Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notices of substitutions from Members.

There were no apologies for absence.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the Minutes of Planning Committee held on 20 October 2020.    

The minutes of the Planning Committee held on 20 October 2020 were approved as a true record.

Report of the Planning Manager - Development Management

The report to Committee gave details of those Planning Appeals which had been lodged and determined. Members heard that two appeals had been lodged, three had been dismissed and that one appeal had been allowed by the Planning Inspector considering it.

Committee discussed the report. As part of this, it heard of the reasons given by the Planning Inspector for allowing the appeal and what factors he had taken into account. In particular, it was noted that for this appeal the Inspector had not placed great weight on the Council’s Draft Local Plan in reaching his decision.

Members discussed what role the Draft Local Plan ought to play when the Committee was asked to determine planning applications. Members heard that the Planning Inspectors were likely to place more weight on the Draft Local Plan when determining future appeals. This was because it was now moving towards completion and adoption by the Council. Committee noted that it would receive advice on the planning policy implications of this at future meetings.

Committee considered its responsibilities when determining planning applications. Members recognised that their decisions need to be firmly based on planning policy. They also stressed that each application should be judged on its merits and in this context it would be for the Committee to decide what weight to place on the policies of the Draft Local Plan when determining specific applications.

RESOLVED -

The Committee noted the report.

Report of the Planning Manager - Development Management

Committee received an update on the current ‘Section 106’ Agreements, or agreements, reached between the Council as Planning Authority with developers to carry out specific work to help offset the impact of new developments on local people.

The report set out details of those agreements where the funding had now been secured. It also included information about Section 106 agreements where the funding had not yet been received.

Members discussed the report. Committee considered agreements where the work to benefit communities had been delayed or was yet to start. It also discussed what recovery arrangements would be put in place when the agreed payments were not made. In addition, Committee Members asked about the consultation before specific agreements were entered into, what role local Ward Councillors could play in determining them and how frequently the Committee ought to receive update information on Section 106 agreements.

Members accepted that, as a general rule, Committee should receive an update on these agreements every six months. However, they asked for the information to be provided more frequently, when this would be appropriate. What became clear from the discussion was that Members had a range of questions and issues about specific Section 106 agreements, which they would like to be clarified. Committee felt that, in the first instance, these questions and issues should be raised with the Chair of the Committee, so that they could then be addressed by the relevant Planning officers.

RESOLVED -      

(i)        That Committee noted the information about Section 106 Planning Agreements contained within Appendices A and B to the report.

(ii)       That Committee noted and endorsed the contents of paragraphs 1.1 to 1.6 relating to Section 106 Agreements.

(iii)      That Committee agreed that updates on Section 106 Agreements be reported to Planning Committee on a (approximately) half yearly basis, or more frequently if required.

(iv)      That Members of the Committee raise with the Chair of the Committee any concerns or requests for clarification about specific Section 106 agreements, so that these can then be addressed the relevant Planning Service officers.

To consider any other matter which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no matters of urgency.