Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were provided by Councillor Rebecca Harvey.

If a Councillor has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a particular item, whether or not it is entered in the Authority’s register of interests, or any other significant interest which they consider should be declared in the public interest, they should declare the existence and, unless it is a sensitive interest as defined in the Member Code of Conduct, the nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of that item or as soon as it becomes apparent.

At meetings where members of the public are allowed to be in attendance and speak, any Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest or other significant interest may also make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter.  The Councillor must then withdraw immediately from the meeting before the matter is discussed and any vote taken.

Where Members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance and speak, then the Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration. Councillors who have declared other significant interests should also withdraw from the meeting if they consider their continued participation in the matter would not be reasonable in the circumstances and may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest.

Councillors are not obliged to withdraw from the meeting where a dispensation to that effect has been obtained from the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as an accurate record, and the Chair to sign, the minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 5 and 19 December 2023.

The minutes of the previous meetings held on 5 and 19 December 2023 were agreed as an accurate record.

An addendum was circulated prior to the meeting that modified the report. Roy Asagba-Power presented the item.

The Applicant and the Agent spoke in support of the application.

The Committee voted on the officer recommendations as amended by the Addendum as follows:

Recommendation 1:

FOR                        4

AGAINST:               3

NOT VOTING:        0

Recommendation 2:

FOR:                      Unanimous

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        0

RESOLVED

1.     That the Director of Planning and Property be authorised to grant permission upon the completion of a satisfactory legal agreement and subject to the conditions listed in the report.

2.    That the Director of Planning and Property, after consultation with the Assistant Director of  Legal Services and the Chair of the Planning and Development Control Committee be authorised to make any minor changes to the proposed Heads of Terms of the legal agreement or the planning conditions, which may include the variation, addition or deletion of conditions, any such changes shall be within their discretion.

An addendum was circulated prior to the meeting that modified the report. Roy Asagba-Power presented the item.

The Agent spoke in support of the application.

The Committee voted on the officer recommendations as amended by the Addendum as follows:

Recommendation 1:

FOR                        6

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        1

Recommendation 2:

FOR:                      Unanimous

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        0

RESOLVED

1.     That the Director of Planning and Property be authorised to grant permission subject to the conditions listed in the report.

2.    That the Director of Planning and Property, after consultation with the Assistant Director of Legal Services and the Chair of the Planning and Development Control Committee be authorised to make any minor changes to the proposed planning conditions, which may include the variation, addition or deletion of conditions, any such changes shall be within their discretion.

Roy Asagba-Power presented the item. The Architect spoke in support of the application.

During the course of discussions, the Committee explored a number of issues. These included: the context for a potential  unilateral undertaking and the planning  ramifications of this. The Committee considered that in this case, the cumulative impact of the proposed extensions would not cause demonstrable visual harm to the existing character of the area due to the lack of existing uniformity within the front elevation of the current terrace, and the differing scale/roof heights(and presence of existing mansard extensions) in the vicinity of the application site. On balance, the Committee agreed that securing a unilateral undertaking to ensure that at least two-adjoining properties would be developed in full would justify approving planning permission, (subject to relevant conditions).

The Committee voted on the officer recommendation to refuse the application as follows:

FOR                        1

AGAINST:               6

NOT VOTING:        0

Therefore, this recommendation was lost.

Councillor Florian Chevoppe-Verdier proposed the following motion, which was seconded by Councillor Alex Karmel - to delegate authority to the officers:

1.    To grant planning permission subject to securing a Unilateral Undertaking to ensure at least two  adjoining properties would be built at the same time and to attach the appropriate planning conditions for the following reasons  :

a.    Subject to a Unilateral Undertaking securing at least two  adjoining extensions being built together there will be no demonstrable harm or significant impact on the character of the area.

b.    The development is not in a conservation area and not in close proximity to a designated area, therefore subject to the Unilateral Undertaking being completed there would be no harm.

2.    If the Unilateral Undertaking was not completed within 6 months of the date of this meeting  to refuse planning permission.

The Committee voted on the motion above as follows:

FOR                        6

AGAINST:               1

NOT VOTING:        0

Therefore, this motion was carried.

A further motion was proposed by the Chair, Councillor Omid Miri to delegate authority to officers to make minor changes to the reasons stated. This was seconded by Councillor Florian Chevoppe-Verdier.

The Committee voted on the motion above as follows:

FOR                        6

AGAINST:               1

NOT VOTING:        0

Therefore, this motion was carried.

Councillor Alex Karmel proposed that the planning conditions and terms of the Unilateral Undertaking be agreed with the Chairman before the planning permission was issued. This was seconded by Councillor Florian Chevoppe-Verdier.

The Committee voted on the motion above as follows:

FOR                        7

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        0

Therefore, this motion was carried.