Agenda item

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 conditions.

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

WARD: Town, Whitewebbs, Southbury

Karolina Grebowiec-Hall, Principal Planner, introduced the report, highlighting the key aspects of the application.

Deputations were received from Patricia McAdden and from Meral Sonmez, both local residents, speaking against the officer’s recommendation.

Sarah Whitehouse, of Norman Rourke Pryme Ltd, spoke in response, on behalf of the applicant/ agent.

The officer responded to comments and questions, and advised that the New River corridor was a public amenity and a newly designated cycle route. Secure by Design officers at the police, had raised no concerns. She provided further details in respect of lighting, use of the public footpath, and screening. 

Cllr Rye expressed disappointment that the application had not been submitted in two parts, suggesting he had few concerns regarding the section of the path already open to the public. He agreed with the concerns of residents of Ladysmith Road and Sinclare Close. Cllr Rye had previously met with officers to raise issues. He would prefer the potential alternative path. He encouraged Members to visit the site, to understand the concerns for themselves.

Officers confirmed that the proposals had been submitted as one application, and officers had considered it as such throughout. The applicant had assessed the alternative route, and found the traffic, safety, and cost implications were prohibitive.

In response to Member’s queries regarding a section of land controlled by St Ignatius College, officers advised that conversations were ongoing, and increasingly positive; and that this section of the path had an alternative route for those who cannot access it. Officers confirmed that the proposed route was chosen as it maximised the benefits of cycle safety and the healthy streets initiative.

In response to Members’ queries regarding consultation, officers advised that the applicant had hosted a number of webinars to residents in December. A following three webinars were conducted in March, targeting sections of the route where concerns had been raised, with invitations sent by post to residents, and had attendances of one and two.

Members had ongoing concerns in respect of the issues raised by residents, the proposed route, the consultation process, loss of privacy, light spill, and screening.

The Director of Planning and Growth provided further advice, including that an additional condition could be included in respect of further planting as a means to reduce privacy concerns, and on the consideration of any alternative route.

In response to Members’ further queries, officers confirmed that CCTV had been included in the proposals. The applicant had tried to ensure the benches were not adjacent to residential properties, that other locations could be considered, and the details of these could be a condition.

Cllr Rye proposed that a decision on the application be deferred until a Member site visit could take place. This would also allow time to find out if St Ignatius College were prepared to sell the land and facilitate access to that section of the application, as well as get clarity on the potential of the alternative route. This was seconded by Cllr Chamberlain.

Cllr Taylor suggested an update on the progress of St Ignatius College discussions, as opposed to a resolution. Cllr Rye agreed to this.

This amended proposal, having been put to the vote; Members voted:

11 FOR

0 AGAINST

0 ABSTENTIONS

and so, it was AGREED unanimously that a decision on the application be DEFERRED, and that a Member site visit be arranged.