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Minutes – Planning and Conservation Committee – 25 June 2020

The minutes of this meeting are presented below.

You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Planning and Conservation Committee – 25 June 2020

MINUTES OF THE VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE HELD ON THURSDAY 25 JUNE 2020 AT 2.00PM

PRESENT:

  • Councillor Joy (Chairman)
  • Councillor Bell
  • Councillor Gaskin

EX-OFFICIO:

  • The Mayor (Councillor Plowman)
  • The Deputy Mayor (Councillor J Hughes)
  • Councillor Apel (Chairman of Community Affairs)
  • Councillor Scicluna (Chairman of Finance)

ALSO PRESENT:

  • Councillor Sharp

IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Town Clerk
  • Planning Adviser
  • Member Services Support Officer
  • Mayoral/Administrative Assistant
  • West Sussex County Councillor Jamie Fitzjohn
  • West Sussex County Councillor Simon Oakley

APOLOGIES:

  • Councillor Bowden
  • Councillor Turbefield

15. MINUTES OF THE PLANNING AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 27 MAY 2020

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 May 2020 having been printed and circulated be approved and be signed by the Chairman as a correct record at a later date.

16. UPDATE FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES

Any actions arising from the previous Minutes were included on the Agenda

17. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN MATTERS ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING

The Mayor and Councillors Apel, and Bell as members of Chichester District Council, declared a Personal Interest. The Mayor and Councillor Scicluna declared a Personal Interest as a member of the CCAAC.

18. APPLICATIONS FOR PLANNING PERMISSION

Week 21 – 20 May 2020 – No committee items

Week 22 – 27 May 2020

CC/20/01151/FUL – Case Officer: Vicki Baker

Mr Huseyin Ay
1A Adelaide Road Chichester PO19 7NG
Partial change of use of ground floor takeaway (A5) to flat (C3) to include single storey rear and side extension. and associated works. Conversion of first floor flat to 2 no. 1 bedroom flats.

No objection

Week 23 – 3 June 2020 – No committee items

Week 24 – 10 June 2020

CC/20/01322/ADV and CC/20/01324/LBC – Case Officer: Maria Tomlinson

Ms Debbie Epstein
29 East Street Chichester PO19 1HS
Redecoration of existing fascia panel to new brand colour, installation of 1 no. fascia brand sign, 1 no. letter to entrance wall and 1 no. awning.

No objection subject to the advice of the Historic Buildings Adviser. The City Council also recommends that the street number is displayed on the front of the building.

19. CHICHESTER DISTRICT COUNCIL’S DRAFT POLICY STATEMENT FOR HOUSING

TO NOTE THAT THE DISTRICT COUNCIL IS UNDERTAKING A PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE DRAFT INTERIM POLICY STATEMENT FOR HOUSING. THIS STATEMENT COVERS THAT PART OF THE DISTRICT WHICH IS NOT PART OF THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK. COMMENTS CAN BE MADE DURING THE CONSULTATION PERIOD FROM FRIDAY 12 JUNE 2020 TO FRIDAY 10 JULY 2020

The Planning Adviser reported on Chichester District Council’s consultation on their draft Interim Housing Policy Statement. The statement aims to provide guidance to developers who may submit applications for housing on unallocated sites pending the adoption of an up-to-date Local Plan.

The Chichester Local Plan: Key Policies 2014-2029 document was adopted on 14 July 2015. After 5 years, the Plan is out of date with regards to housing, and a Local Plan Review has not been published replacing it; this is anticipated to be published for consultation in Spring 2021. In the meantime, housing need within the District is calculated by the Government’s standard methodology for assessing housing need (at 628 dwelling per year), rather than the figures in the outdated Local Plan (of 435 dwellings per year), and the presumption in favour of sustainable development applies to housing applications from 15 July 2020. For decision-taking this means granting permission unless:

  • The application of policies in the Framework that protect areas or assets of particular importance provides a clear reason for refusing the development proposed; or
  • Any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in the Framework as a whole.

This will remain the case unless and until there is an up to date Local Plan allocating housing sites with a 5 year housing supply (minimum) or an adopted Neighbourhood Plan allocating housing sites with a minimum 3 year housing supply (minimum).

The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group will now consider including housing site allocations within the Chichester Neighbourhood Plan.

West Sussex County Council Councillor Oakley wished to note that there hadn’t been a 5-year supply of sites for gypsies and travellers for some time and it had been shown that a lot of the existing development management policies within the Local Plan were still relevant material considerations. Not all of the current Local Plan ceases to be relevant just because the housing supply element is no longer extant.

It was RESOLVED to note the position and the draft statement.

20. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – UPDATE ON PROGRESS

(i) Possible Idea for Neighbourhood Plan Site Density and Transport Status

This item was deferred for discussion at the next meeting of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and would be reported back to the next Planning and Conservation Committee meeting.

The Planning Adviser reported that the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group would be meeting on Friday 26 June 2020. Following the meeting, minutes would be produced and published on the City Council’s website and Members would be updated by email. She further reported on the costs for the Neighbourhood Plan, some of which had already been approved, as follows:

  • Trees and Green Spaces Study £9250: This work has already been approved but a government grant has been applied for to cover this work.
  • Summersdale Character Assessment Report: £2750. This has been approved
  • Consultant Support on Call for Sites: £1750. Subject to Steering Group approval
  • The Railway Underpass Report £1550. Subject to Steering Group approval
  • Public Realm Project Work £4500. Subject to Steering Group approval
  • Zero Carbon Viability Study (estimate £5000). Subject to Steering Group approval

The Planning Adviser said that a training exercise preparing local residents to take part in working groups identifying issues and opportunities within Chichester would be delivered within the next few weeks. This would be aimed at the wider community and would be publicised via social media, to the Facebook group which has in excess of 400 members, as well as invitations being sent to those who have expressed an interest in being kept up to date about the Neighbourhood Plan, which currently numbers in excess of 600 people.

Councillor Sharp expressed concern that some people may not be able to participate in the Working Group meetings if they were continued to be held “virtually” via Zoom. The Planning Adviser said that whilst the online training would be useful in giving the greatest number of people the chance to complete it safely and learn how their group’s contribution would shape the Plan, it wasn’t necessary for all individual residents to complete it; any resident could join in with the group work which could take place outside, suitably socially distanced, and led by a resident leader in each group.

The Chairman said that it was important to move forward with the sustainability aspect and was keen that policies were put in place as part of the Neighbourhood Plan. He emphasised that this should be in co-operation with Chichester District Council.
The Mayor commented that there was a meeting with the Directors of Whitehouse Farm and was hoping that the next phase of the development would be discussed.

21. ITEMS TO BE INCLUDED ON THE NEXT AGENDA

  • Neighbourhood Plan – update
  • Whitehouse Farm – feedback

22. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The amended date of: Thursday 23 July 2020 at 2pm

The meeting closed at 3.07pm.

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