Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Civic Offices

Contact: Becky Capon on 01483 743011 or email  becky.capon@woking.gov.uk 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 8 December 2020 as published.

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Minutes:

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 8 December 2020 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.

2.

Apologies for Absence

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Minutes:

No apologies for absence were received.

3.

Declarations of Interest

(i)    To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

(ii)   In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, any Member who is a Council- appointed Director of a Thameswey Group company will declare a non-pecuniary interest in any item involving that Thameswey Group company. The interest will not prevent the Member from participating in the consideration of that item.

(iii)   In accordance with the Officer Procedure Rules, any Officer who is a Council- appointed Director of a Thameswey Group company will declare an interest in any item involving that Thameswey Group company. The interest will not prevent the Officer from advising the Committee on that item.

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Minutes:

No declarations of interest were received.

4.

Urgent Business

To consider any business that the Chairman rules may be dealt with under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

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Minutes:

There were no items of Urgent Business.

5.

Planning and Enforcement Appeals pdf icon PDF 51 KB

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Minutes:

The Committee received a report on the planning appeals lodged and the appeal decisions.

Resolved

That the report be noted.

6.

Planning Applications pdf icon PDF 50 KB

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Minutes:

The Committee determined the following applications subject to the conditions, informatives, reasons for refusal or authorisation of enforcement action which appear in the published report to the Committee or as detailed in these minutes.

 

6a

2020/0568 Land to North and South of Goldsworth Road, Woking pdf icon PDF 108 KB

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Minutes:

[NOTE 1: It was noted that a written updates had just been circulated by the Planning Officer on this application.]

 

[NOTE 2: The Planning Officer advised the Committee that two additional letters of objection had been received since the report was published which mainly reiterated the comments already summarised within the representations section of the report.]

 

[NOTE 3: The Planning Officer advised the Committee that one additional letter of support had been received since the report was published which mainly reiterated the comments already summarised within the representations section of the report.]

 

[NOTE 4: In accordance with the procedure for public speaking at Planning Committee, Ms Bernadette Fischler attended the meeting and spoke in objection to the application and Mr Matthew Turner attended and spoke in support.]

 

The Committee considered an application for the demolition of all existing buildings and redevelopment of the site for a phased mixed-use scheme, comprising 929 residential units (Class C3), communal residential and operational spaces, commercial uses (Classes A1/A2/A3/A4/B1/D1/D2) at ground floor and homeless shelter (sui generis) within 5 blocks of varying heights of between nine and thirty seven storeys (including rooftop amenity) to the north and south sides of the site together with soft and hard landscaping including public realm works, highway alterations to Goldsworth Road, car parking, cycle parking, bin storage, ancillary facilities and plant (Environmental Statement submitted) (amended plans and reports received 13.11.2020).

 

Councillor M Ali, Ward Councillor, attended the meeting to speak on the application and commented that he was keen to see the site developed but not to the extent proposed with regard to the bulk, density and size. He referred to the councils Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) obligation of the provision of 2180 dwellings by 2027 and commented that the number of dwellings now proposed on this site were four times that recommended in the Site Allocations DPD; this would mean that 42% of this HIF obligation would be delivered on this one site and he did not think this was sustainable. Councillor M Ali highlighted fire safety issues and commented that there was only one escape staircase and suggested that this was inadequate due to the height of the building. He noted that 17% of the units did not meet the daylight requirements and he commented that the height of these buildings would have a detrimental effect on the buildings in the surrounding area due to their overbearing design.

 

Councillor T Aziz, Ward Councillor, was also supportive of the site being developed, however he did not think the proposals were appropriate. He commented that the scheme approved in 2016 was more suitable to the site. The Councillor agreed with the points raised by his fellow Ward Councillor, Councillor M Ali and added that the separation distance between the units was extremely narrow resulting in serious daylight issues within some of the units. The Councillor was also concerned that the mix of units was not appropriate and more family units should be provided. Councillor T Aziz commented that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6a

6b

2020/0894 Qaro, Pyrford Heath, Woking pdf icon PDF 75 KB

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Minutes:

[NOTE 1: In accordance with the procedure for public speaking at Planning Committee, Mr Andrew Grimshaw attended the meeting and spoke in objection to the application. The applicant chose not to address the Committee.]

 

The Committee considered an application for prior notification for enlargement of a dwelling house by construction of an additional storey, with proposed ridge height of 8.2m (amended description to include height).

 

The Planning Officer explained that the application was a Prior Approval application under Class AA (b), Part 1, Schedule 2 of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (2015) (as amended) and that there were very limited criteria that it could be assessed against. As detailed in the report, the Planning Officer explained that the application complied with these limited criteria.

 

Councillor M Whitehand commented that it would be a shame to lose another bungalow in the Borough and see it converted to a two storey property.

 

Councillor L Morales commented that she had concerns that this timber framed property would not be able to support a second storey extension. The Councillor also had concerns that if approved, the applicant could potentially come back sometime later and apply to demolish the existing building and build a new dwelling in its place; Councillor L Morales asked for reassurance from Planning Officers regarding this point. Planning Officer reiterated that as permitted development, the scope against which the application could be assessed was very limited and there was little scope for refusal.

 

Councillor L Lyons commented that the extension would not be in keeping with the character of the buildings in the surrounding area and suggested it would breach CS21. Councillor L Lyons proposed and it was duly seconded by Councillor M Whitehand that the application be refused on these grounds. Thomas James, Development Manager, advised the Members that the assessment criteria was down to the character and appearance of the dwelling itself, not the surrounding area, so it was likely to be deemed unsound to propose refusal on these grounds as it was not within the criterion remit. Councillor L Lyons heeded the Development Managers advice and withdrew his motion to refuse, Councillor M Whitehand supported this. Councillor L Lyons commented that he still considered the proposed application to be out of keeping.

 

Following a query regarding privacy issues of neighbouring properties, the Planning Officer confirmed that there would be no windows allowed on the side elevations, however installation of windows would be allowed on the rear. These windows would give additional views over neighbouring gardens, but this was not considered to cause a level of harm that the application could be refused on.

 

Following a query regarding the front appearance of the property, the Planning Officer advised that the application did include material details and it was proposed that a repeat of the existing materials be used. This would not be ground for refusal.

 

The Committee were frustrated by the limited scope to assess the application against as many supported the concerns detailed in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6b

6c

2020/1014 Evans Triangle, Guildford Road, Woking pdf icon PDF 114 KB

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Minutes:

The Committee considered an application which sought Advertisement Consent to display non-illuminated advertisements on site hoarding.

 

Councillor L Lyons asked that his opposition to the application be noted.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Advertisement Consent be GRANTED.

 

6d

2020/1020 Evans Triangle, Guildford Road, Woking pdf icon PDF 112 KB

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Minutes:

The Committee considered an application which sought planning permission for the erection of site hoarding around the proposal site.

 

Councillor L Lyons asked that his opposition to the application be noted.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Planning Permission be GRANTED subject to conditions.

6e

2020/0819 8 Lockwood Path, Sheerwater, Woking pdf icon PDF 281 KB

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Minutes:

The Committee considered an application which sought permission to use the detached building in the rear amenity space as separate free standing independent accommodation.

 

Councillor T Aziz, Ward Councillor, supported enforcement action if the building was being used independently to the main house; he questioned whether the building would be allowed to remain if it was ancillary to the main residence. Councillor T Aziz was under the impression that that applicant used it as an office space. The Planning Officer confirmed that the enforcement action did not require the removal of the building, only removal of the facilities that allowed this to be used as an independent residential unit.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning permission be REFUSED and formal enforcement proceedings be authorised.

6f

18/00890/HHCOMP St Annes, Littlewick Road, Woking pdf icon PDF 58 KB

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Minutes:

The Committee considered the report which requested authority to take direct action against the owner of the land due to the continued failure to comply with a Remedial Notice issued under Section 69 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

 

Councillor M Whitehand, Ward Councillor, commented that she was fully supportive of this enforcement action.

 

RESOLVED that

 

(i)            Authority be granted to proceed with direct action under s77 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 in order to undertake the outstanding steps required by the notice, as set out in paragraph 4(d) below; and

 

(ii)           Recover from the owner of the land any expenses reasonably incurred by the Council for carrying out the works required by the Notice, including registering a charge against the land if necessary.