the Draft Local Plan as H13 carried no weight unless adopted;  if the land was released from the green belt it should be retained as open space; not in favour of the pedestrian link from the site to Fairleigh Avenue; concern that the unmade section of Fairleigh Avenue would need to be made up and the cost implications of existing residents; reduction of the scheme to 15 units maximum; that the fields act as a buffer which would be lost if developed; disruption during the construction phase and the impact of additional traffic causing congestion in the locality.

The meeting was adjourned to allow members of the public to address the Committee.  The agent for the applicant spoke in favour of the application and noted the high quality of the proposed development and advised that if planning permission was granted the conditions in respect of a completed section 106 agreement  and work on the drainage strategy would be complied with.  Whilst acknowledging that the site  ...  view the full minutes text for item 497.