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Minutes – Planning and Conservation Committee – 7 December 2023

The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Planning and Conservation Committee – 7 December 2023 – agenda and papers

The minutes of this meeting are presented below.

You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Planning and Conservation Committee – 7 December 2023

PLANNING AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

Minutes

Date: 7 December 2023

Time: 4.00pm – 5.14pm

Location: The Council Chamber – The Council House • North Street • CHICHESTER • West Sussex • PO19 1LQ

PRESENT: Councillor Ann Butler (Chairman), J Gershater

EX-OFFICIO: The Mayor (Councillor C Gershater), Chairman of the Finance Committee (Councillor Scicluna), Chairman of Community Affairs Committee (Councillor Apel)

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Councillor Pramas, Town Clerk, Planning Adviser, Civic and Council Support Officer, Helen Marshall, Chichester BID, West Sussex County Councillor Simon Oakley

84. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

RESOLVED to receive and approve apologies and reasons for absence from the meeting from Councillors McHale, Hitchman, Vivian and Corfield.

Councillor Squire was absent.

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

No declarations were received.

86. MINUTES OF THE PLANNING AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 9 NOVEMBER 2023

RESOLVED to approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Planning and Conservation Committee meeting held on 9 November 2023.

87. UPDATES ON ACTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING NOT COVERED ELSEWHERE ON THE AGENDA

No updates to receive.

88. APPLICATIONS FOR PLANNING PERMISSION

There are no applications for consideration by the Committee for this meeting.

89. STREETNAMING APPLICATION

Committee RESOLVED to assign “Twelve Acres Place” as the name for the development.

90. PLANNING AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING – 4 JANUARY 2024

Committee RESOLVED to cancel the meeting of 4th January 2024 and delegated the authority to respond to any application to the Planning Advisor.

91. CONSULTATION BY WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL REGARDING THE SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL CORRIDORS IN CHICHESTER

The Planning Adviser gave Members a briefing on the current consultations on the Chichester Sustainable Travel Corridors.

The Committee had a wide-ranging discussion of the proposals. The general view was that the scheme for Chichester to Tangmere needed further consideration to see if the connection could be made further to the eastern end of Church Road to avoid cyclists having to cross the entrance to Portfield retail park.

Members also agreed that better consideration was also needed of the area around St Pancras as the proposals for short sections of grade separated and shared use paths would be confusing. Grade separation of cyclists and pedestrians should be the priority.

The Committee felt that the proposals for Oaklands Way were unambitious and did not address the real problem, which they felt was is College Lane and Northgate roundabout. The Planning Advisor was asked to submit a response on behalf of Chichester City Council.

The Chair requested that members submit their own responses to the schemes.

92. WHITEHOUSE FARM PHASE TWO AND THE SOUTHERN ACCESS ROUTE

The Committee noted receipt of the letter and expressed their disappointment that Chichester District Council would be unable to do any more to compel the developers to propose a better designed scheme to address the issues in this area. The Committee also noted that the new bollards on Westgate were proving to be inadequate and not visible at night, as several had already been knocked over.

Committee requested that a letter be sent to West Sussex County Council highlighting the issues with the new bollards.

93. LOCAL PLAN UPDATE

The Committee noted that the Local Plan was expected to be submitted in early 2024.

94. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN UPDATE

The Mayor provided an update on the two meetings that have taken place since October 2023 and where the group had currently reached a plateau.

The Town Clerk advised she had received a written report from the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group (NPSG) that morning, which she read out and advised that it would be circulated to members after the meeting.

The Committee requested that a specification for the consultant be drawn up in the new year once the NPSG had sent through the full details of the work that remained to be completed.

The next NPSG is scheduled for 11 December 2023.

95. CHICHESTER DISTRICT COUNCIL TREES OUTSIDE WOODLANDS PROPOSAL FOR BREWERY FIELD

The Town Clerk explained the proposal to plant a native hedgerow at Brewery Field as a part of the Chichester District Council Trees Outside of Woodland Scheme and advised that Chichester District Council required formal permission to use the land before the scheme could progress.

The Committee RESOLVED to approve the use of the land at Brewery Field and to participate in the trial.

96. CONSULTATION ON STREET TRADING CONSENT – CHICHESTER VEGAN MARKET

The Committee had no objections to the proposals.

97. CONSULTATION ON CHICHESTER DISTRICT COUNCIL DRAFT PARKING ORDER (2024)

The Committee had no comments to make about the proposed price increases.

98. REQUEST FROM CHICHESTER BID FOR MATCH FUNDING OF SHARED PROSPERITY FUND PROJECTS FOR CHICHESTER CITY CENTRE

Members were advised that the City Council had received a request from Helen Marshall at Chichester BID for match funding towards two public realm projects that they were seeking to progress via bids to the UK shared prosperity fund (UKSPF). They were further advised that applications had to demonstrate match funding of at least 20% and be submitted by the end of December.

Committee were informed that the application window is was very short due to delays in confirming the funding with Chichester District Council from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Helen Marshall from Chichester BID gave an overview of the proposals and answered questions from the Committee.

After a lengthy discussion of the proposed projects, the Committee RESOLVED to recommend to the finance committee meeting on 11th December that CIL funds of up to £28,000 be made available as match funding towards the UK Shared Prosperity Fund bid, release of the funds to be contingent upon the bid being successful.

99. CITY CENTRE PAVEMENTS

a) Update on WSP project progress

The Clerk had circulated the notes from an officers’ briefing meeting which was held on 23 November 2023. Members noted that work on the options study was due to be completed by the end of March 2024 and that Greg Ockwell from West Sussex County Council would attend the February Planning and Conservation Committee meeting to provide an update on progress.

b) Consideration of a motion from councillors Pramas and Vivian

Councillor Pramas introduced the motion.

The Committee discussed the proposal and RESOLVED to ADOPT the motion as presented.

Committee RESOLVED that:

  • The present state of the City centre paving is fundamentally unacceptable and cannot be allowed to continue.
  • The Mayor be empowered to write a letter on behalf of the City Council, subject to the approval of Committee members, to the following individuals, reflecting the content of this Motion and emphasising the unacceptability of the current state of the paving:
    • The Chief Executive of West Sussex County Council;
    • The Leader of West Sussex County Council;
    • The Chief Executive of Chichester District Council;
    • The Leader of Chichester District Council;
    • Gillian Keegan MP.
  • Representatives of West Sussex County Council be invited to address the next meeting of the Planning and Conservation Committee, about City centre repaving, to establish a better dialogue and understand the issues involved.
  • A commitment be made, in principle, to a financial contribution towards the works as already agreed, but not a survey, of a repaving in the City centre, and to refer the issue to the Finance Committee.
  • The City formally requests that West Sussex County Council adopts the following priorities into account in any works undertaken:
    • Better accessibility in the City centre, and;
    • Commitment to repaving the entire precinct in Chichester City centre, not just brickwork.

100. ITEMS TO BE INCLUDED ON THE NEXT AGENDA

  • Neighbourhood Plan
  • Pavements

101. DATE OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING

DATE OF THE NEXT ORDINARY MEETING: 1 FEBRUARY 2022

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