Agenda for Planning Committee on Tuesday, 21st June, 2022, 7.00 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Silver Street, Enfield, EN1 3XA. View directions

Contact: Marie Lowe, Governance and Scrutiny Officer 020 8132 1558 

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome and Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the new Municipal Year of 2022-23.

 

The following announcements were made by the Chair.

 

  1. Apologies received from Councillor Elif Erbil, substituted by Councillor Bektas Ozer.
  2. Item number 5 – 21/03122/FUL – Car Park, Chapel Street, Enfield, EN2 6QF (pages 13 – 44) had been withdrawn from the agenda, at the request of officers.  This follows clarification with the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) team on flooding, which officers felt required further consideration before asking Councillors to consider a positive recommendation.

2.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of interest.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

3.

MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 26 April 2022 pdf icon PDF 123 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2022 as a true and correct record.

Minutes:

The Chair announced that officers proposed to amend minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on Tuesday, 29 March 2022 in relation to minute number 7 - Application - 21/03370/FUL - Bush Hill Park Bowls Tennis and Social Club, Abbey Road, Enfield EN1 2QP. The proposed amendments, circulated to Members of the Committee prior to the meeting and set out below provide clarification of the decision taken on this item in relation to the Section 106 agreement. 

 

Agreed

 

1.  That the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 29 March 2022 be amended to read as follows:

 

Item 7 - 21/03370/Ful - Bush Hill Park Bowls Tennis and Social Club, Abbey Road, Enfield, EN1 2QP

 

NOTED

1.    The introduction of Gideon Whittingham, Planning Decisions Manager, clarifying the proposals.

2.    An Update Note, published and circulated to Members.

3.    Receipt of three additional letters.

4.    The deputation of Michael Kelly, on behalf of Abbey Road Residents and Neighbours’ Group, spoke against the officers’ recommendation.

5.    The responses of David Davidian, Applicant and Michael Koutra, Agent.

6.    Members’ debate and questions responded to by officers.

7.    Discussion in the meeting focused on the concerns raised in the resident deputation regarding the size of the enlarged access route to the rear of the proposed development and the impact on resident parking.

8.    A Section 106 Agreement be required to secure improvements to the remaining facilities and tennis courts.

9.    An additional condition be added regarding Permitted Development rights.

10.The majority support of the Committee for the officers’ recommendation, with ten votes for and one against.

 

AGREED that the Head of Development Management be authorised to GRANT planning permission subject to the completion of a S106 agreement to secure the improvements in the remaining facilities and tennis courts and the recommended conditions as amended.

 

2.    That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2022 be agreed as true and correct record.

 

The revised minute was agreed.

4.

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF PLANNING pdf icon PDF 73 KB

To receive and note the covering report of the Head of Planning.

Minutes:

To receive the covering report of the Head of Planning.

 

Noted that, in accordance with delegated powers, 675 applications had been determined between 9 April 2022 and 8 June 2022, of which 583 were granted and 92 refused.

5.

21/03122/FUL - Car Park, Chapel Street, Enfield, EN2 6QF pdf icon PDF 6 MB

RECOMMENDATION:

1. That subject to the completion of a S106 to secure the matters covered in this report and to be appended to the decision notice, the Head of Development Management be authorised to GRANT planning permission subject to conditions.

2. That the Head of Development Management be granted delegated authority to agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report.

Ward: Town

Minutes:

Noted that, at the request of officers, this item had been withdrawn from the agenda.  This was due to comments received in connection with flood levels and it was considered necessary to obtain further clarification from the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) team on flooding, which officers felt required further consideration before asking Councillors to consider a positive recommendation.

6.

21/03724/RE4 - Public Open Space Rear of Whitehead Close, Sterling Way, London, N18 1BU pdf icon PDF 3 MB

RECOMMENDATION:

1. That in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992, the Head of Development Management be authorised to GRANT planning permission subject to the following conditions.

2. That the Head of Development Management be granted delegated authority to agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report.

Ward: Upper Edmonton

Minutes:

1.    The introduction by Gideon Whittingham, Planning Decisions Manager, clarifying the proposals.

2.    Additional conditions reported regarding archaeology requiring a watching brief with the provision for further archaeological excavation to be undertaken of any significant deposits or structures revealed during the initial stages of the development. This was considered an appropriate level of archaeological investigation and response.

3.    No deputation requests had been received.

4.    The Chair advised that, as Councillor Islam had not been present for the whole of the presentation and discussion, he would not be able to vote on this application.

5.    Members’ debate and questions responded to by officers.

6.    The existing football facilities would remain available after the development and as a result of the proposed drainage works, the ground would be improved and safer to access.

7.    The construction time for proposal was likely to be around 10-12 weeks.

 

On being put to the vote there was unanimous support for the officer’s recommendation. 

 

Note - Councillor Mohammed Islam, who entered the Chamber following the commencement of the discussion, did not participate in the vote.

 

AGREED that:

1.    In accordance with Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992, the Head of Development Management be authorised to GRANT planning permission subject to the following conditions.

2.    The Head of Development Management be granted delegated authority to agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report and additional conditions reported regarding archaeology.

7.

21-04119-FUL - 24 Fillebrook Avenue, Enfield, EN1 3BB pdf icon PDF 3 MB

RECOMMENDATION:

1.    That the Head of Development Management be authorized to GRANT planning permission subject to conditions.

2.    That the Head of Development Management be granted delegated authority to agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report.

Ward: Town

Minutes:

  1. The introduction by David Gittens, Planning Decisions Manager, clarifying the proposals.
  2. Member’s debate, comments and questions responded to by officers as follows:
  3. Local residents had raised concerns regarding the environmental impact of the proposal, particularly in respect of the potential increase in the number of traffic movements in a predominately residential area.  It was considered inevitable that a significant number of traffic movements associated with the collection of the hot food would be made by personal vehicles or mopeds used by the fast-food delivery service providers.
  4. There would be increased litter and refuse and other litter, including food waste which would encourage vermin.
  5. No traffic assessment to assess noise and traffic generated during the intensive use of the unit until 10pm had been undertaken.  The increased traffic in the turning head of Herongate Close would impact on the flow of traffic while the car parking associated with the use of the property as a take-away in the area would impact on the parking spaces available for residents, particularly those in the flats above the retail premises.
  6. The proposed hours of opening were longer that the existing off-licence.
  7. The change of use was considered to be inappropriate for the surrounding neighbourhood.
  8. The would be an obvious increase in the number of people coming to the area for the specific purpose to collect the food from the take-away, which would result in many delivery drivers waiting in the area until they received instructions to pick up from the premises.
  9. The proposal did not provide a service that was compatible with and appropriate to the local area. 
  10. It was out of keeping in a quiet residential neighbourhood.
  11. The proposal was a departure from policy as the proposal would not provide 50% of retail units in the parade of shops.
  12. An environmental impact assessment had not been undertaken for noise disturbance.
  13. In light of the concerns, Members of the Committee were of the view that there was insufficient information in the report to enable Members to make an informed decision on the application. 
  14. The Head of Development Management (Head of DM) advised the Committee that officers considered the proposal to be acceptable and complied with the relevant adopted DMD policy. The Council’s policy supported the proposed change of use in the local centre with this level of activity. Traffic assessments were not normally provided for this type of proposal as it would not consider the issue of noise but focus on issues of capacity and highway safety. In this regard, Transportation raised no objection.
  15. However, the Head of DM advised that if Members were minded to not accept the officer’s recommendation, they had to be satisfied that the impact of the residential amenity and the increase in the level of traffic movements were unacceptable and could be evidenced. It was acknowledged that there would be a changed to the noise profile in the neighbouring area and there would be some noise and disturbance to the residents.  Litter and refuse however were not planning matters.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

22-00733-FUL - Plaza And Fountain Island The Town London EN1 pdf icon PDF 1 MB

RECOMMENDATION:

1. That the Head of Development Management be authorised to GRANT planning permission subject to conditions.

2. That the Head of Development Management be granted delegated authority to agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report.

Ward: Town

Minutes:

Note: Following the proposal from the Chair, the Committee agreed that items 8 - 22/00733/FUL - Plaza and Fountain Island the Town London EN1and 9 - 22/00836/ADV - Plaza and Fountain Island The Town London EN1 would be considered together and voted on separately.

 

1.  The introduction by David Gittens, Planning Decisions Manager, clarifying the proposals.

2.  Member’s debate, comments and questions responded to by officers as follows:

·         Would the area for the tables and chairs provide continued easy unhindered access to pedestrians, including those with limited mobility together with mobility scooters and prams?

·         Whether security would be provided by the premises

·         The continues use of the loading bay by the food kiosk trailer and whether this would impact on the traffic flow and interrupt deliveries to the commercial premises.

·         Whether public facilities, such as toilets, would be provided and adequate.

·         The proposal conflicted with the Conservation Area in which it was to be located.

 

The Town Centre Development Manager, Place Department advised the Committee that:

 

  • The area for the proposed additional seating was considered to be adequate and would be kept under review.  The business operators would be responsible for managing their own space and security would be managed by the operators in accordance with their commercial contracts.
  • All the outdoor dining/seating furniture would be removed from pavements and stored indoors within business premises outside opening hours.
  • Large planters had been placed in the area as anti-terrorist measures.
  • The Council currently allowed the food kiosk to use the loading bay, which was sufficiently large to allow for another vehicle to load there.  A load function was also available on that stretch of road.
  • Public facilities, such as toilets, would be provided by individual operators.   Bonito Café, which had customer toilets would be open during the hours of operation of the kiosk.
  • Concerns were raised regarding the hours of operation, which had not been agreed.
  • The application, in the context of the Enfield Town Centre was acceptable, and an appreciation that new initiatives had to be tried to enhance the area.
  • The proposed signage was out of keeping in the Conservation Area and it was unnecessary for the sign to be illuminated if the kiosk was to operate during daylight hours.
  • Further concerns were expressed regarding the operation and impact of the proposal on and in the Conservation Area.  The temporary period of three years was considered too long for this proposal in the Conservation Area.  One year was more reasonable.

 

The Heritage Officer, responding to concerns raised by Members, explained that:

  • The proposal would provide a positive contribution to Enfield, a market town, with a commercial centre.  It would encourage people to visit and extend their stay in the town centre which, in turn, would improve its sustainability and economic vitality.  This was essential to the current economic climate and was linked to the plans for the future of Enfield in the long term.
  • Careful consideration had been given to the possible impact on the Conservation Area.  The view  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

22-00836-ADV - Plaza And Fountain Island The Town London EN1 pdf icon PDF 2 MB

RECOMMENDATION:

1. That the Head of Development Management be authorised to GRANT advertisement consent subject to conditions.

2. That the Head of Development Management/Planning Decisions Manager be granted delegated authority to agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report.

Ward: Town

Minutes:

This applicationwas considered with item 8 - 22/00733/FUL - Plaza and Fountain Island, The Town London EN1

 

  • Additional concerns were raised during the discussion of this item regarding:
  • The size and colour of the sign. 
  • The advertisement was not considered to be of an appropriate size and type in relation to the premises and to the street scene.
  • The sign was out of keeping in the heritage area.
  • The illumination of the sign was not necessary if the hours of operation was to be daytime only.

 

Following the discussion, Councillor Michael Rye proposed, seconded by Councillor Peter Fallart that the officer’s recommendation should not be accepted on grounds that that theilluminated café sign was out of keeping with and intrusive to the Conservation Area and that the facility is not open in the evenings.

 

On being put to the vote, the motion to refuse the application for the advertising sign was not accepted (four votes to refuse, six votes against and two abstentions).

 

On being put to the vote in favour of the officer’s recommendation for the advertising sign there were six in favour, four against and two abstentions. The recommendation was therefore agreed.

 

AGREED that:

 

  1. The Head of Development Management be authorised to GRANT advertisement consent subject to conditions.
  2. The Head of Development Management/Planning Decisions Manager be granted delegated authority to agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report.

10.

Future Meeting Dates

Following consultation and agreement of the Chair, the future meetings of the Planning Committee, which will be held at 7pm in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Enfield, are as follows:

 

·         5 July 2022                           Provisional now confirmed

·         19 July 2022                         As scheduled

·         2 August 2022                      Cancelled

·         30 August 2022                    Cancelled

·         6 September 2022               Provisional now confirmed

·         20 September 2022             As scheduled

 

Minutes:

The Chair announced that meetings of the Planning Committee would be held on:

 

·         5 July 2022                            Now confirmed

·         19 July 2022                         As scheduled

·         2 August 2022                      Cancelled

·         30 August 2022                    Cancelled

·         6 September 2022               Provisional now confirmed

·         20 September 2022             As scheduled