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Minutes – Planning and Conservation Committee (Special Meeting) – 26 January 2023

The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Planning and Conservation Committee – 26 January 2023 – agenda and papers (Special Meeting)

The minutes of this meeting are presented below.

You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Planning and Conservation Committee (Special Meeting) – 26 January 2023

PLANNING AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

SPECIAL MEETING

Minutes

Date: 26 January 2023

Time: 5.30pm to 6.30pm

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

PRESENT: Councillor Quail (Chairman), Councillor Corfield, Councillor Gaskin

EX-OFFICIO: The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Plowman) and Councillor Scicluna

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Town Clerk, Deputy Town Clerk, Planning Adviser, Member Services Support Officer

IN ATTENDANCE VIA ZOOM: Alan Lewis (Associate Director, PJA Traffic Consultants)

115. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

RESOLVED to accept and approve apologies and reasons for absence from the meeting from the Mayor (Councillor Joy) and Councillors Apel, Gershater and Sharp.

116. WHITEHOUSE FARM – PHASE TWO PLANNING APPLICATION AND THE SOUTHERN ACCESS ROUTE

The Chairman reminded Members that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the report that had previously been submitted by PJA Traffic Consultants at the request of the Committee and to decide on actions going forward in the light of the additional information that had been submitted by the developers, Miller Vistry, in support of their phase 2 planning application which included the Southern Access Route (SAR) to the Whitehouse Farm development.

She then introduced her report that had been distributed with the agenda and highlighted the key issues that had been raised, namely:

  • The lack of an adequate transport assessment, and
  • The lack of certainty about the nature, timing and delivery of necessary improvements to the A27 and in particular to the Fishbourne roundabout

The Deputy Mayor advised the Committee that he had reviewed the non-technical summary in the further documentation that had been sent to National Highways by developers in support of the SAR part of the application. He further advised that this had resulted in National Highways dropping their standing objection to the plans. He expressed the opinion that he thought that the additional arguments being put forward were flawed.

Post meeting note: The Deputy Mayor referenced section 3 of the documentation available through this link – https://publicaccess.chichester.gov.uk/online-applications/files/BCC9991167E3E83B67577BA548A80F87/pdf/22_01485_OUTEIA-HIGHWAY_INFORMATION_NON-_TECHNICAL_SUMMARY_SENT_TO_NATIONAL_HIGHWAYS_BY_APPLICANTS-5115110.pdf

Deputy Mayor informed Members that recent changes to the draft Local Plan would allow for a clause to be added to planning consents requiring a further financial contribution from developers, particularly in respect of mitigating impacts on the A27.

The Committee discussed the PJA report, issues raised by the additional developer submissions and their concerns about the proposals.

Members agreed that the City Council should continue to provide responses to the SAR proposals in support of their constituents’ concerns about the application.

The Committee and Mr Lewis (PJA Traffic Consultants) discussed the PJA report, and Mr Lewis was asked to clarify what would be possible in regards to strengthening the impact of the report and supporting the City Council’s objections to the current SAR proposal.

After a short further discussion, the Planning Adviser made a proposal in respect of additional work from PJA Traffic Consultants:

  • An updated assessment of the highways impact reflecting and focussing on the new information provided by the applicants, and specifically addressing the issue of the capacity at the SAR junction.
  • An assessment of the SAR junction layout as proposed, in terms of safety, capacity and traffic flow.
  • An assessment of the comparative potential suitability of a “Paul Wreyford”/“Option 2” SAR junction layout in terms of safety, capacity and traffic flow (notwithstanding that there would be a land ownership issue which the applicant would have to overcome to implement such an option).

In response, Mr Lewis advised that the cost of the additional report would not exceed £5000.

The Committee concurred with the proposal, and it was AGREED TO RECOMMEND to the Finance Committee meeting being held on Monday 30 January 2022 that PJA Traffic Consultants be commissioned to undertake the additional work as proposed by the Planning Adviser with the cost being no more than £5000.

Mr Lewis was advised that the Finance Committee’s decision would be relayed to him as soon as possible after the meeting so that he could begin work at once.

The meeting closed at 6.30pm

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